IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,423,196
Granted Patent B2
US 10,423,196 · App. 16/138,325 · Granted Sep 24, 2019

Foldable device

Inventors: Ho-seong Seo (Suwon-si, KR); Kyung-wan Park (Suwon-si, KR); Ga-eun Lee (Suwon-si, KR); Ji-hyun Jung (Yongin-si, KR); Shi-yun Cho (Anyang-si, KR)
Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
G06F1/1652G06F1/1681
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,423,196
App. No.
16/138,325
Granted
Sep 24, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A foldable device includes first and second bodies that respectively support a first part and a second part of a flexible display device and are foldably connected to each other between a folded position and an unfolded position, and a movable support member that continuously near-supports a third part of the flexible display device between the first part and the second part when the first body and the second body change from the folded position to the unfolded position.

Claims (22)

1. A foldable device comprising:

a flexible display;

a first body and a second body that support the flexible display and are synchronously rotated;

a hinge comprising a first hinge axis and a second hinge axis that rotatably connect the first body and the second body respectively; and

a support member that is disposed between the first body and the second body and supports a curved portion of the flexible display when the flexible display is bent,

wherein the first body and the second body comprise a first base cover and a second base cover, and a first frame and a second frame that are disposed inside the first base cover and the second base cover and support the flexible display, and

wherein the support member that is connected to an end of the first frame and an end of the second frame, continuously supports the curved portion while the first body and the second body rotate.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the end of the first and second frames is formed to be bent toward the flexible display in a state in which the flexible display is unfolded.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the support member moves in one direction toward the flexible display when the flexible display is unfolded and moves in a direction opposite to the one direction when the flexible display is folded.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the support member includes a slot extending in a folding direction of the first and second bodies, and

wherein the first and second frames include a pair of guide portions coupled to one ends of the first and second frames and slidably inserted into the slot according to rotation of the first body and the second body.

5. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the support member is spaced apart from a bent portion of the flexible display when the foldable device is folded.

6. The device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

a cover member surrounding an outside of a portion where the first body and the second body are connected to each other.

7. The device as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the cover member includes an extension portion corresponding to each of facing corners of the first body and the second body and a side wall portion disposed at both ends of the extension portion.

8. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the flexible display includes a first portion disposed on the first frame, a second portion disposed on the second frame, and a third portion disposed between the first portion and the second portion.

9. The device as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the first frame includes a first support portion supporting the first portion and a first receiving portion connected to the first support portion and inclined in a direction away from the flexible display,

wherein the second frame includes a second support portion supporting the second portion and a second receiving portion connected to the second support portion and inclined in a direction away from the flexible display, and

wherein the first receiving portion and the second receiving portion form a receiving space in which the third portion is received as the first and second bodies rotate in a direction in which the first body and the second body face each other.

10. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each of the first body and the second body rotates about the first and second central axes,

wherein the first body includes a first gear portion, and

wherein the second body includes a second gear portion engaged with the first gear portion.

Priority Claims (2)
KR 10-2014-0020749 · Feb 21, 2014 · national
KR 10-2014-0127191 · Sep 23, 2014 · national
Continuity (3)
Continuation 15676234 · Aug 14, 2017
Division 14627694 · Feb 20, 2015
Related Publication 20190025887A1 · Jan 24, 2019
Cited By (2)
US 12,429,925 US 12,712,952