KR-20260064541-A - ELECTRONIC DEVICES WITH DISPLAYS

Abstract

The electronic device may include a flexible display having first and second display portions that rotate relative to each other about a bending axis. The flexible display may be mounted in a foldable housing having first and second housing portions joined by a hinge aligned with the bending axis. The foldable housing is operable in a flat state and a folded state. A translation assembly may be configured to slide the display relative to the housing as the device moves between the flat state and the folded state. A compression assembly may be used to apply compression to the flexible display when the foldable housing is in the folded state. A tension assembly may be used to apply tension to the flexible display when the foldable housing is in the flat state. If desired, the translation, compression, and tension assemblies may be combined as a module.

Inventors

• 스트라이커, 제임스 에이
• 더리, 매튜
• 로빈슨, 케빈 엠
• 팍, 다니엘 씨
• 가렐리, 아담 티
• 하멜, 브래들리 제이
• 크룩스, 브래들리 에스
• 헨드렌, 키스 제이
• 카오, 로버트 와이
• 크란, 스캇 제이

Assignees

• 애플 인크.

Dates

Publication Date

20260507

Application Date

20251022

Priority Date

20250911

Claims (20)

1. As an electronic device, A flexible display having first and second display parts that rotate relative to each other around a bending axis; A foldable housing having first and second housing parts joined by a hinge overlapping with the bending axis - the foldable housing is operable in a flat state and a folded state -; A tension assembly that applies tension to the flexible display when the foldable housing is in the flat state; and An electronic device comprising a compression assembly that applies compression to the flexible display when the foldable housing is in the folded state.
2. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein each of the tension and compression assemblies comprises a slider and a spring for sliding the flexible display against the foldable housing.
3. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the tension assembly applies the tension to the flexible display only when the angle between the first and second housing parts is greater than a critical angle.
4. In claim 1, the electronic device further comprises a translational assembly, and the translational assembly is, An electronic device comprising a strap extending across the hinge, wherein the strap has a first end coupled to the first display portion and the first housing portion through a linkage and a second opposing end coupled to the second housing portion, and the linkage is configured to slide the first display portion relative to the first housing portion as the foldable housing moves between the flat state and the folded state.
5. An electronic device according to claim 4, wherein the linkage includes a lever, the lever is configured to rotate about the first housing portion around a first pivot point, the strap is coupled to the lever at a second pivot point, the first display portion is coupled to the lever at a third pivot point, and the distance between the first and second pivot points is smaller than the distance between the first and third pivot points.
6. In paragraph 5, the electronic device further comprises an additional strap coupled to the lever at a fourth pivot point, said strap and said additional strap are positioned at different offsets with respect to the center of rotation of the hinge.
7. In paragraph 4, the linkage comprises a lever, and the strap and the lever are coupled to a slider that is coupled to the first display portion and slides within a slot in the first housing portion, an electronic device.
8. An electronic device according to claim 4, further comprising a spring coupled to the first end of the strap.
9. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the tension and compression assemblies are configured to apply unequal loads to the first and second display portions such that the movement of the flexible display relative to the foldable housing is asymmetric across the bending axis.
10. In claim 1, the tension and compression assemblies are actuator-driven electronic devices.
11. As an electronic device, A flexible display having first and second display parts that rotate relative to each other around a bending axis; A foldable housing having first and second housing parts joined by a hinge aligned with the bending axis—the foldable housing is operable in a flat state and a folded state—; and An electronic device comprising a strap extending across the hinge, wherein the strap has a first end coupled to the first display portion and the first housing portion and a second opposite end coupled to the second housing portion, and wherein the strap is configured to slide the first display portion relative to the first housing portion as the foldable housing moves between the flat state and the folded state.
12. An electronic device according to claim 11, wherein the first end of the strap is coupled to the first display portion and the first housing portion through a lever.
13. An electronic device according to claim 12, wherein the lever is configured to rotate around a first pivot point, the strap is coupled to the lever at a second pivot point, the first display part is coupled to the lever at a third pivot point, and the distance between the first and second pivot points is smaller than the distance between the first and third pivot points.
14. An electronic device according to claim 11, wherein the first end of the strap is coupled to the first display portion and the first housing portion through a Watts linkage.
15. In claim 14, the above Watt linkage is an electronic device that applies compression to the flexible display when the foldable housing is in the folded state.
16. As an electronic device, A flexible display having first and second display parts that rotate relative to each other around a bending axis; A foldable housing having first and second housing parts joined by a hinge aligned with the bending axis—the foldable housing is operable in a flat state and a folded state—; and An electronic device comprising an assembly configured to apply tension to the flexible display when the foldable housing is in the flat state.
17. In paragraph 16, the above assembly is an electronic device comprising a Watt linkage.
18. An electronic device according to claim 16, wherein the assembly begins to apply the tension to the flexible display only when the angle between the first and second housing parts exceeds a critical angle.
19. In Clause 16, the above assembly is, A pre-loaded spring that is compressed when the angle between the first and second housing parts exceeds a critical angle; and An electronic device comprising a stationary structure that supports a load of a pre-loaded spring when the angle between the first and second housing parts is smaller than the critical angle, wherein the load is transferred from the stationary structure to a flexible display to apply tension to the flexible display when the angle between the first and second housing parts exceeds the critical angle.
20. An electronic device according to claim 16, wherein the assembly is configured to apply compression to the flexible display when the foldable housing is in the folded state.

Description

Electronic devices with displays This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 19/326,570 filed September 11, 2025, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/713,996 filed October 30, 2024, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. Technology field The present invention generally relates to electronic devices, and more specifically to electronic devices having displays. Electronic devices often have displays. Portability can be a concern for some devices that tend to limit the actual space available for the displays. The electronic device may include a flexible display having first and second display parts that rotate relative to each other about a bending axis. The flexible display may be mounted in a foldable housing having first and second housing parts joined by a hinge that overlaps the bending axis. The foldable housing may be operable in a flat state and in a folded state. The electronic device may include one or more translation assemblies for driving the movement of a display relative to a housing. For example, the translation assembly may be used to slide the display relative to the housing as the housing moves between an open (flat) state and a closed (folded) state. The translation assembly may include straps, springs, and/or linkages for sliding the display relative to the housing during the opening and closing of the electronic device. A compression assembly can be used to apply compression to the flexible display when the foldable housing is in a folded state, thereby pushing the flexible display toward the hinge and preventing tenting and lift-off of the display relative to the hinge. A tension assembly can be used to apply tension to the flexible display when the foldable housing is in a flat state, thereby avoiding wrinkle within the display. If desired, the tension and compression assemblies can be combined into a single module. The foldable housing may have a roller hinge or any other suitable type of hinge. In a roller-type hinge (sometimes referred to as a constant-length hinge), the hinge length between the first and second housing parts may remain constant when the device is folded and unfolded, which creates an offset between the bending axis of the display and the bending axis of the hinge. Translation modules may be used to apply loads to the display (e.g., to apply tension to the display in a flat state to avoid creasing), while also being used to facilitate the display translation required due to the offset between the bending axis of the hinge and the bending axis of the display. In other hinge arrangements, such as a teardrop-type hinge, since the bending axis of the display and the bending axis of the hinge are already aligned, the primary function of the translation modules may be to apply tension to the display in a flat state and to facilitate the display translation required due to tolerances and/or reliability over time. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary electronic device according to some embodiments. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an exemplary electronic device having a display according to some embodiments. FIG. 3 is a side view of an exemplary electronic device according to some embodiments. FIG. 4 is a side view of an exemplary electronic device having a foldable display having translational assemblies, tension assemblies, and compression assemblies according to some embodiments. FIG. 5 is a side view of the electronic device of FIG. 4 illustrating a method in which a tension assembly can remove creases within a foldable display in a flat state by applying tension to the display according to some embodiments. FIG. 6 is a side view of the electronic device of FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 illustrating a method in which a compression assembly can apply compression to a foldable display in a folded state according to some embodiments to press the display against a hinge. FIG. 7 is a plan view of an exemplary electronic device having one or more sets of tension and compression assemblies on opposite sides of a foldable housing and a hinge, according to some embodiments. FIG. 8 is a plan view of an exemplary tension and compression assembly according to some embodiments. FIG. 9 is a graph illustrating how the compressive and tensile forces applied to a foldable display change as the display moves from a flat state to a folded state, according to some embodiments. FIG. 10 is a plan view of an exemplary electronic device having translation assemblies including a foldable housing, a pair of straps for driving display motion, and a linkage for amplifying display motion, according to some embodiments. FIG. 11 is a plan view of an exemplary electronic device having a foldable housing, and translational assemblies including a strap and a return spring for driving display motion and a linkage for amplifying display motion, according to some embodiments. FIG. 12 is a plan view of an exemplary electronic device having a foldable housing acc