Foldable Display Tensioning Mechanism for Panel Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current flexible display devices face issues with the display panel floating or detaching from the supporting plate when unfolded, leading to potential damage and image distortion due to uneven stress distribution during folding and unfolding.
Innovation Solution
A display device design featuring rotatable supporting plates with tension application units, including rollers and winders with springs, to maintain the display panel flat and prevent lifting, by applying tension in opposite directions and utilizing grooves to reduce stress in the bending region.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the display panel is unfolded without tension application units, then the display device can be easily unfolded, but the display panel floats or detaches from the supporting plate
Solution Approach 1:
The tension application units are configured to automatically apply tension to the display panel when it is unfolded, without requiring external intervention. The units utilize the unfolding motion itself to activate the tensioning mechanism, allowing the system to self-regulate and prevent panel detachment during normal operation
Solution Approach 2:
The tension application units employ movable components such as rollers and winders that dynamically adjust their position and tension force based on the panel's unfolding state. This dynamic mechanism allows the system to adapt to different unfolding degrees and maintain optimal tension throughout the motion range
2Reliability
If tension application units are added to prevent panel detachment, then the panel remains attached to the supporting plate, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tension application system is divided into multiple independent units distributed at different positions on the supporting plate. Each unit independently manages tension in its local region, allowing the complex function of panel stabilization to be distributed across simpler modular components rather than requiring a single complex mechanism
Solution Approach 2:
The tension application units utilize flexible components such as rollers and thin film structures that conform to the panel's surface and motion. These flexible elements provide effective tension application without requiring rigid, bulky mechanical structures, thereby reducing overall device complexity
3Volume of moving object
If the display panel is folded without stress reduction measures, then the device can be compactly folded, but the bending region experiences high stress causing potential damage
Solution Approach 1:
The grooves are pre-formed in the supporting plate at positions that correspond to the bending region during folding. These grooves act as cushioning features that prepare the structure in advance to absorb and distribute stress before the panel is actually folded, preventing stress concentration and potential damage
4Strength
If grooves are added to reduce stress in bending region, then the panel durability is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The grooves are localized only in the specific regions of the supporting plate that correspond to bending areas during folding. Rather than modifying the entire plate structure, the grooves are concentrated in critical stress zones, providing stress reduction benefits while minimizing the overall manufacturing complexity and material usage
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 effectively keeps the display panel close to the supporting plates during unfolding, preventing lifting and image distortion, while reducing stress in the bending region, thus ensuring the panel remains flat and functional.
Implementation Method 1
The first winder may include a spring
Data Source
AI summary
A display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes: a display panel configured to display an image; a first supporting plate positioned to support the display panel thereon, the first supporting plate being rotatable based on a first rotation axis extending in a first direction; a second supporting plate positioned to support the display panel thereon, the second supporting plate being rotatable based on a second rotation axis extending in the first direction so that the first and second supporting plates then face each other with the display panel folded therebetween; and a first tension application unit disposed at the first supporting plate and configured to apply tension to the display panel in a second direction crossing the first direction.