Multi-axis hinge translation to adjust housing position relative to flexible display position

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10754395-B2
Application number	US-201916250834-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 17, 2019
Priority date	Jan 17, 2019
Publication date	Aug 25, 2020
Grant date	Aug 25, 2020

Abstract

A portable information handling system rotationally couples first and second housing portions with a multi-axis hinge and disposes a flexible display over the first and second housing portions supported by a first sliding support over the first housing portion and a second sliding support over the second housing portion. An actuator interfaced with the multi-axis hinge translates hinge axis rotation into lateral movement of the sliding supports to adjust sliding support positions relative to flexible display positions as the flexible display folds around the hinge inner circumference.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A portable information handling system comprising:
first and second housing portions;
components disposed in the first and second housing portions, the components cooperating to process information;
a multi-axis hinge rotationally coupling the first and second housing portions to rotate between flat and folded configurations;
a flexible display disposed over the first and second housing portions and the processing components, the flexible display interfaced with the processing components to present the information as visual images;
first and second display supports disposed between the display and components; and
first and second actuators interfacing the multi-axis hinge and the first and second display supports, the first actuator translating rotation of the multi-axis hinge into lateral movement of the first display support relative to the multi-axis hinge, the second actuator translating rotation of the multi-axis hinge into lateral movement of the second display support relative to the multi-axis hinge;
wherein each actuator further comprises:
a hinge axle terminating in a threaded portion and rotating with rotation of the multi-axis hinge;
a bracket having an opening with a threaded inner circumference engaged with the threaded portion, the bracket moving along the hinge axle in response to rotation of the hinge axle; and
a lever interfacing the bracket and one of the display supports, the lever translating bracket movement along the hinge axle into lateral movement of the one of the display supports perpendicular to the hinge axle.

2. The portable information handling system of claim 1 further comprising a spring disposed on the hinge axle and biasing the bracket towards the multi-axis hinge.

3. The portable information handling system of claim 1 wherein the threaded portion engages the bracket with multiple starts.

4. The portable information handling system of claim 1 wherein the threaded portion pulls the bracket towards the multi-axis hinge upon rotation from the flat to the folded configuration, the lever extending the one of the display supports away from the multi-axis hinge in the folded configuration, the flexible display disposed on the inner circumference of the folded configuration.

5. The portable information handling system of claim 1 wherein the threaded portion pulls the bracket away from the multi-axis hinge upon rotation from the flat to the folded configuration, the lever extending the one of the display supports away from the multi-axis hinge in the flat configuration, the flexible display disposed on the outer circumference of the folded configuration.

6. The portable information handling system of claim 1 wherein the flexible display comprises a plastic substrate organic light emitting diode display.

7. The portable information handling system of claim 1 wherein the lever further comprises:
a first arm coupled to the sliding bracket to move with the bracket upon rotation of the hinge axle;
a pivot point fixed relative to the multi-axis hinge; and
a second arm extending from the pivot substantially perpendicular to the first arm and terminating at a coupling point coupled to the one of the display supports.

8. The portable information handling system of claim 1 wherein the multi-axis hinge comprises five rotationally interfaced hinge elements.

9. A method for managing portable information handling system flexible display folding, the method comprising:
rotating first and second housing portions about a multi-axis hinge from a flat orientation to a folded orientation;
translating rotation of an axle of the multi-axis hinge to a sliding support disposed under the flexible display; and
coordinating a lateral position of the sliding support relative to the multi-axis hinge and folding display with the translating;
wherein coordinating a lateral position further comprises:
extending the sliding support away from the multi-axis hinge during rotating from the flat orientation to the folded orientation; and
retracting the sliding support towards the multi-axis hinge during rotating from the folded orientation to the flat orientation;
wherein the flexible display is supported by the sliding support on an inner circumference of the folded orientation; and
wherein extending the sliding support away from the hinge during rotating from the flat orientation to the folded orientation further comprises:
rotating an axle of the multi-axis hinge;
engaging threads of the axle with threads of a bracket to slide the bracket parallel with the axle, threads of the bracket disposed on an inner circumference of an opening that inserts onto the axle;
translating the bracket movement to a first arm having a fixed position relative to the multi-axis hinge to rotate about the fixed position; and
translating rotation of the first arm to a second arm from the fixed position, the second arm extending substantially perpendicular to the first arm and terminating at a coupling with the sliding support.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein coordinating a lateral position further comprises:
retracting the sliding support towards the multi-axis hinge during rotating from the flat orientation to the folded orientation; and
extending the sliding support away from the multi-axis hinge during rotating from the folded orientation to the flat orientation;
wherein the flexible display is supported by the sliding support on an outer circumference of the folded orientation.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising:
interfacing a spring with the axle and bracket; and
biasing the sliding support with the spring to extend away from the multi-axis hinge.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the flexible display comprises a plastic substrate organic light emitting diode display.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the multi-axis hinge comprises five rotationally interfaced hinge elements.

14. A flexible display support comprising:
a multi-axis hinge operable to rotate between flat and folded orientations;
first and second hinge mounts fixedly coupled at opposing ends of the multi-axis hinge;
first and second axles extending from the multi-axis hinge, the first axle proximate the first hinge mount, the second axle proximate the second hinge mount, the first and second axles rotating as the hinge transitions between flat and folded orientations, each of the first and second axles having threads;
first and second threaded brackets, each of the first and second threaded brackets having an opening with a threaded inner circumference, the first threaded bracket opening inserted over the first axle to engage the inner circumference threads with the first axle threads, the second threaded bracket opening inserted over the second axle to engage the inner circumference threads with the second axles threads,
first and second sliding supports, the first sliding support coupled in a sliding relationship with the first hinge mount, the second sliding support coupled in a sliding relationship with the second hinge mount; and
first and second linkages, the first linkage coupled to the first axle thread by the first threaded bracket and to the first sliding support around a first pivot fixed to the first hinge mount, the second linkage coupled to the second axle thread by the second threaded bracket and to the second sliding support around a second pivot fixed to the second hinge mount;
wherein rotation of the first and second axles move the first and second threaded brackets along the axles to cooperate with the first and second linkages to move the sliding supports relative to the multi-axis hinge in

Assignees

• Dell Products Lp

Inventors

• Sanchez Anthony J
• Morrison Jason Scott
• Torres Chris A

Classifications

• G06F1/1681 Primary

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

• G06F1/1641

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

• G06F1/1658

  related to the mounting of internal components, e.g. disc drive or any other functional module · CPC title

• G06F1/1652

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

• H05K5/0086

  portable, e.g. battery operated apparatus (casings for switching devices H01H9/02) · CPC title