Flexible display devices

• US 9,504,170 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2014
• Issued: 11/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Rothkopf, Fletcher R., Janis, Andrew J. M., Dabov, Teodor
• Primary Examiner(s): Edwards, Anthony Q
• Application Number:
  US14/335,783
• Publication Number:
  US 20140328041A1
• Time in Patent Office: 858 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1652 the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/022 The hinge comprising two parallel pivoting axes
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0268 including a flexible display panel
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0017 with operator interface units
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0217 Mechanical details of casings covers, lids, hoods or members for covering apertures H05K5/03
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0226 Hinges

Abstract

Electronic devices may be provided that contain multiple housing portions. The housing portions may be coupled together using hinges. The hinges may include hinges based on a three-bar linkage, hinges based on a four-bar linkage, hinges with slotted members, hinges formed from flexible support structures, and hinges based on flexible housing structures. Flexible displays may be mounted to the housing portions overlapping the hinges. When the housing portions in a device are rotated relative to each other, the flexible display may bend. The hinge may be configured to allow the flexible display to be placed in a front-to-front configuration in which an active side of the display faces itself or a back-to-back configuration. Engagement structures may be used to help the housing grip external objects and to hold the housing portions together. The hinges may be provided with rotational detents to help hold the flexible display in desired positions.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing structure;

a flexible support structure mounted to the housing structure; and

a flexible display mounted to the flexible support structure, wherein the flexible display has first and second portions, wherein the flexible display is movable between a planar position in which the first and second portions of the flexible display are coplanar and a folded position in which the first portion of the flexible display is parallel to the second portion of the flexible display, wherein the flexible support structure is configured to hold the flexible display in the planar position and to hold the flexible display in the folded position, and wherein the flexible support structure comprises a first portion that overlaps the housing structure and a second portion that extends beyond an edge of the housing structure.

2. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the flexible support structure comprises a sheet of flexible metal.

3. The electronic device defined in claim 2 wherein the sheet of flexible metal comprises nitinol.

4. The electronic device defined in claim 1 further comprising engagement structures coupled to the flexible support structure and the housing structure, wherein the engagement structures engage one another and hold the flexible support structure against the housing structure when the flexible support structure is bent away from the planar position.

5. The electronic device defined in claim 4 wherein the engagement structures comprise engagement structures selected from the group consisting of:

magnetic structures, mating hook and notch structures, and hook-and-loop fastener material.

6. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing having first and second housing portions;

a hinge that couples the first housing portion to the second housing portion for rotational motion, wherein the hinge comprises at least one flexible part of the housing; and

a flexible display mounted to the first and second housing portions, wherein the flexible display bends at the hinge when the first and second housing portions are rotated with respect to each other, wherein the hinge is configured so that the first and second housing portions rotate relative to each other sufficiently to allow the display to be placed in a face-to-face configuration and a back-to-back configuration.

7. The electronic device defined in claim 6 further comprising:

a first rigid structure associated with the first housing portion;

a second rigid portion associated with the second housing portion; and

electrical components mounted within the first and second rigid structures.

8. The electronic device defined in claim 7 further comprising a flexible communications path that conveys signals between the electrical components mounted within the first and second rigid structures past the hinge.

9. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing having an edge;

a flexible structure having a first portion that overlaps the housing and a second portion that extends beyond the edge of the housing; and

a display having a first display region on the first portion of the flexible structure and a second display region on the second portion of the flexible structure, wherein the first display region is movable with respect to the second display region.

10. The electronic device defined in claim 9 wherein the flexible structure comprises a flexible polymer layer.

11. The electronic device defined in claim 9 wherein the flexible structure comprises metal.

12. The electronic device defined in claim 9 wherein the flexible structure comprises a flexible polymer having a skeletal frame structure.

13. The electronic device defined in claim 9 wherein the flexible structure comprises a shape memory alloy.

14. The electronic device defined in claim 9 wherein the first display region comprises a first plurality of display pixels and wherein the second display region comprises a second plurality of display pixels.

15. The electronic device defined in claim 9 wherein the flexible structure is configured to maintain flat and bent configurations.

16. The electronic device defined in claim 9 further comprising a cover layer formed over at least one of the first and the second display regions.

17. The electronic device defined in claim 16 wherein the cover layer comprises a glass cover layer.

18. The electronic device defined in claim 9 wherein the flexible structure is movable into a configuration in which the first display region overlaps the second display region.

19. The electronic device defined in claim 9 wherein the flexible structure bends about an axis that runs parallel to the edge.