2-Axis Soft Hinge Mechanism for Safe Foldable Display Bending
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern foldable display devices face challenges in achieving a balance between portability and functionality due to complex hinge mechanisms that can lead to stress and damage, particularly in guiding and supporting the folding and unfolding of flexible displays.
Innovation Solution
A 2-axis soft hinge mechanism with a hinge base and cover, featuring rotation pivots and inclined flanges, that allows for natural folding and unfolding while maintaining the display within allowable bending limits, preventing excessive compression or tension.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If complex hinge mechanisms are used to guide and support folding and unfolding, then the foldable device can achieve folding functionality, but the mechanism becomes susceptible to failure and introduces stress that may damage display components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible display component that can bend and fold without rigid mechanical hinges. The flexible display itself acts as the folding mechanism, eliminating separate hinge components that would introduce failure points and stress concentrations. This approach allows the display to fold while maintaining reliability by avoiding complex mechanical assemblies.
2Adaptability or versatility
If complex hinge mechanisms are used to guide and support folding and unfolding, then the foldable device can achieve folding functionality, but the mechanism becomes susceptible to failure and introduces stress that may damage display components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the traditional hinge mechanism from the foldable device design. By eliminating the separate hinge component entirely and relying on the flexible display's inherent ability to bend, the design achieves folding functionality with minimal complexity, reducing both mechanical parts and assembly requirements.
3Ease of operation
If flexible support is provided in the bending area, then a more natural folding motion and desired contour are maintained, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible display component serves its own folding support needs through its inherent material properties. The flexible display naturally maintains its contour and enables smooth folding motion without requiring external support structures. The material itself provides the necessary flexibility and memory to achieve natural folding behavior.
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 mechanism provides a simple and reliable way to support foldable displays, allowing for reduced stacking thickness in the folded configuration while maintaining desired planarity and preventing damage by restricting bending beyond safe radii.
Implementation Method 1
The rotation pivots may be configured to rotate between a retracted position and an extended position
Data Source
AI summary
A foldable device may include a foldable layer and a hinge mechanism. The hinge mechanism may include a hinge cover fixedly coupled to a hinge base. A plurality of rotation pivots may be rotatably coupled to the hinge base and the hinge cover. A housing of a computing device may be coupled to the rotation pivots, such that, as the rotation pivots rotate into the hinge base and hinge cover, the computing device is unfolded, and as the rotation pivots rotate out of the hinge base and hinge cover, the computing device is folded. Rotation of the rotation pivots into and out of the hinge base and hinge cover may be restricted by one or more stopping mechanisms, so as to maintain a foldable display of the computing device within allowable bending limits.