Slidable Flexible Display Structure With Retractable Side Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional slideable electronic devices with flexible displays face challenges in protecting the side surface of the display panel from external impacts and foreign material intrusion while maintaining a thin bezel and improving wireless transmission and reception performance.
Innovation Solution
A slideable electronic device design featuring a flexible display panel that slides between two housings, with a protruding and retracting member that protects the side surface and includes a connecting member and guide to maintain a constant bezel thickness and enhance wireless performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a double housing structure with inner housing protruding and retracting is used to protect the flexible display panel, then the side surface protection is improved, but the bezel thickness cannot be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is divided into a first housing and a second housing that are separable. The flexible display panel is segmented into a first display panel portion and a second display panel portion. The protruding and retracting member is a separate component that can be independently controlled to protect only the necessary side surface area without requiring a thick inner housing structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The protruding and retracting member transitions from a static protective structure to a dynamic one that can extend and retract. When the flexible display panel is in the drawn-out state, the protruding and retracting member extends to cover the side surface; when retracted, it does not interfere with the thin bezel design. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between protection and thickness.
2Area of stationary object
If the flexible display panel is drawn out to provide large display area, then the display area is improved, but the side surface becomes exposed to damage and foreign materials
Solution Approach 1:
The protruding and retracting member is positioned in advance within the housing structure, ready to extend when needed. When the flexible display panel is drawn out to its extended state, the protruding and retracting member automatically or manually extends to cover the exposed side surface of the second display panel portion, providing preliminary protection before damage can occur.
Solution Approach 2:
The protruding and retracting member acts as an intermediary protective element between the flexible display panel side surface and external harmful factors. It provides a physical barrier that protects the display panel side surface from impacts and foreign materials while allowing the display panel to be drawn out for large display area utilization.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a protruding and retracting member is added to protect the display panel side surface, then the protection is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protruding and retracting member is integrated with the interlocking structure that already exists for converting sliding motion to lateral movement. The connecting member with flexibility is combined with the protruding and retracting member, allowing both functions to share common structural elements and control mechanisms, thereby reducing overall device complexity despite adding protective functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The interlocking structure serves multiple functions: it converts sliding motion to lateral movement of the housing, and simultaneously controls the protruding and retracting member to protect the display panel side surface. The connecting member with flexibility serves both to transmit motion and to accommodate the protruding and retracting member's movement. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components.
4Reliability
If the wireless transceiver is exposed to improve transmission and reception performance, then the wireless performance is improved, but the device becomes more vulnerable to external factors
Solution Approach 1:
The wireless transceiver is integrated into the protruding and retracting member, allowing it to dynamically change its position and exposure level. When protection is needed, the protruding and retracting member retracts, bringing the wireless transceiver inside the housing for protection. When performance is prioritized, the member extends, exposing the wireless transceiver for better signal transmission and reception. This dynamic positioning resolves the contradiction between performance and vulnerability.
Data Source
AI summary
A slidable electronic device having a side-surface protruding/retracting structure is provided. The electronic device includes a first housing, a second housing slidably coupled to the first housing, a flexible display panel located between the first housing and the second housing, a protruding/retracting member protruding between side-surface portions of the first housing and the second housing, formed on the side surface of the flexible display panel, or is recessed from the space to the inside of the electronic device, an interlocking structure that changes the sliding operation to a side-surface directional movement of the electronic device, a flexible connection member which has one end coupled to one end of the protruding/retracting member and the other end connected to the interlocking structure, and a guide which changes, to vertical movement, the side-surface directional movement of the connection member, generated by the action of the interlocking structure.