Foldable device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10120415-B2
Application number	US-201715676234-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 14, 2017
Priority date	Feb 21, 2014
Publication date	Nov 6, 2018
Grant date	Nov 6, 2018

Abstract

A foldable device includes first and second bodies that respectively support a first part and a second part of a flexible display device and are foldably connected to each other between a folded position and an unfolded position, and a movable support member that continuously near-supports a third part of the flexible display device between the first part and the second part when the first body and the second body change from the folded position to the unfolded position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fordable device comprising:
a flexible display comprising a first part, a second part and a third part between the first part and the second part;
a first body configured to support the first part;
a second body configured to support the second part; and
a hinge configured to foldably connect the first body and the second body and to comprise a plurality of segment members which are pivotably connected to one another and support the third part;
wherein the segment member comprises an upper end portion configured to support the third part;
a lower end portion configured to be positioned to be opposite to the upper end portion; and
side portions configured to connect the upper end portion and the lower end portion and to be inclined;
wherein the hinge further comprises a plurality of connection members that pivotably connect the plurality of segment members,
wherein while the first body and the second body are folded, the upper end portion of the segment member contacts the upper end portion of the adjacent segment member to support the third part to be bent in a certain shape, and the side portion of the segment member contacts the side portion of the adjacent segment member to prevent the third part from being further bent inward, and
wherein as a rotation axis of each of the connection members is spaced apart from the lower end portion of the segment member toward the upper end of the segment member by a predetermined interval, the lower end portion of the segment member contacts the lower end portion of the adjacent segment member to prevent the third part from being further bent outward while the first body and the second body are unfolded.

2. The foldable device of claim 1 , wherein the third part is bent to correspond to a shape of the upper end portion of the plurality of segment members.

3. The fordable device of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of segment members includes the upper end portion whose width is configured to be less than a width of the lower end portion.

4. The fordable device of claim 1 , wherein the hinge is slidably connected with respect to the first body and the second body.

5. The foldable device of claim 4 , further comprising:
a first connection bracket and a second connection bracket configured to be coupled to opposite ends of the hinge, respectively,
wherein both the first connection bracket and the second connection bracket comprise a first rail, and
wherein the foldable device comprises a second rail configured to be arranged in the first body and in the second body and to be slidably coupled to the first rail.

6. The foldable device of claim 4 , further comprising:
a flexible guide member configured to be arranged inside the hinge and to connect the first body and the second body.

7. The fordable device of claim 6 , further comprising:
a sliding amount control unit configured to maintain constant a ratio between a sliding amount of the hinge and a sliding amount of the guide member.

8. The foldable device of claim 6 , wherein the guide member comprises a first guide member and a second guide member which synchronize a rotation of the first body and of the second body,
wherein one end portion of the first guide member is connected to the first body, and the other end portion of the first guide member is connected to one end of the hinge adjacent to the second body, and
wherein one end portion of the second guide member is connected to the second body, and the other end portion of the second guide member is connected to the other end of the hinge adjacent to the first body.

9. The foldable device of claim 4 , further comprising:
a locking unit configured to lock the hinge while the first body and the second body form at least one of unfolding degrees between a degree of an unfolded state and a degree of a folded state.

10. The foldable device of claim 1 , wherein the first body comprises a first frame to which the first part is coupled and a first base cover to which the first frame is coupled, and
wherein the second body comprises a second frame to which the second part is coupled and a second base cover to which the second frame is coupled.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Seo Ho-Seong
• Park Kyung-Wan
• Lee Ga-Eun
• Jung Ji-Hyun
• Cho Shi-Yun

Classifications

• G06F1/1652 Primary

  the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable · CPC title

• G06F1/1681

  Details related solely to hinges (hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683) · CPC title