Search

EP-4490590-B1 - HINGED DEVICE WITH A FLEXIBLE DISPLAY

EP4490590B1EP 4490590 B1EP4490590 B1EP 4490590B1EP-4490590-B1

Inventors

  • CAPLOW-MUNRO, Devin
  • YAREMENKO, Denys
  • TOMKY, BRETT
  • SCHWARTZEL, Luke
  • PIRIE, Anne
  • TAZBAZ, Errol Mark

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20221130

Claims (15)

  1. A device (100), comprising: a first portion (102) secured to rotate relative to a spine assembly (106) and a second portion (104) secured to rotate relative to the spine assembly; a flexible display (114) extending along a front surface of the first portion over the spine assembly to a front surface of the second portion; a first spine cover (132) pivotally secured relative to the spine assembly and extending along a rear surface (112) of the first portion and into the first portion and a second spine cover (132) pivotally secured relative to the spine assembly and extending along a rear surface (112) of the second portion and into the second portion, and an extent to which the first spine cover extends into the first portion and the second spine cover extends into the second portion is configured to be relatively less when the first and second portions are at a zero-degree orientation and relatively more when the first and second portions are at a 180-degree orientation; a first display support (144) pivotally secured in the first portion and configured to be biased toward a position that is substantially parallel to the front surface by the first spine cover in the 180-degree orientation and to transition to a position that forms an acute angle with the front surface at the zero-degree orientation; and, a second display support (144) pivotally secured in the second portion and configured to be biased toward a position that is substantially parallel to the front surface by the second spine cover in the 180-degree orientation and to transition to a position that forms an acute angle with the front surface at the zero-degree orientation.
  2. The device of claim 1, wherein the spine assembly includes first and second hinge shafts (124) and wherein a first end of the first spine cover is configured to rotate around the first hinge shaft and a first end of second spine cover is configured to rotate around the second hinge shaft.
  3. The device of claim 2, wherein the first end of the first spine cover is pinned to the spine assembly or wherein the first end of the first spine cover is coupled to the spine assembly with a flexible hinge.
  4. The device of claim 2, further comprising a first hinge guide arm (118) positioned around the first hinge shaft and slidably received in the first portion and a second hinge guide arm (118) positioned around the second hinge shaft and slidably received in the second portion.
  5. The device of claim 4, wherein the first hinge guide arm defines first and second tracks configured to guide a position of the first display support at a range of angular orientations including the zero-degree orientation and the 180-degree orientation and the second hinge guide arm defines first and second tracks configured to guide a position of the second display support at the range of angular orientations including the zero-degree orientation and the 180-degree orientation.
  6. The device of claim 4, further comprising a first translation mechanism (116) positioned to act on the first portion and the first hinge guide arm to bias the first portion toward the spine assembly and a second translation mechanism (116) positioned to act on the second portion and the second hinge guide arm to bias the second portion toward the spine assembly.
  7. The device of claim 6, wherein the bias of the first translation mechanism translates the first portion toward the spine assembly at the 180-degree orientation and the bias of the second translation mechanism translates the second portion toward the spine assembly at the 180-degree orientation.
  8. The device of claim 1, wherein at the zero-degree orientation a majority of the first spine cover is coplanar with a rear surface of the first portion and a majority of the second spine cover is coplanar with a rear surface of the second portion.
  9. The device of claim 8, wherein at the 180-degree orientation a majority of the first spine cover is between the rear surface and the front surface of the first portion and a majority of the second spine cover is between the rear surface and the front surface of the second portion.
  10. The device of claim 1, wherein the first display support defines a comb (150) that is configured to intermesh with an opposing comb (152) defined by the first portion to collectively define at least a portion of the front surface of the first portion and the second display support defines a comb (150) that is configured to intermesh with an opposing comb (152) defined by the second portion to collectively define at least a portion of the front surface of the second portion.
  11. The device of claim 10, wherein an extent of the intermesh between the comb of the first display support and the opposing comb of the first portion is defined at least in part by the orientation and an extent of the intermesh between the comb of the second display support and the opposing comb of the second portion is defined at least in part by the orientation.
  12. The device of claim 1, wherein the spine assembly (126) comprises a spine (125), and the device further comprising a flexible hinge (202) that couples the first spine cover and the second spine cover to the spine.
  13. The device of claim 12, wherein the flexible hinge comprises a woven fabric or a polymer sheet.
  14. The device of claim 13, wherein the first spine cover is configured to bridge between the spine and a surface of the first portion and the second spine cover is configured to bridge between the spine and a surface of the second portion.
  15. The device of claim 1, wherein the spine assembly (126) comprises a spine (125), and wherein the first display support has a first end pivotally secured to the first portion and a second end proximate to the spine, and the second display support has a first end pivotally secured to the second portion and a second end proximate to the spine, and wherein the first spine cover has a first end pivotally secured to the spine and a second end abutting the first display support, and the second spine cover has a first end pivotally secured to the spine and a second end abutting the second display support, wherein the first spine cover is configured to bridge between the spine and the rear surface of the first portion, and the second spine cover is configured to bridge between the spine and the rear surface of the second portion, wherein a 180-degree orientation between the first and second portions, the first and second spine covers are configured to bias the first and second display supports into the coplanar position of the first and second portions, and at the zero-degree orientation between the first and second portions, the first and second spine covers are configured to allow the first and second display supports to pivot away from the front surfaces of the first and second portions to provide an increased bend radius for the flexible display.

Description

BACKGROUND Flexible displays have been greatly anticipated for various applications, such as folding devices. However, adoption has been slow and initial products have experienced reliability issues. KR 102 299 989 discloses a hinge structure for a foldable device having a flexible display panel. A hinge housing has a U-shaped section, which is fixed in position as the foldable device folds. US 2020 0166972 discloses a hinge structure for two parts of a foldable device for a flexible display, which parts enclose the hinge structure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings illustrate implementations of the concepts conveyed in the present document. Features of the illustrated implementations can be more readily understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Like reference numbers in the various drawings are used wherever feasible to indicate like elements. Further, the left-most numeral of each reference number conveys the figure and associated discussion where the reference number is first introduced. Where space permits, elements and their associated reference numbers are both shown on the drawing page for the reader's convenience. Otherwise, only the reference numbers are shown. FIGS. 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A, 6A, and 7A show perspective views of example devices in accordance with some implementations of the present concepts.FIGS. 1C, 2C, 3B, 4B, 5B, 6B, and 7B show sectioned perspective views of example devices in accordance with some implementations of the present concepts.FIGS. 1B and 2B show exploded perspective views of example devices in accordance with some implementations of the present concepts.FIGS. 1D, 2D, 3C, 4C, 5C, 6C, 7C, and 8 show elevational views of example devices in accordance with some implementations of the present concepts. SUMMARY There is provided a device according to claim 1. This patent relates to hinged devices that have flexible displays. One example has first and second portions rotatably secured at a spine from a closed orientation to an open orientation and a flexible display extending from a surface of the first portion across the spine and over a surface of the second portion. The example can include a track defined in the first portion and a display support positioned in the track. An orientation-dependent drive mechanism can be configured to bias the display support along the track toward the surface to support the flexible display in the open orientation of the first and second portions and to allow the display support to move along the track away from the surface in the closed orientation. This summary is provided for purposes of providing a brief explanation of some of the concepts described in this patent and is not intended as a complete or limiting description. DESCRIPTION The present concepts relate to devices, such as computing devices that include first and second device portions that are coupled at a spine assembly through a range of (angular) rotation, such as from a closed zero-degree orientation to an open orientation, such as 180 degrees or more. A flexible display can span across the spine assembly and be secured to both the first and second portions. When the first and second portions are closed against one another, the device can offer a technical solution for providing extra room at the spine assembly to allow the flexible display to bend without damage by moving the display supports away from the first surfaces. At open orientations, the spine assembly can provide a technical solution for supporting the flexible display to reduce deflection when the user physically engages the flexible display. Some implementations, such as those that open more than 180 degrees, can translate the first and second portions relative to the spine at different orientations to reduce stress forces on the flexible display (e.g., a length of the device can change rather than 'stretching' or otherwise imparting forces on the flexible display). Pivoting spine covers can be employed between the spine assembly and the first and second portions to cover any gaps that would otherwise occur during the rotation of the first and second portions. During rotation a percentage of the pivoting spine covers that is exposed on the device can change as more or less of the pivoting spine covers extend into the first and second portions. This changing aspect of the pivoting spine covers can drive display supports. From one perspective, orientation dependent translation of the first and second portions relative to the spine offers a technical solution of reducing forces imparted on the flexible display and hence reducing damage to the flexible display during rotation. The translation can create and/or change gaps between the first and second portions and the spine. The spine covers offer a technical solution of covering and protecting these changing gaps without interfering with the translation by moving farther into or