Electronic apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9552018-B2
Application number	US-201514600243-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 20, 2015
Priority date	Jul 11, 2014
Publication date	Jan 24, 2017
Grant date	Jan 24, 2017

Abstract

According to one embodiment, an electronic apparatus includes a main body deformable in a flat state and a bent state, and a spring structure which is provided on the main body and keeps the main body in the flat state or the bent state. The main body includes an elastic member, and first and second rigid members. The spring structure includes a plate spring which extends in a direction of crossing the elastic member, and is supported by the first and the second rigid members on both ends of the plate spring.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic apparatus comprising:
a main body deformable in a flat state and a bent state; and
a spring structure on the main body configured to keep the main body in the flat state or the bent state,
wherein
the main body comprises:
an deformable elastic member; and
first and second rigid members on both sides of the elastic member,
the spring structure comprises a plate spring extending in a direction crossing the elastic member, and supported by the first and the second rigid members on both sides of the plate spring,
the plate spring configured to linearly extend and convexly curve in a direction orthogonal to the extending direction when the main body is brought into the flat state, and
the plate spring configured to bend and extend, and become flat in a direction orthogonal to the extending direction when the main body is brought into the bent state, and
further comprising holders on the first and the second rigid members, the holders configured to support the both sides of the plate spring, and the plate spring supported by the holders such that a surface on a convexly curved side faces the elastic member when the main body is in the flat state.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , the holders configured to allow for elastically deforming the plate spring from a curved state to a flattened state.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , the plate spring and the elastic member connected to each other.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein while the main body is deformed from the flat state to the bent state at the elastic member, the elastic member is deformed by the plate spring.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the main body comprises:
a first surface configured to support a sheet display in a deformable way; and
a second surface located on a back side of the first surface, and configured to support electronic components for controlling the sheet display,
the first surface extending over the elastic member and the first and the second rigid members,
the first surface configured to become a flat surface as the elastic member and the first and the second rigid members are on a same plane when the main body is brought into the flat state.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the sheet display is bonded to only the first and the second rigid members of the first surface.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein one of a non-bonded portion which is not bonded to the first surface of the sheet display and a facing portion facing the non-bonded portion of the second surface comprises a magnetic body, and the other portion of the non-bonded portion and the facing portion comprises a permanent magnet.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the second surface extends over the elastic member and the first and the second rigid members, and
the electronic components are supported by both the first and the second rigid members.

9. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the second surface extends over the elastic member and the first and the second rigid members, and
the electronic components are supported by only the first rigid member.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein a thickness of the second rigid member is less than a thickness of the first rigid member.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a retention mechanism for retaining the bent state when the main body is brought into the bent state.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the retention mechanism comprises:
a magnetic body on the first rigid member; and
a permanent magnet on the second rigid member,
the magnetic body and the permanent magnet arranged at portions where the magnetic body and the permanent magnet face each other in proximity of the first and the second rigid members when the main body is brought into the bent state.

13. The apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising:
a protective cover deformable in the flat state and the bent state following the main body; and
a third surface around the second surface, and configured to support the protective cover.

Assignees

• Toshiba Kk

Inventors

• Sato Yuki

Classifications

• G06F1/1656 Primary

  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

• G06F1/1626

  with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs] · CPC title

• G06F1/1652

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