Flexible Display Housing Segmentation for Multi-Fold Portability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic devices with large-screen displays face challenges in balancing portability and usability, as they often compromise on one for the other, and there is a need for a flexible display that can be easily deformable to accommodate various user needs.
Innovation Solution
A multi-foldable electronic device design featuring multiple housings with rotatable connections and a flexible display across surfaces, allowing for various folding states and configurations to optimize space and usability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If a large-screen display is used to increase user utilization, then the display area is improved, but the portability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The display device is divided into multiple separate housings (first housing, second housing, third housing) that can be rotated independently relative to each other via hinge structures. This segmentation allows the large display area to be distributed across multiple sections that can be folded or unfolded, enabling the device to maintain a large total display area while reducing its footprint when folded for portability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces rotational degrees of freedom between housings using hinge structures, transforming the device from a rigid two-dimensional plane to a three-dimensional configurable structure. This allows the display to be unfolded into a large flat surface for maximum display area, or folded into a compact multi-layer configuration for portability, effectively utilizing the third dimension to resolve the contradiction between display size and portability.
2Length of moving object
If the display is made deformable to improve portability, then the portability is improved, but the structural stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The device employs dynamic hinge structures that allow the housings to rotate relative to each other, enabling the display to transition between various stable configurations (unfolded, partially folded, fully folded). This dynamic design maintains structural stability in each configuration state while allowing deformability for portability, as the hinge mechanisms provide controlled movement with defined stop positions that ensure stable resting states.
Solution Approach 2:
When folded, the housings are arranged in a nested configuration where the first housing, second housing, and third housing are stacked or nested relative to each other. This nesting arrangement maintains structural stability by creating a compact, self-supporting form factor that protects the display components while enabling easy portability. The hinge structures ensure that the nested configuration remains stable during transport.
Data Source
AI summary
A multi-foldable electronic device includes a first housing including a lateral side surface, a second housing, a third housing, a flexible display facing each of the first housing and the second housing, a first hinge structure rotatably connecting the first housing to the second housing, and a second hinge structure rotatably connecting the second housing to the third housing. The first hinge structure and the second hinge structure are configured to provide an unfolded state and a plurality of folded states of the multi-foldable electronic device. The lateral side surface may include a pattern including a plurality of protrusions.