Foldable Display Link and Sliding Assembly Curvature Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Foldable display apparatuses using flexible panels face challenges in maintaining a stable bending curvature when folded and in keeping the bending display area flat when unfolded due to empty spaces caused by hinge structures, leading to instability and potential damage.
Innovation Solution
A foldable display apparatus design featuring a display panel with a link assembly and sliding assembly, where the link assembly guides the folding and unfolding of the panel, and the sliding assembly compensates for length deviations to minimize bending stress, ensuring the bending display area is stably maintained at a predetermined curvature or in a plane state.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a hinge with link structure is used to enable folding, then the display apparatus can be folded to provide portability, but empty spaces are generated between housings causing unstable bending curvature
Solution Approach 1:
A bending curvature maintenance unit is introduced as an intermediary component between the first and second housings. This unit includes a first support unit that maintains the bending curvature of a folded flexible display and a second support unit that maintains the bending display area in a plane state, directly addressing the instability caused by the hinge link structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The bending curvature maintenance unit is divided into two functional segments: a first support unit for maintaining bending curvature when folded and a second support unit for maintaining the plane state when unfolded. This segmentation allows each unit to specialize in supporting a specific state of the flexible display.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a hinge with link structure is used to enable folding, then the display apparatus can be folded to provide portability, but the bending display area cannot be maintained in a plane state when unfolded
Solution Approach 1:
The second support unit acts as an intermediary component that actively maintains the bending display area in a plane state when unfolded. This unit compensates for the distortion caused by the hinge link structure, ensuring the display area remains flat and stable during operation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the display panel is folded with a hinge structure, then portability is improved, but bending stress increases leading to potential damage
Solution Approach 1:
The first support unit provides beforehand cushioning by maintaining the bending curvature of the flexible display during folding. This prevents excessive bending stress and potential damage to the display panel by ensuring it folds along a stable, predetermined curvature path.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a foldable display apparatus which can stably maintain a bending curvature of a folded flexible display, and can maintain a bending display area of an unfolded flexible display in a plane state. The foldable display apparatus includes a display panel folded or unfolded with respect to a bending display area, a first housing configured to support a first area of the display panel, a second housing physically coupled to a second area of the display panel, a link assembly connected between the first and second housings, and configured to support a bending display area of the display panel which is folded or unfolded, and a sliding assembly configured to slide the first area or second area of the display panel according to bending of the link assembly.