Mobile terminal with flexible display

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019354138-A1
Application number	US-201716462273-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 28, 2017
Priority date	Apr 28, 2017
Publication date	Nov 21, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

In a mobile terminal, a second housing includes a second hinge configured to fit together with a first hinge to allow a flexible display to fold between a first housing and the second housing. The first housing includes a cutout portion configured to form a space for permitting elastic deformation of a bending portion of the flexible display that is folded.

First claim

1 : A mobile terminal with a flexible display comprising:
a first housing with one end side of a flexible display fixed to the first housing; and a second housing with the other end side of the flexible display fixed to the second housing, wherein the first housing includes a first hinge, the second housing includes a second hinge configured to fit together with the first hinge in order to allow the flexible display to fold between the first housing and the second housing, the first housing includes a cutout portion configured to form a space for permitting bulging of a bending portion of the flexible display that is folded, and in an open state with the flexible display unfolded, the first hinge is disposed on a side of the first housing opposite to the second housing, and the second hinge is disposed on a side of the second housing opposite to the first housing.

2 . (canceled)

3 : The mobile terminal with a flexible display according to claim 1 ,
wherein the second housing includes a cutout portion configured to form a space for permitting the bulging of the bending portion.

4 . (canceled)

5 : The mobile terminal with a flexible display according to claim 1 ,
wherein the flexible display is transitioned from the open state to a first half-open state where the flexible display is partially unfolded by rotating the first housing about an end portion closer to the second housing, causing the flexible display to wrap around the first housing, and thus disposing the first hinge on a side of the first housing closer to the second housing.

6 : The mobile terminal with a flexible display according to claim 5 ,
wherein the flexible display is transitioned from the first half-open state to a second half-open state where the flexible display is partially unfolded by rotating the second housing about an end portion closer to the first housing, causing the flexible display to wrap around the second housing, and thus disposing the second hinge on a side of the second housing closer to the first housing.

7 : The mobile terminal with a flexible display according to claim 6 ,
wherein the flexible display is transitioned from the second half-open state to a closed state where the flexible display is folded by rotating the second housing about a hinge shaft configured to fit the first hinge together with the second hinge, causing the second housing to face the first housing with the flexible display bent and sandwiched between the first housing and the second housing.

8 : The mobile terminal with a flexible display according to claim 1 ,
wherein the flexible display further includes an optical element.

9 : The mobile terminal with a flexible display according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first hinge includes a hinge shaft configured to fit with the second hinge, and the hinge shaft comes into contact with the bending portion while the flexible display is transitioned from the open state where the flexible display is unfolded to a closed state where the flexible display is folded.

10 : The mobile terminal with a flexible display according to claim 9 ,
wherein the bending portion includes an arc portion recessed into an arc shape by contact with the hinge shaft.

11 : A mobile terminal with a flexible display comprising:
a first housing with one end side of a flexible display fixed to the first housing; and a second housing with the other end side of the flexible display fixed to the second housing, wherein the first housing includes a first hinge, the second housing includes a second hinge configured to fit together with the first hinge in order to allow the flexible display to fold between the first housing and the second housing, the first housing includes a cutout portion configured to form a space for permitting bulging of a bending portion of the flexible display that is folded, in an open state with the flexible display unfolded, the first hinge and the second hinge are provided protruding toward the flexible display, and the first hinge and the second hinge are extendably configured in a protruding direction.

12 : The mobile terminal with a flexible display according to claim 11 ,
wherein the first hinge is rotatably provided about a first rotating shaft of the first housing, the second hinge is rotatably provided about a second rotating shaft of the second housing, the first hinge includes a first long hole formed in the protruding direction, the second hinge includes a second long hole formed in the protruding direction, and the first hinge includes a hinge shaft including a pin configured to slidably fit in the first long hole and the second long hole.

13 : The mobile terminal with a flexible display according to claim 11 ,
wherein the second housing includes a cutout portion configured to form a space for permitting the bulging of the bending portion.

14 : The mobile terminal with a flexible display according to claim 11 ,
wherein the flexible display further includes an optical element.

15 : The mobile terminal with a flexible display according to claim 11 ,
wherein the first hinge includes a hinge shaft configured to fit together with the second hinge, and the hinge shaft comes into contact with the bending portion while the flexible display is transitioned from the open state where the flexible display is unfolded to a closed state where the flexible display is folded.

16 : The mobile terminal with a flexible display according to claim 15 ,
wherein the bending portion includes an arc portion recessed into an arc shape by contact with the hinge shaft.

17 : A mobile terminal with a flexible display comprising:
a first housing with one end side of a flexible display fixed to the first housing; and a second housing with the other end side of the flexible display fixed to the second housing, wherein the first housing includes a first hinge, the second housing includes a second hinge configured to fit together with the first hinge in order to allow the flexible display to fold between the first housing and the second housing, the first housing includes a cutout portion configured to form a space for permitting bulging of a bending portion of the flexible display that is folded, the first hinge includes a hinge shaft configured to fit together with the second hinge, the hinge shaft comes into contact with the bending portion while the flexible display is transitioned from an open state where the flexible display is unfolded to a closed state where the flexible display is folded, and the bending portion includes an arc portion recessed into an arc shape by contact with the hinge shaft.

18 : The mobile terminal with a flexible display according to claim 17 ,
wherein, in an open state with the flexible display unfolded, the first hinge is disposed on a side of the first housing closer to the second housing, and the second hinge disposed on a side of the second housing closer to the first housing is configured to fit together with the first hinge.

19 : The mobile terminal with a flexible display according to claim 17 ,
wherein the second housing includes a cutout portion configured to form a space for permitting the bulging of the bending portion.

20 : The mobile terminal with a flexible display according to claim 17 ,
wherein the flexible display further includes an optical element.

Assignees

• Sharp Kk

Inventors

• Araki Ryoh
• Kawaguchi Tsuyoshi

Classifications

• H04M1/0268

  including a flexible display panel · CPC title

• H04M1/022

  The hinge comprising two parallel pivoting axes · CPC title

• H04M1/0216

  Foldable in one direction, i.e. using a one degree of freedom hinge · 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

• G06F1/1641

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