Hinge mechanism by gear set with slider for foldable display device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11216044-B2
Application number	US-202017247723-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2020
Priority date	Oct 12, 2018
Publication date	Jan 4, 2022
Grant date	Jan 4, 2022

Abstract

In a general aspect, a foldable display device may include processor, a memory, a first housing having a first end portion and a second end portion, a first length extending between the first end portion and the second end portion of the first housing, a second housing having a first end portion and a second end portion, a second length extending between the first end portion and the second end portion of the second housing, the second length being different than the first length, a flexible display disposed on the first housing and the second housing, and a hinge assembly disposed between the first housing and the second housing to rotate the first housing and the second toward each other. The hinge assembly may include a slider and plurality of gears. The slider and the plurality of gears operate to transfer a rotational movement into a translational movement of at least one of the first housing or the second housing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A foldable electronic device, comprising:
a processor;
a memory;
a first housing;
a gear rack coupled to the first housing;
a second housing;
a flexible display disposed on the first housing and the second housing; and
a hinge assembly coupled to the first housing and the second housing for relative rotation of the first housing with respect to the second housing, the hinge assembly including a slider and a set of gears disposed within the slider, wherein:
upon the relative rotation of the first housing with respect to the second housing occurring in a first direction, a first gear of the set of gears rotates in the first direction, which causes rotation of a second gear of the set of gears, wherein the second gear is engaged with teeth of the gear rack and wherein rotation of the second gear causes translation movement of the gear rack with respect to the second gear and the slider and causes the first housing to translationally move in a first linear direction with respect to the second housing; and
upon the relative rotation of the first housing with respect to the second housing occurring in a second direction, the first gear rotates in the second direction, which causes rotation of the second gear, and wherein rotation of the second gear causes translation movement of the gear rack with respect to the second gear and the slider and causes the first housing to translationally move in a second linear direction with respect to the second housing, the second linear direction being opposite to the first linear direction.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the slider further comprises a gear housing configured to house at least the first gear, the gear housing being substantially cylindrical.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the set of gears further comprises a third gear, wherein the gear housing is configured to house also the third gear, and wherein the first and third gears mesh with each other.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the set of gears further comprises third and fourth gears.

5. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the first, second, third, and fourth gears have rotation axes that are parallel to each other.

6. The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the first, second, third, and fourth gears are aligned with each other along the rotation axes.

7. The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the rotation axes of at least the second, third, and fourth gears are positioned in a common plane.

8. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein also the fourth gear is engaged with the teeth of the gear rack.

9. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the second and fourth gears at least partially protrude beyond a surface of the slider.

10. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the slider is configured for the first and third gears to be mounted from one side of the slider, and for the second and fourth gears to be mounted from an opposite side of the slider.

11. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the set of gears further comprises fifth, sixth, and seventh gears.

12. The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the fifth, sixth, and seventh gears have rotation axes that are parallel to each other.

13. The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the fifth, sixth, and seventh gears are aligned with each other along the rotation axes.

14. The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the rotation axes of the fifth, sixth, and seventh gears are positioned in a common plane.

15. The electronic device of claim 11 , further comprising a first shaft on which the fourth and fifth gears are mounted.

16. The electronic device of claim 15 , further comprising a second shaft on which the second and seventh gears are mounted.

17. The electronic device of claim 16 , wherein the sixth gear is positioned between the fifth and seventh gears and meshes with the fifth and seventh gears.

18. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the slider comprises:
a main portion defined by first and second side end portions parallel to each other; and
extension members positioned at corresponding ends of the first and second side end portions, the extension members parallel to the first and second side end portions.

19. The electronic device of claim 18 , wherein the extension members are configured to slide within at least one opening of the first housing.

20. The electronic device of claim 18 , wherein the first and second side end portions are configured to couple to a surface of the first housing.

Assignees

• Google Llc

Inventors

• Ou Davis
• Liu Mike

Classifications

• H04M1/0268

  including a flexible display panel · CPC title

• G09F9/301

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

• H04M1/0237

  Sliding mechanism with one degree of freedom · CPC title

• H04M1/0216

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