Foldable Display Hinge Support for Wrinkle Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional foldable portable terminals with flexible displays face issues such as complex hinge structures, wrinkles, and mis-spreading due to differences in hinge shaft diameters and display elasticity, leading to instability and damage during folding and unfolding.
Innovation Solution
A foldable-display type portable terminal with a simple and thin hinge part featuring a leaf spring or elastic pad to support the flexible display, allowing smooth folding and unfolding without wrinkles, and utilizing a support member to maintain the display flatly spread, with optional features like rotatable supports for improved usability and space utilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional hinge structure is used to support the flexible display, then the hinge part can provide structural support, but the hinge structure becomes complex and thick, causing wrinkles and mis-spreading on the flexible display
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the support function from the complex conventional hinge structure and implements it through a separate support member positioned beneath the flexible display. This separation allows the hinge to focus on rotation while the support member handles display stabilization, eliminating wrinkles and mis-spreading without requiring hinge structural complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The support member acts as an intermediary element between the hinge part and the flexible display. It mediates the interaction by providing necessary support and stabilization to the display during folding and unfolding operations, preventing direct contact between the complex hinge mechanisms and the display surface that would cause wrinkles
2Strength
If the hinge shaft diameter is increased to improve structural strength, then the hinge can better support the flexible display, but the distance and area mismatch between the main body and the flexible display increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by positioning the support member specifically beneath the flexible display area where support is needed, rather than increasing the overall hinge shaft diameter. This localized support approach provides necessary structural strength exactly where required while maintaining proper distance and area matching between the main body and display
3Volume of moving object
If the flexible display is folded without adequate support, then the device can be compacted, but the flexible display develops wrinkles and may be damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The support member is positioned beforehand beneath the flexible display to provide cushioning and protection during folding operations. This pre-positioned support prevents the display from developing wrinkles or suffering damage while being compacted, maintaining display integrity throughout the folding process
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
The solution provides stable support for the flexible display, prevents wrinkles and mis-spreading, enables easy touch input, and enhances space efficiency by allowing auxiliary components to be stored within the hinge part, while protecting the device from damage during external forces or drops.
Implementation Method 1
a leaf spring disposed at the upper portion of the hinge part in which one end is connected to the first panel and the other end is connected to the second panel
Implementation Method 2
a hinge part disposed between the first panel and the second panel to rotatably connect the first panel and the second panel to each other
Data Source
AI summary
A foldable-display type portable terminal has a flexible display mounted thereon and can be folded and unfolded by an external force. The portable terminal includes a body having a first panel, an adjacent second panel, and a hinge part between and connecting the first and second panels, permitting the first and second panels to rotate with respect to each other. A flexible display on the upper surface of the body folds with the first and second panels when the first and second panels are folded about the hinge part. In one alternative, a support member beneath the flexible display covers the upper part of the hinge part and supports the lower part of the flexible display. In another alternative, a support rotatably installed at the body is arranged inside the body and folded at the upper part of the flexible display when the first and second panels are folded.