Foldable Display Hinge Geometry for Dumbbell Fold Accommodation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional foldable display devices face challenges in efficiently accommodating a folding region with a dumbbell shape during in-folding, leading to limitations in flexibility and user convenience.
Innovation Solution
A display device design featuring a hinge system with intersecting rotary axes and a hinge bar, allowing the first and second bodies to rotate around defined axes, and incorporating a link guide and protruding links to adjust the position of the link guide, enabling the display module to be in-folded and out-folded while accommodating a dumbbell-shaped folding region.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional hinge structure is used for foldable display devices, then the display module can be folded, but the folding region with dumbbell shape cannot be readily accommodated during in-folding
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge structure employs dynamic adjustment of the distance between rotary axes and the hinge bar based on the folding state. In the in-folded state, the distance is greater to accommodate the dumbbell-shaped folding region, while in the unfolded state, the distance is smaller for compactness. This dynamic reconfiguration allows the hinge to adapt its geometry to different operational states, enabling smooth in-folding while maintaining structural efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the geometric parameters of the hinge system by varying the distance between the rotary axes and the hinge bar. This parameter change is controlled by the folding state of the display module, allowing the hinge to transform from a compact configuration (unfolded state) to an expanded configuration (in-folded state) that accommodates the dumbbell-shaped folding region, thereby resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and device complexity.
2Ease of operation
If the distance between rotary axes and hinge bar is increased for better in-folding accommodation, then the folding region is readily accommodated, but the overall device size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge structure dynamically adjusts the distance between rotary axes and the hinge bar according to the folding state. During in-folding, the distance increases to accommodate the dumbbell-shaped folding region. During unfolding, the distance decreases to maintain a compact device profile. This dynamic parameter adjustment allows the system to achieve both good folding accommodation and compact overall size.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge system is segmented into multiple components (first body, second body, hinge bar, link guide, protruding links) that can independently adjust their relative positions. This segmentation allows the distance between rotary axes and the hinge bar to be varied without permanently increasing the overall device volume, as the components can be reconfigured between compact and expanded states.
Data Source
AI summary
A display device includes a display module, first and second bodies disposed below the display module and arranged in a first direction in an unfolded state, a hinge which is disposed between the first and second bodies and in which first and second rotary axes extending parallel to each other in a second direction intersecting the first direction are defined, and a hinge bar coupled to the hinge and extending in the second direction. The first and second bodies may rotate around the first and second rotary axes, respectively, to be in an in-folded state in which front surfaces of the first and second bodies face each other, or in an out-folded state in which rear surfaces of the first and second bodies face each other. A distance between the first and second rotary axes and the hinge bar in the unfolded is different than in in-folded states.