Electronic device including flexible display

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10856430-B2
Application number	US-201916727606-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 26, 2019
Priority date	May 2, 2017
Publication date	Dec 1, 2020
Grant date	Dec 1, 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 and a second housing;
a flexible display accommodated by the first housing and the second housing;
a hinge structure connecting the first housing and the second housing, and configured to facilitate rotational motion of the first housing and the second housing toward or away from each other such that the flexible display is folded or unfolded with respect to the hinge structure;
a guide extending from the hinge structure;
a slider attached to the first housing or the second housing, and disposed to be slid along the guide away from the hinge structure such that the first housing or the second housing to which the slider is attached is moved with the slider away from the hinge structure to pull a portion of the flexible display away from the hinge structure when the flexible display is unfolded; and
an elastic element disposed in contact with the slider to provide an elastic force that causes the slider to slide along the guide away from the hinge structure.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the hinge structure comprises hinges for providing a plurality of rotational axes for the rotational motion between the first housing and the second housing,
wherein the slider configured to provide sliding motion in direction substantially perpendicular with respect to the rotational axes when the flexible display is unfolded, and
wherein the guide comprises rail brackets, connected to the hinges, configured to guide the sliding motion of the slider.

3. The electronic device according to claim 2 , wherein the slider includes a first slider and a second slider,
wherein the first slider is configured to provide the sliding motion in a first direction substantially perpendicular to the rotational axes, and
wherein the second slider is configured to provide the sliding motion in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

4. The electronic device according to claim 3 , wherein the flexible display includes a first area positioned on a first surface side of the first housing, a second area positioned on a third surface side of the second housing, and a folding area extending between the first area and the second area and positioned over at least part of an outer surface of the hinge structure.

5. The electronic device according to claim 4 , wherein, when the first housing and the second housing are unfolded, the first slider and the second slider each slides away from the folding area of the flexible display.

6. The electronic device according to claim 2 , wherein the slider is disposed adjacent to a folding area of the flexible display, the slider includes a first slider coupled with the first housing and a second slider coupled with the second housing, and
wherein the first slider provides a force in a first direction to one portion of the folding area, and the second slider provides a force in a second direction opposite to the first direction to other portion of the folding area.

7. The electronic device according to claim 3 , wherein the elastic element is provide a force in a direction substantially perpendicular of the first direction or the second direction.

8. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the slider comprises at least one slide plate is coupled with the first housing or the second housing, and
wherein the elastic element is disposed in contact with the at least one slide plate.

9. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic element is configured to provide the elastic force between the hinge structure and the first housing so as to provide a force on opposite sides of the flexible display along a substantially perpendicular direction to a lengthwise direction of the first housing.

10. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic element is configured to provide the elastic force between the hinge structure and first housing so as to provide a force in a lengthwise direction of the flexible display.

11. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the slider comprise first and second slider aligned in a lengthwise direction of the flexible display, and third and fourth sliders aligned in the lengthwise direction of the flexible display.

12. The electronic device according to claim 11 , wherein the first and third sliders are connected with the first housing and the second and fourth sliders are connected with the second housing, and wherein, when the first housing is folded around the second housing, the first, second, third, and fourth sliders each slides in the lengthwise direction of the flexible display toward a folding area of the flexible display.

13. The electronic device according to claim 12 , wherein, when the first housing and the second housing are unfolded, the first, second, third, and fourth sliders each slides in the lengthwise direction of the flexible display away from the folding area of the flexible display.

14. The electronic device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one slide stopper configured to restrict movement of the slider.

15. The electronic device according to claim 14 , further comprising at least one pair of rail stoppers,
wherein each slide stopper of the at least one slide stopper is movable between a corresponding one of the at least one pair of rail stoppers.

16. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the elastic element comprises an elastic body.

17. The electronic device of claim 16 , wherein the elastic body comprises a spring.

18. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the elastic element comprises a roller configured to contact the guide and an elastic body configured to apply force to the roller.

19. The electronic device of claim 18 , further comprising a pin about which the roller rotates.

20. An electronic device, comprising:
a housing comprising a first housing including first and second opposed surfaces, and a second housing comprising third and fourth opposed surfaces;
a hinge structure 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 structure to the third surface of the second housing,
wherein the hinge structure comprises:
a plurality of rotation shafts;
a first slide plate coupled to at least one of the first housing or the second housing, and configured to provide sliding motion in a first direction substantially perpendicular with respect to the rotation shafts;
a first rail bracket configured to guide the sliding motion of the first slide plate; and
at least one elastic element configured to provide an elastic force between the hinge structure and the housing structure,
wherein the first slide plate is disposed adjacent to a folding area of the flexible display, to provide a force in the first direction corresponding to the sliding motion to the folding area of the flexible display.

21. The electronic device according to claim 20 , wherein the hinge structure further comprises:
a second slide plate coupled to at least one of the first housing or the second housing, and configured to provide sliding motion in a second direction opposite to the first direction; and
a second rail bracket configured to guide the sliding motion of the second slide plate,
wherein the second slide plate is disposed adjacent to the folding area of th

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