Flexible OLED Display Fold Radius Management

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Flexible information handling systems with OLED displays face challenges in managing display movements and component interactions, leading to potential damage, poor performance, and awkward physical appearances due to sharp bends, waviness, and component misalignment during folding.

Innovation Solution

A system with rotationally coupled housing portions and a display frame structure that manages the fold radius of OLED displays, using hinges and roller assemblies to adapt to changes in configuration, and biasing devices to reduce force on the display, while integrating antennas for improved wireless communication.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the display size is increased to improve readability, then the housing size becomes too large, reducing portability

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovereadabilityVSAvoidhousing size

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies curvature by folding the display along a curved path rather than a straight line, allowing the display to maintain a larger effective viewing area while compacting into a smaller housing volume. The curved fold geometry enables the display surface to wrap around the housing structure, increasing readability without proportionally increasing housing dimensions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The display is nested within the housing structure by folding it around the housing perimeter, allowing the display area to be larger than the apparent housing footprint. The display wraps around and is integrated into the housing form factor, enabling a large display to fit within a compact portable form.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Ease of operation

If the housing portions are rotated to enable folding, then the flexible display may break due to sharp bends

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefolding capabilityVSAvoiddisplay integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The hinge structure is designed with a controlled radius of curvature that prevents the flexible display from bending too sharply. By defining a minimum bend radius through the hinge geometry, the display maintains structural integrity during folding operations while still enabling compact configuration changes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The hinge structure provides a cushioning effect by distributing the bending stress across a controlled radius rather than allowing sharp angular folds. This pre-engineered curvature radius acts as a protective measure that prevents display damage before it can occur during normal folding operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Strength

If the display frame structure is made rigid to support the OLED film, then it cannot adapt to changes in housing configuration

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedisplay supportVSAvoidconfiguration adaptation

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The display frame structure incorporates dynamic elements that allow it to change shape and adapt to different housing configurations. The frame can transition between rigid and flexible states, maintaining structural support for the OLED film while accommodating the geometric changes that occur during folding and configuration changes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The display frame utilizes flexible structural elements and thin film components that can bend and deform to match the changing housing geometry. These flexible components maintain their load-bearing capacity while adapting to the dynamic configurations required for portable form factors.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

4Manufacturing precision

If components are fixed in position to maintain alignment, then they cannot accommodate rotational movement between housing portions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomponent alignmentVSAvoidrotational adaptation

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

Component mounting structures are designed to be dynamic rather than fixed, allowing components to maintain their relative alignment while accommodating the rotational movement between housing portions. This enables precise component positioning in each configuration state while permitting the transition between states.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS10712784B2Flexible information handling system display

Publication Date: 2020.07.14 DELL PROD LP

AI summary

An information handling system having rotationally coupled housing portions supports a flexible display disposed across the housing portions with a hinge structure that manages flexible display curve radius in a folded configuration. A set of plural hinges having five geared rotational portions interconnect with a bar fixedly coupled to the center hinge rotational portion. The bar presses against a shape memory alloy support that manages curve radius of a flexible display during rotation of the hinges.