Flexible Display Support With One-Way Overlapping Hinges
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Solution Overview
Problem
Flexible display panels are prone to damage when bent in unintended directions, compromising their reliability and portability, and there is a need for a support that allows controlled bending without reducing display visibility or increasing power consumption.
Innovation Solution
A flexible component support system with specific hinge mechanisms that allow bending only in one direction, incorporating movable joints and columnar bodies to prevent unintended bending, while enabling tri-fold display devices with high portability and power-saving features.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the display panel is made flexible to improve portability, then the device can be folded for compact carrying, but the display panel becomes vulnerable to damage when bent in unintended directions
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure is divided into multiple housings (first housing, second housing, third housing) connected by hinge portions, creating segmented sections that can fold independently. This segmentation allows the display panel to be folded in controlled directions while maintaining structural integrity and preventing unintended bending that could damage the panel.
Solution Approach 2:
Hinge portions are introduced as intermediary components between the housings to enable controlled folding. The hinge portions act as mediators that guide the bending motion in specific directions only, preventing the display panel from being bent in unintended directions while still allowing portability through folding.
2Reliability
If hinge mechanisms are added to control bending direction, then unintended bending is prevented, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure utilizes flexible housings and thin-walled constructions that can bend in controlled directions. The housing walls are designed with appropriate thickness and material properties to allow folding at hinge portions while maintaining rigidity in non-folding directions, reducing the need for complex mechanical restraint mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The support structure is designed with dynamic characteristics that allow it to flex and fold in intended directions while maintaining structural stability. The hinge portions enable controlled movement, and the overall structure adapts its rigidity based on the folding state, simplifying the design compared to fully rigid constrained structures.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the display panel is folded to improve portability, then the device size is reduced, but display visibility decreases when folded
Solution Approach 1:
The display device is segmented into multiple housings that can be folded independently. This allows the display panel to be folded into compact configurations for portability while still providing display functionality in each visible section. The segmentation enables the device to maintain some display visibility even when folded, rather than completely obscuring the display.
Solution Approach 2:
The folding mechanism transforms the display device from a two-dimensional flat configuration to a three-dimensional folded configuration. By utilizing the third dimension (folding depth), the device achieves compact portability while portions of the display remain visible on the outer surfaces of the folded structure, maintaining some display functionality in the folded state.
Data Source
AI summary
A support for supporting a flexible component is provided. A flexible component support can be folded without decreasing the reliability of the flexible component. The support has a region where two different hinges overlap each other, and bending operation in the region can be performed only in one direction from a flat surface state. Accordingly, even in the case where unintended bending stress is applied to the region in an opposite direction, the flexible component or the support can be protected. In addition, the two hinges can each include position correction mechanism, which enables stable bending operation.