Bi-stable spring with flexible display

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11275406-B2
Application number	US-201514869867-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2015
Priority date	Aug 17, 2011
Publication date	Mar 15, 2022
Grant date	Mar 15, 2022

Abstract

A wearable accessory device is disclosed. The wearable accessory device includes a flexible display coupled to a bi-stable spring. Coupling the display to the bi-stable spring allows the accessory device to be easily worn in a number of convenient locations.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wireless communication device, comprising:
a flexible housing that is arranged to carry a radio frequency circuit capable of wireless communication and comprising walls having a first edge and a second edge adjacent the first edge, wherein the flexible housing is bendable along first and second axes respectively defined by the first edge and the second edge, wherein the flexible housing is bendable between a first state and a second state;
a bendable display carried by the flexible housing, wherein the bendable display is configured to bend between the first state and the second state, wherein the bendable display has a concave curvature in the first state, wherein the bendable display has a convex curvature in the second state, wherein the bendable display is configured to present visual content corresponding to the concave curvature, and wherein the bendable display is stable in the first and second states; and
an electronic module in communication with the bendable display, the electronic module providing information to the bendable display.

2. The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the visual content is characterized as having an aspect ratio comprising a width and a height and wherein the bendable display is touch sensitive.

3. The wireless communication device of claim 2 , wherein the second edge corresponds to the height and wherein the electronic module is flexible.

4. The wireless communication device of claim 3 , wherein the bendable display wraps around the first and second edges of the flexible housing.

5. The wireless communication device of claim 4 , wherein the bendable display is a flexible display that is retained in a curved orientation by the flexible housing.

6. The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic module is curved in accordance with the flexible housing.

7. The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the bendable display is secured to the flexible housing by an adhesive.

8. The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the bendable display displays a virtual keyboard.

9. A portable wireless communication device, comprising:
a curved housing configured to carry a radio antenna capable of wireless communication, the curved housing comprising a first edge that extends in a first direction and a second edge that is generally orthogonal to the first edge and that has a curved profile;
a flexible display carried by the curved housing and configured to display visual content, the flexible display being concave with respect to a user when carried by the curved housing, wherein flexible display is configured to bend along more than one axis and wherein the flexible display has first and second edges and first and second peripheral portions respectively adjacent to the first and second edges;
a flexible component mounted in the curved housing, wherein the flexible component has an edge, and wherein the first and second peripheral portions of the flexible display wrap around the edge of the flexible component; and
an electronic module in communication with the flexible display, wherein the electronic module provides the visual content to the flexible display.

10. The portable wireless communication device of claim 9 , wherein the flexible display is touch sensitive.

11. The portable wireless communication device of claim 9 , wherein the flexible display wraps around the first and second edges of the housing.

12. The portable wireless communication device of claim 9 , wherein the flexible display displays a virtual keyboard.

13. The portable wireless communication device of claim 9 , wherein the flexible display is secured to the curved housing with an adhesive.

14. The portable wireless communication device of claim 9 , wherein the electronic module is curved in accordance with the curved housing.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Rothkopf Fletcher R
• Wright Derek W
• Myers Scott A

Classifications

• G06F1/1635

  Details related to the integration of battery packs and other power supplies such as fuel cells or integrated AC adapter · 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

• G06F1/1643

  the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads (details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615) · CPC title

• G06F3/0488

  using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures · CPC title

• G06F3/041

  Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means · CPC title