Electronic device including flexible display

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10827633-B2
Application number	US-201815966364-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 30, 2018
Priority date	May 2, 2017
Publication date	Nov 3, 2020
Grant date	Nov 3, 2020

Abstract

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, an electronic device may comprise a first housing including a first surface and a second surface facing in a direction opposite the first surface, a second housing including a third surface and a fourth surface facing in a direction opposite the third surface, a hinge disposed between the first housing and the second housing configured to provide rotational motion between the first housing and the second housing, and a flexible display disposed from the first surface of the first housing across the hinge to the third surface of the second housing, at least part of the flexible display configured to form a curved surface as the hinge structure is folded, wherein the hinge may include dual-axis hinges configured to provide a first rotational axis allowing the first housing to rotate about the second housing and a second rotational axis allowing the second housing to rotate about the first housing and slides coupled with the first housing and the second housing and configured to provide sliding motion perpendicular to a lengthwise direction of the first housing and the second housing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device, comprising:
a first housing including first and second opposed surfaces;
a second housing including third and fourth opposed surfaces;
a hinge disposed between the first housing and the second housing, and configured to provide for rotational motion between the first housing and the second housing; and
a flexible display disposed from the first surface of the first housing across the hinge to the third surface of the second housing, at least part of the flexible display configured to form a curved surface as the hinge is folded,
wherein the hinge comprises dual-axis hinges providing a first rotational axis configured to allow the first housing to rotate about the second housing and a second rotational axis configured to allow the second housing to rotate about the first housing and slides, the slides including a first slide coupled with the first housing and disposed between the first surface and the second surface of the first housing and a second slide coupled with the second housing and disposed between the third surface and the fourth surface of the second housing, and configured to provide sliding motion perpendicular to a lengthwise direction of the first housing and the second housing, and
wherein the hinge further comprises a first slide cover and a second slide cover covering at least part of a rear surface of the electronic device, the dual-axis being disposed in recesses formed in the first slide cover and the second slide cover.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the flexible display includes a first area disposed in at least part of the first surface of the first housing, a second area disposed in at least part of the third surface of the second housing, and a third area extending from the first area and the second area and disposed over at least part of an outer surface of the hinge, and wherein the first area is configured to rotate about the second area corresponding to folding of the electronic device, and a virtual folding line included in the curved surface is disposed in the third area.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein, when the first housing is folded about the second housing, the first slide and the second slide are configured to slide towards the third area of the flexible display.

4. The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein, when the first housing and the second housing are positioned in parallel with each other, the first slide and the second slide are configured to slide away from the third area of the flexible display.

5. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the dual-axis hinges provide a third rotational axis and fourth rotational axis for the first slide cover and the second slide cover, respectively, and
wherein the hinge further comprises:
a plurality of rail brackets each fastened to a respective one of respective inner surfaces of the first slide cover and the second slide cover, the slides being configured to slide along guide holes formed in the rail brackets;
a pair of rail stoppers coupled to the respective inner surfaces of the first slide cover and the second slide cover and configured to restrict rotational motion of the first slide cover and the second slide cover; and
a plurality of slide stoppers disposed between the pair of rail stoppers configured to move along slide lines disposed inside the slide covers.

6. The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein each of the slides includes:
a slide plate including at least one hole having an opening at a side thereof;
a roller disposed in the hole and exposed towards the opening, and configured to rotate in contact with a side surface of a corresponding rail bracket;
at least one elastic body comprising an elastic material disposed inside the hole and configured to provide tension to allow the roller to face the corresponding rail bracket; and
a bracket supporting the elastic body and the roller, wherein
the rail brackets each include at least one trapezoidal notch in an inner side of the guide hole, and wherein the roller of the slide which is configured to move in the guide hole is configured to receive a force to pressurize from the elastic body to accelerate or decelerate along a direction of an inclined surface of the trapezoidal notch.

7. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein, when the first housing is configured to be unfolded about the second housing, the roller disposed in the first slide and the roller disposed in the second slide are positioned to abut the inclined surfaces of the trapezoidal notches, and wherein the elastic bodies are configured to provide forces to the rollers in directions along which the rollers abut the inclined surfaces.

8. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the first area of the flexible display is connected with the first slide, and the second area of the flexible display is connected with the second slide, and wherein corresponding to movements of the first slide and the second slide, the first area and the second area are configured to receive forces that face in directions opposite to the third area and the first area, the second area, and the third area form surfaces positioned parallel with each other.

9. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein, when the first housing folded about the second housing, the roller disposed in the first slide and the roller disposed in the second slide are positioned to abut the inclined surfaces of the trapezoidal notches, and wherein the elastic bodies are configured to provide forces to the rollers in directions along which the rollers abut the inclined surfaces.

10. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the first area of the flexible display is connected with the first slide, and the second area of the flexible display is connected with the second slide, and wherein corresponding to movements of the first slide and the second slide, the first area and the second area are configured to receive forces that face the third area and the third area which is disposed in one surface of the hinge and remains an even curved surface.

11. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the slide plate is coupled to the first surface side of the first housing or the third surface side of the second housing, and wherein the first housing or the second housing is configured to move back and forth corresponding to a movement of the slide.

12. The electronic device of claim 6 , further comprising a ridge protruding in a lengthwise direction in the inner side of the guide hole of the rail bracket, and wherein a groove corresponding to the protruding ridge is formed in the slide plate, wherein the ridge is configured to fit into the groove.

13. The electronic device of claim 12 , further comprising a flexible printed circuit board disposed to extend from the first surface side of the first housing through the hinge to the third surface side of the second housing, wherein, corresponding to folding of the electronic device, the flexible printed circuit board is configured to form at least one curved portion.

14. The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the curved portion of the flexible printed circuit board is disposed to pass through an inside of the hinge, and wherein the curved portion includes a first portion coupled with a surface of the center bar, a second portion coupled with the slide cover disposed on the first housing, and a third portion coupled with the slide cover disposed on the second housing.

15. The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the flexible display includes a flexible display device, an elastic member comprising an elastic material disposed between the

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yoo Chung-Keun
• Kim Jung-Jin
• Kim Jong-Yoon
• Kim Gi-Dae
• Park Young-Sun
• Baek Moo-Hyun
• Sim Hyun-Woo

Classifications

• H05K5/03

  Covers · CPC title

• H05K5/0226 Primary

  Hinges · CPC title

• G09F9/301

  flexible foldable or roll-able electronic displays, e.g. thin LCD, OLED · CPC title

• G06F1/1698

  the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone (details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266) · 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