Foldable device

• US 10,883,534 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2019
• Issued: 01/05/2021
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Bae, Yu-dong, Seo, Ho-seong, Kaihotsu, Wataru, Takayanagi, Toshikazu, Park, Jin-hyoung
• Primary Examiner(s): Edwards, Mark
• Application Number:
  US16/406,554
• Publication Number:
  US 20200355216A1
• Time in Patent Office: 608 Days
• Field of Search: 345173
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 11/04 Pivotal connections hinges for doors, windows or wings E05D
• 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 1/1652 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 1/1681 Details related solely to hinges hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683

Abstract

A foldable device includes a flexible display including first, second, and third portions; a body including first, second, and third support portions which respectively supports the first, second, and third portions; a hinge including a first rotation axis which connects the first support portion to the third support portion, and a second rotation axis which connects the second support portion to the third support portion; and a slot hole which is rotatably coupled with the first and second rotation axes, and which moves the first rotation axis and the second rotation axis when the first support portion and the second support portion rotate with respect to the third support portion. The first and second rotation axes allow the first and second support portions to rotate with respect to the third support portion when the flexible display changes from an open state to a closed state.

Claims

1. A foldable device comprising:

a flexible display comprising a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion disposed between the first portion and the second portion;

a body comprising a first support portion which supports the first portion of the flexible display, a second support portion which supports the second portion of the flexible display, and a third support portion which supports the third portion of the flexible display;

a hinge comprising a first rotation axis which connects the first support portion to the third support portion, and a second rotation axis which connects the second support portion to the third support portion;

a first slot hole having a curved shape which shifts the first rotation axis along a first inner surface of the first slot hole when the first support portion rotates; and

a second slot hole having the curved shape which shifts the second rotation axis along a second inner surface of the second slot hole when the second support portion rotates.

2. The foldable device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first rotation axis and the second rotation axis allow the first support portion and the second support portion to rotate with respect to the third support portion when the flexible display changes from an open state to a closed state,

wherein the first slot hole is disposed on the first support portion and the third support portion and is rotatably coupled with the first rotation axis, and

wherein the second slot hole is disposed on the second support portion and the third support portion and is rotatably coupled with the second rotation axis.

3. The foldable device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the third support portion comprises a first support wing rotatably connected to the first support portion and a second support wing rotatably connected to the second support portion.

4. The foldable device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first rotation axis is disposed on both sides of the first support wing, the second rotation axis is disposed on both sides of the second support wing, and the first slot hole is disposed on the first support portion and configured to receive the first rotation axis of the first support wing and the second slot hole is disposed on the second support portion and configured to receive the second rotation axis of the second support wing.

5. The foldable device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first slot hole is disposed on both sides of the first support wing and the second slot hole is disposed on both sides of the second support wing, and

wherein the first rotation axis is disposed on the first support portion and inserted to the first slot hole of the first support wing, and the second rotation axis is disposed on the second support portion and inserted to the second slot hole of the second support wing.

6. The foldable device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first slot hole is disposed on both sides of the first support wing, the second slot hole is disposed on both sides of the second support wing,

wherein the foldable device further comprises:

a third slot hole disposed on the first support portion which faces the first slot hole of the first support wing; and

a fourth slot hole disposed on the second support portion which faces the second slot hole of the second support wing, and

wherein the first rotation axis is inserted to the first slot hole of the first support wing and the third slot hole of the first support portion, and the second rotation axis is inserted to the second slot hole of the second support wing and the fourth slot hole of the second support portion.

7. The foldable device as claimed in claim 3, wherein a fixing member which fixes the third portion of the flexible display is fixed on an upper surface of the first support wing and the second support wing.

8. The foldable device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the fixing member comprises a double-sided tape and an adhesive.

9. The foldable device as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

a first reinforcing plate that covers a part of the first support portion and the third support portion, and supports a part of the flexible display; and

a second reinforcing plate that covers a part of the second support portion and the third support portion, and supports a part of the flexible display.

10. The foldable device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the first reinforcing plate and the second reinforcing plate are fixed on a rear surface of the flexible display.

11. The foldable device as claimed in claim 3, further comprising:

a first guide slot and a second guide slot and;

a first support arm and a second support arm which allow the first support wing and the second support wing to move, according to movement of the first support portion and the second support portion, between a support position which supports that the third portion of the flexible display is in a same plane as the first portion and the second portion, and a receiving position which forms a receiving space to receive a curved third portion of the flexible display between the first support portion and the second support portion.

12. The foldable device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first guide slot and the second guide slot move along with the first support portion and the second support portion and the first support arm and the second support arm move by the first guide slot and the second guide slot.

13. The foldable device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first support arm and the second support arm comprise a first guide pin and a second guide pin which pass through the first guide slot and the second guide slot and are extended to a bottom of the first support wing and the second support wing.

14. The foldable device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the third support portion further comprises a central support member which supports a central portion of the third portion of the flexible display.