Sliding Expandable Display With Flexible OLED And Tensioner
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electronic devices often face a trade-off between compact size and sufficient screen real estate, as enlarging displays can make devices bulky, and existing solutions may not adequately address this issue.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a sliding expandable display mechanism in electronic devices, utilizing a flexible organic light-emitting diode display that can be doubled back on itself and supported by tensioners, allowing the device to transition between compact and expanded states through sliding housing portions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the display size is enlarged to provide sufficient screen real estate, then the viewable area is improved, but the device becomes too bulky and loses portability
Solution Approach 1:
The display is designed to be dynamically reconfigurable, transitioning between a first configuration with a first display area and a second configuration with a second display area. The display can be moved between these configurations by sliding housing portions relative to each other, allowing the device to adapt its display size based on usage needs while maintaining portability when not in use.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing is divided into multiple portions that can slide relative to each other. These segmented housing portions allow the display to be extended or retracted independently, enabling the display area to be adjusted without changing the overall device footprint when collapsed.
2Volume of moving object
If the display is made flexible and doubled back to reduce device size, then portability is improved, but the display may be more susceptible to damage
Solution Approach 1:
A tensioner is provided that applies continuous tension to the flexible display to maintain it in a substantially planar configuration. This pre-tensioning prevents the display from developing wrinkles, folds, or creases during normal operation or during storage, thereby protecting the display from mechanical damage while allowing it to be collapsed for portability.
Solution Approach 2:
The display is constructed as a flexible display that can be doubled back on itself. This flexible design allows the display to be compacted into a small form factor for portability while the tensioner maintains structural integrity and planarity during use, resolving the contradiction between flexibility for size reduction and durability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If housing portions are made to slide relative to each other to enable display expansion, then display adjustability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The housing portions are designed with sliding capability that allows dynamic adjustment of the display configuration. The tensioner automatically maintains the display in a planar state during sliding movements, providing smooth transitions between configurations without requiring complex mechanical stoppers or alignment mechanisms.
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
This solution provides a flexible display that can expand to increase viewable area while maintaining device portability and protecting the display from damage, offering a seamless user experience.
Implementation Method 1
A tensioner may be used to provide the display with tension and thereby maintain the display in a desired shape such as a desired planar shape
Implementation Method 2
The display in the device may be a flexible display such as an organic light-emitting diode display
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device may have a housing with portions that slide relative to each other. A display may be supported on a surface of the housing such as on a front face of the housing. The housing portions may slide between an unexpanded state in which the display has an unexpanded viewable area on the front face and an expanded state in which the display has an expanded viewable area on the front face that is greater than the unexpanded viewable area. The housing portions may have interior regions that contain electrical components. The display may be formed from a flexible display substrate. A portion of a flexible display may be stored in an interior region of the housing when the housing is in the unexpanded state. In the unexpanded state, the flexible display may have one or more bends and may double back on itself one or more times.