Electronic Device With Flexible Display Structures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic devices with rigid displays face challenges in forming compact designs due to the inflexibility of glass substrates, making it difficult to integrate desired features.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a flexible display that can be wrapped around rollers within a housing, supported by bistable structures and magnets to prevent wrinkling, and using wireless circuitry to convey image data, allowing the display to be stored compactly and expanded as needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a rigid display structure such as glass substrate is used, then the display maintains structural stability and image quality, but the device cannot achieve compact storage and flexible deployment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional rigid glass substrate with a flexible display structure that can be rolled or folded. The flexible display includes a flexible substrate that allows the display to be compacted into a small volume for storage while maintaining its functional integrity when deployed.
Solution Approach 2:
The display structure transitions from a static rigid configuration to a dynamic flexible configuration. The display can change its physical state between a compact rolled/folded state for storage and an extended planar state for use, allowing the device to adapt its form factor based on operational needs.
2Volume of moving object
If the flexible display is wrapped around rollers for compact storage, then the device achieves small form factor, but the display may wrinkle or deform during deployment
Solution Approach 1:
Rollers are introduced as intermediary components that facilitate the winding and unwinding of the flexible display. The rollers provide a controlled surface that prevents direct contact and potential damage to the display during compact storage and deployment, while maintaining the display's flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible display structure incorporates protective measures beforehand to prevent wrinkling and deformation. The display is designed with sufficient flexibility and protective layers that cushion against potential damage during the rolling and unrolling process, ensuring surface integrity is maintained.
3Area of moving object
If the flexible display is pulled out from the housing for expanded display area, then the user gains more display space, but the display may be exposed to damage risks
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible display is designed with protective layers and sufficient mechanical flexibility beforehand to withstand the stresses of being pulled out and deployed. The display structure includes protective measures that cushion against potential damage during deployment, such as protective films or reinforced edges.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables compact storage and flexible deployment of the display, enhancing user interaction and reducing damage risks while maintaining image quality.
Implementation Method 1
Magnets may be used to outwardly bias edge-mounted bistable support structures and thereby help prevent a rolled flexible display from wrinkling
Implementation Method 2
Magnets may be used to releasably couple the housing portions to each other
Implementation Method 3
Movable support structures such as movable members coupled by springs or other flexible structures may be move between first and second positions
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device may have a flexible display. The electronic device may have housing portions that are rotatably coupled to each other so that the flexible display may fold along one or more bend axes. A device may have rollers that store a flexible display and that help deploy the display from within a housing when additional display area is desired. A touch screen in a housing may be overlapped by a flexible display that has been scrolled outwardly from the housing. Wireless transmitter and receiver circuitry may be used to convey image data to display driver circuitry. The display driver circuitry may display images on a pixel array in a flexible display based on the image data. Magnets may be used to outwardly bias edge-mounted bistable support structures to help prevent a rolled flexible display from wrinkling.