Electronic devices with translating flexible display and corresponding methods
An electronic device includes a flexible display and a device housing that defines a translation surface for the flexible display. A blade assembly is positioned between the flexible display and the translation surface. A rotor is positioned within a curvilinear section of the blade assembly and flexible display. A translation mechanism translates the blade assembly and flexible display between an extended position, a retracted position, and a peek position revealing an image capture device.
1 . An electronic device, comprising:
a device housing; and
a blade assembly comprising a blade substrate, carrying a blade, slidably coupled to the device housing, and wrapping around three exterior sides of the device housing;
wherein the blade assembly is operable to slidably transition between:
an extended position where the blade extends beyond an edge of the device housing; and
a retracted position where a major surface of the blade abuts a major surface of the device housing without the blade extending beyond the edge of the device housing.
2 . The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a flexible display carried by the blade assembly.
3 . The electronic device of claim 2 , the blade substrate mechanically supporting the flexible display.
4 . The electronic device of claim 3 , the blade substrate defining a rigid header section and a rigid section.
5 . The electronic device of claim 4 , the blade substrate defining a flexible section separating the rigid header section and the rigid section.
6 . The electronic device of claim 5 , further comprising at least one rotor situated at an end of the device housing, wherein the flexible section extends around the at least one rotor.
7 . The electronic device of claim 5 , the flexible section defining one or more apertures.
8 . The electronic device of claim 7 , the one or more apertures etched in the flexible section.
9 . The electronic device of claim 7 , the one or more apertures configured as one or more partial ribs that extend distally across the flexible section.
10 . The electronic device of claim 7 , the one or more apertures configured in a mesh arrangement that spans the flexible section.
11 . The electronic device of claim 2 , the blade substrate defining one or more silicone border engagement apertures encircling outer edges of the blade substrate.
12 . The electronic device of claim 11 , further comprising a silicone border encircling the flexible display.
13 . The electronic device of claim 12 , the silicone border over-molded on the blade substrate with portions of the silicone border passing through the one or more silicone border engagement apertures.
14 . The electronic device of claim 2 , the flexible display comprising a flexible display layer and a flexible substrate supporting the flexible display layer.
15 . The electronic device of claim 14 , the flexible substrate extending beyond an image producing portion of the flexible display layer.
16 . The electronic device of claim 15 , the flexible substrate defining a T-shaped tongue extending beyond an image producing portion of the flexible display layer.
17 . The electronic device of claim 16 , further comprising electronic circuit components configured to operate the image producing portion of the flexible display layer coupled to the T-shaped tongue.
18 . An electronic device, comprising:
a device housing defining front side and a rear side; and
a blade assembly comprising a blade substrate supporting a flexible display;
wherein the blade assembly is operable to slidably transition between:
an extended position where a blade extends beyond an edge of the device housing;
a retracted position where a major surface of the blade abuts a major surface on the front side of the device housing without extending beyond the edge of the device housing;
the blade substrate defines a flexible section separating a rigid header section of the blade substrate and a rigid section of the blade substrate; and
the flexible display is exposed along at least some of the front side and the rear side both when the blade assembly is in the extended position and when the blade assembly is in the retracted position.
19 . The electronic device of claim 18 , further comprising a silicone border encircling the flexible display, wherein the silicone border is over-molded on the blade substrate with portions of the silicone border passing through one or more silicone border engagement apertures defined by the blade substrate.
20 . An electronic device, comprising:
a device housing; and
a blade assembly comprising a blade substrate;
wherein the blade assembly is operable to slidably transition symmetrically in opposite directions around two exterior major surfaces of the device housing between:
an extended position where a blade extends beyond an edge of the device housing;
a retracted position where a major surface of the blade abuts a major surface of the device housing; and
the blade substrate defines one or more apertures chemically etched in a flexible section separating a rigid header section and a rigid section, the one or more apertures configured as one or more partial ribs that extend distally across the flexible section.