Hinge for a foldable display unit
View Patent ↗Examples disclosed herein provide a hinge for a foldable display unit. One example hinge includes a plurality of brackets. A bracket from the plurality of brackets is to operably couple to an adjacent bracket from the plurality of brackets, to be folded into an arcuate shape. The hinge further includes a plurality of links to operably couple the plurality of brackets to each other. A first end of a first link from the plurality of links is rotatably connected to an end of a second link from the plurality of links according to a first frictional value. A second end of the first link is rotatably connected to an end of a third link from the plurality of links according to a second frictional value less than the first frictional value.
1. A foldable display unit comprising:
a flexible display component comprising a folding edge, wherein the flexible display component is foldable along the folding edge; and
a hinge coupled to the flexible display component to support the flexible display component during folding, the hinge comprising:
a plurality of brackets, wherein a bracket from the plurality of brackets is to operably couple to an adjacent bracket from the plurality of brackets, to be folded into an arcuate shape; and
a plurality of links to operably couple the plurality of brackets to each other, wherein a first end of a first link from the plurality of links is rotatably connected to an end of a second link from the plurality of links according to a first frictional value, and a second end of the first link is rotatably connected to an end of a third link from the plurality of links according to a second frictional value less than the first frictional value.
2. The foldable display unit of claim 1 , wherein, when the hinge is in an unfolded state, a first edge of the bracket from the plurality of brackets is to abut against a second edge of the adjacent bracket from the plurality of brackets.
3. The foldable display unit of claim 2 , wherein an abutting surface of each bracket from the plurality of brackets is treated by a surface hardening process.
4. The foldable display unit of claim 2 , wherein, when the hinge is folded into the arcuate shape, the plurality of brackets are stretched, wherein an angle is formed between the first edge of the bracket from the plurality of brackets and the second edge of the adjacent bracket from the plurality of brackets.
5. The foldable display unit of claim 1 , wherein, when the hinge is folded into the arcuate shape, links from the plurality of links connected to adjacent links from the plurality of links according to the first frictional value are to remain fixed while links from the plurality of links connected to adjacent links from the plurality of links according to the second frictional value are to rotate.
6. The foldable display unit of claim 1 , comprising couplers to couple the plurality of brackets to the flexible display component.
7. The foldable display unit of claim 6 , wherein the couplers to couple the plurality of brackets to the flexible display component comprise the use of fasteners or an adhesive, or a combination thereof.
8. A hinge comprising:
a plurality of brackets, wherein a bracket from the plurality of brackets is to operably couple to an adjacent bracket from the plurality of brackets, to be folded into an arcuate shape;
a plurality of links to operably couple the plurality of brackets to each other, wherein a first end of a first link from the plurality of links is rotatably connected to an end of a second link from the plurality of links according to a first frictional value, and a second end of the first link is rotatably connected to an end of a third link from the plurality of links according to a second frictional value less than the first frictional value; and
couplers to couple the plurality of brackets to a flexible element.
9. The hinge of claim 8 , wherein, when the hinge is in an unfolded state, a first edge of the bracket from the plurality of brackets is to abut against a second edge of the adjacent bracket from the plurality of brackets.
10. The hinge of claim 9 , wherein an abutting surface of each bracket from the plurality of brackets is treated by a surface hardening process.
11. The hinge of claim 9 , wherein, when the hinge is folded into the arcuate shape, the plurality of brackets are stretched, wherein an angle is formed between the first edge of the bracket from the plurality of brackets and the second edge of the adjacent bracket from the plurality of brackets.
12. The hinge of claim 8 , wherein the couplers to couple the plurality of brackets to the flexible element comprise the use of fasteners or an adhesive, or a combination thereof.
13. A foldable component comprising:
a flexible element comprising a folding edge, wherein the flexible element is foldable along the folding edge; and
a hinge coupled to the flexible element to support the flexible element during folding, wherein the hinge is to longitudinally extend along the folding edge, the hinge comprising:
a plurality of brackets, wherein a bracket from the plurality of brackets is to operably couple to an adjacent bracket from the plurality of brackets, to be folded into an arcuate shape;
a plurality of links to operably couple the plurality of brackets to each other, wherein a first end of a first link from the plurality of links is rotatably connected to an end of a second link from the plurality of links according to a first frictional value, and a second end of the first link is rotatably connected to an end of a third link from the plurality of links according to a second frictional value less than the first frictional value; and
couplers to couple the plurality of brackets to the flexible element.
14. The foldable component of claim 13 , wherein, when the hinge is in an unfolded state, a first edge of the bracket from the plurality of brackets is to abut against a second edge of the adjacent bracket from the plurality of brackets.
15. The foldable component of claim 14 , wherein, when the hinge is folded into the arcuate shape, the plurality of brackets are stretched, wherein an angle is formed between the first edge of the bracket from the plurality of brackets and the second edge of the adjacent bracket from the plurality of brackets.