Foldable Hinge Movable Display Support Wedge Shape
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional foldable electronic devices with flexible display panels face issues in folding the device portions parallel to the display planes due to the minimum radius of curvature, resulting in an undesirable wedge shape that affects strength, safety, and aesthetics during transport, storage, and usage.
Innovation Solution
A hinge mechanism with a translatable display support that adjusts its position relative to the spine and chassis, allowing a larger radius of curvature and preventing damage to the flexible display panel by correlating rotational positions of hinge guides with translational movements, enabling the panel to bend within and around the hinge without compressing or stretching.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a flexible display panel is used in a foldable electronic device, then the device can be folded, but the minimum radius of curvature causes an undesirable wedge shape affecting strength, safety, and aesthetics
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge mechanism incorporates a movable display support that dynamically adjusts its position relative to the spine as the device folds. The display support translates along a curved path guided by cam surfaces, allowing the mechanism to adapt its geometry during folding to maintain optimal curvature radius and prevent wedge shape formation.
Solution Approach 2:
The display support acts as an intermediary component between the first and second portions of the foldable device. It mediates the folding motion by translating and rotating relative to the hinge guides, ensuring that the display panel maintains proper curvature without creating harmful wedge shapes at the hinge region.
2Volume of moving object
If the display panel is folded with a small radius of curvature, then the device is more compact, but the flexible display panel may be damaged due to excessive bending stress
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge mechanism performs preliminary actions by pre-positioning the display support and guiding the folding motion along a predetermined curved path. This ensures that the display panel is gradually bent through intermediate curvature states, preventing sudden excessive bending that could damage the panel while achieving compact folding.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanism changes the curvature parameter of the display panel during folding by translating the display support along a curved trajectory. This controlled parameter change ensures the panel bends within safe curvature limits while still achieving compact device form factor when folded.
3Reliability
If a hinge mechanism with movable display support is implemented, then the display panel integrity is maintained, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge mechanism merges multiple functions into a single integrated structure. The movable display support is combined with the hinge guides and cam surfaces to simultaneously achieve display panel protection, controlled folding motion, and compact device form factor, reducing the need for separate protective mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The display support serves multiple functions: it protects the display panel from excessive bending, guides the folding motion along the correct trajectory, and enables compact device folding. This multi-functionality reduces overall mechanism complexity by eliminating the need for separate components for each function.
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 hinge mechanism allows for a 360° rotation of the foldable electronic device while maintaining the flexible display panel's integrity, preventing damage and ensuring a consistent path length around the hinge, thus enhancing the device's structural integrity and usability.
Implementation Method 1
The first hinge guide is rotatably connected to the spine around a first axis. The second hinge guide rotatably connected to the spine around a second axis.
Implementation Method 2
The display support is connected to the first hinge guide in a first track and connected to the second hinge guide by a second track. A translational position of the display support relative to the spine is related to a first rotational position of the first hinge guide relative to the spine and a second rotational position of the second hinge guide relative to the spine.
Data Source
AI summary
A hinge for a foldable electronic device includes a spine, a first hinge guide, a second hinge guide, and a display support. The first hinge guide is rotatably connected to the spine around a first axis. The second hinge guide rotatably connected to the spine around a second axis. The display support is connected to the first hinge guide in a first track and connected to the second hinge guide by a second track. A translational position of the display support relative to the spine is related to a first rotational position of the first hinge guide relative to the spine and a second rotational position of the second hinge guide relative to the spine.