Foldable Display Front Frame Structure for Side-Gap Dust Blocking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current folding display devices suffer from impurities entering the device through side gaps, leading to poor display performance due to the mismatch between the front and back mechanisms and the flexible screen size during folding.

Innovation Solution

A folding display device design featuring a front frame structure composed of four independent parts connected to corresponding support parts, maintaining a fixed interval with the flexible display panel throughout the bending process, combined with a soft strip and dust plug to prevent impurity entry.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of moving object

If a support plate avoidance mechanism is designed in the folding mechanism, then enough accommodation space is reserved for the flexible screen in a folded state, but a relatively large gap is generated between the upper surface of the flexible screen in the bending area and the front frame, allowing impurities to enter

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccommodation space for flexible screenVSAvoidimpurity entry through side gap
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A dust plug is introduced as an intermediary component to fill the gap between the front frame and the flexible screen in the bending area. The dust plug acts as a mediator that prevents impurity entry while maintaining the necessary accommodation space for screen folding, thus resolving the contradiction between accommodation space and impurity protection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The front frame is designed with different structural characteristics in different areas: the first front frame part maintains a fixed interval to allow screen bending, while the second front frame part extends to reduce the side gap. This local differentiation allows the structure to simultaneously provide accommodation space and prevent impurity entry at critical locations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If the front frame structure is designed to maintain a fixed interval with the flexible display panel, then impurity entry is prevented, but the structural complexity increases due to multiple front frame parts

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisplay performance reliabilityVSAvoidfront frame structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The front frame is segmented into two functional parts: the first front frame part connected to support parts for maintaining fixed intervals, and the second front frame part extending to reduce side gaps. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function independently, achieving reliable impurity protection while managing structural complexity through functional division.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The dust plug is integrated with the front frame structure, combining the gap-filling function with the existing front frame components. This merging approach prevents impurity entry through side gaps without requiring completely separate structural elements, thus improving reliability while controlling overall structural complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP4350671B1Foldable display device
Publication Date: 2026.01.28 WUHAN CHINA STAR OPTOELECTRONICS SEMICONDUCTOR DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY CO LTD
  • EP4350671B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4350671B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4350671B1 patent drawingFigure 5~7

AI summary

The present application provides a folding display device. The folding display device comprises a bending mechanism and a front frame structure. The bending mechanism comprises a first support part and a second support part that are rotatably connected to one side of the bending part, and a third support part and a fourth support part that are rotatably connected to another side of the bending part. The front frame structure comprises a first front frame part connected to the first support part, a second front frame part connected to the second support part, a third front frame part connected to the third support part, and a fourth front frame part connected to the fourth support part.