WO2013080191A2

WO2013080191A2 - Foldable flexible display (tri-phone)

Info

Publication number: WO2013080191A2
Application number: PCT/IB2013/000305
Authority: WO
Inventors: Wasfi Alshdaifat; Eida Almuhairbi; Farah Afif KASSAB
Original assignee: Wasfi Alshdaifat; Eida Almuhairbi
Priority date: 2013-02-22
Filing date: 2013-02-22
Publication date: 2013-06-06
Also published as: WO2013080191A3

Abstract

Spiral plate spring (24) is used to drive unfolding a flexible display digital device (20) for use. The display (20) consists of three parts of equal length; the area of the central part (21) is either equal the total area of the first and the second side parts (22), (23), or equals the area of any part. A groove is made in-between the first side part and the central part (21), to create a space for installing the spiral spring (24) and its drive shaft (26). Two shafts (31), (40) with four end gears are installed in two grooves in- between the sides of the display side parts (22), (23) and central part (21), the four gears to be partially embedded inside corner extensions of the display (20) side parts (22) (23). Through a set of other gears and one belt in-between the two shafts (31), (40) and the spiral spring (24), the embedded gears are driven to drive the unfold of the display side parts (22), (23).

Description

FOLDABLE FLEXIBLE DISPLAY (TRI-PHONE)

Description of the Invention

Technical Field of Invention

Triple-screens display in phones, computers...etc are flopped in-between folded and unfolded positions manually, either by using one flexible screen folded by hand into parts, or by using multi-axis hinges, pivoting wings, and spring release, as simple mechanical tools.

Background Art

Dual display screens are well-known, it is opened manually by rotating one of the screens around a connecting hinge, Triple-display screens are with no doubt a new concept, the awesome type of it is the manual flip ones, such as the one coming from the designer Kristian Ulrich Larsen.

Such phones with three screens, offers the user an extra vast number of possibilities for dealing with the content on the device, in using the device multi-features for multi-tasks at once, in using it as a tablet, e-book (book mode), and a one-time panorama camera... etc, but it remains a pocket mobile that can be sandwiched, overlapped, or gathered as a single storable phone.

A compact, portable, pocket device, that can be unfold into for example: a tablet shape, is provided under PCT application publication No. WO 2010/028394 A1 by Qualcomm, its title: "A multi-fold mobile device with a configurable interface" it is a tablet device that makes use of up to three touchscreens, while PCT application publication No. WO/2001/0539 9 is providing a compactable/convertible modular PDA, wherein it relates specifically to a digital information appliance comprised of a central housing having one or more foldable panels rotatably attached.

The concept design of Kristian Larsen for the triple display screens is flopped manually around a flexible joint of steel mesh connecting the panels and acting as a hinges working as axis, the other two mentioned PCT applications are using hinges for rotating the panels around it manually, neither these, nor any of the prior art is showing that a spiral plate spring is used in such multi-digital panels, for rotating or flopping it to the open configuration.

Also, digital electronic displays using two panels are not rotated to open configuration via a drive mechanism, it is rotated manually, that appears in many patents, and patents applications such as: Patent No.s: US 5,900,848 which uses rotatable arms in-between the horizontal and the tilted panel; US 5,644,469 where a display and touch panel unit is connected by connecting arms; US 5,494,447 providing a hinge assembly for electronic devices but without a drive mechanism. For devices with multiple screens hinged to each other, patents applications publications WO/2012/153199 and WO/2012/110900 provides a motorized mechanism to fold and unfold the screens automatically, based on motor, belts, gears and rotatable arms built-in inside side grooves of the screens to transfer the rotation of the arms to the screens, but still this mechanism poor to rotate a single flexible screen, because it is rotating a rigid panel only from one side, and using many tools to achieve this, which cannot be inserted directly in a flexible display and produce a systematic fold and unfold, furthermore it is a little bit costly compared to using a piral plate spring instead of a motor and electronic sircuit. However, flexible display screens such as these disclosed under patents No.s: U.S. Pat. No. 4,674,840 to Bennet, Flexible LCD device described in U.S Pat. No. 6,204,902 to Kim et al, and Flexible Display Assembly Having Flexibly Connected Screen in U.S. Pat. No. 7,032,825 to Kia Silverbrook et al, these screens due to their flexibility and lightweight, cancelled the need for rotating arms to rotate the screens, such as these disclosed in publications WO/2012/153199 and WO/2012/110900.

But still for devices that are smart, the start should be smart, which means for a folded flexible display, instead of being unfolded manually by hand or being unfolded using a motor and electronic circuit... etc, a weightless cheap spiral plate spring can substitute these costly, little complicated parts, and saving size and maintenance. Disclosure of Invention

Brief Description

To provide a drive mechanism based on a spiral plate spring, to drive the rotation of a single flexible display screen to a triple parts folded configuration, and to unfold it.

The flexible screen is to be divided into three regions (parts) of equal length; the area of the central part is either to equal the total areas of the first and the second side parts, or the flexible display panel to be folded into nearly equal three parts. A groove is made in-between the first side part and the central part, to create a space for installing the spiral plate spring and its drive shaft.

The spiral plate spring will be fixed from its outer end to the central part, and from its inner end to the drive shaft, a first gear is installed on the spiral plate spring shaft end, engaged to a second gear that is installed on a first shaft extending along the length of the central part, with a third gear installed at its far end, both second and third gears are embedded rigidly inside both corners of the first display, the first gear is also engaged to a forth gear that is connected via a belt to a fifth gear engaged to a sixth gear on the tip of a second shaft having a seventh gear installed on its other side, the sixth and seventh gears are embedded rigidly inside both corners of the display second part.

The rotation of the spiral plate spring will rotate both embedded parts of the second and third gears, and rotates reversibly the embedded parts of the sixth and seventh gears, such that the display first part is rotated e.g clockwise meanwhile the display second part is rotated counterclockwise, as a result, a three parts folded single flexible display is unfolded.

Brief Description of the Drawings:

• FIG. 1-(A-D): Illustrates the principle of operation of the rotating mechanism. • FIG. 2 (A, B): Illustrates a 3-dimensional view for the flexible display (Tri- Phone) and the drive mechanism from the front/top side, and the front/bottom side.

• FIG. 3: Illustrates a 3-dimensional view for the flexible display (Tri-Phone) drive mechanism.

• FIG. 4: Illustrates a three dimensional view for the flexible display solid shape.

• FIG. 5: (A-C): Illustrates a front schematic sketch for the flexible display (Tri-Phone) folded, partly folded, and unfolded configurations.

• FIG. 6 (A-C): Illustrates a 3-dimensional view for the flexible display parts of another embodiment of the flexible display tri-phone (A: front/left/top sides, (B: front/left/bottom sides, C: front/right/top sides).

Best Mode for Carrying out the Invention:

In order to make it easy to carry out the invention, a detailed description of the parts of the invention supported with figures is provided here, as each part has many features, we made it easy to read, by referring to each feature with a number included in the parts description text and in the parts numbering list, the numbering of parts features is indicated here by starting it sequentially from number 16, whenever a part feature appears in a text, it will be directly assigned its required serial number. As example in FIG. 1, the parts' features are arranged sequentially from number 16 to 17, 18...

1- Theory of operation FIG. 1.(A-D):

The theory of operation behind the mechanism, if a gear 16 is installed on a shaft 17, wherein this gear 16 is installed rigidly (embedded) inside a groove in a nearly rectangular plate 18 where it fits in, and then if the shaft 17 is rotated, as a result the gear 16 will be rotated, then the plate 18 will be rotated (FIG.1 (A-B). Similarly, if the same rectangular plate 18 with the shaft 17 and embedded gear 16 are fixed to a panel, the rotation of the shaft 17 will rotate finally the paneM9, FIG. 1.(C-D).

2- Illustration of the Tri-Phone (FIGs (2-4)): a 3-dimensional view for the Tri-Phone 20 consisting of one piece of flexible display screen divided by name into three (regions) parts 21, 22, 23 of a digital information device is illustrated in FIG 2. The central display part 21 is the main display including most of the electronics of the device, the spiral plate spring 24 is fixed from its outer end 25 to the central display 21, while the spiral plate spring 24 is fixed from its inner end to the drive shaft 26.

A housing groove 27 is created in-between the mating bodies of the central part 21 and the first display part 22 that is to enclose the spiral plate spring 24. To design the mechanism that rotates the display parts 21, 22, 23, it should be made clear in this illustration, which can be considered as one of many tri- phones configuration, that the central display part 21 is to be fixed, not rotating, while both the right and left two flexible side parts 22, 23 to be rotating around it nearly 180 ° for each. To depend on one spiral plate spring 24 in driving the unfolding rotation of both flexible side parts 22, 23, the drive shaft 26 extending from the spiral plate spring 24 should deliver the rotational drive power to the driven mechanism, that can be achieved by installing a first gear 28 on the drive shaft 26, engaged from one side to a second gear 29 that is located on top of it, the second gear 29 is installed and embedded rigidly from one side to inside part of an extending corner 30 from the flexible display first part, and installed from the other side to a first shaft 31, that is extending through the housing groove 27 to the facing corner, wherein at the other end of this first shaft 31 a third gear 32 is installed, part of this third gear 32 is installed and embedded rigidly from one side to inside part of an extending corner 33 from the flexible display first part 22. The other side of the first gear 28 is engaged to a side of a forth gear 34, that is engaged from its other side via a toothed belt 35 to a fifth gear 36 located at the corner in-between the flexible display central part and second part, the belt 35 will be extending through a side groove 37 in the short edge of the flexible display central part 21 (in the illustrating figures, the groove 37 is made more wider than actual for making the viewing of the mechanisms more clear).

The fifth gear 36 is engaged from its other side to a sixth gear 38 located over it, while the second side of the sixth gear 38 is embedded rigidly in an extended part from the second flexible display extending part 23 corner 39. Furthermore, the second shaft 40 on which the sixth gear 38 installed, have at its other end a seventh gear 41 installed and embedded rigidly inside an extended part from the corner 42 of the flexible display second part 23. Note 1 : The flexible display 20, should have each of the display parts 21, 22, 23 framed with an inner rectangular metallic frame 43 to prevent any side part 22, 23 from curving at any location else than the flexible edges in-between the central part 21 and the side parts 22, 23.

Note 2: the spiral plate spring 24 will be under tension while the first and second parts 22, 23 are folded on the central part 21, for preventing the first and second parts 22, 23 from unfolding due to the effect of the tension in the extremely spiral plate spring 24, a conventional lock can be used to lock these two display parts 22, 23 to the central display part 21.

Detailed description of operation

Method of operation.

(Generally refer to all figures, specifically FIG.S (2 - 4) and specifically FIG.S (5. (A-C))

1- Un-folding configuration: the user just unlock the lock button (not shown), directly the spiral plate spring 24 which is under tension, will start rotating its drive shaft 26 counterclockwise, the drive shaft 26 will rotate the first gear 28 counterclockwise too, the first gear 28 directly will rotate the second gear 29, and as a result the third gear 32 of the first shaft 31, so the first shaft 31 will rotate the first side part 22 counterclockwise.

Meanwhile the first gear 28 on the drive shaft 26 of the spiral plate spring 24 too will drive an engaged forth gear 34, that will drive via the toothed belt 35 the fifth gear 36, that will drive the engaged sixth gear 38 which is installed on the second shaft 40, and as a result the seventh gear 41 is driven, such that the second shaft 40 will rotate the flexible display 20 second side part 23 counter wise in relation to the first part 22.

Note that because part of the second and third gears 28, 32 are embedded rigidly inside the light flexible display first part 22 from both side corners extension 30, 33, it will rotate clockwise to unfold to the flat horizontal configuration (tablet shape). Meanwhile and from the other side, because the sixth and seventh gears 38, 41 are embedded inside the flexible display second part 23 corners extensions 39, 42, this part 23 will rotate counterclockwise; as a result the flexible display second part 23 will unfold, until it reaches its horizontal unfold position.

2- Folding configuration: This step is to be carried out by manually rotating (folding) one or both side parts 22, 23 over the central part 21 , where they will be locked via a conventional button or know to the central part 21..

Other embodiment:

For compatibility, in another embodiment FIG.s 6. (A-C), all the flexible display parts 21, 22, 23 are to have nearly similar areas, in such embodiment for example: the second side part 23 is to be folded over the central part 21, while the first part 22 is to be folded over the second part 23. This means the second side part 23 while folding or unfolding should rotate a longer distance than the first part 21, in such embodiment two spiral plate springs: 1^st spiral plate spring 44 and 2^nd spiral plate spring two 45 can be used to rotate two side shafts 46, 47 to create two successive rotations for unfolding the first part 22 at first, then the second part 23, wherein two conventional lock buttons can be used for both side parts 22, 23, to unlock them separately, starting by the first part 22 which is located at the outer top side of the folded flexible display 20.

Industrial applicability

The subject invention has the following benefits which make it easier to be industrially applicable:

1- A motorizing mechanism which can be easily manufactured from available tools and materials with easy modifications.

2- Modification on the sides of the phones frames, without disturbing the inner content, or changing the final shape of the phones frames.

3- Smart start for a smart device, with a smooth flexible display sides unfolding like wings, or leaves of a flower, that power our dreams.

4- For the first time, a TRI-PHONE handling is made easy, where this design is gathering in-between the mobile phones two fighting objectives - portability and usability, while folded it is compactly portable, while unfolded it is a tablet with multi-uses and great features.

5- Easily handled, practically operating.

6- A costless weightless spiral plate spring and mechanism with great results.

7- Compact and attractive designs, with a great looking performance.

Parts Drawing Index:

16 Gear. 37 Belt groove.

17 Shaft. 38 Sixth gear.

18 plate. 39 Second part corner extension.

19 Pannel. 40 Second shaft.

20 Flexible Display (TRI-PHONE.) 41 Seventh gear.

21 Flexible display central part. 42 Second part corner extension.

22 Flexible display first part. 43 Metallic frame.

23 Flexible display Second part. 44 1^st spiral plate spring.

24 Spiral plate spring. 45 2^nd spiral plate spring two.

25 Spiral spring outer end. 46 1^st side shaft.

26 Drive shaft. 47 2^nd side shaft.

27 Groove.

28 First gear.

29 Second gear.

30 First part corner extension.

31 First shaft.

32 Third gear.

33 First part corner extension.

34 Forth gear.

35 Toothed belt.

36 Fifth gear.

Claims

1- A flexible display digital device (20) with a drive mechanism for folding and unfolding it comprising:

spiral plate spring (24) with a drive shaft (26);

two side shafts (31), (40) with two end gears (29), (32), (38), and (41) installed on each shaft respectively;

end gears ((29), (32)), ((38), (41)) embedded partially in extended corners (30), (33), (39), (42) of the flexible display (20) side parts (22), (23) respectively.

2- The flexible display (20) in claim 1, wherein it is divided into three regions, either with areas of equal parts comprising a central part (21) and a first side part (22) and a second part (23), or of a central part (21) with an area equals to the first and second parts (22) (23) areas.

3- The flexible display (20) in claims 1 and 2, wherein each of the display parts (21), (22), (23) is framed with a rectangular metallic frame (43) to prevent any part from curving at any location while rotating else than the flexible edges in-between the central part (21) and the side parts (22), (23).

4- The flexible display (20) in claim 1, wherein the drive shaft (26) of the spiral plate spring (24) will drive via a first gear (28) directly the engaged second gear (29) and as a result the third gear (32) of the first shaft (31), so that the first shaft (31) will rotate the first side part (22) counterclockwise, while the first gear (28) on the drive shaft (26) of the spiral plate spring (24) too will drive an engaged forth gear (34) that will drive via a toothed belt (35) a fifth gear (36) that will drive an engaged sixth gear (38) installed on the second shaft (40) and as a result the seventh gear (41) is driven, such that the second shaft (40) will rotate the flexible display (20) second side part (23) counter wise in relation to the first part (22).

5- The flexible display (20) in claims 1, 4, wherein the first and second drive shafts (31), (40) end gears ((29), (32)), ((38), (41)) which are partially and rigidly embedded in the corners extensions (30), (33), (39), (42) respectively, will rotate with their shafts (31) (40) and drive directly the rotation of the flexible display (20) first and second parts (22), (23) respectively.

6- The flexible display (20) in claim 1 , wherein in another embodiment its second side part (23) is folded over the central part (21) while its first part (22) is folded over the second part (23) using two spiral plate springs (44), (45), each driving one side shaft (46), (47) directly, such that the first outer top folded part (22) is unlocked and unfold before the second folded part (23).

7- A method of automatically un-folding a flexible display (20), comprising:

unlock the display side parts (22), (23) from the central part (21);

the tension-loaded spiral plate spring (24) drive shaft (26) will rotate and drive two drive shafts (31), (40), the first shaft (31) will rotate with its end gears (29) and (32) that are embedded in the extended corner parts (30) and (33) of the first side part (22), and as a result the first side part (22) is rotated clockwise;

while the second shaft (40) will rotate with its end gears (38) and (41) that are embedded in the extended corner parts (39) and (42) of the second side part (23), and as a result the second side part (23) is rotated counterclockwise;

the first and second side parts (22), (23) will rotate around and unfold, until they reach their horizontal unfold position, where the motor (24) stops.