JP2020198605A - Smartphone tablet - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a cover-display surface engagement mechanism and method by using a cover of a smart phone to suppress the vertical movement of an opened display surface in a smartphone which has a display surface that is approximately twice the size when the display surface bent and folded on the back side of the main body is opened.SOLUTION: A sub-cover 12 that slides in and out of a main cover 11 is provided. A magnet 17 is installed in the upper part of the end of the sub-cover. When the display surface is opened and used, the sub cover 12 is pulled out, and the magnet 17 on the upper part of the sub cover and an iron thin plate 21 arranged on the back surface of a predetermined corresponding portion of the expanded display surface 15 are attracted to each other, thereby suppressing the vertical movement of the display surface.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

A smartphone that has a large screen similar to a seamless double-sized tablet when the thin-layer display surface that is bent and folded on the back side of the smartphone body is opened, and such a retractable smartphone / tablet.

Today, many smartphones and tablets are evolving and are being used as essential items in people's lives and work. Furthermore, the patent of Cited Document 1 has been issued, saying that it is easier to carry a product having both functions with one unit than to carry these two units. The essence of this patent is that the basic form is a smartphone, but if you open the thin layer display surface that is bent and folded on the back side and make it horizontal, it becomes a seamless surface that is almost twice the size, and it transforms into a large screen close to a tablet. It is a portable display device.

JP6198194B2 (2017-09-27) USP Application Publication US2007 / 0336831 A1

The screen of the smartphone is small. The font size is also small. If you keep looking for a long time, your eyes will get tired. Many elderly people find it difficult to read. On the other hand, the screen of a tablet PC (tablet) is wide and the character size can be increased if the amount of information is the same. Alternatively, the amount of information can be increased if the character size is the same. You can also enjoy photos and videos more dynamically. However, the size of the main body is large, and it cannot be carried in a pocket, for example. Citation 1 is a new, unique and effective proposal that addresses such issues.

Specifically, as shown by diverting from Reference 1 in FIG. 1, the mother body is a smartphone (No. 1 in FIG. 1), and the display surface is bent and folded, which is extremely convenient for carrying. When this bent and folded display surface is expanded, it transforms into a seamless double-sized display surface (No. 2 in FIG. 1), which gives rise to a feature as a large screen similar to a tablet.

Fig. 2 in FIG. 2-1 shows a cross-sectional view of the short side end of one of the four side ends of this smartphone. Number 1 is the smartphone body, 2 is the display surface, 3 is the smartphone cover, and 4 is the fulcrum of the cover. This cover 3 is attached to the Fig. The display surface 2 is housed in the bottom of the smartphone as shown by the opening number 6 by rotating as shown by the number 5 of 2-2. On the contrary, the display surface contained in FIG. 3 is shown expanded as shown by the number 7. However, if nothing is done, this expanded display surface will hang down as shown by number 8. Therefore, a display surface support mechanism 9 and a support member 10 are provided in the smartphone body of FIG.

When this sagging countermeasure is reviewed again, the following three drawbacks can be seen. 1: Valuable space of the main body is ceded to a display surface support mechanism other than the main body function as a smartphone. 2: Every time the main body is improved and designed, the sagging prevention mechanism (display surface support mechanism) must be reassembled. 3: The user must operate a total of two support mechanisms, one above the other, each time the display surface is opened. I want to do it in one place. A new sagging prevention mechanism that eliminates these three drawbacks is desired. As a major premise, follow the concept of "Do not double the thickness of a conventional foldable smartphone" presented in Reference 1. These are a group of problems to be solved by the present invention.

The problem-solving means 1 is a smartphone (13) having a display surface (14) composed of at least a flexible touch sensor thin layer and a flexible thin film display layer on the upper surface, and a device covering the lower surface and all side ends of the smartphone. A smartphone / tablet composed of a cover (11), wherein the display surface (14) forms a further display surface (15) extending beyond the upper surface of the smartphone, and the display surface (15) is the smartphone (13). ) Can be bent and folded 180 degrees to the back side of the smartphone along the side end portion, and the thin layer base material of the display surface (15) is a flexible material (20) such as a rubber material at the bent and folded portion. The other part is a rigid thin plate (22) such as a plastic thin plate that keeps a flat surface, and the total thickness is 1 mm or more and 2 mm or less. The flexible material (20) of this rigid thin plate is followed by a ferromagnetic thin layer such as iron material. The material (21) is embedded, and when the display surface (15) is opened, it is engaged with the magnet embedded in the device cover, and the display surface (15) is bent with a combined structure that keeps the posture horizontal. In the state, it becomes a smartphone with a display surface only on the upper surface (14), and when opened from the bent state, it becomes a smartphone with a seamless large screen that uses the entire display surface (14 and 15). Is.

The problem-solving means 2 is a smartphone / tablet characterized in that the display surfaces (14 and 15) of the problem-solving means 1 are organic EL.

In the problem solving means 3, in the problem solving means 1 and 2, the device cover (11) is opened and closed by aligning the bent side end surface and the bottom of the display surface (15) which is at least stretched and expanded to open and close the display surface (15). In addition to being compatible with folding in and out, this device cover has a built-in second device cover (12) that slides in and out, and in particular, a magnet (17) is embedded in the upper end of this second device cover to provide a display surface (15). When opening to display a large screen, the second device cover (12) is slid out, and the magnet (17) and the ferromagnetic base material (21) on the back surface of the display surface (15) are attracted to each other. The smartphone / tablet is characterized in that it has a function of preventing the display surface (15) from hanging down or jumping up, and is composed of the device cover (11) and the portable device (13).

The effects of the problem-solving means are as follows. The display surface is composed of a flexible thin film display member and a flexible thin film driving member thereof, and a supporting substrate thereof is also composed of a combination of a flexible thin layer and a rigid thin layer. A flexible thin-layer touch sensor is also used. In addition, since the display surface is bent 180 degrees to the back side along the side edge of the smartphone / tablet, the display surface is not broken or broken at the bent portion.

With such a display surface configuration, even if the display surface is folded, the thickness does not double as in conventional machines, and it becomes a convenient smartphone that can be put in a clothes pocket. The display area is almost doubled, and you can enjoy a large display surface that can be called a tablet. It is a smartphone / tablet that fits in your pocket.

On top of that, in this proposal, the cover that covers the underside and all side edges of the smartphone / tablet protects the bottom and all side edges of the smartphone as a cover when it is held by hand, and the folded display surface is dirty or scratched. Is being prevented. Further, when the display surface is expanded and used as a seamless tablet, the cover 11 and the built-in removable sub-cover 12 are opened to expand the display surface. In addition, the sub-cover 12 is pulled out from the cover 11 and the ferromagnetic substrate of the display surface base material is brought into close contact with the magnet at the upper end thereof to prevent the display surface from hanging down and jumping up. There is only one action to touch the cover to maintain the posture of the display surface, and only once. In this way, the smartphone body is not modified and its cover is provided with a display surface support function so that the display screen can be deployed and used without sagging or jumping, which is a characteristic effect.

Regarding the confirmation of the basic points of the effect, a typical example of a conventional smartphone / tablet having the same purpose from the viewpoint of "the basic is a smartphone and the display surface is approximately double the size when opened" is the type shown in FIG. Shown as A and A'. The number 23 is the smartphone body and the number 24 is the cover. The screen 26 appears when the cover is opened as indicated by the arrow 25. As can be seen from this figure, (1) when opened, it is not a single large screen but two separate screens. A crease 27 appears in the center. Further, there is no display surface on the upper surface 24 when the cover is closed.

One of the above-mentioned drawbacks is Type B and B'in FIG. Another smartphone 29 is connected to the smartphone 28 in a cover shape with flexibility. A flexible material is also used for the display surface 30, and the separation line when opened is eliminated. Further, the display surface 32 is also provided on the cover of 29. Patent Document 2: USP Application Publication US2007 / 0336831 A1 is a broad and deep study of a technique for more smoothly and surely connecting two smartphones 33 shown by Type C in FIG. 15, and a polygonal line when opened. It suggests a solution that eliminates outbreaks and improves durability.

Further, as shown in Type D of FIG. 16, the two smartphones 34 and 35 and their display surfaces 36 are flexibly combined. If one of them is bent downward and folded, it becomes a smartphone, and if it is opened as shown by No. 37, it becomes a tablet screen 36'indicated by Type D'.

FIG. 17 shows a type using a flexible smartphone / tablet 38 and a display surface 39 as Type E. If you open it as shown by the arrow 25, you will get a seamless large screen 39'indicated by Type E'. A display surface 40 is also provided on the bent upper surface of the 38.

The countermeasures Type B, C, D, and E adopted in these existing smartphones and tablets are reasonable solutions, but 1: the total thickness of smartphones and tablets is doubled, which is inconvenient to carry. 2: The display screen must be increased by one, and cost increase is unavoidable. 3: The flexible display surface of the thin film is used, but there is a risk of bending breakage as the bending is repeated 180 degrees. The present invention is characterized by the fact that it is possible to avoid a cost increase without significantly increasing the thickness and the display surface as compared with these existing solutions, and in addition, there is no risk of bending fracture.

The figure which conformed to the cited document 1. It has a display surface that is approximately twice the width of the main body, and if it is bent and folded on the back side of the main body, it becomes a smartphone, and if the bent and folded display surface is extended, it becomes twice the area, and it can be said to be a tablet. The cover of the smartphone (cross-sectional view) 1 suggested by the cited document 1 is opened, and the display surface 2 stored by bending and folding is unfolded. The display surface 2 in which the smartphone (cross-sectional view) 1 suggested by the cited document 1 is stored is expanded. Measures against hanging of the display surface suggested by Cited Document 1. A method of incorporating display surface support devices at both ends of the smartphone body. A new smartphone / tablet (cross-sectional view) composed of a smartphone and a cover 11 that covers the lower surface and all side edges thereof. An open view of the stored display surface. If left as it is, the display surface will hang down or jump up depending on the posture of the smartphone. The sub-cover 12 incorporated in the cover 11 is pulled out to prevent the display surface from hanging down. A bird's-eye view of the cover 11 that protects all side edges. The figure which attached the cover 11 to the smartphone 13. A state in which the cover 11 is opened and the open display surface 15 of the smartphone is bent to be stored and returned. Display surface posture maintenance mechanism utilizing magnets: An enlarged view of the opening / closing side end of the cover that protects all side ends of the alternate long and short dash line A in FIG. The state where the sub cover is retracted. An enlarged view of the open / close side end of the cover that protects all side ends of the alternate long and short dash line A in FIG. 7. The state where the sub cover is pulled out. A typical example of an existing smartphone. When closed, the display surface disappears. Open to 2 screens, but 2 separate screens Disadvantages of existing smartphones Countermeasure 1: Another smartphone is flexibly connected in a cover shape, and a flexible material is used for the display surface to eliminate the separation line when it is opened. Disadvantage countermeasure 2: A display surface is also provided on the cover. A smartphone / tablet that makes the flexible connection of the two smartphones shown in FIG. 14 smoother and more reliable, eliminates the occurrence of broken lines when opened, and improves durability. Existing smartphones and tablets that combine two smartphones and their display surfaces with flexibility, and when one is bent downward to become a smartphone, and when opened, it becomes a large screen display surface that can be called a tablet. .. Existing smartphones and tablets that use a flexible base and display surface.

The embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 5 to 13. Number 13 in FIG. 5 is a smartphone / tablet. The number 14 is the display surface of the smartphone, and the display surface when opened to be a tablet is 15. The display surface 15 and the continuous display surface 14 have a protective layer of a transparent thin film on the top layer, and are constructed of a flexible touch sensor thin layer, an organic EL layer as a thin layer display material, and these thin layer base materials. .. The layer thickness of the display surface 15 formed by laminating these thin layer materials is suppressed to 1 to 2 mm.

Number 11 is a cover that protects all side edges of the smartphone / tablet, and has a built-in sub-cover 12 that can be slid in and out. As the material of the cover 11, polycarbonate, silicon material, thermoplastic polyurethane, or the like is suitable. FIG. 6 shows a state in which the covers 11 and 12 are opened and the display surface 15 is expanded. If no treatment is performed, the display surface hangs down to 15-1 as shown by arrow 8, or 8'depending on the posture of the smartphone / tablet. As shown by, the display surface jumps up to 15-2. As a countermeasure, the sub-cover 12 is slid as shown by arrow 12-1 in FIG. 7 to engage with the extruded display surface 15 to prevent hanging as shown by arrow 16 or to prevent jumping as shown by arrow 16'. is there.

FIG. 8 shows a bird's-eye view of the cover 11. A sub-cover 12 is built in, in which 11-2 slides in and out at the bottom. The bottom 11-2 has a stopper-Stp. Is provided, and the sub cover 12 is pulled out to this point. It is also a good idea to attach a drawer knob 41 to the sub cover, which makes it easier to use. Magnet pieces 17 are attached to both ends of the upper part on the tip side of the sub cover.

FIG. 9 shows a diagram in which the cover 11 is attached to the smartphone tablet 13. Numbers 14 and 15 are display surfaces, and 18 is a self-portrait camera loaded in 13. The main camera that shoots the front is on the left side of the opposite side of this figure and is not shown in the figure, but the number 18-2 is a notch hole to avoid covering the main camera when the display surface 15 is bent and folded. .. FIG. 10 shows how the cover 11 is opened and closed as shown by arrow 19-1, and the display surface 15 is bent and stored and opened as shown by arrow 19-2.

11 and 12 show enlarged views of the cross section of the portion surrounded by the alternate long and short dash line A in FIG. 7, that is, the opening / closing side end of the sub cover 12. FIG. 11 shows a state before the sub cover 12 is pulled out, and FIG. 12 shows a state where the sub cover 12 is pulled out. Magnets 17 are embedded in both ends of the upper side of the sub cover 12. The magnet 17 is not limited to a specific object, but a neodymium magnet having a strong magnetic force even if it is small is preferable.

The size of the magnet 17 was 1.5 to 3 mm in the width direction of this cross-sectional view. This is because the thickness of the protective cover 12 is about 3 to 4 mm, and the bulge when the magnet is wrapped around the tip of the protective cover is not abnormally increased. Further, the circumference of this magnet is wrapped with an iron thin plate 17-2 having a thickness of 0.2 to 0.4 mm to form a magnetic shield. It is sufficient that the length of the magnet (in this cross-sectional view, the vertical direction penetrating the cross-sectional view) is about the same as the above width, and is 1.5 to 3 mm. The height of the magnet is also set to 10 mm or less, for example, 5 to 8 mm in consideration of being accommodated in the protective cover. The thickness of the protective cover on the top of the magnet should not be thick because it maintains the magnetic force. About 1 to 2 mm is suitable.

In combination with this magnet, the thin film support substrate of the display surface 15 has a new function. Specifically, in FIGS. 11 and 12, the portion (No. 15-1) corresponding to the end portion 7 of the display device is a flexible material substrate such as a rubber material indicated by No. 20, and the other portions are indicated by No. 22. Use a rigid material substrate such as acrylic resin or polycarbonate resin that keeps a flat surface. A predetermined portion (No. 15-2) of this rigid material substrate is used as an iron material. The rubber material is generally used frequently such as styrene rubber, acrylic rubber, urethane rubber, etc., and a soft rubber material having a rubber hardness of about 30 is used, and the thickness is 1 to 2 mm.

A ferromagnetic material number 21 such as an iron material is arranged at a predetermined position (position of the magnet when the sub cover is pulled out) No. 15-2 on the rigid material substrate so as to be attracted to the magnet. The width of the iron material 21 may be equal to or larger than the width of the magnet, but it is set to 10 to 20 mm in consideration of the variation in the sub-cover insertion / removal position. The thickness may be 0.5 mm or more and 2 mm or less, and the length (in this cross-sectional view, the vertical direction penetrating the cross-sectional view) may be several mm or more, which is the length of the magnet, and the image of the display surface 15 is a practical value. The length should be 10 mm or less so that it does not cover the area.

As described above, the display surface 15 is provided at a predetermined position, and the combination of the iron material 21 and the magnet 17 at the upper end of the sub cover regulates the vertical movement of the display surface, and in addition, the total length of the upper end of the sub cover is displayed. By supporting the surface over the entire width, the developed display surface can be stabilized.

1 Cited document 1 Main body of display device 2 Cited document 1 Display surface of display device 3 Bottom of display device cover 4 Opening / closing fulcrum of display device cover 5. Direction of opening the display device cover 6 Direction of folding the display surface 7 Direction of opening the display surface 8 State of the opened display surface hanging down (direction of hanging down)
8'Direction in which the open display surface is flipping up 9 Display surface support device incorporated at both ends of the display device body 10 Support rods taken out from the display surface support device 11 The lower surface and all side ends of the smartphone / tablet of the present invention Device cover to cover 12 Device cover built-in to be taken in and out of the device cover 12a Arrow indicating to pull out the sub cover 13 Smartphone / tablet of the present invention 14 Display surface of the smartphone / tablet of the present invention 15 Expanded display surface of the smartphone / tablet 15 -1 Hanging display surface 15-2 Bounced display surface 16 Display surface arrow 16'indicating that the dangling has been corrected Arrow 17 Indicates that the display surface bounce has been corrected Arrow 17 Small magnet pieces incorporated in the upper ends of both ends of the sub cover 17 -Magnetic shield of magnet (thin iron plate)
18 Camera for self-portrait 18-2 Notch hole on display surface to avoid main camera 19-1 Direction of opening and closing of cover 19-2 Direction of opening and closing of display surface 20 Flexible material such as rubber Material Substrate 21 Rigid material which is iron material Board 22 Rigid plastic material board 23 Main body of existing mobile phone 24 Cover of existing mobile phone 25 Direction to open cover of existing mobile phone 26 Display surface when existing mobile phone is opened 27 Opened existing mobile phone Occasionally a broken line 28 Mobile phone with a flexible connecting member 29 Another mobile phone coupled with 28 using a flexible connecting member 30 Flexible display surface 30 straddling two mobile phones 'Display surface 31 with flexible display surface 31 opened Suggestion that no fold line will occur 32 29 Display surface provided on the cover of another mobile phone 33 Flexible coupling of two portable devices Smoother and more secure joint 34 Two mobile phones that open and close on the back side Flexible and joined to one mobile phone 35 34 and the other mobile phone 36 Mobile phones 34 and 35 Flexible display surface 36'Display surface when mobile phones 34 and 35 are opened 37 Arrow 38 indicating that mobile phone 35 is opened Flexible display surface 39'38 of mobile phone 39 38 using a flexible base and display surface Display surface when opened 40 38 Back surface (upper surface when folded)
41 A knob provided on the sub cover 12

Claims (3)

A smartphone (13) having a display surface (14) composed of at least a flexible touch sensor thin layer and a flexible thin film display layer on the upper surface, and a device cover (11) covering the lower surface and all side ends of the smartphone. In the smartphone / tablet to be configured, the display surface (14) forms a further display surface (15) extending beyond the upper surface of the smartphone, and the display surface (15) is attached to a side end portion of the smartphone (13). It can be bent and folded 180 degrees to the back side of the smartphone along the line, and the thin layer base material of the display surface (15) is a flexible material (20) such as a rubber material at the bent and folded part, and the other parts are flat. The total thickness is 1 mm or more and 2 mm or less with a rigid thin plate (22) such as a plastic thin plate, and a ferromagnetic thin layer material (21) such as an iron material is placed at a position following the flexible material (20) of the rigid thin plate. When embedded and the display surface (15) is opened, it engages with the magnet embedded in the device cover to maintain the posture of the display surface (15) horizontally. When bent with these combined structures, the upper surface (14) ) Is a smartphone that has a display surface only, and if opened from a bent state, it becomes a tablet that has a seamless large screen that uses the entire display surface (14) and (15). The smartphone / tablet according to claim 1, wherein the display surfaces (14 and 15) are organic EL. In claims 1 and 2, the device cover (11) is opened and closed by aligning the bent side end surface and the bottom of the display surface (15) which is at least stretched and expanded to correspond to the folding and unfolding of the display surface (15). The lever device cover has a built-in second device cover (12) that slides in and out, and in particular, a magnet (17) is embedded in the upper end of the second device cover to open the display surface (15) for large screen display. When this second device cover (12) is slid out, the magnet (17) and the ferromagnetic base material (21) arranged at the corresponding points on the back surface of the display surface (15) are attracted to each other. The smartphone / tablet is characterized in that it has a function of preventing the display surface (15) from hanging down or jumping up, and is composed of the device cover (11) and the portable device (13).