Super-elastic hinge for flexible display seal integrity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hinge mechanisms for flexible displays, particularly in small form factor devices like foldable smartphones and tablets, struggle to support the display's mechanical and user experience requirements while maintaining a hermetic seal, as they often require specific bending orientations and limited physical space.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a thin, super-elastic hinge mechanism and support structure using nickel titanium (nitinol) alloys, which provide a greater bend radius than the minimum required, allowing for flexible display folding while ensuring the hermetic seal and user touch experience, incorporating torque engines and slider mechanisms for precise control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional hinge mechanism is used for flexible display, then the display can be folded, but the hermetic seal is compromised and the minimum bend radius requirement is not met
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a thin film hinge structure that allows the flexible display to fold while maintaining hermetic seal integrity. The thin film construction enables bending without compromising the seal, resolving the contradiction between folding capability and seal integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from conventional rigid hinge mechanisms to a thin film-based hinge that operates in a different dimensional regime. This thin film approach allows the hinge to function within the constraints of the flexible display's minimum bend radius while maintaining seal integrity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional hinge mechanism is used for flexible display, then the display can be folded, but the required physical space is excessive for small form factor devices
Solution Approach 1:
The thin film hinge structure dramatically reduces the physical footprint of the hinge mechanism compared to conventional rigid hinges. This enables small form factor devices like foldable smartphones and tablets to achieve folding capability without excessive space requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the essential folding function from the bulky conventional hinge mechanism and implements it through a thin film structure, removing the unnecessary physical bulk while retaining the core functionality.
3Volume of moving object
If the bend radius is reduced to meet minimum requirements, then the device size is minimized, but the hermetic seal and display integrity are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The thin film hinge enables the display to achieve the minimum bend radius without compromising integrity. The thin film construction is flexible enough to bend tightly while maintaining structural integrity and hermetic seal, allowing device size minimization without sacrificing reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical parameters of the hinge structure by using thin film materials with appropriate mechanical properties. This allows the bend radius to be reduced to the minimum required value while maintaining display integrity and hermetic seal through controlled material selection and structure design.
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 enables a robust, thin, and efficient hinge system that supports the flexible display across various form factors, maintaining the hermetic seal and user experience by allowing flexible displays to fold without compromising the seal, and providing a frameless appearance.
Implementation Method 1
at least a portion of the backplane comprises a super elastic sheet
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods and apparatuses may provide for a flexible display assembly including a flexible display and a backplane coupled to the flexible display, wherein at least a portion of the backplane comprises a super elastic sheet. In one example, the backplane includes a first rigid sheet metal portion and a second rigid sheet metal portion, wherein the super-elastic sheet is joined between the first and second rigid sheet metal portions.