Foldable electronic device including hinge assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11726530-B2
Application number	US-202017109602-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 2, 2020
Priority date	Dec 2, 2019
Publication date	Aug 15, 2023
Grant date	Aug 15, 2023

Abstract

An electronic device includes a first housing, a second housing, a hinge assembly rotatably coupling the first housing to the second housing, and a flexible display disposed on the first housing and the second housing across the hinge assembly. The hinge assembly includes a first bracket coupled to the first housing to rotate about a first axis, a second bracket coupled to the second housing to rotate about a second axis, a fixing bracket supporting the first bracket and the second bracket, a first shaft rotating about a third axis, a second shaft rotating adjacent to the first shaft and rotating about a fourth axis, a first arm coupled to the first shaft and having one side coupled to the first bracket, a second arm coupled to the second shaft and having one side coupled to the second bracket, and a support located between the first arm and the second arm.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A foldable device comprising:
a housing including a first housing and a second housing;
a hinge structure coupled with the first housing and the second housing and accommodated in a hinge housing; and
a flexible display accommodated in the first housing and the second housing;
wherein the hinge structure includes:
a first bracket coupled with the first housing and configured to rotate about a first axis;
a second bracket coupled with the second housing and configured to rotate about a second axis;
a first support member coupled with the first bracket, and including a first support rib protruding from one region of the first support member;
a second support member coupled with the second bracket and including a second support rib protruding from one region of the second support member;
a third support member at least partially disposed between the first support member and the second support member; and
a stopper;
and
an elastic member, wherein the elastic member is in contact with one region of the stopper and is arranged such that the elastic member is deformed while the third support member is moved in a first direction opposite to the hinge housing by the first support rib of the first support member and the second support rib of the second support member, while the foldable device is being changed from a folded state to an unfolded state,
wherein the third support member is configured to support at least one region of the flexible display when the foldable device is in the unfolded state, and
wherein the third support member is moved in a second direction opposite to the first direction by the elastic restoration force of the elastic member, while the foldable device is being changed from the unfolded state to the folded state.

2. The foldable device of claim 1 , wherein the third support member includes a protrusion region and a fixing rib, the fixing rib of the third support member being configured to prevent the third support member from moving by at least a specific distance in a direction of the flexible display in the process in which the electronic device is unfolded from the folded state to the unfolded state.

3. The foldable device of claim 1 , wherein the first support member supports a first portion of the third support member when the foldable device is in the unfolded state and the second support member supports a second portion of the third support member when the foldable device is in the unfolded state.

4. The foldable device of claim 1 , wherein the stopper includes a through-hole, and at least portion of a protrusion region of the third support member is inserted in the second direction of the stopper by passing through the through-hole.

5. The foldable device of claim 4 , wherein the hinge structure further comprises a screw coupled to a protrusion region of the third support member, wherein the screw is inserted to a lower end of the protrusion region of the third support member.

6. The foldable device of claim 4 , wherein one end of the elastic member is in contact with a neighboring region of the through-hole of the stopper.

7. The foldable device of claim 6 , wherein the other end of the elastic member is in contact with the screw.

8. The foldable device of claim 5 , wherein the elastic member is configured to be disposed between the stopper and the screw.

9. The foldable device of claim 1 , wherein the elastic member is a spring.

10. The foldable device of claim 1 , wherein the first support rib of the first support member and the second support rib of the second support member are in contact with the third support member, when the foldable device is in the unfolded state.

11. The foldable device of claim 10 , wherein the first support rib and the second support rib are spaced apart from the third support member, while the foldable device is being folded.

12. The foldable device of claim 1 , wherein the stopper is located at a lower end of the third support member.

13. A hinge assembly comprising:
a first bracket configured to rotate about a first axis;
a second bracket configured to rotate about a second axis;
a first support member including a first support rib;
a second support member including a second support rib;
a third support member at least partially disposed between the first support member and the second support member;
a stopper surrounding a portion of the third support member; and
an elastic member coupled with the stopper and applying an elastic force to move the third support member,
wherein the third support member moves in a first direction by the first support rib of the first support member and the second support rib of the second support member, while the hinge assembly is being unfolded, and
wherein the third support member is moved in a second direction opposite to the first direction by the elastic force of the elastic member, while the hinge assembly is being folded.

14. The hinge assembly of claim 13 , wherein the first support member supports a first portion of the third support member when the hinge assembly is in the unfolded state and the second support member supports a second portion of the third support member when the hinge assembly is in the unfolded state.

15. The hinge assembly of claim 13 , wherein at least a portion of a protrusion region of the third support member is surrounded by the stopper.

16. The hinge assembly of claim 13 , wherein the elastic member is a spring.

17. The hinge assembly of claim 13 , wherein the elastic member is in contact with a portion of the stopper.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kang Jaeho
• Lee Minsung

Classifications

• F16C2370/00

  Apparatus relating to physics, e.g. instruments · CPC title

• F16C2380/00

  Electrical apparatus · CPC title

• H05K5/0217

  Mechanical details of casings (covers, lids, hoods or members for covering apertures H05K5/03) · CPC title

• H05K5/0226

  Hinges · CPC title

• G09F9/301 Primary

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