Display system having a continuous flexible display with display supports

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-RE47987-E
Application number	US-201615373258-A
Country	US
Kind code	E1
Filing date	Dec 8, 2016
Priority date	Jun 25, 2012
Publication date	May 12, 2020
Grant date	May 12, 2020

Abstract

A display system comprises a continuous flexible display and two main display supports being hingeably connected with respect to each other between a closed storage position and a planar open position for fixing the flexible display in an open position. Each of the supports is structurally configured to support respectively a first and a second portion of the flexible display, a segment of the flexible display is located between the said respective portions of the flexible display in the open position. The display system comprises a spring force biased mechanism operative in either the open or closed position or both the open and closed positions of the flexible display, biasing said segment of the flexible display in the respective position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A display system comprising:
a continuous flexible display;
a support frame comprising first and second main display supports, coupled by a hinge mechanism with at least one hinge axis and each structurally configured to support respectively a first and a second portion of the flexible display, the two main display supports being hingeable between a configuration for fixing the flexible display in a closed storage position and a planar configuration for fixing the flexible display in an open position, a segment of the flexible display being located between the said respective portions of the flexible display in the open position; and
a spring force biased mechanism operative in either the open or closed position or both the open and closed positions of the flexible display, biasing said segment of the flexible display in the respective position,
wherein the spring force biased mechanism comprises a slider element, the second portion of the flexible display is fixed to the slider element, which is slidably mounted on the second main display support,
wherein during movement of the display from the open to the storage position the movement of the slider element is limited by a first end stop.

2. The display system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the flexible display is fixed to the first main display support, whereas the second portion of the flexible display is slidably mounted on the second main display support, allowing at the location of the mounting during movement of the display between the storage and open position a sliding movement of the second portion of the flexible display with respect to the second main display support in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of the hinge axis, the spring force biased mechanism comprising spring means located in the coupling between the second portion of the flexible display and the second main display support, biasing said segment of the flexible display in the respective position.

3. The display system as recited in claim 2 , wherein the spring means comprise at least one spring biasing in the respective position of the display the slider element away from the hinge axis.

4. The display system as recited in claim 1 , wherein during movement of the display from the storage to the open position the movement of the slider element is limited by a second end stop.

5. The display system as recited in claim 4 , wherein the spring force biases the slider element against the second end stop.

6. The display system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the spring force biases the slider element against the first end stop.

7. The display system as recited in claim 1 , wherein each of said portions is slidably mounted on the respective main display support, allowing at the location of each mounting during movement of the display between the storage and open position a sliding movement of the respective portion of the flexible display with respect to the main display support in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of the hinge axis, the spring force biased mechanism comprising spring means located in each coupling between the respective portion of the flexible display and the main display support, biasing said segment of the flexible display in the respective position.

8. The display system as recited in claim 7 , wherein the segment of the flexible display is fixed to the support frame substantially in the middle between the first and the second portion of the flexible display.

9. The display system as recited in claim 1 , wherein one of the portions of the flexible display comprises an elastic border part, being connected with the main display support, biasing the flexible display in the open position.

10. The display system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the hinge mechanism comprises a flexible hinge, which is part of the spring force biased mechanism and enables a freedom of movement of the hinge pin in a direction substantially parallel to the display surface in the open position.

11. The display system as recited in claim 10 , wherein movement of the display supports from the closed to planar configuration enables movement of the hinge pin to a spring force biased position.

12. The display system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the system further comprises:
a body, the first main display support being hingeably connected with the body, the two main display supports being hingeable between a wrapped configuration around the body for fixing the flexible display in a closed storage position and a planar configuration for fixing the flexible display in an open position, a third portion of the flexible display being coupled with the body, a second segment of the flexible display being located between the first and third portion of the flexible display,
wherein the third portion of the flexible display is slidably mounted on the body, and
wherein the display system comprises a spring force biased mechanism operative in either the open or closed position or both the open and closed positions of the flexible display, biasing said second segment of the flexible display in the open position.

13. The display system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the spring force biased mechanism enables that the segment of the flexible display in the closed position is positioned with its curved end part at a distance from the hinge mechanism.

14. The display system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the spring force biased mechanism enables that the segment of the flexible display in the open position is stretched, keeping the display taut in the area of the hinge mechanism.

15. A display system comprising:
a continuous flexible display;
a body;
a support frame comprising first and second main display supports, coupled by a first hinge mechanism and each structurally configured to support respectively a first and a second portion of the flexible display, the first main display support being coupled by a second hinge mechanism with the body, the two main display supports being hingeable between a wrapped configuration around the body for fixing the flexible display in a closed storage position and a planar configuration for fixing the flexible display in an open position, a first segment of the flexible display being located near the first hinge mechanism between the said respective portions of the flexible display in the open position, a third portion of the flexible display being coupled with the body, a second segment of the flexible display being located near the second hinge mechanism between the first and third portion of the flexible display; and
a spring force biased mechanism;
wherein the third portion of the flexible display is slidably mounted on the body, and wherein the spring force biased mechanism is operative in either the open or closed position or both the open and closed positions of the flexible display, biasing said second segment of the flexible display in the respective position.

16. The display system as recited in claim 15 , wherein the spring force biased mechanism comprises a sliding mounting of both the first and the third portion of the flexible display.

17. A display system comprising:
a continuous flexible display;
a support frame comprising first and second main display supports, coupled by a hinge mechanism with at least one hinge axis and each structurally configured to support respectively a first and a second portion of the flexible display, the two main display supports being hingeable between a configuration for fixing the flexible display in a cl

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Walters Michael
• Tillaar Han Van Den
• Verschoor Volker Barnhart
• Dijk Robert Sjang Josine Van
• Lieshout Pieter Van

Classifications

• G06F1/1641

  the display being formed by a plurality of foldable display components (G06F1/1647 takes precedence) · 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

• G06F1/1615

  with several enclosures having relative motions, each enclosure supporting at least one I/O or computing function (constructional details of portable telephones comprising a plurality of mechanically joined movable body parts H04M1/0206) · CPC title

• H04M1/0247

  comprising more than two body parts · CPC title

• G06F1/1652

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