IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,334,090

Granted Patent B2

US 10,334,090 · App. 16/063,294 · Granted Jun 25, 2019

Electronic device

Inventor: Masayuki Kikuchi (Sakai, JP)

Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA

H04M1/0216 H04M1/02 H04M1/0268 H01L27/323 H01L27/3244 H01L51/5253 H01L2251/5338

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 10,334,090
App. No.: 16/063,294
Granted: Jun 25, 2019
Kind: B2

External Links

USPTO Patent Center↗ Full Patent PDF↗

Abstract

An electronic device includes a first housing, a second housing, a first hinge that is flexible and connects the first and the second housings, and a display panel that is continuously flexible. The first hinge overlaps with a first housing wall of the first housing and a second housing wall of the second housing. The first housing includes a first magnetic body. The second housing includes a second magnetic body. When the first hinge is in an open state, causing the first housing and the second housing to be disposed side-by-side, a magnetic force in a first direction is produced between the first magnetic body and the second magnetic body.

Claims (105)

1. An electronic device comprising:

a first housing;

a second housing;

a hinge that is flexible and connects the first housing and the second housing; and

a display panel that is continuously flexible, wherein

the display panel includes a rear face that faces upper faces of the first housing and the second housing,

the first housing includes a first magnetic body,

the second housing includes a second magnetic body,

when the hinge is in an open state, causing the first housing and the second housing to be disposed side-by-side in a first direction, a magnetic force in the first direction is produced between the first magnetic body and the second magnetic body,

the first housing further includes a first housing wall,

the second housing further includes a second housing wall,

the first housing wall and the second housing wall are adjacent to each other,

the hinge extends across the first housing wall and the second housing wall when in the open state,

the first housing is provided on an end thereof with a first inclined face that forms an obtuse angle with a bottom face of the first housing,

the second housing is provided on an end thereof with a second inclined face that forms an obtuse angle with a bottom face of the second housing, and

the hinge overlaps with the first inclined face and the second inclined face.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the first magnetic body and the second magnetic body are magnets and are disposed such that, when the hinge is in an open state, different magnetic poles face each other in the first direction.

3. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the first housing and the second housing each include a space for storing a bending portion of the display panel in an interior thereof when the hinge is in a closed state.

4. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic device further includes a magnetic sensor that detects an open/closed state of the hinge, based on a change in a magnetic state caused by changes in position of the first magnetic body and the second magnetic body.

5. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein when the first hinge is in a closed state, a magnetic force is produced in a normal direction of the display panel between a magnetic body other than the first magnetic body provided to the first housing, and a magnetic body other than the second magnetic body provided to the second housing.

6. The electronic device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a third housing; and

a second hinge that is flexible and connects the second housing and the third housing, wherein

the hinge that connects the first housing and the second housing serves as a first hinge,

the rear face of the display panel faces the third housing,

the second housing further includes a third magnetic body,

the third housing includes a fourth magnetic body, and

when the second hinge is in an open state, causing the second housing and the third housing to be disposed side-by-side in the first direction, a magnetic force in the first direction is produced between the third magnetic body and the fourth magnetic body.

7. The electronic device according to claim 6 , wherein

the first to the third housings are disposed side-by-side in a first direction, exposing a display face in its entirety, when the first hinge and the second hinge are set to open states, and

the third housing is larger in size in the first direction than the first housing and the second housing, exposing a portion of the display face when the first hinge and the second hinge are set to a closed state and an open state, respectively.

8. The electronic device according to claim 7 , wherein when the first hinge is in a closed state and the second hinge is in an open state, a magnetic force is produced in a normal direction of the display panel between a magnetic body other than the first magnetic body provided to the first housing, and a magnetic body other than the fourth magnetic body provided to the third housing.

9. The electronic device according to claim 8 , wherein the display face is stored in its entirety by setting the first hinge to an open state and the second hinge to a closed state.

10. The electronic device according to claim 9 , wherein, from the state where the display face is stored in its entirety, a portion of the display face is exposed by sliding the first housing in the first direction.

11. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the display panel includes an OLED panel.

12. The electronic device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a communication function.

13. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein

the first housing is provided on the end thereof with a first projection that includes the first inclined face,

the first magnetic body is disposed inside the first projection,

the second housing is provided on the end thereof with a second projection that includes the second inclined face, and

the second magnetic body is disposed inside the second projection.

14. An electronic device comprising:

a first housing;

a second housing;

a hinge that is flexible and connects the first housing and the second housing; and

a display panel that is continuously flexible, wherein

the display panel includes a rear face that faces upper faces of the first housing and the second housing,

the first housing includes a first magnetic body,

the second housing includes a second magnetic body,

the first housing and the second housing each include a space for storing a bending portion of the display panel in an interior thereof when the hinge is in a closed state,

the first housing is provided on an end thereof with a first inclined face that forms an obtuse angle with a bottom face of the first housing, and

the second housing is provided on an end thereof with a second inclined face that forms an obtuse angle with a bottom face of the second housing.

15. The electronic device according to claim 14 , wherein

the first housing includes a first housing wall,

the second housing includes a second housing wall,

the first housing wall and the second housing wall are adjacent to each other, and

the hinge extends across the first housing wall and the second housing wall when in the open state.

16. The electronic device according to claim 15 , wherein the hinge includes a portion thereof positioned between the first housing wall and the display panel, and another portion thereof positioned between the second housing wall and the display panel.

17. The electronic device according to claim 14 , further comprising:

a third housing; and

a second hinge that is flexible and connects the second housing and the third housing, wherein

the hinge that connects the first housing and the second housing serves as a first hinge,

the rear face of the display panel faces the third housing,

the second housing further includes a third magnetic body,

the third housing includes a fourth magnetic body, and

18. The electronic device according to claim 17 , wherein

the first to the third housings are disposed side-by-side in a first direction, exposing a display face in its entirety, when the first hinge and the second hinge are set to open states, and

19. The electronic device according to claim 14 , wherein

the first housing is provided on the end thereof with a first projection that includes the first inclined face,

the first magnetic body is disposed inside the first projection,

the second housing is provided on the end thereof with a second projection that includes the second inclined face, and

the second magnetic body is disposed inside the second projection.

20. An electronic device comprising:

a first housing;

a second housing;

a third housing;

a first hinge that is flexible and connects the first housing and the second housing;

a second hinge that is flexible and connects the second housing and the third housing; and

a display panel that is continuously flexible, wherein

the display panel includes a rear face that faces upper faces of the first housing and the second housing, and faces the third housing,

the first housing includes a first magnetic body,

the second housing includes a second magnetic body and a third magnetic body,

the third housing includes a fourth magnetic body, and is larger in size in the first direction than the first and the second housings,

when the first and the second hinges are set to an open state, the first to the third housings are disposed side-by-side in a first direction, exposing a display face in its entirety,

when the first hinge and the second hinge are set to a closed state and an open state, respectively, a portion of the display face is exposed,

when the first hinge is set to a closed state and the second hinge is set to an open state, a magnetic force is produced in a normal direction of the display panel between a magnetic body other than the first magnetic body provided to the first housing, and a magnetic body other than the fourth magnetic body provided to the third housing,

the first housing is provided on an end thereof with a first inclined face that forms an obtuse angle with a bottom face of the first housing, and

the second housing is provided on an end thereof with a second inclined face that forms an obtuse angle with a bottom face of the second housing.

21. The electronic device according to claim 20 , wherein

the first housing includes a first housing wall,

the second housing includes a second housing wall,

the first housing wall and the second housing wall are adjacent to each other, and

the hinge extends across the first housing wall and the second housing wall when in the open state.

22. The electronic device according to claim 21 , wherein the hinge includes a portion thereof positioned between the first housing wall and the display panel, and another portion thereof positioned between the second housing wall and the display panel.

23. The electronic device according to claim 20 , wherein

the first housing is provided on the end thereof with a first projection that includes the first inclined face,

the first magnetic body is disposed inside the first projection,

the second housing is provided on the end thereof with a second projection that includes the second inclined face, and

the second magnetic body is disposed inside the second projection.

Assignments (1)

ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 18, 2018

From: KIKUCHI, MASAYUKI

To: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA

Reel/Frame 046113/0482 →

Continuity (1)

Related Publication 20180375976A1 · Dec 27, 2018