Mobile computing device having a flexible hinge structure

• US 9,541,962 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2014
• Issued: 01/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Siddiqui, Kabir
• Primary Examiner(s): LEA EDMONDS, LISA S
• Application Number:
  US14/515,766
• Publication Number:
  US 20160109908A1
• Time in Patent Office: 817 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 1/00 Pinless hinges; Substitutes for hinges
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1618 the display being foldable up to the back of the other housing with a single degree of freedom, e.g. by 360° rotation over the axis defined by the rear edge of the base enclosure
• 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: H04M 1/0216 Foldable in one direction, i.e. using a one degree of freedom hinge

Abstract

Techniques involving a mobile computing device having a flexible hinge structure are described. In one or more implementations, a mobile computing device includes a plurality of housings, a display device that is flexible, and a flexible hinge structure. The flexible hinge structure secures the plurality of housings to each other, permits the plurality of housings to rotate about an axis in relation to each other, and supports a continuous viewing area of the display device that extends across the plurality of housings and the flexible hinge structure.

Claims

1. A mobile computing device comprising:

a plurality of housings;

a display device that is flexible; and

a flexible hinge structure that;

secures the plurality of housings to each other;

permits the plurality of housings to rotate about an axis in relation to each other, the flexible hinge structure supporting a plurality of configurations of the plurality of housings in relation to each other, one said configuration positioning the plurality of housings along a single plane and at least a second said configuration positioning the plurality of housings stacked in relation to each other configured to expose at least a portion of the display device so as to be viewable;

contacts the display device that is flexible; and

supports a continuous viewing area of the display device that extends across the plurality of housings and the flexible hinge structure.

2. A mobile computing device as described in claim 1, wherein:

each of the plurality of housings includes a first outer surface, on which, the display device is secured;

the plurality of housings is configured to be positioned using the flexible hinge structure such that the first outer surfaces define the single plane; and

the flexible hinge structure includes a first flexible member that has a first outer surface that, together with the first outer surfaces of the plurality of housings is continuous along the defined single plane through which the continuous viewing area of the display device extends.

3. A mobile computing device as described in claim 2, wherein:

each of the plurality of housings includes a second outer surface that is opposite to the first outer surface;

the plurality of housings are configured to be positioned using the flexible hinge structure such that the second outer surfaces define a second plane that is parallel to the single plane; and

the flexible hinge structure includes a second flexible member that has a second outer surface that, together with the second outer surfaces of the plurality of housings is continuous along the second plane that is generally parallel to the defined single plane.

4. A mobile computing device as described in claim 2, wherein the first flexible member is configured to support a minimum bend radius of the display device.

5. A mobile computing device as described in claim 1, wherein the flexible hinge structure contacts the display device in a space between the plurality of housings and supports the display device in the space between the plurality of housings.

6. A mobile computing device as described in claim 1, wherein the at least second said configuration in which the plurality of housings are stacked is configured to expose the portion of the display device along a curvature of the flexible hinge structure.

7. A mobile computing device as described in claim 1, further comprising a biasing mechanism configured to bias positioning of the plurality of housings in a particular one of the plurality of configurations.

8. A mobile computing device as described in claim 7, wherein the biasing mechanism uses magnets or a mechanical device.

9. A mobile computing device comprising:

a display device that is flexible;

a plurality of housings; and

a plurality of flexible hinge structures that;

secures the plurality of housings, one to another;

permits the plurality of housings to rotate about an axis in relation to each other; and

forms a continuous viewing area of the display device that extends across the plurality of housings and the plurality of flexible hinge structures by contacting the flexible display device in a space between the plurality of housings.

10. A mobile computing device as described in claim 9, wherein the plurality of housings include a first, second, and third said housing and the plurality of flexible hinge structures include first and second said flexible hinge structures and the continuous viewing area of the display device extends over the first, second and third said housings and the first and second said flexible hinge structures.

11. A mobile computing device as described in claim 9, wherein:

each of the plurality of housings includes a first outer surface, on which, the display device is secured;

the plurality of housings are configured to be positioned using the plurality of flexible hinge structures such that the first outer surfaces define a single plane; and

each of the plurality of flexible hinge structures includes a first flexible member that has a first outer surface that, together with the first outer surfaces of the plurality of housings is continuous along the defined single plane through which the continuous viewing area of the display device extends.

12. A mobile computing device as described in claim 11, wherein:

each of the plurality of housings includes a second outer surface that is opposite to the first outer surface;

the plurality of housings is configured to be positioned using the flexible hinge structure such that the second outer surfaces define a second plane that is parallel to the single plane; and

each of the plurality of flexible hinge structures includes a second flexible member that has a second outer surface that, together with the second outer surfaces of the plurality of housings is continuous along the second plane that is generally parallel to the defined single plane.

13. A mobile computing device as described in claim 11, wherein the first flexible member is configured to support a minimum bend radius of the display device.

14. A mobile computing device as described in claim 9, wherein the rotation of the plurality of flexible hinge structures supports a plurality of configurations of the plurality of housings in relation to each other, at least one said configuration involving positioning of the plurality of housings along a single plane and another said configuration in which the plurality of housings is stacked in relation to each other.

15. A mobile computing device as described in claim 9, wherein the rotation of the plurality of flexible hinge structures supports a plurality of configurations of the plurality of housings in relation to each other, at least one said configuration involving positioning of the plurality of housings along a single plane and another said configuration in which at least one of the plurality of housings is stacked in relation to each other and two or more of the plurality of housing are viewable by a user.

16. A mobile computing device as described in claim 9, wherein the rotation of the plurality of flexible hinge structures supports a plurality of configurations of the plurality of housings in relation to each other, at least one said configuration involving positioning of the plurality of housings along a single plane and another said configuration in which two or more of the plurality of housings is stacked in relation to each other and at least one of the plurality of housings is viewable by a user.

17. A mobile computing device comprising:

a flexible hinge structure that;

secures housings of the mobile computing device to each other;

permits the housings to rotate about an axis in relation to each other supporting multiple configurations of the housings in relation to each other, one said configuration positioning the housings along a single plane and at least a second said configuration positioning the housings stacked in relation to each other;

contacts a flexible display device of the mobile computing device; and

supports a continuous viewing area of the flexible display device that extends across the housings and the flexible hinge structure; and

a biasing mechanism configured to bias positioning of the housings in a particular one of the multiple configurations.

18. A mobile computing device as described in claim 17, wherein the at least second said configuration in which the housings are stacked is configured to expose at least a portion of the flexible display device so as to be viewable.

19. A mobile computing device as described in claim 17, wherein the at least second said configuration in which the housings are stacked is configured such that no portion of the flexible display device is viewable.

20. A mobile computing device as described in claim 17, wherein the flexible hinge structure contacts the flexible display device in a space between the housings and supports the flexible display device in the space between the housings.