Mobile computing device having a flexible hinge structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9541962-B2
Application number	US-201414515766-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 16, 2014
Priority date	Oct 16, 2014
Publication date	Jan 10, 2017
Grant date	Jan 10, 2017

Abstract

Techniques involving a mobile computing device having a flexible hinge structure are described. In one or more implementations, a mobile computing device includes a plurality of housings, a display device that is flexible, and a flexible hinge structure. The flexible hinge structure secures the plurality of housings to each other, permits the plurality of housings to rotate about an axis in relation to each other, and supports a continuous viewing area of the display device that extends across the plurality of housings and the flexible hinge structure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mobile computing device comprising:
a plurality of housings;
a display device that is flexible; and
a flexible hinge structure that:
secures the plurality of housings to each other;
permits the plurality of housings to rotate about an axis in relation to each other, the flexible hinge structure supporting a plurality of configurations of the plurality of housings in relation to each other, one said configuration positioning the plurality of housings along a single plane and at least a second said configuration positioning the plurality of housings stacked in relation to each other configured to expose at least a portion of the display device so as to be viewable;
contacts the display device that is flexible; and
supports a continuous viewing area of the display device that extends across the plurality of housings and the flexible hinge structure.

2. A mobile computing device as described in claim 1 , wherein:
each of the plurality of housings includes a first outer surface, on which, the display device is secured;
the plurality of housings is configured to be positioned using the flexible hinge structure such that the first outer surfaces define the single plane; and
the flexible hinge structure includes a first flexible member that has a first outer surface that, together with the first outer surfaces of the plurality of housings is continuous along the defined single plane through which the continuous viewing area of the display device extends.

3. A mobile computing device as described in claim 2 , wherein:
each of the plurality of housings includes a second outer surface that is opposite to the first outer surface;
the plurality of housings are configured to be positioned using the flexible hinge structure such that the second outer surfaces define a second plane that is parallel to the single plane; and
the flexible hinge structure includes a second flexible member that has a second outer surface that, together with the second outer surfaces of the plurality of housings is continuous along the second plane that is generally parallel to the defined single plane.

4. A mobile computing device as described in claim 2 , wherein the first flexible member is configured to support a minimum bend radius of the display device.

5. A mobile computing device as described in claim 1 , wherein the flexible hinge structure contacts the display device in a space between the plurality of housings and supports the display device in the space between the plurality of housings.

6. A mobile computing device as described in claim 1 , wherein the at least second said configuration in which the plurality of housings are stacked is configured to expose the portion of the display device along a curvature of the flexible hinge structure.

7. A mobile computing device as described in claim 1 , further comprising a biasing mechanism configured to bias positioning of the plurality of housings in a particular one of the plurality of configurations.

8. A mobile computing device as described in claim 7 , wherein the biasing mechanism uses magnets or a mechanical device.

9. A mobile computing device comprising:
a display device that is flexible;
a plurality of housings; and
a plurality of flexible hinge structures that:
secures the plurality of housings, one to another;
permits the plurality of housings to rotate about an axis in relation to each other; and
forms a continuous viewing area of the display device that extends across the plurality of housings and the plurality of flexible hinge structures by contacting the flexible display device in a space between the plurality of housings.

10. A mobile computing device as described in claim 9 , wherein the plurality of housings include a first, second, and third said housing and the plurality of flexible hinge structures include first and second said flexible hinge structures and the continuous viewing area of the display device extends over the first, second and third said housings and the first and second said flexible hinge structures.

11. A mobile computing device as described in claim 9 , wherein:
each of the plurality of housings includes a first outer surface, on which, the display device is secured;
the plurality of housings are configured to be positioned using the plurality of flexible hinge structures such that the first outer surfaces define a single plane; and
each of the plurality of flexible hinge structures includes a first flexible member that has a first outer surface that, together with the first outer surfaces of the plurality of housings is continuous along the defined single plane through which the continuous viewing area of the display device extends.

12. A mobile computing device as described in claim 11 , wherein:
each of the plurality of housings includes a second outer surface that is opposite to the first outer surface;
the plurality of housings is configured to be positioned using the flexible hinge structure such that the second outer surfaces define a second plane that is parallel to the single plane; and
each of the plurality of flexible hinge structures includes a second flexible member that has a second outer surface that, together with the second outer surfaces of the plurality of housings is continuous along the second plane that is generally parallel to the defined single plane.

13. A mobile computing device as described in claim 11 , wherein the first flexible member is configured to support a minimum bend radius of the display device.

14. A mobile computing device as described in claim 9 , wherein the rotation of the plurality of flexible hinge structures supports a plurality of configurations of the plurality of housings in relation to each other, at least one said configuration involving positioning of the plurality of housings along a single plane and another said configuration in which the plurality of housings is stacked in relation to each other.

15. A mobile computing device as described in claim 9 , wherein the rotation of the plurality of flexible hinge structures supports a plurality of configurations of the plurality of housings in relation to each other, at least one said configuration involving positioning of the plurality of housings along a single plane and another said configuration in which at least one of the plurality of housings is stacked in relation to each other and two or more of the plurality of housing are viewable by a user.

16. A mobile computing device as described in claim 9 , wherein the rotation of the plurality of flexible hinge structures supports a plurality of configurations of the plurality of housings in relation to each other, at least one said configuration involving positioning of the plurality of housings along a single plane and another said configuration in which two or more of the plurality of housings is stacked in relation to each other and at least one of the plurality of housings is viewable by a user.

17. A mobile computing device comprising:
a flexible hinge structure that:
secures housings of the mobile computing device to each other;
permits the housings to rotate about an axis in relation to each other supporting multiple configurations of the housings in relation to each other, one said configuration positioning the housings along a single plane and at least a second said configuration positioning the housings stacked in relation to each other;
contacts a flexible display device of the mobile computing device; and
supports a continuous viewing area of the flexible display device that extends across the housin

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Siddiqui Kabir

Classifications

• G06F1/1652

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

• H04M1/0216

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

• G06F1/1679

  for locking or maintaining the movable parts of the enclosure in a fixed position, e.g. latching mechanism at the edge of the display in a laptop or for the screen protective cover of a PDA (G06F1/1681 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04M1/0268

  including a flexible display panel · CPC title

• G06F1/1618 Primary

  the display being foldable up to the back of the other housing with a single degree of freedom, e.g. by 360° rotation over the axis defined by the rear edge of the base enclosure · CPC title