Electronic device with sliding screens

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11360508-B2
Application number	US-202017000385-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 24, 2020
Priority date	Sep 25, 2019
Publication date	Jun 14, 2022
Grant date	Jun 14, 2022

Abstract

An electronic device with sliding screens including a first body, a second body, a plurality of hinge modules, a first screen and a second screen is provided. The first body has a first surface. The second body has a second surface. The hinge modules are connected between the first body and the second body. The first screen is slidably disposed on the first surface of the first body. The second screen is slidably disposed on the second surface of the second body. When the first body and the second body are unfolded to a first angle relative to each other, the first screen and the second screen are moved relatively close and lifted upwards. When the first body and the second body are unfolded to a second angle relative to each other, the first screen and the second screen are in contact with each other to cover the hinge modules.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electronic device with sliding screens, comprising:
a first body, having a first surface;
a second body, having a second surface;
a plurality of hinge modules, connected between the first body and the second body;
a first screen, slidably disposed on the first surface of the first body; and
a second screen, slidably disposed on the second surface of the second body,
wherein the first screen and the second screen are adapted to be moved relatively close and gradually lifted upwards when the first body and the second body are unfolded to a first angle relative to each other, the first screen and the second screen are in contact with each other to cover the hinge modules when the first body and the second body are unfolded to a second angle relative to each other, and the first screen and the second screen are adapted to be stacked in parallel and moved away from the hinge modules when the first body and the second body are folded relative to each other.

2. The electronic device with sliding screens according to claim 1 , wherein the first body has a plurality of first grooves formed on and penetrating the first surface, the first screen has a plurality of first sliders respectively and slidably disposed in the first grooves, and the first sliders are adapted to slide linearly along the first grooves.

3. The electronic device with sliding screens according to claim 2 , further comprising: a plurality of first translation bases and a plurality of first lifting bases, the first translation bases being disposed in the first body and relatively away from the hinge modules, the first lifting bases being disposed in the first body and relatively close to the hinge modules, each of the first translation bases having a horizontal track, each of the first lifting bases having a curved track, a plurality of first plugs of the first sliders being respectively and movably inserted to the horizontal tracks and the curved tracks.

4. The electronic device with sliding screens according to claim 3 , wherein when the first body and the second body are unfolded relative to each other, the first screen slides towards the second screen along the horizontal tracks and the curved tracks through the first sliders, and the first screen is lifted relative to the first surface to form a first included angle.

5. The electronic device with sliding screens according to claim 1 , wherein the second body has a plurality of second grooves formed on and penetrating the second surface, the second screen is slidably connected in the second grooves, and the second screen is adapted to slide linearly along the second grooves.

6. The electronic device with sliding screens according to claim 5 , further comprising: a plurality of second translation bases and a plurality of second lifting bases, the second translation bases being disposed in the second body and relatively away from the hinge modules, the second lifting bases being disposed in the second body and relatively close to the hinge modules, each of the second translation bases having a horizontal track, each of the second lifting bases having a curved track, a plurality of second plugs of the second sliders being respectively and movably inserted to the horizontal tracks and the curved tracks.

7. The electronic device with sliding screens according to claim 6 , wherein when the first body and the second body are unfolded relative to each other, the second screen slides towards the first screen along the horizontal tracks and the curved tracks through the second sliders, and the second screen is lifted relative to the second surface to form a second included angle.

8. The electronic device with sliding screens according to claim 1 , further comprising: a plurality of linkage assemblies respectively disposed in the first body and the second body and respectively connected to the corresponding hinge modules, the linkage assemblies linking the first screen and the second screen, the hinge modules synchronously driving the first screen and the second screen through the linkage assemblies to move relatively close to a center line between the first body and the second body when the first body and the second body are unfolded relative to each other, the hinge modules synchronously driving the first screen and the second screen through the linkage assemblies to move relatively away from the center line between the first body and the second body when the first body and the second body are folded relative to each other.

9. The electronic device with sliding screens according to claim 8 , wherein each of the hinge modules comprises:
a torque member;
two rotating shafts, rotatably inserted to the torque member and parallel to each other;
two driving rings, respectively and movably sleeved on the two rotating shafts and connected to the corresponding linkage assemblies; and
two inner rings, respectively sleeved on the two rotating shafts, each of the inner rings contacting one side of the respective driving ring facing towards the torque member;
two outer rings, respectively sleeved on the two rotating shafts, each of the outer rings contacting one side of the respective driving ring facing away from the torque member; and
two brackets, respectively disposed on the two rotating shafts and connected to the first body and the second body,
wherein the inner rings and the outer rings drive the driving rings to move relatively away from the torque member along the rotating shafts when the first body and the second body are unfolded relative to each other, and the inner rings and the outer rings drive the driving rings to move relatively close to the torque member along the rotating shafts when the first body and the second body are folded relative to each other.

10. The electronic device with sliding screens according to claim 9 , wherein each of the linkage assemblies comprises a linking rod, a linking bracket and a driving bracket, a first end of the linking rod is pivotally connected to the corresponding driving ring, the linking bracket is pivotally connected to a second end of the linking rod and adapted to move along a first direction parallel to the rotating shafts, the driving bracket is slidably connected to the linking bracket and adapted to move along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and the linking bracket is connected to the first screen or the second screen.

11. The electronic device with sliding screens according to claim 1 , wherein the first screen and the second screen respectively include a first curved portion and a second curved portion, the first curved portion and the second curved portion face the hinge modules when the first body and the second body are folded relative to each other, and the first curved portion and the second curved portion are moved close to each other towards a center line between the first body and the second body when the first body and the second body are unfolded relative to each other.

12. The electronic device with sliding screens according to claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one translation linking rod, disposed in the first body or the second body;
at least one support structure, rotatably disposed in the first body or the second body and located above the at least one translation linking rod;
at least one elastic member, disposed in the first body or the second body and contacting the first screen or the second screen; and
at least one hook, disposed in the first body or the second body to limit the at least one elastic member,
wherein the at least translation linking rod is adapted to move towards the at least one hook to drive the at least one support struc

Assignees

• Tzou Jyh Chyang
• Liu Han Tsai
• Chen Pai Feng
• Jan Cheng Shiue
• Chen I Hao
• Compal Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Tzou Jyh-Chyang
• Liu Han-Tsai
• Chen Pai-Feng
• Jan Cheng-Shiue
• Chen I-Hao

Classifications

• G06F1/1641 Primary

  the display being formed by a plurality of foldable display components (G06F1/1647 takes precedence) · CPC title

• 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

• G06F1/1681

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

• G06F1/1647

  including at least an additional display (G06F1/1692 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04M1/022

  The hinge comprising two parallel pivoting axes · CPC title