Flexible screen backed with rigid ribs

• US 9,120,290 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2012
• Issued: 09/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Display Corporation
• Original Assignee: Universal Display Corporation
• Inventors: Krall, Emory, Ma, Ruiqing, Hack, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Sample, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Flores, Jr., Donald M
• Application Number:
  US13/648,907
• Publication Number:
  US 20140099479A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,056 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/14 characterised by a face layer formed of separate pieces of material which are juxtaposed side-by-side B32B5/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/28 characterised by a layer comprising a deformed thin sheet , i.e. the layer having its entire thickness deformed out of the plane, e.g. corrugated, crumpled B32B29/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133305 Flexible substrates, e.g. plastics, organic film
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1624 with sliding enclosures, e.g. sliding keyboard or display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1641 the display being formed by a plurality of foldable display components G06F1/1647 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1652 the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1679 for locking or maintaining the movable parts of the enclosure in a fixed position, e.g. latching mechanism at the edge of the display in a laptop or for the screen protective cover of a PDA G06F1/1681 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1681 Details related solely to hinges hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 11/29 of a band other than endless
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/30 in which the desired character or characters are formed by combining individual elements panels comprising a number of electrodes in a single cell controlling light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. electro-optical or magneto-optical cell, G02F1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/301 flexible foldable or roll-able electronic displays, e.g. thin LCD, OLED
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/3023 Segmented electronic displays
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/33 being semiconductor devices, e.g. diodes
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/35 being liquid crystals G09F9/302 takes precedence; liquid crystal materials C09K19/00; liquid crystal panels comprising a number of electrodes in a single cell per se G02F1/13
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0216 Foldable in one direction, i.e. using a one degree of freedom hinge
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0269 mounted in a fixed curved configuration, e.g. display curved around the edges of the telephone housing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 345/905 Display device with housing structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24628 Nonplanar uniform thickness material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24802 Discontinuous or differential coating, impregnation or bond [e.g., artwork, printing, retouched photograph, etc.]

Abstract

A device is disclosed that includes one or more ribs that allow a flexible device, such as an OLED display, to flex in a first direction but resist flexing in a second direction. The ribs may have stiffening elements attached to them that may lessen flexing in the first direction. Sensors may also be incorporated that signal the stiffening elements. The ribs and stiffening elements have application to a variety of display types such as cell phones, TVs, and movie screens.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a flexible electronic display configurable from a first device configuration having a first curvature to a second device configuration having a second curvature different from the first curvature;

a plurality of ribs physically connected to the flexible electronic display, and configurable from a first rib configuration that prevents the flexible electronic display from flexing in at least one direction to a second rib configuration that allows the flexible electronic display to flex in the at least one direction; and

a plurality of stiffening elements physically connected to the plurality of ribs which, when electrically activated, maintain the plurality of ribs in the first rib configuration, wherein each of the plurality of stiffening elements is connected to at least two adjacent ribs.

2. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the flexible electronic display comprises an emissive device.

3. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the first device configuration is flat.

4. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of ribs are configured to receive an electrical impulse that causes the plurality of ribs to convert between the first rib configuration and the second rib configuration.

5. The device as recited in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of rigid members hingedly connected to each of the plurality of ribs.

6. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of ribs are configured to maintain the flexible electronic display in the first device configuration when the plurality of ribs are in the first rib configuration.

7. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of ribs are arranged in a first direction and allow the flexible electronic display to flex only in a second direction that is orthogonal to the first direction.

8. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of ribs are parallel and allow the flexible electronic display to flex in a direction parallel to the ribs.

9. The device as recited in claim 1, said flexible electronic display configurable in a third device configuration having a third curvature different from the first curvature and the second curvature.

10. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of stiffening elements comprises an element type selected from the group consisting of motorized rods, rotating pins, and pneumatic bladders.

11. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of stiffening elements is disposed between each pair of adjacent ribs.

12. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the device comprises an organic light emitting device.

13. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the device is a component of an item selected from the group consisting of:

a smartphone, a tablet, a wrist watch, a television, a digital picture frame, a cylindrical lamp shade, and a light source.

14. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein a larger area of the display is visible in the first display configuration than in the second display configuration.

15. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of stiffening elements alter the rigidity of the device.

16. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the device comprises an active matrix backplane.

17. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of stiffening elements are aligned in parallel with the plurality of ribs in the second rib configuration.

18. A device comprising:

a flexible electronic display;

a plurality of ribs;

a locking mechanism that converts the ribs from a first configuration in which the ribs allow the device to flex to a second configuration that causes the flexible electronic display to remain rigid; and

a plurality of stiffening elements physically connected to the plurality of ribs which, when electrically activated, maintain the plurality of ribs in the first rib configuration, wherein each of the plurality of stiffening elements is connected to at least two adjacent ribs.

19. The device as recited in claim 18, wherein the flexible electronic display comprises an emissive device.

20. The device as recited in claim 18, wherein the plurality of ribs are attached to the flexible electronic display.

21. The device as recited in claim 18, wherein the plurality of ribs are configured to receive an electrical impulse that causes the plurality of ribs to convert between the first configuration and the second configuration.

22. The device as recited in claim 18, wherein each of the plurality of ribs comprises a rigid member.

23. The device as recited in claim 18, wherein the plurality of ribs are configured to maintain the flexible electronic display in a flat configuration when the plurality of ribs are in the second configuration.

24. The device as recited in claim 18, wherein the plurality of ribs are arranged in a first direction and allow the flexible electronic display to flex only in a second direction that is orthogonal to the first direction.

25. The device as recited in claim 18, wherein the plurality of ribs are parallel and allow the flexible electronic display to flex in a direction parallel to the ribs.

26. The device as recited in claim 18, wherein the plurality of stiffening elements comprises an element type selected from the group consisting of motorized rods, rotating pins, and pneumatic bladders.

27. The device as recited in claim 18, wherein at least one of the plurality of stiffening elements is disposed between each pair of adjacent ribs.

28. The device as recited in claim 18, wherein the device comprises an organic light emitting device.

29. The device as recited in claim 18, wherein the device is a component of an item selected from the group consisting of:

a smartphone, a tablet, a wrist watch, a television, a digital picture frame, and a cylindrical lamp shade.

30. The device as recited in claim 18, wherein the device comprises an active matrix backplane.