US-12619289-B2 - Folding portable display device

US12619289B2US 12619289 B2US12619289 B2US 12619289B2US-12619289-B2

Abstract

An example folding device includes a first assembly; a second assembly; a hinge assembly comprising: a first gear defining a first gear axis; a first scoop receiver defining a first scoop axis; and a continuous display spanning the hinge assembly from the first assembly to the second assembly; and first assembly linkage components comprising: a first arm having a. medial end rotatably connected to the hinge assembly about the first gear axis and a lateral end slidably connected to the first assembly; and a first scoop having a. curved medial end that slides within the first scoop receiver about the first scoop axis and a lateral end rotatably connected to the first assembly about a first scoop rotating center.

Inventors

Yongho Lim
PeiWen Hung
Han-Wen Yeh
Wen Shian Lin

Assignees

GOOGLE LLC

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20230530

Claims (18)

1 . A folding device comprising: a first assembly; a second assembly; a hinge assembly comprising: a first shaft defining a first shaft axis; a first scoop receiver defining a first scoop axis; a second shaft defining a second shaft axis; and a second scoop receiver defining a second scoop axis; a continuous display spanning the hinge assembly from the first assembly to the second assembly; and first assembly linkage components comprising: a first arm having a medial end rotatably connected to the hinge assembly about the first shaft axis and a lateral end slidably connected to the first assembly; and a first scoop having a curved medial end that slides within the first scoop receiver about the first scoop axis and a lateral end rotatably connected to the first assembly about a first scoop rotating center, wherein the first axis rotates about the first scoop axis as the folding device transitions from fully closed to fully open, and wherein the first axis rotates 90 degrees about the first scoop axis as the folding device transitions from fully closed to fully open second assembly linkage components comprising: a second arm having a medial end rotatably connected to the hinge assembly about the second shaft axis and a lateral end slidably connected to the second assembly; and a second scoop having a curved medial end that slides within the second scoop receiver about the second scoop axis and a lateral end rotatably connected to the second assembly about a second scoop rotating center.
2 . The folding device of claim 1 , wherein, as the folding device transitions from fully closed to fully open, the first scoop causes the first assembly to slide relative to the hinge assembly.
3 . The folding device of claim 1 , wherein, as the folding device transitions from fully closed to fully open: the first scoop causes the first assembly to slide relative to the hinge assembly along the lateral end of the first arm; and the second scoop causes the second assembly to slide relative to the hinge assembly along the lateral end of the second arm.
4 . The folding device of claim 1 , further comprising: torque components configured to generate force to resist rotation of the first assembly relative to the hinge assembly, wherein the force generated by the torque components is transmitted to the first assembly via the first arm.
5 . The folding device of claim 1 , further comprising: a first supporting plate configured to support the continuous display when the folding device is fully open.
6 . The folding device of claim 5 , wherein, when the folding device is fully open, a plane of an upper surface of the first supporting plate is not parallel with a plane of the continuous display on the first assembly.
7 . The folding device of claim 5 , further comprising: a second supporting plate configured to support the continuous display when the folding device is fully open.
8 . The folding device of claim 7 , wherein, when the folding device is fully open, a plane of an upper surface of the second supporting plate is not parallel with a plane of the continuous display on the second assembly.
9 . The folding device of claim 7 , wherein, when the folding device is fully open, a medial edge of the first supporting plate is positioned at a distance from a medial edge of the second supporting plate.
10 . The folding device of claim 9 , wherein the distance is greater than or equal to 1.5 mm.
11 . The folding device of claim 5 , wherein the first supporting plate is attached to the first scoop such that movement of the first scoop directly results in movement of the first supporting plate.
12 . The folding device of claim 7 , wherein the second supporting plate is attached to the second scoop such that movement of the second scoop directly results in movement of the second supporting plate.
13 . The folding device of claim 1 , wherein the first scoop center is defined by both an x/y coordinate system and an θ/r coordinate system.
14 . A folding device comprising: a first assembly; a second assembly; a hinge assembly comprising: a first shaft defining a first shaft axis; a first scoop receiver defining a first scoop axis; a second shaft defining a second shaft axis; and a second scoop receiver defining a second scoop axis; and a continuous display spanning the hinge assembly from the first assembly to the second assembly; first assembly linkage components comprising: a first arm having a medial end rotatably connected to the hinge assembly about the first shaft axis and a lateral end slidably connected to the first assembly; and a first scoop having a curved medial end that slides within the first scoop receiver about the first scoop axis and a lateral end rotatably connected to the first assembly about a first scoop rotating center; a first supporting plate configured to support the continuous display when the folding device is fully open, wherein, when the folding device is fully open, a plane of an upper surface of the first supporting plate is not parallel with a plane of the continuous display on the first assembly, and wherein the first supporting plate is attached to the first scoop such that movement of the first scoop directly results in movement of the first supporting plate; second assembly linkage components comprising: a second arm having a medial end rotatably connected to the hinge assembly about the second shaft axis and a lateral end slidably connected to the second assembly; and a second scoop having a curved medial end that slides within the second scoop receiver about the second scoop axis and a lateral end rotatably connected to the second assembly about a second scoop rotating center; and a second supporting plate configured to support the continuous display when the folding device is fully open, wherein, when the folding device is fully open, a plane of an upper surface of the second supporting plate is not parallel with a plane of the continuous display on the second assembly, and wherein the second supporting plate is attached to the second scoop such that movement of the second scoop directly results in movement of the second supporting plate.
15 . The folding device of claim 14 , wherein, as the folding device transitions from fully closed to fully open, the first shaft axis rotates about the first scoop axis and the second shaft axis rotates about the second scoop axis.
16 . The folding device of claim 15 , wherein, as the folding device transitions from fully closed to fully open: the first scoop causes the first assembly to slide relative to the hinge assembly along the lateral end of the first arm; and the second scoop causes the second assembly to slide relative to the hinge assembly along the lateral end of the second arm.
17 . The folding device of claim 16 , further comprising: first torque components configured to generate force to resist rotation of the first assembly relative to the hinge assembly, wherein the force generated by the first torque components is transmitted to the first assembly via the first arm; and second torque components configured to generate force to resist rotation of the second assembly relative to the hinge assembly, wherein the force generated by the second torque components is transmitted to the second assembly via the second arm.
18 . A folding device comprising: a first assembly; a second assembly; a hinge assembly comprising: a first shaft defining a first axis; a first scoop receiver defining a first scoop axis; a continuous display spanning the hinge assembly from the first assembly to the second assembly; a first supporting plate configured to support the continuous display when the folding device is fully open, wherein, when the folding device is fully open, a plane of an upper surface of the first supporting plate is not parallel with a plane of the continuous display on the first assembly; and first assembly linkage components comprising: a first arm having a medial end rotatably connected to the hinge assembly about the first axis and a lateral end slidably connected to the first assembly; and a first scoop having a curved medial end that slides within the first scoop receiver about the first scoop axis and a lateral end rotatably connected to the first assembly about a first scoop rotating center.

Description

BACKGROUND Devices that include displays may be referred to as display devices. In general, it may be desirable to increase a size of a display (e.g., the area on which images are displayed) as much as possible. Increasing the size of a display may make the device that includes the display large and unwieldy. For instance, devices with larger displays may not fit in pockets, bags, and the like. One way to increase the size of a display without negatively affecting the portability of the device is to make the device collapsible such that the display can be folded (e.g., in half). SUMMARY In general, aspects of this disclosure are directed to a hinge assembly of a folding device. Folding devices may generally include two assemblies connected via a hinge assembly and a continuous display that spans the two assemblies. Some continuous displays may include a flared section with relatively large bending radius. Such designs may reduce strain on the displays when folded. However, such designs may also result in continuous displays that are longer (e.g., in a direction perpendicular to the binge) than desired when folded. In accordance with one or more aspects of this disclosure, a folding device may include components configured to cause the assemblies to slide relative to the hinge assembly when the folding device is opened. For instance, the folding device may include a scoop rotatably connected to a first assembly of the folding device and configured to slide within a scoop receiver of a hinge assembly of the folding device. As the folding device is opened, the shape and location of the scoop receiver and the scoop may cause the first assembly to slide relative to the hinge assembly, thereby reducing a total width of the device (e.g., perpendicular to the folding axes) and allowing the continuous display to lie flat without being stretched. The folding device may further include an arm connecting the first assembly to the hinge assembly. The arm may be rotatably connected to the hinge assembly at an axis about which the first assembly actually rotates. Various non-sliding functions (e.g., assembly rotation synchronization, rotation friction resistance, etc.) may be performed by the arm. As such, forces on the scoop may be reduced while still enabling performance of sliding and non-sliding functions. In this way, aspects of this disclosure may improve the feeling (e.g., how opening and closing the folding device feel to a user), cycling life, open-close force advantages, etc., of a binge assembly of a folding device. In some examples, a folding device includes a first assembly; a second assembly; a hinge assembly comprising: a first gear defining a first gear axis; a first scoop receiver defining a first scoop axis; and a continuous display spanning the hinge assembly from the first assembly to the second assembly; and first assembly linkage components comprising: a first arm having a medial end rotatably connected to the hinge assembly about the first gear axis and a lateral end slidably connected to the first assembly; and a first scoop having a curved medial end that slides within the first scoop receiver about the first scoop axis and a lateral end rotatably connected to the first assembly about a first scoop rotating center. The details of one or more examples are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the disclosure will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIGS. 1A and 1B are schematic diagrams illustrating a folding device 100 with a flexible continuous display, in accordance with one or more aspects of this disclosure. FIGS. 2A-2L are views of components of a hinge assembly of a folding device, in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosure. FIGS. 3A and 3B are conceptual diagrams illustrating example supporting plates, in accordance with one or more aspects of this disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION In general, this disclosure is directed to folding devices that include foldable continuous displays with a supported span. A folding device may include at least two assemblies (e.g., panels) and a mechanism configured to allow the assemblies to be moved into a collapsed state in which the device is considered closed and an expanded state in which the device is considered open. When the device is in the expanded state, a display may be visible and may cover at least a portion of an inner surface of all of the assemblies. As such, the device may be considered to be a continuous display (i.e., because it continues across or spans a boundary between the assemblies). By utilizing such a folding device, the device may include a display with a relatively large length and/or width (e.g., display area) without overly increasing a length and/or width of the device when in the collapsed state. In this way, the “pocketability” of large-screen portable devices may be improved. FIGS.