Foldable electronic device including magnets

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11204624-B2
Application number	US-202016943016-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 30, 2020
Priority date	Aug 2, 2019
Publication date	Dec 21, 2021
Grant date	Dec 21, 2021

Abstract

An electronic device is provided, which includes a first housing, a second housing, a hinge structure, a flexible display configured to form a front surface of the first housing and the second housing while the electronic device is in an unfolded state, a first support member disposed between the flexible display and the first housing, a first bimetal member disposed between the flexible display and the first support member, a first magnet disposed between the flexible display and the first bimetal member, and a second magnet disposed between the flexible display and the second housing. The first bimetal member has a first length at a first temperature and a second length longer than the first length at a second temperature higher than the first temperature. The first support member has a reception space having a length greater than or equal to the first length and less than the second length that provides space for the first bimetal member to bend at the second temperature.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device, comprising:
a first housing;
a second housing;
a hinge pivotally connecting the first housing to the second housing, wherein the first housing and the second housing substantially face each other while the electronic device is in a folded state and the first housing and the second housing form a substantially flat surface while the electronic device is in a unfolded state;
a flexible display forming a front surface of the first housing and the second housing while the electronic device is in the unfolded state;
a first support member disposed between the flexible display and the first housing;
a first bimetal member disposed between the flexible display and the first support member;
a first magnet disposed between the flexible display and the first bimetal member; and
a second magnet disposed between the flexible display and the second housing,
wherein the first magnet and the second magnet are disposed at corresponding positions and face each other while the electronic device is in the folded state,
wherein the first bimetal member has a first length at a first temperature and a second length, which is longer than the first length, at a second temperature, which is higher than the first temperature, and
wherein the first support member has a reception space having a length greater than or equal to the first length and less than the second length that provides space for the first bimetal member to bend at the second temperature.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a first elastic member disposed between the flexible display and the first magnet.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the first elastic member comprises at least one of rubber or compressed sponge.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second support member disposed between the second magnet and the second housing; and
a second bimetal member disposed between the second magnet and the second support member.

5. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the second bimetal member has a third length at the first temperature, and a fourth length, which is longer than the third length, at the second temperature, and
wherein the second support member has a second reception space having a length greater than or equal to the third length and less than the fourth length that provides space for the second bimetal member to bend toward the second magnet at the second temperature.

6. The electronic device of claim 4 , further comprising a second elastic member disposed between the flexible display and the second magnet.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first bimetal member bends toward the first magnet at the second temperature.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first bimetal member comprises a first metal member facing the first magnet and a second metal member facing the first support member, and
wherein the first metal member has a higher thermal expansion coefficient than the second metal member.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the flexible display comprises a first area overlapping the first housing structure and a second area overlapping the second housing, and
wherein the first area and the second area face each other while the electronic device is in the folded state.

10. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein a rear surface of the electronic device comprises a third area corresponding to the first housing and a fourth area corresponding to the second housing, and
wherein the third area and the fourth area face each other while the electronic device is in the folded state.

11. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the first magnet overlaps a portion of the flexible display.

12. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first support member comprises a groove for receiving the first bimetal member.

13. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first magnet is closer to the second magnet at the second temperature than at the first temperature while the electronic device is in the folded state.

14. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first magnet is closer to the side of the electronic device than to the hinge structure.

15. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first magnet overlaps the first bimetal member.

16. An electronic device comprising:
a first housing;
a second housing;
a hinge connecting the first housing and the second housing, wherein the first housing and the second housing form a substantially flat surface while the electronic device is in an unfolded state;
a flexible display disposed on a front surface of the first housing and the second housing while the electronic device is in the unfolded state;
a first support member disposed between the flexible display and the first housing;
a first bimetal member disposed between the flexible display and the first support member;
a first magnet disposed between the flexible display and the first bimetal member;
a first elastic member disposed between the flexible display and the first magnet; and
a second magnet disposed between the flexible display and the second housing,
wherein the first magnet overlaps the first bimetal member and the first elastic member,
wherein the first magnet and the second magnet are disposed at corresponding positions and face each other while the electronic device is in a folded state,
wherein the first bimetal member has a first length at a first temperature and a second length, which is longer than the first length, at a second temperature, which is higher than the first temperature, and
wherein the first support member has a reception space having a length greater than or equal to the first length and less than the second length that provides space for the first bimetal member to bend toward the first magnet at the second temperature.

17. The electronic device of claim 16 , further comprising:
a second support member disposed between the second magnet and the second housing;
a second bimetal member disposed between the second magnet and the second support member; and
a second elastic member disposed between the flexible display and the second magnet,
wherein the second magnet overlaps the second elastic member and the second bimetal member.

18. The electronic device of claim 17 , wherein the second bimetal member has a third length at the first temperature, and a fourth length, which is longer than the third length, at the second temperature, and
wherein the second support member has a reception space having a length greater than or equal to the third length and less than the fourth length that provide space for the second bimetal member to bend toward the second magnet at the second temperature.

19. The electronic device of claim 16 , wherein a portion of the first magnet overlaps a portion of the flexible display.

20. The electronic device of claim 16 , wherein the first magnet is closer to the second magnet at the second temperature than at the first temperature while the electronic device is in a folded state.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Cho Woosik
• Kim Taewon

Classifications

• G06F1/1616 Primary

  with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position · CPC title

• H01F7/0263

  Closures, bags, bands, engagement devices with male and female parts · CPC title

• G06F1/1681

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

• H04M1/0216

  Foldable in one direction, i.e. using a one degree of freedom hinge · CPC title

• H01F7/02

  Permanent magnets {[PM]} · CPC title