Flexible Display Hinge Mechanism for Mode Transition

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional electronic devices with flexible or bendable displays lack efficient mechanisms for easy mode transitions between different operational states, limiting user convenience and functionality.

Innovation Solution

An electronic device design featuring a flexible display member, a housing unit with rotatable and linearly movable components, and a hinge unit that allows for stepwise motion changes, enabling easy switching between different active regions and operation modes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a flexible display is used to enable mode transitions, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemode transition capabilityVSAvoidmechanical structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is divided into a first housing and a second housing that can move relative to each other, allowing the display area to be segmented and reconfigured. This segmentation enables mode transitions by physically separating or connecting the housing portions, thereby changing the active display region without requiring a completely different device structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The second housing is designed to be movable relative to the first housing along a movement direction, transforming the static housing structure into a dynamic one. This dynamic configuration allows the device to switch between different modes (e.g., folded and unfolded states) by adjusting the position of the second housing, thereby changing the effective display area while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Productivity

If the active region area is increased in second mode, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperational efficiencyVSAvoidmechanical structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The second housing is positioned to overlap with the first housing in plan view, creating a nested configuration when the device is in the folded state. This nesting allows the structure to compact efficiently, maximizing the active display area when unfolded while maintaining a compact form factor when folded, without requiring overly complex mechanical mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The housing movement occurs along a movement direction that is substantially perpendicular to the thickness direction of the display panel. This dimensional approach allows the active region area to be expanded or contracted by shifting the second housing along the movement direction, enabling large area transitions without significantly increasing the device's thickness or overall complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentUS10499515B2Electronic device

Publication Date: 2019.12.03 SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO LTD

AI summary

An electronic device may include a flexible display member, a fastening member overlapping the display member in a plan view, a housing unit including a first case member and a second case member configured to contain respective opposite portions of the display member, and a hinge unit including a body member coupled to the fastening member to be rotatable in the plan view, a first moving member connecting a portion of the body member to the first case member, and a second moving member connecting an opposite portion of the body member to the second case member.