Method and apparatus for a flexible housing

• US 9,117,347 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2013
• Issued: 08/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Matthews, Andrew Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): MULLEN, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US13/775,746
• Publication Number:
  US 20140240108A1
• Time in Patent Office: 911 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 341/27, 340/407.1, 340/407.2, 340/693.5
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1635 Details related to the integration of battery packs and other power supplies such as fuel cells or integrated AC adapter
• 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: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/263 Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC G06F1/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a housing having a substantially rigid portion and a substantially flexible portion. The substantially rigid portion includes a plurality of openings. The substantially flexible portion is at the plurality of openings. The substantially flexible portion is configured to provide haptic feedback, or generate a voltage.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising a housing having a substantially rigid portion and a substantially flexible portion, wherein the substantially rigid portion comprises a plurality of openings, and wherein the substantially flexible portion is at the plurality of openings, and wherein the substantially flexible portion is configured to generate a voltage in response to a bending or twisting of the housing.

2. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the substantially flexible portion comprises a substantially flexible material configured to provide haptic feedback in response to a voltage applied at the substantially flexible material.

3. An apparatus as in claim 2 wherein the apparatus further comprises an electrode between a portion of one of the openings and the substantially flexible material and the electrode is configured to apply the voltage.

4. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the substantially flexible portion comprises an electro-active polymer.

5. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the openings are between castellated or ridged regions of the housing.

6. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the openings extend through a majority of a cross-section of the housing.

7. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the openings are proximate a lateral side of the housing.

8. An apparatus as in claim 7 wherein the plurality of openings extend along a majority of a length of the lateral side.

9. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the apparatus further comprises a display connected to the housing, wherein the substantially flexible portion is configured to flex the housing from a first position to a second position in response to a voltage applied at the substantially flexible portion, and wherein the second position is configured to protect the display.

10. An apparatus as in claim 9 wherein the display comprises a substantially flexible display.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code;

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following;

provide a haptic feedback to the device, wherein the haptic feedback comprises substantial bending or twisting of the device.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code;

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following;

generate a voltage for an energy harvesting system of the device in response to a substantial bending or twisting of the device.

13. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the apparatus comprises a mobile phone or a wearable device.

14. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the substantially flexible portion is configured to provide haptic feedback.

15. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the substantially flexible portion is within a space defined by the openings.

16. A method, comprising:

providing a housing, wherein the housing comprises a substantially rigid portion and a substantially flexible portion;

providing a series of openings at the substantially rigid portion, and wherein the substantially flexible portion is at the series of openings; and

providing an electrode at the openings, wherein the electrode is proximate the substantially flexible portion, and wherein the substantially flexible portion is configured to generate a voltage;

wherein the substantially flexible portion is configured to generate a voltage in response to a bending or twisting of the housing.

17. A method as in claim 16 wherein the substantially flexible portion comprises a substantially flexible material configured to provide haptic feedback in response to a voltage applied at the electrode.

18. A method as in claim 16 wherein the substantially flexible portion comprises an electro-active polymer.

19. A computer program embodied on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, the computer program configured to control a processor to perform a method comprising:

generating a voltage at an electrode in response to a bending or twisting of a portable device housing, wherein the electrode is at a substantially flexible material of the housing; and

charging a battery in response to the generated voltage.

20. The computer program of claim 19 wherein the substantially flexible material comprises an electro-active polymer, and wherein the electro-active polymer is configured to provide haptic feedback at the housing.