Plate arrangement and chain hinge assembly comprising a plate arrangement

1. A bi-directional chain hinge assembly comprising:

a first row of hinge plates comprising:

a first hinge plate comprising a first center pivot axis; and

two second hinge plates coupled to the first hinge plate on respective ends of the first hinge plate; and

a second row of hinge plates coupled to the first row of hinge plates and comprising:

a third hinge plate coupled to the first hinge plate and comprising:

a second center pivot axis, wherein the first hinge plate and the third hinge plate are pivotally interconnected such that the first center pivot axis coincides with the second center pivot axis;

two end pivot axes arranged at opposite sides of the second center pivot axis; and

a first pivot rod extending along the second center pivot axis or the two end pivot axes and configured to pivotally connect the third hinge plate to the first hinge plate or the two second hinge plates,

wherein, when rotating in relation to the third hinge plate, the two second hinge plates are configured to pivot in a first direction with respect to the third hinge plate, and the first hinge plate is configured to pivot in a second direction with respect to the third hinge plate and opposite to the first direction, and

wherein the first row is offset in relation to the second row such that one of the two second hinge plates partially overlaps the third hinge plate.

2. The bi-directional chain hinge assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first hinge plate, the two second hinge plates, and the third hinge plate each comprises a gear connection meshing with a gear connection of a neighboring hinge plate.

3. The bi-directional chain hinge assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first row is a first type and the second row is a second type, wherein the bi-directional chain hinge assembly further comprises a plurality of rows of hinge plates comprising a plurality of types, and wherein the types alternate between the first type and the second type.

4. The bi-directional chain hinge assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first pivot rod is connected to the first hinge plate along the first center pivot axis and the second center pivot axis.

5. The bi-directional chain hinge assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first pivot rod is connected to one of the two second hinge plates along one of the two end pivot axes.

6. The bi-directional chain hinge assembly of claim 1 , wherein a surface area of any of the second hinge plates is at least twice as large as a surface area of the first hinge plate.

7. The bi-directional chain hinge assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first hinge plate, the two second hinge plates, and the third hinge plate are at least partially tapered.

8. The bi-directional chain hinge assembly of claim 7 , wherein the first row further comprises:

at least two intermediate hinge plates arranged such that the at least two intermediate hinge plates are tapered in a first direction; and

at least one end hinge plate arranged at each end of the first row such that the at least two intermediate hinge plates are tapered in a second direction, wherein the second direction is opposite to the first direction.

9. The bi-directional chain hinge assembly of claim 1 , wherein any of the two second hinge plates comprises a second pivot rod, wherein the second pivot rod and the first pivot rod are neighboring pivot rods and arranged equidistantly.

10. The bi-directional chain hinge assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first row and the second row are configured to connect a first frame section to a second frame section of a foldable display such that the first frame section and the second frame section are pivotable relative to each other.

11. The bi-directional chain hinge assembly of claim 10 , wherein the first row and the second row are configured to connect the first frame section to the second frame section such that the first frame section and the second frame section are pivotable relative to each other.

12. The bi-directional chain hinge assembly of claim 10 , wherein the second frame section is superimposed on the first frame section when the first row of hinge plates and the second row of hinge plates pivot to a folded end position, and wherein a second front face of the second frame section is aligned with a first front face of the first frame section when the first row of hinge plates and the second row of hinge plates pivot to an unfolded end position.

13. The bi-directional chain hinge assembly of claim 12 , further comprising a plurality of support rods coupled to the foldable display and configured to support the foldable display in an area between the first frame section and the second frame section, and wherein the support rods extend at least partially between the first row and the second row.

14. The bi-directional chain hinge assembly of claim 13 , wherein each of the support rods is connected to the first row, wherein each support rod of the support rods is configured to border the second row such that the second row is configured to fold around the support rod when the first frame section and the second frame section are in the unfolded end position.

15. The bi-directional chain hinge assembly of claim 12 , wherein the first hinge plate, the two second hinge plates, and the third hinge plate each comprises an edge comprising a recess configured to accommodate a part of a bordering support rod when the first frame section and the second frame section are in the unfolded end position.

16. The bi-directional chain hinge assembly of claim 12 , wherein the first hinge plate, the two second hinge plates, and the third hinge plate each comprises a base section and an apex section and is tapered from the base section to the apex section, and wherein the apex section is configured to move towards another apex section of a neighboring hinge plate when the first frame section and the second frame section move to the folded end position.

17. The bi-directional chain hinge assembly of claim 16 , wherein the second hinge plate and the third hinge plate are connected to a support rod and at least two pivot rods, wherein a first distance between the at least two pivot rods and the apex section is less than a second distance between the at least two pivot rods and the support rod.

18. The bi-directional chain hinge assembly of claim 17 , wherein the first row further comprises:

at least two intermediate hinge plates arranged such that the at least two intermediate hinge plates are tapered in a first direction; and

at least one end hinge plate arranged at each end of the first row such that the at least two intermediate hinge plates are tapered in a second direction, wherein the first direction is opposite to the second direction, and wherein a third distance between the at least two pivot rods and the base section is less than the second distance.

19. A chain hinge assembly comprising:

a first hinge plate comprising a first center pivot axis;

a first adjacent second hinge plate coupled to a first end of the first hinge plate;

a second adjacent second hinge plate coupled to a second end of the first hinge plate; and

a third hinge plate coupled to the first hinge plate and comprising:

a second center pivot axis; and

two first end pivot axes arranged at opposite sides of the second center pivot axis,

wherein the first hinge plate and the third hinge plate are pivotally interconnected such that the first center pivot axis coincides with the second center pivot axis,

wherein the first hinge plate is configured to pivot in a first direction with respect to the third hinge plate, and

wherein the two first end pivot axes are configured to pivotally connect to the first adjacent second hinge plate and the second adjacent second hinge plate such that the first adjacent second hinge plate and the second adjacent second hinge plate pivot in a second direction which is opposite of the first direction with respect to the third hinge plate.

20. The chain hinge assembly of claim 19 , wherein the first adjacent second hinge plate or the second adjacent second hinge plate comprises two second end pivot axes.