Foldable Display Spring Layer for Impact-Resistant Bending
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electronic devices face challenges in balancing portability with display size, and existing flexible displays often suffer damage from external impacts due to lack of effective stress distribution during bending.
Innovation Solution
A foldable electronic device with a foldable housing and a spring layer interposed between the metal layer and the support layer, featuring an array of springs and force-sensing structures to absorb and distribute stress, allowing the display to bend without damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the display is made flexible to enable folding for portability, then the device can be compactly stored, but the display becomes vulnerable to damage from external impacts
Solution Approach 1:
A spring layer is interposed between the metal layer and the support layer to provide beforehand cushioning. The spring layer absorbs impact energy and distributes stress before the impact can damage the flexible display, thereby protecting the display during folding configurations when vulnerability to external impacts is highest.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring layer acts as an intermediary between the flexible display structure and external impact forces. It mediates the transmission of stress by absorbing and distributing impact energy, preventing direct transmission of damaging forces to the display while enabling the folding configuration.
2Reliability
If a rigid support structure is used to protect the display, then the display is protected from damage, but the display cannot be folded for portability
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure utilizes flexible spring elements instead of rigid structures. These spring layers can bend and deform elastically during folding while maintaining their protective function, thus enabling both display protection and folding adaptability simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring layer changes its mechanical parameters dynamically - remaining rigid enough to provide protection during normal operation but becoming flexible enough to bend during folding. The spring structures allow parameter changes in stiffness and deformation to accommodate both protective and portable requirements.
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 enables the device to be compactly stored and easily unfolded for use while preventing damage from external impacts by redistributing stress and absorbing strain energy, ensuring the display's durability and usability.
Implementation Method 1
a spring layer may be interposed between the metal layer and the support layer. The spring layer may be formed from an array of springs. The springs may be formed from metal.
Data Source
AI summary
A foldable electronic device may have a foldable housing. The foldable housing may be configured to bend about a bend axis. First and second portions of the housing that rotate relative to each other may be coupled by a hinge that is aligned with the bend axis. A foldable display may be coupled to the foldable housing and may be configured to bend along the bend axis as the foldable housing is folded. The display may have an array of pixels supported by a metal layer. The pixels may be interposed between a display cover layer and the metal layer. The foldable housing may have a support layer. To help support the display for bending about the bend axis while preventing damage to the display when the display is contacted by an external object, a spring layer may be interposed between the metal layer and the support layer.