Foldable display device

• US 9,888,100 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2016
• Issued: 02/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Xu, Zhiqiang
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Simon
• Application Number:
  US15/321,107
• Publication Number:
  US 20170142240A1
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 455566, 4555753, 36167906, 36167927
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/301 flexible foldable or roll-able electronic displays, e.g. thin LCD, OLED
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0216 Foldable in one direction, i.e. using a one degree of freedom hinge
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0268 including a flexible display panel

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a foldable display device, including: first and second housings, which are hinged through a first shaft and have first and second closed surfaces respectively and which are capable of rotating about the first shaft to be open or closed; and a touch screen covering the first and second closed surfaces. The touch screen has a bendable region corresponding to a connection region for the first and second housings, the bendable region presenting a planar structure when the first and second housings are open and presenting a smooth curved structure when the first and second housings are closed. A first groove is defined in an end of the first housing neighboring the second housing, and a second groove is defined in an end of the second housing neighboring the first housing. The first and second grooves together define an accommodation space for accommodating the bendable region.

Claims

1. A foldable display device, comprising:

a first housing and a second housing which is hinged to the first housing with a first shaft;

wherein the first housing has a first closed surface and the second housing has a second closed surface; and

the first housing and the second housing is capable of rotating about the first shaft to be open or closed; and

a touch screen covering the first closed surface and the second closed surface;

wherein the touch screen has a bendable region corresponding to a connection region for the first housing and the second housing;

the bendable region presents a planar structure when the first housing and the second housing are open and presents a smooth curved structure when the first housing and the second housing are closed;

wherein a first groove is defined in an end of the first housing neighboring the second housing, a second groove is defined in an end of the second housing neighboring the first housing, and the first groove and the second groove are aligned and joint to define an accommodation space for accommodating the bendable region;

wherein the foldable display device further comprises;

a first barrier plate in the first groove; and

a first movement structure configured to control movement of the first barrier plate between a first position and a second position;

wherein the first barrier plate is at the first position where an opening of the first groove is and the first barrier plate is in a same plane as the first closed surface, when the first housing and the second housing are open; and

wherein the first barrier plate is at the second position when the first housing and the second housing are closed, the second position is in a second portion other than a first portion in the first groove, and the first portion in the first groove is configured to accommodate the bendable region;

wherein the first movement structure comprises;

a second shaft at the opening of the first groove and at an end of the opening away from the first shaft wherein a first end of the first barrier plate is hinged on the second shaft; and

a first transmission structure with one end connected with the first shaft and an opposite end connected with a second end of the first barrier plate;

wherein driven by the first transmission structure, the first barrier plate rotates with the first shaft so as to move between the first position and the second position;

wherein the first transmission structure comprises;

a first positioning post on an outer peripheral surface of the first shaft and

a first connection line with one end connected with the first positioning post and an opposite end connected with the second end of the first barrier plate.

2. The foldable display device according to claim 1, wherein a structure of the first groove and a structure of the second groove are symmetrical with respect to the first shaft.

3. The foldable display device according to claim 2, wherein the first groove is defined by:

a first sidewall, neighboring the first shaft and having a curved structure; and

a second sidewall, defining an acute angle with respect to the first closed surface and having a side away from the first closed surface being connected to a bottom side of the first sidewall.

4. The foldable display device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second barrier plate in the second groove; and

a second movement structure configured to control movement of the second barrier plate between a third position and a fourth position;

wherein the second barrier plate is at the third position where an opening of the second groove is and the second barrier plate is in a same plane as the second closed surface when the first housing and the second housing are open; and

wherein the second barrier plate is at the fourth position when the first housing and the second housing are closed, the fourth position is in a fourth portion in the second groove other than a third portion in the second groove, and the third portion in the second groove is configured to accommodate the bendable region.

5. The foldable display device according to claim 4, wherein the second movement structure comprises:

a third shaft at the opening of the second groove and at an end of the opening of the second groove away from the first shaft;

wherein a first end of the second barrier plate is hinged on the third shaft; and

a second transmission structure with one end connected with the first shaft and an opposite end connected with a second end of the second barrier plate;

wherein driven by the second transmission structure, the second barrier plate rotates with the first shaft so as to move between the third position and the fourth position.

6. The foldable display device according to claim 5, wherein the second transmission structure comprises:

a second positioning post on an outer peripheral surface of the first shaft; and

a second connection line with one end connected with the second positioning post and an opposite end connected with the second end of the second barrier plate.

7. The foldable display device according to claim 6, wherein the second connection line is a thread.

8. The foldable display device according to claim 5, wherein the second transmission structure comprises:

a second positioning post on an outer peripheral surface of the first shaft;

a second slide member movably on a sidewall of the second groove;

wherein the second end of the second barrier plate is in a slide path of the second slide member; and

a second connection line with an end connected with the second positioning post and an opposite end connected with the second slide member.

9. The foldable display device according to claim 8, wherein the second connection line is a thread.

10. The foldable display device according to claim 1, wherein the first connection line is a thread.

11. A foldable display device, comprising:

a first housing and a second housing which is hinged to the first housing with a first shaft;

wherein the first housing has a first closed surface and the second housing has a second closed surface; and

the first housing and the second housing is capable of rotating about the first shaft to be open or closed; and

a touch screen covering the first closed surface and the second closed surface;

wherein the touch screen has a bendable region corresponding to a connection region for the first housing and the second housing;

the bendable region presents a planar structure when the first housing and the second housing are open and presents a smooth curved structure when the first housing and the second housing are closed;

wherein a first groove is defined in an end of the first housing neighboring the second housing, a second groove is defined in an end of the second housing neighboring the first housing, and the first groove and the second groove are aligned and joint to define an accommodation space for accommodating the bendable region;

wherein the foldable display device further comprises;

a first barrier plate in the first groove; and

a first movement structure configured to control movement of the first barrier plate between a first position and a second position;

wherein the first barrier plate is at the first position where an opening of the first groove is and the first barrier plate is in a same plane as the first closed surface, when the first housing and the second housing are open; and

wherein the first barrier plate is at the second position when the first housing and the second housing are closed, the second position is in a second portion other than a first portion in the first groove, and the first portion in the first groove is configured to accommodate the bendable region;

wherein the first movement structure comprises;

a second shaft at the opening of the first groove and at an end of the opening away from the first shaft;

wherein a first end of the first barrier plate is hinged on the second shaft; and

a first transmission structure with one end connected with the first shaft and an opposite end connected with a second end of the first barrier plate;

wherein driven by the first transmission structure, the first barrier plate rotates with the first shaft so as to move between the first position and the second position;

wherein the first transmission structure comprises;

a first positioning post on an outer peripheral surface of the first shaft;

a first slide member movably on a sidewall of the first groove;

wherein the second end of the first barrier plate is in a slide path of the first slide member; and

a first connection line with one end connected with the first positioning post and an opposite end connected with the first slide member.

12. The foldable display device according to claim 11, wherein the first connection line is a thread.