Portable Terminal Hinge Design for Seamless Display Continuity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional foldable portable terminals, such as mobile phones, cannot display information seamlessly across two separate display surfaces due to the positioning of hinges, requiring users to move their eyes significantly between displays.
Innovation Solution
A portable terminal design featuring a first body with a first display surface and a second body with a second display surface, jointed through a two-shaft hinge unit, allowing the display surfaces to form a continuous combined display when opened, with a display control unit to manage information across both surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If display surfaces are positioned side by side with hinge portions intervening, then the terminal structure is stable and manufacturable, but the display surfaces cannot form a continuous display and require significant eye movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent positions hinge portions in the depth direction (third dimension) rather than having them intervene in the planar arrangement of display surfaces. This allows display surfaces to form a continuous display area without horizontal interruption, as the hinges are located at the back of the terminal body, creating a seamless visual experience across both display surfaces.
2Area of stationary object
If hinge portions are positioned between display surfaces, then the terminal maintains structural stability, but the effective display area is reduced due to interruptions
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge portions are repositioned from the front plane to the back of the terminal body in the depth direction. This dimensional relocation eliminates their interference with the effective display area while preserving structural stability through proper mechanical connection at the rear of the device.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge portions are extracted from the display plane and relocated to the back of the terminal body. This separation removes the harmful interference of hinge structures from the display area while maintaining their essential function of connecting terminal bodies.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate displays are used on different bodies, then each display can be independently positioned, but the user experience deteriorates due to inability to display continuous information
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple display surfaces into a continuous display area by positioning them adjacent to each other without intervening hinge portions. The display control unit coordinates these merged displays to present continuous information, creating a unified visual experience across multiple physical display components.
Data Source
AI summary
A portable terminal comprises a first body 104 on which the first display surface 102 is formed, a second body 108 on which the second display surface 106 is formed, and hinge units which combine the first body 104 and the second body 108 in a foldable way. The first display surface 102 and the second display surface 106 form a combined display 112 continuously at a time of opening the first body 104 and the second body 108, and it further comprises a display control unit which displays one information on the whole combined display 112. Two display screens respectively formed in the individual bodies are used effectively.