Flexible Display Extendable Assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016147261-A1
Application number	US-201615010134-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 29, 2016
Priority date	Jun 7, 2011
Publication date	May 26, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

In embodiments of a flexible display extendable assembly, an extendable assembly includes a slideable display guide integrated in a first housing part of an extendable electronic device. The extendable electronic device includes a flexible display that slide-engages into the first housing part of the extendable electronic device. The extendable assembly includes an extendable mechanism that is coupled in a second housing part of the extendable electronic device and to the slideable display guide. The first and second housing parts of the extendable electronic device slide-engage relative to each other. The extendable mechanism is implemented to extend as the first and second housing parts slide apart relative to each other, and also to retract as the first and second housing parts slide together relative to each other.

First claim

1 . An extendable assembly, comprising:
a slideable display guide integrated in a first housing part of an extendable electronic device that includes a flexible display; and an extendable mechanism coupled in a second housing part of the extendable electronic device and to the slideable display guide, the first and second housing parts of the extendable electronic device configured to slide-engage relative to each other, the extendable mechanism configured to extend as the first and second housing parts slide apart relative to each other, and the extendable mechanism further configured to retract as the first and second housing parts slide together relative to each other, a first section of the flexible display configured to retract into the first housing part, the first section of the flexible screen display being flat and parallel to a second section of the flexible display when the first and second housing parts slide together relative to each other into a closed position.

2 . The extendable assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the extendable mechanism comprises a rack-and-pinion mechanism configured to extend in both of the first and second housing parts of the extendable electronic device when the first and second housing parts slide apart relative to each other.

3 . An extendable assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first section of the flexible display extends from the first housing part of the extendable electronic device when the first and second housing parts slide apart relative to each other.

4 . An extendable assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first section of the flexible display is retractable to slide-engage into the first housing part of the extendable electronic device when the first section of the flexible display is not activated for display.

5 . An extendable assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the extendible electronic device further comprises a flexible backlight configured to illuminate the flexible display, the flexible backlight further configured to extend from and retract into the first housing part of the extendable electronic device under the flexible display.

6 . An extendable assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the flexible display is an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) flexible display.

7 . An extendable assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the extendable electronic device is one of: a mobile phone, a tablet computer, or a gaming device.

8 . An extendable electronic device, comprising:
a flexible display configured to extend from and retract into a first housing part of the extendable electronic device, the flexible display connected to a slideable display guide integrated in the first housing part of the extendable electronic device; and an extendable mechanism coupled in a second housing part of the extendable electronic device and to the slideable display guide, the first and second housing parts configured to slide-engage relative to each other, a first section of the flexible display configured to retract into the first housing part, the first section of the flexible display being flat and parallel to a second section of the flexible display when the first and second housing parts slide together relative to each other into a closed position of the extendable electronic device.

9 . An extendable electronic device as recited in claim 8 , wherein the extendable mechanism comprises a rack-and-pinion mechanism configured to extend in both of the first and second housing parts of the extendable electronic device when the first and second housing parts slide apart relative to each other.

10 . An extendable electronic device as recited in claim 8 , wherein the first section of the flexible display is retractable to slide-engage into the first housing part of the extendable electronic device when the section of the flexible display is not activated for display.

11 . An extendable electronic device as recited in claim 8 , wherein the first section of the flexible display extends from the first housing part of the extendable electronic device when the first and second housing parts slide apart relative to each other.

12 . An extendable electronic device as recited in claim 8 , further comprising a flexible backlight configured to illuminate the flexible display, the flexible backlight further configured to extend from and retract into the first housing part of the extendable electronic device under the flexible display.

13 . An extendable electronic device as recited in claim 8 , wherein the flexible display is an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) flexible display.

14 . An extendable electronic device as recited in claim 8 , wherein the extendable electronic device is one of: a mobile phone, a tablet computer, or a gaming device.

15 . A mobile communication device comprising:
a wireless communication interface; a processor and memory system coupled to the wireless communication interface and to a flexible display; and the flexible display configured to extend from and retract into a first housing part of the mobile communication device, the flexible display connected to a slideable display guide integrated in the first housing part of the extendable electronic device; and an extendable mechanism coupled in a second housing part of the mobile communication device and to the slideable display guide, the first and second housing parts configured to slide-engage relative to each other, a first section of the flexible display configured to retract into the first housing part, the first section of the flexible display being flat and parallel to a second section of the flexible display when the first and second housing parts slide together relative to each other into a closed position of the mobile communication device.

16 . A mobile communication device as recited in claim 15 , wherein the extendable mechanism comprises a rack-and-pinion mechanism configured to extend in both of the first and second housing parts of the mobile communication device when the first and second housing parts slide apart relative to each other.

17 . A mobile communication device as recited in claim 15 , wherein the first section of the flexible display is retractable to slide-engage into the first housing part of the mobile communication device when the section of the flexible display is not activated for display.

18 . A mobile communication device as recited in claim 15 , wherein the first section of the flexible display extends from the first housing part of the mobile communication device when the first and second housing parts slide apart relative to each other.

19 . A mobile communication device as recited in claim 15 , further comprising a flexible backlight configured to illuminate the flexible display, the flexible backlight further configured to extend from and retract into the first housing part of the mobile communication device under the flexible display.

20 . A mobile communication device as recited in claim 15 , wherein the flexible display is an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) flexible display.

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Bohn David D
• O'Brien Paul M

Classifications

• H04M1/0268

  including a flexible display panel · CPC title

• Y10T29/49002

  Electrical device making · CPC title

• G09F9/301

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

• G09F9/35

  being liquid crystals (G09F9/302 takes precedence; liquid crystal materials C09K19/00; {liquid crystal panels comprising a number of electrodes in a single cell per se G02F1/13}) · CPC title

• G06F1/1656

  Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories (mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203) · CPC title