Foldable Display Protective Structure for Screen Accommodating Space

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing foldable electronic devices face issues with excessive bending rigidity in protective components leading to insufficient screen accommodating space, creasing, and fracturing of flexible screens due to inadequate deformation during folding.

Innovation Solution

A display assembly with a protective component featuring a first region and second regions, where the first region has a smaller deformation amount and greater bending rigidity than the second regions, and includes recessed portions to reduce bending rigidity and increase deformation, thereby enhancing the screen accommodating space and reducing the risk of layer separation and fracturing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If the bending rigidity of the bending region of the protective component is excessively large, then the protective component maintains structural strength, but the deformation amount during bending is excessively small, resulting in an excessively small radius of the screen accommodating space

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebending rigidityVSAvoidscreen accommodating space
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The protective component is divided into different regions with different bending rigidities: the first region (bending region) has smaller bending rigidity to enable sufficient deformation and form screen accommodating space, while the second region (non-bending region) has larger bending rigidity to maintain structural strength and protect the flexible screen. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between needing structural strength and needing deformation capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The protective component is segmented into a first region and a second region with distinct functional characteristics. The first region is designed to bend and form the screen accommodating space, while the second region remains relatively rigid to provide structural support. This segmentation allows each region to optimize its properties for its specific function, resolving the overall contradiction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Stability of the object's composition

If the bending rigidity of the bending region of the protective component is excessively large, then the protective component maintains structural integrity, but the flexible screen is pulled or squeezed at the folded position, causing creasing or fracturing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidflexible screen integrity
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The protective component has different bending rigidities in different regions: the first region has smaller bending rigidity to reduce pulling and squeezing on the flexible screen during folding, preventing creasing and fracturing, while the second region has larger bending rigidity to maintain overall structural integrity. This local quality differentiation resolves the contradiction between structural integrity and screen protection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Volume of moving object

If the deformation amount of the first region is increased, then the screen accommodating space is sufficient, but the bending radius becomes excessively small, increasing the risk of screen damage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvescreen accommodating spaceVSAvoidscreen safety
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The protective component is designed with the first region having smaller bending rigidity to enable sufficient deformation and form adequate screen accommodating space, while the second region has larger bending rigidity to maintain a reasonable bending radius and prevent screen damage. This local differentiation allows the system to achieve both sufficient space and screen safety.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP4293995B1Display assembly and foldable electronic device
Publication Date: 2026.01.28 HONOR DEVICE CO LTD
  • EP4293995B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4293995B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP4293995B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

This application relates to a display assembly and a foldable electronic device. The display assembly includes: a flexible screen; and a protective component connected to the flexible screen in a first direction, where a bending region of the protective component includes a first region and second regions located on two sides of the first region in a second direction; and when the display assembly is bent, the first region has a smaller average deformation amount than each second region in the second direction. When the display assembly is in a folded state, the bending region of the protective component forms a screen accommodating space for accommodating a folded portion of the flexible screen. The first region has a smaller deformation amount than each second region under the same external force, so as to reduce the risk that the formed screen accommodating space has an excessively small radius due to an excessive deformation amount during the folding process of the first region, and further reduce the squeezing of the protective component on the flexible screen to reduce the risk of layer separation and fracturing of the flexible screen, thereby improving service life and reliability of the display assembly.