Electronic devices with a deployable flexible display
View Patent ↗Examples disclosed herein provide electronic devices with a flexible display. An example electronic device includes an enclosure, a flexible display deployable from the enclosure, where a viewing angle of the flexible display with respect to the enclosure is adjustable. The electronic device includes a mechanism to autonomously deploy and retract the flexible display within the enclosure, and a supporting structure to reinforce the flexible display when deployed from the enclosure.
1. An electronic device comprising:
an enclosure;
a flexible display deployable from the enclosure, wherein a viewing angle of the flexible display with respect to the enclosure is adjustable;
a mechanism to autonomously deploy and retract the flexible display within the enclosure, wherein the mechanism comprises a spool, wherein the flexible display is wound on the spool when the mechanism is to retract the flexible display within the enclosure;
a supporting structure to reinforce the flexible display when deployed from the enclosure; and
a torqued hinge to maintain the viewing angle of the flexible display when the flexible display is deployed and allow rotation of the flexible display with respect to the enclosure to adjust the viewing angle of the flexible display with respect to the enclosure when the flexible display is deployed;
wherein the flexible display is rotatable about an axis of rotation to adjust the viewing angle, and wherein the axis of rotation coincides with the spool.
2. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a button to initiate the autonomous deployment and retraction of the flexible display.
3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the mechanism is to deploy the flexible display to an aspect ratio selectable by a user.
4. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a projector to project a virtual keyboard; and
a camera to collect input entered on the virtual keyboard to interact with the electronic device.
5. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a panel to couple the flexible display to the supporting structure, wherein the flexible display and the supporting structure are to deploy and retract simultaneously within the enclosure.
6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the supporting structure comprises a scissorlike structure that expands and compresses when the flexible display deploys and retracts, respectively.
7. A method comprising:
detecting a button press on an enclosure of an electronic device;
upon detection of the button press, deploying a flexible display from the enclosure, by rotating a spool about which the flexible display is wound; and
adjusting a viewing angle of the deployed flexible display with a torqued hinge, based on a user preference, by rotation of the flexible display about an axis of rotation that coincides with the spool, wherein the torqued hinge maintains the viewing angle of the flexible display when the flexible display is deployed and allows rotation of the flexible display with respect to the enclosure to adjust the viewing angle of the flexible display with respect to the enclosure when the flexible display is deployed.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein deploying the flexible display comprises deploying the flexible display to an aspect ratio selectable by a user.
9. The method of claim 7 , comprising retracting the flexible display within the enclosure upon detecting a subsequent button press or user-initiated instruction to retract the flexible display.
10. The method of claim 7 , comprising:
upon deploying the flexible display, projecting a virtual keyboard for interacting with the electronic device; and
collecting input entered on the virtual keyboard.
11. An electronic device comprising:
an enclosure;
a flexible display deployable from the enclosure, wherein a viewing angle of the flexible display with respect to the enclosure is adjustable;
a mechanism to autonomously deploy and retract the flexible display within the enclosure, wherein the mechanism comprises a spool, wherein the flexible display is wound on the spool when the mechanism is to retract the flexible display within the enclosure;
a supporting structure to reinforce the flexible display when deployed from the enclosure;
a projector to project a peripheral to interact with the electronic device;
a camera to collect input entered on the peripheral; and
a torqued hinge to maintain the viewing angle of the flexible display when the flexible display is deployed and allow rotation of the flexible display with respect to the enclosure to adjust the viewing angle of the flexible display with respect to the enclosure when the flexible display is deployed;
wherein the flexible display is rotatable about an axis of rotation to adjust the viewing angle, and wherein the axis of rotation coincides with the spool.
12. The electronic device of claim 11 , further comprising a button to initiate the autonomous deployment and retraction of the flexible display.
13. The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the supporting structure comprises a scissorlike structure that expands and compresses when the flexible display deploys and retracts, respectively.