Electronic device including flexible display

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9557771-B2
Application number	US-201514734223-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 9, 2015
Priority date	Jun 11, 2014
Publication date	Jan 31, 2017
Grant date	Jan 31, 2017

Abstract

An electronic device is provided including: a flexible display; a first housing member; a second housing member; a hinge module coupled to the first housing member and the second housing member; and a support body disposed between the flexible display and the first and second housing members, wherein the second housing member is adapted to pivot about the hinge module relative to the first housing member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a flexible display;
a first housing member;
a second housing member;
a hinge module coupled to the first housing member and the second housing member; and
a support body disposed between the flexible display and the first and second housing members,
wherein the second housing member that pivots about the hinge module relative to the first housing member;
wherein the support body forms a substantially flat surface that provides support to the flexible display when the electronic device is unfolded,
wherein the support body comprises:
a support frame coupled to the hinge module;
a first support member coupled to the support frame via a pin-joint coupling part;
a second support member coupled to the first support member; and
a third support member coupled to the second support member, and
wherein the third support member comprises an inner boss and an outer boss, the inner and outer boss extending in a lateral direction from the third support member, and the first housing member comprises a guide section that is arranged to guide the inner boss away from the flexible display.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein:
the guide section comprises an inner path groove that includes a first section having a first longitudinal axis and a second section having a second longitudinal axis that is transverse to the first longitudinal axis,
the inner boss is arranged to travel along the first and second longitudinal axes when the electronic device is being opened or closed,
the inner boss is disposed in the first section when the electronic device is unfolded, and
the inner boss is disposed in the second section of the inner path groove, when the electronic device is folded.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the guide section comprises an outer path groove and the outer boss moves along the outer path groove when the electronic device is being folded or unfolded.

4. An electronic device comprising:
a flexible display;
a first housing member;
a second housing member;
a hinge module coupled to the first housing member and the second housing member; and
a support body disposed between the flexible display and the first and second housing members,
wherein the second housing member that pivots about the hinge module relative to the first housing member;
wherein the support body forms a substantially flat surface that provides support to the flexible display when the electronic device is unfolded;
wherein the support body comprises:
a support frame coupled to the hinge module;
a first support member coupled to the support frame via a pin-joint coupling part;
a second support member coupled to the first support member; and
a third support member coupled to the second support member; and
wherein the support frame includes a stopper formed at one end of the support frame that restricts a rotation of the first support member about the pin-joint coupling part,
the hinge module further comprises a first hinge member and a second hinge member,
the first hinge member includes a first rotating body and a first rotating shaft, the first rotating shaft having a first rotating gear disposed thereon,
the second hinge member includes a second rotating body and a second rotating shaft, the second rotating shaft having a second rotating gear disposed thereon that is engaged with the first rotating gear,
the first rotating body includes a first rotating protrusion that is mated with a first slide recess formed in the support frame, and
the second rotating body includes a second rotating protrusion that is mated with a second slide recess formed in the support frame.

5. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein when the first rotating body rotates, the first rotating protrusion slides in the first slide recess while rotating around the first rotating shaft.

6. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein:
the support frame is caused by the hinge module to come in contact with the flexible display when the electronic device is unfolded, and
the support frame is caused by the hinge module to become separated from the flexible display when the electronic device is folded.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Park Jihoon
• Kim Jonghae
• Yoo Chungkeun
• Park Youngsun

Classifications

• H04M1/0237

  Sliding mechanism with one degree of freedom · 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

• H04M1/022

  The hinge comprising two parallel pivoting axes · CPC title

• H04M1/0268

  including a flexible display panel · CPC title

• G06F1/1616 Primary

  with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position · CPC title