Bi-stable spring with flexible display

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12416942-B2
Application number	US-202418778128-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 19, 2024
Priority date	Aug 17, 2011
Publication date	Sep 16, 2025
Grant date	Sep 16, 2025

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. An electronic device, comprising:
a housing movable between first and second configurations;
a first display portion in the housing that faces and is configured to emit light in a direction when the housing is in the first configuration; and
a second display portion in the housing that faces the direction when the housing is in the first and second configurations, wherein the second display portion is covered when the housing is in the first configuration and uncovered when the housing is in the second configuration, wherein the second display portion is configured to be deactivated when covered, and wherein the second display portion is configured to emit light when uncovered.

2. The electronic device defined in claim 1 , wherein the first display portion overlaps the second display portion in the first configuration.

3. The electronic device defined in claim 2 , wherein the first display portion is non-overlapping with the second display portion in the second configuration.

4. The electronic device defined in claim 1 , further comprising:
capacitive elements configured to detect that the second display portion is covered in the first configuration.

5. The electronic device defined in claim 1 , wherein the second display portion comprises touch sensors and the touch sensors are configured to detect that the second display portion is covered in the first configuration.

6. The electronic device defined in claim 1 , wherein the second display portion comprises a flexible display.

7. The electronic device defined in claim 6 , wherein the flexible display is touch sensitive.

8. The electronic device defined in claim 6 , wherein the flexible display is an organic light-emitting diode display.

9. The electronic device defined in claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a curved housing portion.

10. An electronic device, comprising:
a housing bendable between a flat state and a bent state;
a first display portion in the housing that faces a first direction when the housing is in the flat state and faces a second direction opposite the first direction when the housing is in the bent state; and
a second display portion in the housing that faces the first direction when the housing is in the flat state and the bent state, wherein the second display portion is configured to emit light when the housing is in the flat state, and the second display portion is configured to be deactivated when the housing is in the bent state.

11. The electronic device defined in claim 10 , wherein the first display portion is configured to emit light in the first direction when the housing is in the flat state.

12. The electronic device defined in claim 10 , wherein the first and second display portions form a continuous display.

13. The electronic device defined in claim 12 , wherein the continuous display comprises a flexible display.

14. The electronic device defined in claim 13 , wherein the flexible display is touch sensitive.

15. The electronic device defined in claim 14 , wherein the flexible display comprises an organic light-emitting diode display.

16. The electronic device defined in claim 13 , wherein the flexible display is coupled to the housing with an adhesive.

17. An electronic device, comprising:
a housing;
a first display portion in the housing that faces a first direction;
a second display portion in the housing that faces a second direction opposite the first direction;
a third display portion in the housing that faces a third direction different from the second direction; and
a sensor that obtains an orientation of the electronic device, wherein the first display portion is configured to emit light when the electronic device has a first orientation, and the second and third display portions are configured to emit light while the first display portion is deactivated when the electronic device has a second orientation different from the first orientation.

18. The electronic device defined in claim 17 , wherein the second and third display portions are configured to be deactivated when the electronic device has the first orientation.

19. The electronic device defined in claim 17 , wherein the sensor is selected from the group consisting of: a gyroscope and an accelerometer.

20. The electronic device defined in claim 17 , wherein the second and third display portions comprise a flexible display.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• 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

• H04N7/18

  Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast · 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

• G06F1/1652

  the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable · CPC title