Patent Blitz: A Peek at Seven 2019 Samsung Folding, Scrolling Smartphone Inventions
Samsung reported another huge loss for Q2 2019 and during their financial conference in late July an executive stated that the company would be trying to expand their foldable lineup and offer intuitive mobile experiences with the new Even though the Galaxy Fold had to be delayed for months due to multiple display and hinge mechanism problems, the company continues to pound out foldable and scrollable patents for future devices with different display and hinge concepts with no end in sight.
Patently Mobile has been staying on top of Samsung's foldable and scrollable device patents with the vast majority of them covered in our Samsung display archives.
Considering that many of the new patents resemble one another, we've only been covering new and original designs. Going forward we'll cover new foldable device patents occasionally, starting with this report today. Each patent covered in this report is linked back to the original patent filing so that Apple fans can stay on top of what Apple's rival Samsung is up to on the foldable smartphone front.
01: Rollable Display Device and Rollable Device
An exemplary embodiment provides a rollable display device and a rollable device suppressing a strain due to a stress generated when being rolled to a roller. The first protection film extends beyond a first display edge of the rollable display. The rollable display device further includes a second protection film disposed on a second surface of the rollable display facing the first surface of the rollable display. The second protection film extends beyond the first display edge of the rollable display.
02: Flexible Display Apparatus & Controlling Method
With continuing improvements of electronic technologies, various types of display apparatuses are being developed and are widely used. For example, display apparatuses such as TVs, PCs, laptop computers, tablet PCs, mobile phones, MP3 players, etc. have such high penetration rates that they seem to be in use in almost all households.
The flexible display apparatus includes a display unit, a sensor configured to sense a bending of the flexible display apparatus, and a controller configured to display first contents on a first screen of the display unit, and to reconfigure and display the first contents on a second screen generated on an area of the display unit based on the bending.
In one example, when the flexible display apparatus is a TV, the flexible display apparatus may perform functions corresponding to the bending input such as selecting channels, adjusting volume, adjusting brightness, adjusting color, adjusting contrast, etc.
03: Electronic Device Comprising Multiple Displays
Samsung's patent relates to electronic devices, e.g., electronic devices having multiple display devices hinged together to be foldable or unfoldable.
04: Foldable Display Device
Samsung's patent FIG. 28 above is a view illustrating folding states for specific angles of a foldable display device including a first type hinge housing
05: Foldable Display Device
Samsung's patent FIG. 8 above is a perspective view of a foldable display device; FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a folded state of a foldable display device.
Samsung's invention covers a foldable display device that includes: a display panel; a pair of rear surface supporters supporting a rear surface of the display panel; a fastener fastening the pair of rear surface supporters; and a pair of pivots respectively connecting the fastener and the pair of rear surface supporters, wherein a position of the pivot is determined by an equation in the patent filing.
06: Folding Display Apparatus
Samsung's patent covers a foldable display apparatus that is adjustable between a folded configuration and an unfolded configuration includes a flexible display panel that is foldable; a case including a first case that supports a first side of the flexible display panel and a second case that supports a second side of the flexible display panel; a link member connecting the first case to the second case; and a locking unit configured to prevent rotation of the first case and the second case in a folding direction when the foldable display apparatus is in the unfolded configuration.
The locking unit may include a slide cover rotatably coupled to the first case and slidably coupled to the second case; and a locking lever rotatably mounted on the second case and configured to prevent sliding of the slide cover when the locking lever is in a locked position.
The slide cover may slide along a rail groove in the second case when the first case and the second case are rotated to move the foldable display apparatus between the folded configuration and the unfolded configuration. Rotation of the first and second cases may be inhibited when movement of the slide cover along the rail groove is blocked.
07: Foldable Device
Samsung's patent FIG. 7 above is an exploded perspective view of the foldable device; FIG. 19 is a perspective view of an unfolding state of the foldable device.
Samsung's patent abstract states: A foldable device includes a flexible display including first, second, and third portions; a body including first, second, and third support portions which respectively supports the first, second, and third portions; a hinge including a first rotation axis which connects the first support portion to the third support portion, and a second rotation axis which connects the second support portion to the third support portion; and a slot hole which is rotatably coupled with the first and second rotation axes, and which moves the first rotation axis and the second rotation axis when the first support portion and the second support portion rotate with respect to the third support portion. The first and second rotation axes allow the first and second support portions to rotate with respect to the third support portion when the flexible display changes from an open state to a closed state.
Comments