Display device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9720455-B2
Application number	US-201615085627-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 30, 2016
Priority date	Apr 8, 2015
Publication date	Aug 1, 2017
Grant date	Aug 1, 2017

Abstract

A display device including: a first body member; a second body member; a hinge coupling the first body member and the second body member; a flexible display panel that is foldable, that is fixed to the first body member and to the second body member, and that is configured to display an image; and a controller configured to: measure a temperature of the flexible display panel; and control the hinge, when the measured temperature is lower than a reference temperature, to: maintain a state in which the first body member and the second body member are folded; or maintain a state in which the first body member and the second body member are unfolded.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A display device comprising:
a first body member;
a second body member;
a hinge coupling the first body member and the second body member;
a flexible display panel that is foldable, that is fixed to the first body member and to the second body member, and that is configured to display an image;
a controller comprising a temperature measuring unit configured to measure a temperature of the flexible display panel, the controller being configured to control the hinge to:
initiate or maintain a released state when the measured temperature is higher than a reference temperature; and
initiate or maintain a locked state when the measured temperature is not higher than the reference temperature.

2. The display device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first locking member at the first body member that is configured to protrude toward the hinge, and is configured to be received by the hinge;
a second locking member at the second body member that is configured to protrude toward the hinge, and is configured to be received by the hinge; and
a driving member configured to generate a driving force to cause the locking members to protrude,
wherein the hinge defines one or more receiving grooves for receiving the locking members.

3. The display device of claim 2 ,
wherein the one or more receiving grooves comprise a pair of first receiving grooves configured to receive the locking members when the second body member is unfolded from the first body member.

4. The display device of claim 2 , wherein the hinge comprises:
a first hinge member between the first body member and the second body member, and
a second hinge member having one side that is rotatably coupled to the first hinge member, and another side that is rotatably coupled to either the first body member or the second body member.

5. The display device of claim 4 ,
wherein the locking members are configured to protrude to be adjacent the first hinge member in the state in which the first body member and the second body member are folded.

6. The display device of claim 2 , wherein the one or more receiving grooves comprise:
a pair of second receiving grooves configured to receive the locking members in the state in which the first body member and the second body member are unfolded; and
a pair of third receiving grooves configured to receive the locking members in the state in which the first body member and the second body member are folded.

7. The display device of claim 6 ,
wherein the second receiving grooves are perpendicular to respective ones of the third receiving grooves.

8. The display device of claim 1 ,
wherein the second body member comprises two second body members coupled to respective sides of the first body member.

9. The display device of claim 1 ,
wherein the controller comprises the temperature measuring unit at the first body member and at the second body member.

10. The display device of claim 1 ,
wherein the controller further comprises a deformation sensor configured to sense whether the second body member is deformed with respect to the first body member, and
wherein the controller is configured to control the hinge to maintain a deformed state of the display device when a reference time lapses after the deformation sensor senses that deformation of the display device is completed.

11. The display device of claim 1 ,
wherein the second body member and the first body member are configured to be at a same plane when the second body member is maximally rotated away from the first body member.

12. The display device of claim 1 ,
wherein the second body member is configured to form an angle with the first body member when the second body member is maximally rotated away from the first body member.

13. A method for controlling deformation of a display device comprising a flexible display panel, the method comprising:
sensing deformation of the display device;
measuring a temperature of the flexible display panel;
comparing the measured temperature with a reference temperature;
initiating or maintaining a released state when the measured temperature is higher than the reference temperature; and
initiating or maintaining a locked state when the measured temperature is not higher than the reference temperature.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
determining whether the deformation of the display device is completed after the initiating or maintaining the released state.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
initiating or maintaining the locked state when the deformation of the display device is completed; and
initiating or maintaining the released state when the deformation of the display device is not completed.

16. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
initiating or maintaining the locked state once a reference time lapses after the deformation of the display device is completed.

17. The method of claim 16 ,
wherein the reference time is about 2 seconds or less.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the display device comprises:
a first body member; and
a second body member rotatably coupled to the first body member,
wherein the locked state is a state in which the second body member is not rotatable with respect to the first body member, and
wherein the released state is a state in which the second body member is rotatable with respect to the first body member.

Assignees

• Samsung Display Co Ltd

Inventors

• Jang Cheol

Classifications

• G06F1/1652

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

• H04M1/0241

  using relative motion of the body parts to change the operational status of the telephone set, e.g. switching on/off, answering incoming call · CPC title

• H04M1/0245

  using open/close detection · CPC title

• G06F1/1677

  for detecting open or closed state or particular intermediate positions assumed by movable parts of the enclosure, e.g. detection of display lid position with respect to main body in a laptop, detection of opening of the cover of battery compartment · CPC title

• G06F1/1681 Primary

  Details related solely to hinges (hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683) · CPC title