Electronic apparatus with a flexible display having a body enabling further functionality

• US 8,873,225 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2009
• Issued: 10/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Creator Technology BV
• Inventors: Huitema, Hjalmar Edzer Ayco, Verschoor, Volker Barnhart, Kruidhof, Rik
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoffberg, Robert J
• Assistant Examiner(s): DANG, HUNG Q
• Application Number:
  US12/989,339
• Publication Number:
  US 20110148797A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,015 Days
• Field of Search: 345/168, 345/169, 345/173, 361/679.01, 361/679.03, 361/679.09, 361/679.11, 361/679.15, 361/679.2, 361/679.32
• US Class Current: 361/679.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1615 with several enclosures having relative motions, each enclosure supporting at least one I/O or computing function constructional details of portable telephones comprising a plurality of mechanically joined movable body parts H04M1/0206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1652 the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/301 flexible foldable or roll-able electronic displays, e.g. thin LCD, OLED

Abstract

The invention relates to an electronic apparatus 10 comprising a body 14 about which a collapsible flexible display 16 is wrapped. In accordance with the invention the body 14 comprises an area 16a on which the flexible display is conceived to overlay in its extended state. This area may be provided with illumination unit for enabling a front illumination of the display in use and/or with a touch-sensitive area 13 for enabling touch functionality in use.

Claims

1. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a body;

an at least partially collapsible flexible display, including a first portion and a second portion, disposed on opposite sides of the flexible display, wherein the first portion overlays a portion of the body in a folded state, and the second portion overlays the portion of the body in an extended state; and

one or more rigid flaps, comprising displacement means for positioning a portion of the flexible display on the portion of the body when the electronic apparatus is in use;

wherein the flexible display is arranged to be wrapped about the body and the portion of the body is arranged with an illumination unit, wherein said displacement means are coupled to the illumination unit for synchronizing a displacement of the illumination unit with a displacement of said one or more flaps.

2. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the portion of the body comprises a touch sensitive unit.

3. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the illumination unit is displaceable with respect to the body.

4. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the displacement means are arranged to rotate the one or more flaps with respect to the body.

5. The electronic apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said one or more flaps are provided with fixing means for retaining the portion of the flexible display on the portion of the body.

6. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the displacement means comprises a plurality of hinges arranged in mutual sequence.

7. The electronic apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the plurality of hinges is arranged to restrict a bending angle of the flexible display.

8. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said one or more rigid flaps are slidably arranged with respect to the body.

9. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said one or more rigid flaps are arranged to be positioned at an oblique angle with respect to the body when the electronic apparatus is in use.

10. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the flexible display is arranged to be wrapped about the body.

11. The electronic apparatus according to claim 10, wherein an active area of the flexible display is arranged to be outwardly arranged with respect to the body when the flexible display is in use.

12. The electronic apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the active area of the flexible display is arranged to be inwardly oriented upon storage.