A display system comprises a continuous flexible display and two main display supports being hingeably connected with respect to each other between a closed storage position and a planar open position for fixing the flexible display in an open position. Each of the supports is structurally configured to support respectively a first and a second portion of the flexible display, a segment of the flexible display is located between the said respective portions of the flexible display in the open position. The display system comprises a spring force biased mechanism operative in either the open or closed position or both the open and closed positions of the flexible display, biasing said segment of the flexible display in the respective position.
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29. A display system comprising:
a continuous flexible display;
a support frame comprising first and second main display supports, coupled by a hinge mechanism with at least one hinge axis and each structurally configured to support respectively a first and a second portion of the flexible display, the two main display supports being hingeable between a configuration for fixing the flexible display in a closed storage position and a planar configuration for fixing the flexible display in an open position, a segment of the flexible display being located between the said respective portions of the flexible display in the open position; and
a spring force biased mechanism operative in either the open or closed position or both the open and closed positions of the flexible display, biasing said segment of the flexible display in the respective position,
wherein one of the portions of the flexible display comprises an elastic border part, being connected with the main display support, biasing the flexible display in the open position.
55. A display system comprising:
a continuous flexible display;
a support frame comprising first and second main display supports, coupled by a hinge mechanism with at least one hinge axis and each structurally configured to support respectively a first and a second portion of the flexible display, the two main display supports being hingeable between a configuration for fixing the flexible display in a closed storage position and a planar configuration for fixing the flexible display in an open position, a segment of the flexible display being located between the said respective portions of the flexible display in the open position; and
a spring force biased mechanism operative in either the open or closed position or both the open and closed positions of the flexible display, biasing said segment of the flexible display in the respective position,
wherein the spring force biased mechanism enables that the segment of the flexible display in the open position is stretched, keeping the display taut stretched in the an area of the hinge mechanism.
0. 60. A display system comprising:
a flexible display comprising a first portion, a second portion and a third portion, the third portion being located between the first portion and the second portion;
a support frame comprising first and second display supports coupled, by a hinge, to be rotatable between a configuration for maintaining the flexible display in a closed position and a configuration for maintaining the flexible display in an open position, the first display support supporting the first portion of the flexible display and the second display support supporting the second portion of the flexible display;
a first slider element being connected with the second portion of the flexible display, and being slidably mounted on the second display support;
a first spring being connected with the first slider element, and pulling the flexible display to maintain the flexible display in the open position, and
a first end stop limiting sliding of the first slider element in the closed position of the flexible display.
17. A display system comprising:
a continuous flexible display;
a support frame comprising first and second main display supports, coupled by a hinge mechanism with at least one hinge axis and each structurally configured to support respectively a first and a second portion of the flexible display, the two main display supports being hingeable between a configuration for fixing the flexible display in a closed storage position and a planar configuration for fixing the flexible display in an open position, a segment of the flexible display being located between the said respective portions of the flexible display in the open position; and
a spring force biased mechanism operative in either the open or closed position or both the open and closed positions of the flexible display, biasing said segment of the flexible display in the respective position,
wherein the spring force biased mechanism comprises a slider element, the second portion of the flexible display is fixed to the slider element, which is slidably mounted on the second main display support,
wherein during movement of the display from the storage to the open position the movement of the slider element is limited by an end stop.
1. A display system comprising:
a continuous flexible display;
a support frame comprising first and second main display supports, coupled by a hinge mechanism with at least one hinge axis and each structurally configured to support respectively a first and a second portion of the flexible display, the two main display supports being hingeable between a configuration for fixing the flexible display in a closed storage position and a planar configuration for fixing the flexible display in an open position, a segment of the flexible display being located between the said respective portions of the flexible display in the open position; and
a spring force biased mechanism operative in either the open or closed position or both the open and closed positions of the flexible display, biasing said segment of the flexible display in the respective position,
wherein the spring force biased mechanism comprises a slider element, the second portion of the flexible display is fixed to the slider element, which is slidably mounted on the second main display support,
wherein during movement of the display from the open to the storage position the movement of the slider element is limited by a first end stop.
39. A display system comprising:
a continuous flexible display;
a support frame comprising first and second main display supports, coupled by a hinge mechanism with at least one hinge axis and each structurally configured to support respectively a first and a second portion of the flexible display, the two main display supports being hingeable between a configuration for fixing the flexible display in a closed storage position and a planar configuration for fixing the flexible display in an open position, a segment of the flexible display being located between the said respective portions of the flexible display in the open position; and
a spring force biased mechanism operative in either the open or closed position or both the open and closed positions of the flexible display, biasing said segment of the flexible display in the respective position,
wherein the hinge mechanism comprises a flexible hinge having a plurality of hinge axis positions inside the hinge mechanism, which the flexible hinge comprising a hinge pin, the flexible hinge is part of the spring force biased mechanism and enables a freedom of movement of the hinge pin between the plurality of hinge axis positions in a direction substantially parallel to the display surface in the open position.
15. A display system comprising:
a continuous flexible display;
a body;
a support frame comprising first and second main display supports, coupled by a first hinge mechanism and each structurally configured to support respectively a first and a second portion of the flexible display, the first main display support being coupled by a second hinge mechanism with the body, the two main display supports being hingeable between a wrapped configuration around the body for fixing the flexible display in a closed storage position and a planar configuration for fixing the flexible display in an open position, a first segment of the flexible display being located near the first hinge mechanism between the said respective portions of the flexible display in the open position, a third portion of the flexible display being coupled with the body, a second segment of the flexible display being located near the second hinge mechanism between the first and third portion of the flexible display; and
a spring force biased mechanism;
wherein the third portion of the flexible display is slidably mounted on the body, and wherein the spring force biased mechanism is operative in either the open or closed position or both the open and closed positions of the flexible display, biasing said second segment of the flexible display in the respective position.
48. A display system comprising:
a continuous flexible display;
a support frame comprising first and second main display supports, coupled by a hinge mechanism with at least one hinge axis and each structurally configured to support respectively a first and a second portion of the flexible display, the two main display supports being hingeable between a configuration for fixing the flexible display in a closed storage position and a planar configuration for fixing the flexible display in an open position, a segment of the flexible display being located between the said respective portions of the flexible display in the open position; and
a spring force biased mechanism operative in either the open or closed position or both the open and closed positions of the flexible display, biasing said segment of the flexible display in the respective position,
a body, the first main display support being hingeably connected with the body, the two main display supports being hingeable between a wrapped configuration around the body for fixing the flexible display in a closed storage position and a planar configuration for fixing the flexible display in an open position, a third portion of the flexible display being coupled with the body, a second segment of the flexible display being located between the first and third portion of the flexible display,
wherein the third portion of the flexible display is slidably mounted on the body, and
wherein the display system comprises a spring force biased mechanism operative in either the open or closed position or both the open and closed positions of the flexible display, biasing said second segment of the flexible display in the open position.
2. The display system as recited in
3. The display system as recited in
4. The display system as recited in
5. The display system as recited in
6. The display system as recited in
7. The display system as recited in
8. The display system as recited in
9. The display system as recited in
10. The display system as recited in
11. The display system as recited in
12. The display system as recited in
a body, the first main display support being hingeably connected with the body, the two main display supports being hingeable between a wrapped configuration around the body for fixing the flexible display in a closed storage position and a planar configuration for fixing the flexible display in an open position, a third portion of the flexible display being coupled with the body, a second segment of the flexible display being located between the first and third portion of the flexible display,
wherein the third portion of the flexible display is slidably mounted on the body, and
wherein the display system comprises a spring force biased mechanism operative in either the open or closed position or both the open and closed positions of the flexible display, biasing said second segment of the flexible display in the open position.
13. The display system as recited in
14. The display system as recited in
16. The display system as recited in
18. The display system as recited in
19. The display system as recited in
20. The display system as recited in
21. The display system as recited in
22. The display system as recited in
23. The display system as recited in
24. The display system as recited in
25. The display system as recited in
26. The display system as recited in
a body, the first main display support being hingeably connected with the body, the two main display supports being hingeable between a wrapped configuration around the body for fixing the flexible display in a closed storage position and a planar configuration for fixing the flexible display in an open position, a third portion of the flexible display being coupled with the body, a second segment of the flexible display being located between the first and third portion of the flexible display,
wherein the third portion of the flexible display is slidably mounted on the body, and
wherein the display system comprises a spring force biased mechanism operative in either the open or closed position or both the open and closed positions of the flexible display, biasing said second segment of the flexible display in the open position.
27. The display system as recited in
28. The display system as recited in
30. The display system as recited in
31. The display system as recited in
32. The display system as recited in
33. The display system as recited in
34. The display system as recited in
35. The display system as recited in
36. The display system as recited in
a body, the first main display support being hingeably connected with the body, the two main display supports being hingeable between a wrapped configuration around the body for fixing the flexible display in a closed storage position and a planar configuration for fixing the flexible display in an open position, a third portion of the flexible display being coupled with the body, a second segment of the flexible display being located between the first and third portion of the flexible display,
wherein the third portion of the flexible display is slidably mounted on the body, and
wherein the display system comprises a spring force biased mechanism operative in either the open or closed position or both the open and closed positions of the flexible display, biasing said second segment of the flexible display in the open position.
37. The display system as recited in
38. The display system as recited in
40. The display system as recited in
41. The display system as recited in
42. The display system as recited in
43. The display system as recited in
44. The display system as recited in
45. The display system as recited in
a body, the first main display support being hingeably connected with the body, the two main display supports being hingeable between a wrapped configuration around the body for fixing the flexible display in a closed storage position and a planar configuration for fixing the flexible display in an open position, a third portion of the flexible display being coupled with the body, a second segment of the flexible display being located between the first and third portion of the flexible display,
wherein the third portion of the flexible display is slidably mounted on the body, and
wherein the display system comprises a spring force biased mechanism operative in either the open or closed position or both the open and closed positions of the flexible display, biasing said second segment of the flexible display in the open position.
46. The display system as recited in
47. The display system as recited in
49. The display system as recited in
50. The display system as recited in
51. The display system as recited in
52. The display system as recited in
53. The display system as recited in
54. The display system as recited in
56. The display system as recited in
57. The display system as recited in
58. The display system as recited in
59. The display system as recited in
0. 61. The display system as recited in claim 60, wherein the first portion of the flexible display is fixed to the first display support.
0. 62. The display system as recited in claim 60, wherein the system further comprises:
a second slider element being connected with the first portion of the flexible display, and being slidably mounted on the first display support;
a second spring being connected with the second slider element, and pulling the flexible display to maintain the flexible display in the open position, and
a second end stop limiting sliding of the second slider element in the closed position of the flexible display.
0. 63. The display system as recited in claim 62, wherein the third portion of the flexible display is fixed to the support frame.
0. 64. The display system as recited in claim 63, wherein the support frame comprises a fixation disposed between the first display support and the second display support, fixing the third portion of the flexible display.
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Reducing the distance between the hinge points (12) to zero would result in a single hinge ‘book’ type of the display system. However the calculation of the unfixed display length would still hold.
In the other extreme situation one could (theoretically) align the hinge points with the fixation points—in other words reduce the distance to the hinge points (11) to zero.
Due to the linear relationship between these extremes situations the upshot of these considerations is that the hinge points need to lie on the dotted lines a, b indicated in
13=(2*11+12)/2
In accordance with the invention, by allowing one of the fixed parts of the display to slide, the position of the hinge points can be shifted.
In a first embodiment of the invention schematically shown in
As shown in
In
In another embodiment of a ‘book’ concept shown in
It is observed that this embodiment with the two slider elements 10 can also be configured without the fixation 9a of the segment 2a so that the display is only connected with the slider elements 10. Such a configuration has the advantage of an easy mounting of the display in the housing, whereas in the display itself a smooth transition exists between the parts supported by the slider elements and the non-supported parts of the segment 2a.
Also the embodiment shown in
An embodiment of the display system 1 schematically shown in
In
A spring 32 biases in the embodiment of
In
In this embodiment the hinge pin is mounted in an elastic substance 35 (such as rubber). While moving from the closed position of
It is observed that in an alternative solution (not shown) for the embodiments of
The display system in accordance with the invention provides a way to assemble a flexible display in a housing, leaving one degree of freedom for movement of the display in the housing. Basically the invention allows one (or more) of the ‘fixation’ point(s) of the display to move relative to the hinge while closing the housing. Essentially this reduces during closing the excess display length that needs to be compensated for.
An advantage of the invention is that the design freedom for the display system is much larger and not limited by the prior limited position of the hinge axis (or axes in case of double hinges).
A second advantage is that the display in open situation of the system can be pre-stretched by the spring (or spring means) 12 or 32, located in the connection between the slider element and the housing, thus preventing the sagging of the display segment 2a, 2b, 2c respectively in the hinge area in the open situation. Because of this pre-stretching, the display will also be more able to withstand touching with less deformation.
In accordance with the invention the spring force biased mechanism—i.e. the slider or sliders 10 cooperating with the spring or springs 12 of
Finally due to the increased space available in the hinge area more space is available for a “touch support” mechanism such as described in U.S. application No. 61/506,177, filed Jul. 11, 2011. Such a “touch support” for the display segment 2a in combination with the pre-stretching of the display by the spring 12 may be advantageous for the life time of the display, especially in the gaps between the different display supports of the display system, where no support is available.
The detailed drawings, specific examples and particular formulations given, serve the purpose of illustration only. Furthermore, other substitutions, modifications, changes, and omissions may be made in the design, operating conditions, and arrangement of the exemplary embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.
Walters, Michael, Verschoor, Volker Barnhart, Tillaar, Han Van Den, Dijk, Robert Sjang Josine Van, Lieshout, Pieter van
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