Foldable Device Reinforcement Plates Bending
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Solution Overview
Problem
Foldable electronic devices with flexible displays often suffer from defective surfaces such as folding marks and sagging due to frequent folding operations, which deteriorate user convenience and hinder the efficient disposition of peripheral structures.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a foldable electronic device design that includes a flexible display with a support plate and reinforcement plates, where the reinforcement plates are configured to be bent together in the folded state, enhancing the flexibility and durability of the folding areas and improving the efficiency of peripheral structure disposition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If reinforcement plates with sufficient thickness are used to improve durability and reinforce rigidity, then the durability and rigidity are improved, but the reinforcement plates cannot be bent together with the folding areas and the efficiency in disposing peripheral structures is degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement plate is divided into multiple sections with different thicknesses: a first section with greater thickness for rigidity and durability, and a second section with lesser thickness for flexibility during folding. This segmentation allows different portions of the same component to serve different functions.
Solution Approach 2:
Different thicknesses are applied to different locations of the reinforcement plate based on local requirements: thicker regions where structural support is needed, and thinner regions where flexibility is required for bending during folding operations.
2Strength
If reinforcement plates with sufficient thickness are used to improve durability, then the rigidity is reinforced, but the rotation trajectory expands leftward and rightward in the folded state
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement plate is segmented into thick and thin sections, allowing the structure to maintain rigidity where needed while reducing volume and rotation trajectory in folding areas through the thinner second section.
Solution Approach 2:
The local thickness variation optimizes the balance between rigidity and folding efficiency: thicker portions provide structural strength while thinner portions minimize the rotation trajectory during folding operations.
3Ease of operation
If the flexible display is folded frequently, then the device is convenient to carry and use, but defective surfaces such as folding marks and sagging occur
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure is segmented into multiple layers including buffer layers and reinforcement plates with different mechanical properties, distributing the stress during folding to prevent surface defects while maintaining flexibility for convenient carrying.
Solution Approach 2:
The support structure uses composite construction with multiple layers of different materials (buffer layers, reinforcement plates) to achieve both flexibility for folding and rigidity to prevent folding marks and surface defects.
Data Source
AI summary
A foldable electronic device is provided. The foldable electronic device includes a foldable housing including a first housing, a second housing, and a hinge device configured to connect the first housing and the second housing, and a flexible display disposed to be supported by the foldable housing and including a folding area, a first bending area positioned at one side of the folding area, and a second bending area positioned at the other side of the folding area, the flexible display being configured such that the folding area, the first bending area, and the second bending area are bent when the foldable electronic device is folded, wherein the flexible display includes a display panel, a support plate disposed below the display panel and including patterns for bending disposed in the folding area, the first bending area, and the second bending area, and a first reinforcement plate and a second reinforcement plate disposed between the foldable housing and the support plate, wherein the first reinforcement plate includes a first part having a first thickness and at least extending from the folding area to the first bending area, a second part having a second thickness greater than the first thickness and extending from the first part, and a first buffer member disposed on the first part, wherein the first part is bent together with the support plate by at least a part of a hinge device while the electronic device changes from an unfolded state to a folded state.