Foldable electronic device and control method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10834814-B2
Application number	US-201815903374-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 23, 2018
Priority date	Feb 23, 2017
Publication date	Nov 10, 2020
Grant date	Nov 10, 2020

Abstract

Provided are foldable electronic device and a control method of the foldable electronic device. For example, disclosed are a foldable electronic device including a support sheet that supports a display in a common curved region and a control method of the foldable electronic device. According to disclosed embodiments, provided are a foldable electronic device including a support sheet that supports a display under the display folded in a common curved region of the folded electronic device, and a control method of the foldable electronic device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a first housing including a first top face facing a first direction, and a first bottom face facing a second direction opposite to the first direction in a second state;
a second housing including a second top face facing a third direction, and a second bottom face facing a fourth direction opposite to the third direction in the second state;
a touch screen display continuously disposed between the first top face of the first housing and the first bottom face of the first housing and between the second top face of the second housing and the second bottom face of the second housing, the touch screen display being viewable through at least the first top face and the second top face, wherein the touch screen display includes a flat region, at least one curved region, and a folding region;
a connection structure comprising hinges configured to pivotably connect the first housing and the second housing, wherein the first housing is configured to be folded with respect to the second housing using the hinges, the connection structure comprising hinges comprising a first hinge and a second hinge provided proximate different respective sides of the connection structure, the second hinge being spaced apart from the first hinge in direction of a folding axis;
the connection structure further comprising hinge covers disposed over the hinges in direction of a rotation axis of the hinge, and configured to cover the hinges when the hinges are viewed from outside of the electronic device; and
support sheets disposed between the first hinge and the second hinge and disposed under the folding region to prevent or reduce the folding region of the touch screen display from deflection by a user touch on the folding region,
wherein the folding region and the flat region of the touch screen display form one planar display area in a first state where the first top face is parallel to the second top face,
wherein the folding region in the second state distinct from the first state forms a curved display area extended from the flat region.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the hinges include a biaxial hinge, and the biaxial hinge includes a biaxial click hinge or a biaxial free stop hinge.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein, at least one of the first housing and the second housing is configured to be locked by the hinges when at least one of the first housing and the second housing reaches a set angle.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the hinge covers include a semicircular hinge cover and a fan-shaped hinge cover, or a fan-shaped hinge cover and a free-type hinge cover configured to prevent and/or reduce the hinges from being axially exposed.

5. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein, a part of the fan-shaped hinge cover is configured to be covered by the semicircular hinge cover disposed outside the fan-shaped hinge cover when the electronic device is folded.

6. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein, a part of the fan-shaped hinge cover is configured to be covered by the free-type hinge cover located outside the fan-shaped hinge cover when the electronic device is folded.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a flexible slide cover of the connection structure, the slide cover configured to cover a part of the first bottom face of the first housing and a part of the second bottom face of the second housing.

8. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein one end of the flexible slide cover is connected to a cover guide rail, of the connection structure, which is connected to a shaft of the hinge, and another end of the flexible slide cover is connected to one of the first housing and the second housing.

9. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein one end of the flexible slide cover is configured to move along a recess of the cover guide rail.

10. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the flexible slide cover is configured to be folded to correspond to the electronic device when the electronic device is folded.

11. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the support sheet includes a single group of support sheet members including a plurality of semicircular support sheet members or a plurality of groups of support sheet members each including a plurality of semicircular support sheet members.

12. The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein one end of one support sheet member of the plurality of support sheet members is connected to one of a plurality of bars positioned in an axial direction of the hinge.

13. The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the hinge covers include a semicircular hinge cover and a fan-shaped hinge cover, and
wherein one end of one bar of the plurality of bars is connected to one of the semicircular hinge cover and the fan-shaped hinge cover of the hinge covers.

14. The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the hinge covers include a free-type hinge cover, and
wherein one end of one bar of the plurality of bars is connected to the free-type hinge cover of the hinge covers.

15. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein a resolution of the touch screen display in a folded state and a resolution of the touch screen display in an opened state differ from each other.

16. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein a number of the curved regions in a first screen corresponding to the first top face of the first housing from among the folded touch screen displays is equal to a number of the curved regions of the opened touch screen display.

17. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein a left curved region of a first screen corresponding to the first top face of the first housing from among the folded touch screen displays and a right curved region of a second screen corresponding to the second top face of the second housing from among the folded touch screen displays are discontinuous.

18. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein a right common curved region of a first screen corresponding to the first top face of the first housing from among the folded touch screen displays and a left common curved region of a second screen corresponding to the second top face of the second housing from among the folded touch screen displays are continuous.

19. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein no physical button is provided in a lower end of the touch screen display located in a central portion of a top face of the electronic device.

20. An electronic device comprising:
a first housing including a first top face facing a first direction, and a first bottom face facing a second direction opposite to the first direction in a second state;
a second housing including a second top face facing a third direction, and a second bottom face facing a fourth direction opposite to the third direction in a second state;
a touch screen display continuously disposed between the first top face of the first housing and the first bottom face of the first housing and between the second top face and the second bottom face of the second housing, the touch screen display being viewable through at least the first top face and the second top face, wherein the touch screen display includes a flat region, at least one curved region, and a folding region;
a connection structure comprising hinges configured to pivotably connect the first housing and the second housing, wherein the first housing is folded with respect to the second housing using the hinges, the hinges comprising a first hinge and a second hinge provided

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Cho Shiyun
• Seo Hoseong
• Kim Soyoung
• Yun Inkuk
• Lee Eunhwa
• Choi Younho
• Huh Jae-Young
• KWAK Woongeun
• Kim Daemyung
• Kim Daehyun
• Cha Dohun
• Park Jungsik

Classifications

• H04M1/0269

  mounted in a fixed curved configuration, e.g. display curved around the edges of the telephone housing · CPC title

• H04M1/0268

  including a flexible display panel · CPC title

• G06F1/1692

  the I/O peripheral being a secondary touch screen used as control interface, e.g. virtual buttons or sliders · CPC title

• 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

• G06F1/1624

  with sliding enclosures, e.g. sliding keyboard or display · CPC title