Computing device slider plate

Inventors: Luke O Schwartzel (Bothell, WA); Errol Mark Tazbaz (Bellevue, WA); Denys V Yaremenko (Bellevue, WA); Brett Andrew Tomky (Seattle, WA); Devin Samuel Jacob Caplow-Munro (Seattle, WA)

Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

G06F1/1652 G06F1/16 G06F1/1601 G06F1/1613 G06F1/1616 G06F1/1618 G06F1/162 G06F1/1622 G06F1/1624 G06F1/1633 G06F1/1681 H04M1/022 H04M1/0268

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12675132
App. No.: 18/845,863
Granted: Jul 7, 2026
Kind: B2

External Links

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Abstract

A computing device includes a flexible display supported by first and second display-supporting frames that are rotatably coupled via a spine. Each display-supporting frame comprises a backplate opposite the flexible display. Each display-supporting frame is coupled to a respective translation mechanism, and each translation mechanism is configured to translate the respective display-supporting frame relative to the spine as the display-supporting frame is rotated relative to the spine. A respective moveable slider plate for each display-supporting frame is biased into contact with the spine to cover at least a portion of an aperture at least partially defined by a leading edge of the respective backplate of the display-supporting frame and the spine.

Claims (27)

1 . A foldable computing device, comprising:

a flexible display supported by a first display-supporting frame and a second display-supporting frame, the first display-supporting frame comprising a first backplate opposite to the flexible display, the second display-supporting frame comprising a second backplate opposite to the flexible display, the first display-supporting frame rotatably coupled to the second display-supporting frame via a spine;

a translation mechanism coupled to the first display-supporting frame and configured to translate the respective first display-supporting frame relative to the spine as the first display-supporting frame is rotated relative to the spine; and

a first moveable slider plate biased into contact with the spine to cover at least a portion of an aperture at least partially defined by a first leading edge of the first backplate and the spine.

2 . The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the spine comprises an outer spine plate.

3 . The computing device of claim 2 , wherein the outer spine plate comprises a planar middle portion that transitions into a first curved side and an opposing second curved side.

4 . The computing device of claim 3 , wherein the first moveable slider plate comprises a contacting end that is biased into contact with the first curved side of the outer spine plate when the first display-supporting frame and the second display-supporting frame are positioned at 180 degrees relative to one another.

5 . The computing device of claim 4 , wherein the outer spine plate is operatively configured as a camming surface, and the contacting end is operatively configured to follow the first curved side and the planar middle portion when the first display-supporting frame and the second display-supporting frame are rotated from 180 degrees to 360 degrees relative to one another.

6 . The computing device of claim 4 , wherein the contacting end defines a groove that is operatively configured to capture a first edge of the first curved side when the first display-supporting frame and the second display-supporting frame are positioned at zero degrees relative to one another, and the contacting end is dislodged from contacting the first edge of the first curved side.

7 . The computing device of claim 2 , wherein the spine further comprises an inner spine plate opposite to the outer spine plate.

8 . The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the translation mechanism comprises a support structure rotatably coupled to the spine, the first display-supporting frame is moveably coupled to the support structure, and the first moveable slider plate is biased against the support structure toward the spine.

9 . The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the first moveable slider plate is biased against the first backplate of the respective display-supporting frame toward the spine.

10 . The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the spine comprises a first rotatable partial barrel and a second rotatable partial barrel, and the first moveable slider plate is biased into contact with the first rotatable partial barrel.

11 . The computing device of claim 10 , wherein the first moveable slider plate comprises a contacting end that is biased into contact with a first lip of the first rotatable partial barrel when the first display-supporting frame and the second display-supporting frame are positioned at 180 degrees relative to one another.

12 . The computing device of claim 11 , wherein the contacting end is operatively configured to rotate the first lip of the first rotatable partial barrel to a pass-through position as the first display-supporting frame and the second display-supporting frame are rotated to a closed orientation at 360 degrees relative to one another, wherein in the pass-through position the first lip and a first end of the first display-supporting frame define a pass-through aperture through which a component passes.

13 . The computing device of claim 11 , wherein the first rotatable partial barrel comprises an outer camming surface, and the contacting end is operatively configured to follow the outer camming surface when the first display-supporting frame and the second display-supporting frame are rotated from 180 degrees to 360 degrees relative to one another.

14 . The computing device of claim 10 , further comprising a first barrel biasing member operatively configured to bias the first rotatable partial barrel for rotation in a first direction, and a second barrel biasing member operatively configured to bias the second rotatable partial barrel for rotation in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

15 . A method for covering at least a portion of an aperture in a foldable computing device, the aperture at least partially defined by a first leading edge of a first backplate and a spine of the computing device, the computing device comprising a flexible display supported by a first display-supporting frame and a second display-supporting frame, the first display-supporting frame comprising the first backplate opposite to the flexible display, the second display-supporting frame comprising a second backplate opposite to the flexible display, the first display-supporting frame rotatably coupled to the second display-supporting frame via the spine, the method comprising:

biasing a first moveable slider plate into contact with the spine to cover at least the portion of the aperture while the first display-supporting frame is translated relative to the spine and the first display-supporting frame is rotated relative to the spine.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the spine comprises an outer spine plate, the first moveable slider plate comprises a contacting end, and the method comprises biasing the contacting end into contact with a first curved side of the outer spine plate when the first display-supporting frame and the second display-supporting frame are positioned at 180 degrees relative to one another.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the outer spine plate is operatively configured as a camming surface, and the method comprises biasing the contacting end to follow the first curved side and a planar middle portion of the outer spine plate when the first display-supporting frame and the second display-supporting frame are rotated from 180 degrees to 360 degrees relative to one another.

18 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the computing device comprises a translation mechanism coupled to the first display-supporting frame via a support structure that is rotatably coupled to the spine, the translation mechanism operatively configured to translate the first display-supporting frame relative to the spine as the first display-supporting frame is rotated relative to the spine, the method further comprising biasing the first moveable slider plate against the support structure toward the spine.

19 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising biasing the moveable slider plate against the first backplate of the first display-supporting frame toward the spine.

20 . A computing device foldable through 360 degrees, the computing device comprising:

a translation mechanism coupled to the first display-supporting frame and configured to translate the first display-supporting frame relative to the spine as the first display-supporting frame is rotated relative to the spine, the translation mechanism comprising a support structure rotatably coupled to the spine, wherein the first display-supporting frame is moveably coupled to the support structure; and

a first moveable slider plate biased into contact with the outer spine plate to cover at least a portion of an aperture at least partially defined by a first leading edge of the first backplate and the outer spine plate, wherein the first moveable slider plate is biased against the support structure toward the spine.