Electronic devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9874908-B2
Application number	US-201514939427-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 12, 2015
Priority date	Dec 24, 2014
Publication date	Jan 23, 2018
Grant date	Jan 23, 2018

Abstract

An electronic device capable of maintaining an angle between two display units at a certain angle, without any hinge structure is provided. The electronic device includes a display unit including a first display unit and a functional unit spaced apart from each other, the functional unit being equipped with an electronic component, a cover unit including a first cover part and a second cover part, to which the first display unit and the functional unit are respectively attached, and a connection unit including a shape-preserving member, which is configured to allow the display unit and the functional unit to be maintained at a certain angle, when an angle between the first cover part and the second cover part is changed by an external force.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a display including a first display and a functional device spaced apart from each other, the functional device being equipped with an electronic component;
a cover including a first cover part and a second cover part, to which the first display and the functional device are respectively attached; and
a connection device including:
a shape-preserving member, and
a first connection member covering the shape-preserving member and connecting the first cover part to the second cover part,

wherein the shape-preserving member is configured to, when an angle between the first cover part and the second cover part is changed by an external force, maintain the changed angle between the first cover part and the second cover part, and
wherein the first connection member comprises:
a first outer connection member provided to cover both of the first cover part and the second cover part and thereby to connect the first cover part to the second cover part, and
a first inner connection member provided opposite to the first outer connection member to connect the first cover part to the second cover part.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the shape-preserving member is formed of ethylene homopolymers or ethylene•α-olefin copolymers, whose density is higher than 950 kg/m3, Mw/Mn ranges from 5 to 15, content of α-olefin with a carbon number of 3-6 is less than 2 wt %, where Mw and Mn represent a weight-average molecular weight and a number-average molecular weight, respectively.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the shape-preserving member is manufactured by:
preparing a circular film containing ethylene homopolymers, whose density is higher than 940 kg/m3 and Mw/Mn ranges from 5 to 20, or ethylene-α-olefin copolymers, whose content of α-olefin with a carbon number of 3-6 is less than 2 wt %, and
stretching or drawing the circular film at a draw ratio of 10-30, where Mw and Mn represent a weight-average molecular weight and a number-average molecular weight, respectively.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 ,
wherein the shape-preserving member comprises:
at least one substrate layer containing at least one of ethylene polymers, whose density is higher than 900 kg/m3 and Mw/Mn ranges from 5 to 20, and
at least one soft layer containing a polymeric material, where Mw and Mn represent a weight-average molecular weight and a number-average molecular weight, respectively,

wherein the ethylene polymers comprise ethylene homopolymers or ethylene-α-olefin copolymers, whose content of α-olefin with a carbon number of 3-6 is less than 2 wt %, and
wherein the polymeric materials are selected to have a melting point, Tm 2 , that is lower than a melting point, Tm 1 , of the ethylene polymer, to have a tensile modulus of 10-50 GPa, and to have a restoration angle of 65° or less under a 180°-bending test.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a circuit board inserted between the shape-preserving member and the first inner connection member to connect the first display to the functional device.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the connection device further comprises an insertion member, which is interposed between the outer connection member and the shape-preserving member to allow the first outer connection member to have a sectional shape.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 ,
wherein the display is configured to allow a battery to be attached or detached thereto or therefrom, and
wherein the cover is configured to be attached or detached to or from the display, thereby allowing for replacement of the battery.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the connection device comprises:
a second connection member connected to the first cover part, the second connection member having an end portion with a curved or inclined surface;
a third connection member connected to the second cover part, the third connection member having an end portion with a curved or inclined surface; and
a fourth connection member disposed between the second and third connection members, the fourth connection member having opposite end portions, each of which has a curved or inclined surface and is in contact with one of the second and third connection members formed with the curved or inclined surface,
wherein the shape-preserving member is provided in a form of a plate or board and is disposed on top and bottom surfaces of the second to fourth connection members, thereby allowing the second to fourth connection members to be inserted therein.

9. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the connection device comprises a plurality of the fourth connection members, which are disposed in the shape-preserving member and between the second and third connection members and are in contact with each other.

10. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein each of the end portion of the second connection member, the opposite end portions of the fourth connection member, and the end portion of the third connection member has upward and downward inclined surfaces.

11. The electronic device of claim 10 , further comprising:
rotation axes inserted in the second to fourth connection members, respectively; and
at least one joint member connecting adjacent ones of the rotation axes to each other.

12. The electronic device of claim 1 ,
wherein the connection device comprises:
a second connection member connected to the first cover part,
a third connection member connected to the second cover part, and
a fourth connection member disposed between the second connection member and the third connection member,

wherein each of the second to fourth connection members is provided to include protruding portions, which are arranged in a longitudinal direction thereof and have a laterally protruding shape, and recessed regions, which are formed between the protruding portions,
wherein each of the protruding portions is inserted between an adjacent pair of the recessed regions, and
wherein the shape-preserving member is provided in a form of a plate or board and is disposed on top and bottom surfaces of the second to fourth connection members, thereby allowing the second to fourth connection members to be inserted therein.

13. The electronic device of claim 1 ,
wherein the connection device comprises:
a second connection member connected to the first cover part,
a third connection member connected to the second cover part, and
a fourth connection member disposed between the second connection member and the third connection member,

wherein the shape-preserving member is provided to have a hole formed at a side thereof in a width direction and is attached to a portion of the fourth connection member, and
wherein the fourth connection member comprises opposite end portions, each of which is provided to be rotatable about a corresponding one of the second and third connection members, and comprises a protrusion inserted in the hole.

14. The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the connection device comprises a plurality of the fourth connection members, adjacent ones of which are coupled to be rotatable about each other.

15. The electronic device of claim 1 ,
wherein the second cover part comprises a first magnetic element,
wherein the first outer connection member comprises a second magnetic element, which is provided at a position to be in contact with the first magnetic element, when the first display is rotated in a direction toward the functional device, and
wherein the shape-preserving member is provided below the second m

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Han Kwang Soo
• Yoo Chung Keun
• Choi Jin Hyuk
• Lee Byoung Soo
• Lee Jae Woo
• Park Ji Hoon

Classifications

• H04M1/0216 Primary

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

• G06F1/1647 Primary

  including at least an additional display (G06F1/1692 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F1/1626

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

• G06F1/1684 Primary

  Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675 · CPC title

• G06F1/1616

  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