Foldable Display Hinge Gap Blocking Against Dust Ingress
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Solution Overview
Problem
Foldable display devices face challenges in preventing the penetration of foreign substances, such as dust or sand, which can cause malfunctions by entering through gaps between the hinge cover and rear covers during folding and unfolding operations.
Innovation Solution
The display device incorporates a blocking member with protrusions on the rear covers that cover the gaps between the hinge cover and the rear surfaces, preventing foreign substances from entering by using a combination of curved surfaces and protrusions made from materials like silicon or plastic, which are attached to the covers using adhesive members.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a folding display device is designed to be compact and portable, then portability and space-saving are improved, but the structure becomes more complex and more components are exposed to external environment
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge cover is disposed over the hinge to enclose it, and rear covers are disposed over the support members to enclose them. This nesting approach places protective covers inside the overall device structure, similar to nested dolls, thereby protecting internal components without significantly increasing the external dimensions of the folding display device.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective structure is divided into multiple segments: a hinge cover for the hinge, and separate rear covers for each support member. This segmentation allows each component to be protected independently while maintaining the compact overall structure of the folding display device.
2Reliability
If protective covers are added to protect internal components, then protection against external environment is improved, but the device structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge cover and rear covers are integrated into the overall device structure as nested protective elements. The hinge cover is disposed over the hinge, and rear covers are disposed over the support members, creating a nested protective structure that shields internal components from the external environment without adding excessive structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge cover and rear covers act as intermediary protective elements between the external environment and the internal components (hinge and support members). These covers mediate the interaction between the external environment and internal components, protecting them from dust, moisture, and other environmental factors.
3Reliability
If multiple protective covers are added, then protection against dust and moisture is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protective structure is segmented into distinct components: a hinge cover and separate rear covers for each support member. This segmentation allows each protective cover to be manufactured independently using standard manufacturing processes, and then assembled to the respective components, thereby managing manufacturing complexity through modular production.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective covers are designed as nested elements that can be sequentially assembled: the hinge cover is disposed over the hinge, and rear covers are disposed over the support members. This nested assembly approach simplifies the manufacturing process by allowing each cover to be manufactured separately and then integrated into the overall structure in a systematic manner.
Data Source
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AI summary
The display device includes a display panel including a front surface, a rear surface, and a folding axis; a support member disposed on the rear surface of the display panel, the support member including a first support member and a second support member; a hinge connected to the first support member and the second support member to each other; a hinge cover disposed over the hinge; a first rear cover disposed on a rear surface of the first support member; a second rear cover disposed on a rear surface of the second support member; a first blocking member disposed on a first cover surface of the first rear cover; and a second blocking member disposed on a second cover surface of the second rear cover.