JP2006113504A - Storage device having flat or curved surface - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a storage device having a flat and a curved surface that enables the flat and curved surfaces to be stored and expanded through easy operation and can maintain surface shapes. <P>SOLUTION: A support part is arranged on the frame or the whole surface of a surface and an elastic body, shape memory alloy, etc., is used to put the surface in a high-rigidity shape when the surface which is taken up and stored is expanded to maintain the shape of the surface. A motor or a spring is used for power when the surface is taken up or expanded to enables the surface to be stored and expanded through easy operation. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

The present invention relates to a flat or curved storage device, and particularly to a flat or curved storage device having a display unit such as electronic paper.

Conventional technology

As devices for displaying information, thin devices such as liquid crystal displays, plasma displays, and electronic paper have been developed and applied to various devices such as televisions, personal computers, mobile devices, digital cameras, and mobile phones. However, these display devices take up space and are a factor that hinders downsizing of mobile devices and mobile phones.

JP-A-10-319889 and JP-A-11-95692 solve this problem by winding the display unit inside the main body. In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-274250, a flexible display is wound up and sent out by a motor.

Problems to be solved by the invention

In the above prior art, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-95692 does not take special consideration for maintaining the shape of the display surface. In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 10-319889 and 2003-274250, the shape of the display surface can be maintained by fixing the wound surface to the support portion after the surface has been completely developed. In order to expand the surface, it is necessary to operate the support part and fix the display surface, which makes the operation complicated. In order to solve this problem, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-109880 discloses a technique for developing a rounded or folded display surface into a planar shape by using a shape memory alloy. No consideration is given to the combination, and if it is simply used in combination with a winding mechanism, the display surface is extended until all the wound surfaces are fed out and developed into a planar shape by the effect of the shape memory alloy. Will be bent.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a flat and curved storage device that can store and expand a flat surface and a curved surface by a simple operation and can maintain the surface shape.

Means for solving the problem

In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention is a flat or curved storage device having a support portion that can be wound and stored, and holding the surface shape by the support portion.

The support portion is arranged on the surface frame or the entire back surface, and by using an elastic material or a shape memory alloy, the shape of the surface is maintained by becoming a highly rigid shape when the surface is expanded from the retracted and stored state. . With respect to winding and unfolding of the surface, it is possible to store and unfold the surface by a simple operation by using a motor or a spring as power. Moreover, it can be used as a display surface that can be stored by fixing a flexible display such as a printed matter such as a photograph or electronic paper on the surface that can be stored.

Embodiment

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment in which a plane can be stored. A flat surface 102 that can be wound and housed is fixed to the support portion 101, and is guided to a winding device by a roller 103. In FIG. 1, an elastic material is used as a support portion, and a mainspring spring 104 is used as a winding device. In this example, since a spring is used as the winding device, it is necessary to pull out the plane 102 by a human hand in order to unfold it.

Since the support portion 101 is attached as a frame of the flat surface 102 and originally has a straight shape, the flat surface 102 becomes straight when the flat surface 102 is pulled out. It becomes flat by elastic force. The cross section of the support portion 101 is linear when it is wound and stored by the winding device. However, when the flat surface 102 is expanded, the flat surface is expanded by being deformed into a shape as shown in FIG. 2 by elastic force. The rigidity for maintaining the shape of 102 is obtained. As described above, since the cross-sectional shape of the support portion 101 is deformed from a linear shape as shown in FIG. 2, the plane 102 and the support portion 101 are fixed only at one end of the cross-section of the support portion 101.

The roller 103 also plays a role of supporting the developed flat surface, and the lower roller has a shape as shown in FIG. 3 to support the frame while maintaining the cross-sectional shape as shown in FIG.

In this example, the spring is used as the power only by winding, but by providing the feeding motor 401 as shown in FIG. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the plane can be developed and stored by forward / reverse rotation of the motor 501 without using a spring in the winding device. At this time, the motor 501 is controlled by using a winding / deployment amount detection means or a winding / deployment end detection means.

FIG. 6 shows an example in which a shape memory alloy is used as the support portion 101. The support portion 101 is attached as a frame of the flat surface 102, and the shape memory alloy stores a linear shape having a cross section shown in FIG. The frame of the shape memory alloy is stretched in a planar shape by a roller having a conical end as shown in FIG. 8, and is wound around a winding device.

At the time of unfolding, it is overheated by energizing only the portion of the unfolded electrode through the frame by the electrode installed near the roller, that is, restored to the original shape shown in FIG. obtain. When it is desired to obtain a curved surface during development, the curved surface may be stored in the shape memory alloy.

FIG. 9 shows an example in which the present invention is applied to a pen. As in this example, by applying the present invention to a pen, it becomes possible to develop and view photographs and memos at any time. By sticking something like a sticky note on a flat surface, it is possible to carry a temporary memo together with the pen, and perform writing with the pen while developing the flat surface and viewing the memo as necessary.

It is also possible to change the information to be displayed on a plane as necessary by fixing the electronic paper and taking the information into the information storage device provided inside the pen.

A pen with a lens can be formed by making the plane into a film-like lens.

FIG. 10 shows an example in which the present invention is applied to a mobile phone. By using power for both flattening and storage, the screen can be expanded and stored with a simple button operation. In addition, the length of the plane to be developed can be changed as necessary. When confirming the calling number when making a call, the plane is only a little, and when there is a large amount of information to be displayed, such as reading and writing mail, the plane can be expanded and used.

The application of the present invention is not limited to the above portable items, but can be applied to various things such as a stationary display device and a table that can be stored on a wall.

effect

According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a plane or curved surface with excellent rigidity that can be stored / deployed as required, so that a large display device can be attached to a portable object such as a pen or a mobile phone. Become. In addition, the present invention can be applied to various types of storage devices such as stationary display devices and stowable tables.

Perspective view of the invention Example of cross-sectional shape of support part Example of roller shape Perspective view of the invention Perspective view of the invention Perspective view of the invention Example of cross-sectional shape of support part Example of roller shape Example applied to a pen Example applied to mobile phones

Explanation of symbols

101, support portion 102, plane 103, roller 104, mainspring spring 401, delivery motor 501, motor

Claims (3)

A surface storage device comprising: a surface that can be wound and stored; a surface support portion that maintains the shape of the surface; and a surface winding portion that winds and stores the surface. 2. The surface storage device according to claim 1, further comprising surface expansion means for expanding the surface so that the surface can be used. 3. The surface storage device according to claim 1, further comprising information display means on the surface.

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