Information processing device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10564674-B2
Application number	US-201616328759-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 1, 2016
Priority date	Sep 1, 2016
Publication date	Feb 18, 2020
Grant date	Feb 18, 2020

Abstract

An information processing device (11) includes, as a second connection section for connecting a first member (3) and a second member (4) with each other, a flexible hinge (19) that allows for rotation at least from (i) the angle at which a portion of a flexible display (7U) which portion is on the front surface of the second member (4) is in contact with a portion of the flexible display (7L) which portion is on the front surface of the first member (3) to (ii) the angle at which the portion of the flexible display (7U) which portion is on the front surface of the second member (4) is flush with the portion of the flexible display (7L) which portion is on the front surface of the first member (3).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An information processing device, comprising:
a body section having a plate shape;
a first member having a plate shape and connected with the body section; and
a second member having a plate shape and connected with the first member,
the body section including a back surface provided with an input surface to perform an input operation,
the first member and the second member including respective front surfaces provided with a single flexible display present across both the front surfaces in which the flexible display is capable of being touched for an input operation,
the body section and the first member being connected with each other via a first connection section, the first connection section being a flexible hinge that allows for rotation at least from (i) an angle at which a front surface of the body section that is on an opposite side of the back surface of the body section is in contact with a first portion of the flexible display that is on the front surface of the first member to (ii) an angle at which the input surface on the back surface of the body section is in contact with a back surface of the first member,
the first member and the second member being connected with each other via a second connection section, the second connection section being a flexible hinge that allows rotation at least within a range from (i) an angle at which a second portion of the flexible display that is on the front surface of the second member is in contact with the first portion of the flexible display to (ii) an angle at which a back surface of the second member is in contact with the back surface of the first member, and
a portion adjacent to a first side surface of the body section that is opposite to a second side surface of the body section in which the first connection section is connected and a portion adjacent to a first side surface of the second member that is opposite to a second side surface of the second member in which the second connection section is connected being connected to each other with a first portion of a connection mechanism that is on the first side surface of the body section.

2. The information processing device according to claim 1 , wherein a second portion of the connection mechanism is on the portion adjacent to the first side surface of the second member.

3. The information processing device according to claim 2 , wherein the second portion of the connection mechanism is on the back surface of the second member.

4. The information processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the back surface of the second member is provided with an angle fixing section capable of fixing the second member relative to the first member at a predetermined angle within the range.

5. The information processing device according to claim 2 , wherein
the first portion of the connection mechanism is a protrusion, and
the second portion of the connection mechanism is a depression.

6. The information processing device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first connection section and the second connection section includes flexible wiring.

7. The information processing device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the respective front surfaces of the first member and the second member has a depression.

8. The information processing device according to claim 4 , wherein
the front surface of the body section is in contact with the first portion of the flexible display, and
the second member is fixed relative to the first member using the angle fixing section at a predetermined angle within the range.

9. The information processing device according to claim 1 , wherein
the input surface on the back surface of the body section is in contact with the back surface of the first member, and
the second portion of the flexible display and the first portion of the flexible display are flush with each other.

10. The information processing device according to claim 2 , wherein
the portion adjacent to the first side surface of the body section and the portion adjacent to the first side surface of the second member are connected with each other via the connection mechanism, and
the back surface of the first member, the back surface of the second member, and the input surface on the back surface of the body section face inward.

11. The information processing device according to claim 1 , wherein
the input surface on the back surface of the body section is in contact with the back surface of the first member, and
the back surface of the second member is in contact with the front surface of the body section.

12. The information processing device according to claim 1 , wherein
the front surface of the body section is in contact with the first portion of the flexible display, and
the second portion of the flexible display is in contact with the input surface on the back surface of the body section.

13. The information processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the flexible display is a flexible organic electroluminescent panel.

14. The information processing device according to claim 2 , wherein
the first portion of the connection mechanism is a depression, and
the second portion of the connection mechanism is a protrusion.

15. The information processing device according to claim 2 , wherein the first portion and the second portion of the connection mechanism are each a magnet.

Assignees

• Sharp Kk

Inventors

• Fujimoto Hidetoshi

Classifications

• G06F1/1649

  the additional display being independently orientable, e.g. for presenting information to a second user · CPC title

• G06F1/1662

  Details related to the integrated keyboard · CPC title

• G06F1/1652

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

• G06F1/1683

  for the transmission of signal or power between the different housings, e.g. details of wired or wireless communication, passage of cabling · CPC title

• G06F1/1641 Primary

  the display being formed by a plurality of foldable display components (G06F1/1647 takes precedence) · CPC title