KR100625786B1 - Flexible display-module accommodating aparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a flexible display module housing. According to the present invention, a storage case 22 having a storage space 24 formed therein, a driving motor 26 installed outside the storage case 22 to provide power, and a driving force of the driving motor 26 are provided. Receives the guide column 30 is moved to the inside and outside of the storage case 22, and installed in the guide column 30 and moved to the inside and outside of the storage case 22 by the driving force of the drive motor 26 The flexible display module 32 is stored in the storage case 22 in a rolled state and used in an unfolded state outside the storage case 22. The storage case 22 is installed inside the housing 20 constituting the appearance. According to the present invention, the flexible display module can be expanded to the maximum size and can be folded and stored at the minimum size, while employing a relatively large display module in a mobile device, such that the size of the mobile device can be reduced in size and weight. There is an advantage that the convenience of.

Flexible Display Module, Storage, Mobile

Description

Flexible display module accommodating aparatus

1 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a mobile device according to the prior art.

Figure 2 is a schematic side cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a preferred embodiment of a flexible display module storage device according to the present invention.

3 is a plan view showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 4 is an operating state showing the state in which the display module is accommodated in the embodiment of the present invention.

5 is an operating state diagram showing the state of FIG. 4 in another direction;

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

20: housing 22: storage case

24: storage space 25: column slit

26: drive motor 28: worm

29: Warmham 29 ': Pinion

30: guide column 32: display module

34: connector

The present invention relates to a flexible display module, and more particularly, to a storage device of a flexible display module capable of storing the flexible display module with a minimum volume.

1 shows a configuration of a general mobile device called a PDA (Portable Digital Assistant). According to this, the case 1 forms the appearance of the mobile device. The case 1 is largely composed of a front part and a rear part and a space in which parts are installed is formed.

The front surface of the case 1 is provided with a screen (3). The screen 3 is a liquid crystal panel is used. The screen 3 is a portion where various kinds of information are displayed and generally also a portion where information is input by an input pen (not shown). For this purpose, the screen 3 has a pen recognition function.

The exterior of the case 1 is provided with a plurality of operation buttons (5). The operation button 5 is to perform a specific function of the mobile device, it is provided intensively in the lower front of the case (1). Of course, the operation button 5 does not necessarily have to be at the front bottom of the case 1. Reference numeral 6 is a power button for turning the power on and off, 7 is an antenna for performing a communication function, 9 is a fingerprint recognition module.

However, a mobile device having such a configuration has the following problems.

The area of the screen 3 is limited according to the size of the case 1 of the mobile device. Therefore, in a mobile device where portability is emphasized, the size of the case 1 cannot be increased, and the size of the screen 3 cannot be increased. However, when a user performs a necessary task using a mobile device, a relatively wide screen 3 is often required.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to solve the problems of the prior art as described above, and to provide a display module accommodating device capable of unfolding the flexible display module to a maximum size and keeping it to a minimum size.

According to a feature of the present invention for achieving the object as described above, the present invention provides a storage case having a storage space formed therein, a drive source installed on the outside of the storage case to provide power, and the driving force of the drive source A guide column which is received and moved to the inside and outside of the storage case, and installed in the guide column and stored inside the storage case in a rolled state by moving to the inside and outside of the storage case by the driving force of the driving source and outside the storage case. It is configured to include a flexible display module used in the unfolded state.

The storage case is installed in the housing constituting the appearance.

The housing constitutes an appearance of the mobile device.

The guide column is moved along the column slit formed through the storage case in the longitudinal direction.

The guide column receives the driving force of the drive source through a gear train.

The lower end of the display module is provided with a connector formed of a flexible material, the connector is installed in the guide column, guide guides along the inlet edge of the storage case is formed along the both ends to allow the connector to expand and roll do.

The connector has the widest portion of the portion connected to the display module, and the narrower the further away from the display module.

According to the flexible display module storage device according to the present invention having the configuration as described above, the flexible display module can be expanded to the maximum size and folded and stored at the minimum size, while employing a relatively large display module in a mobile device, It is possible to reduce the size of the device to be light and small, there is an advantage that the user convenience is increased.

Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of a flexible display module storage device according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

2 is a schematic side cross-sectional view of a preferred embodiment of a flexible display module storage device according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a plan view of a configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in these figures, the housing 20 constitutes the appearance of the storage device. Of course, the housing 20 itself may configure the appearance of the mobile device. The housing case 22 is provided inside the housing 20. The storage case 22 is a cylindrical shape, the cross section is formed in an elliptical shape in this embodiment. However, the cross section of the storage case 22 is not necessarily elliptical, but may be circular. The storage space 24 is formed inside the storage case 22. The storage space 24 is opened through one end of the storage case 22.

The storage case 22 has a column slit 25 is formed long in the longitudinal direction. The column slit 25 is formed through the storage case 22. The column slit 25 guides the movement of the guide column 30 to be described below.

A driving motor 26 is installed at one inner side of the housing 20 corresponding to the outside of the storage case 22. The drive motor 26 provides a driving force to fold and unfold the display module 32 to be described below. A worm 28 is provided on the rotation shaft of the drive motor 26, and a worm wheel 29 is installed inside the housing 20 to rotate in engagement with the worm 28. The worm wheel 29 is provided with a pinion 29 'coaxially.

The guide column 30 is installed in the column slit 25 to be movable along the longitudinal direction of the storage case 22. A rack gear part (not shown) is formed in the guide column 30 to receive the driving force of the driving motor 26 through the pinion 29 '. The guide column 30 simultaneously plays a role of supporting and moving the display module 32 to be described below. To this end, the guide column 30 is connected to the display module 32 which is selectively positioned inside the storage case 22 through the column slit 25 of the storage case 22, the storage case 22 ) Is also connected to an external pinion 29 '.

The guide column 30 is provided with a flexible display module 32. That is, the guide column 30 is fixed to the rear surface of the flexible display module 32. The guide column 30 extends vertically along the middle of the display module 32 to support the display module 32.

The display module 32 is a part for displaying a variety of information and at the same time a part for inputting information when there is a touch screen function. The display module 32 has a flexible feature, the user can change the shape thereof. That is, it can be rolled into a cylinder.

On the other hand, the connector 34 is provided at the bottom of the display module 32. The connector 34 is also formed of a flexible material. Thus, the connector 34 can also be rolled up together with the display module 32. The connector 34 is also connected to the guide column 30.

The connector 34 is formed so that the width of the portion connected to the display module 32 is the widest, the width becomes relatively narrow toward the bottom. Accordingly, guide inclination portions 35 are formed along both ends of the connector 34. The guide inclined portion 35 serves to guide the connector 34 to be rolled up or unfolded while moving in and out of the storage case 22.

And, the lower end of the connector 34 has a width that can always be located inside the storage case 22. In the present embodiment, the portion of the connector 34 accommodated in the storage case 22 is formed to have a constant width over a predetermined section. However, this is not necessarily the case, and the lower end of the connector 34 may also have a different width.

The connector 34 is flexible, but has a certain degree of rigidity, so that the display module 32 can be maintained in an unfolded state or rolled up. To this end, it is preferable that the force of the connector 34 being unrolled or rolled is slightly larger than that of the display module 32.

For reference, the electrical signal connection between the display module 32 and the outside may be made through the inside of the guide column 30 or the connector 34, and a flexible cable may be used.

Hereinafter, the operation of the housing of the flexible display module according to the present invention having the configuration as described above will be described in detail.

4 and 5 illustrate a state in which the display module is accommodated in the storage case in the storage device of the embodiment of the present invention. According to this, the display module 32 and the connector 34 are stored together in a storage space 24 formed in the storage case 22.

That is, when the driving motor 26 is driven in the state of FIG. 2, the guide column 30 is moved by receiving power through a rack gear part engaged with the pinion 29 ′. The guide column 30 is moved into the housing 20 along the column slit 25. When the guide column 30 is moved, the connector 34 and the display module 32 move together inside the storage case 22. At this time, the guide inclined portion 35 of the connector 34 is guided along the entrance of the storage space 24 of the storage case 22, so that the connector 34 is rolled up.

As the connector 34 is rolled up, the display module 32 connected to the connector 34 is rolled up together. When the connector 34 is completely rolled into the inside of the storage case 22, the display module 32 is also rolled up to enter the inside of the storage case 22. do.

In addition, the guide column 30 is moved by the continuous driving of the driving motor 26 to accommodate the display module 32 in the storage space 24. 4 and 5 show the state in which the display module 32 is accommodated in the storage space 24. For reference, the display module 32 is completely accommodated in the storage space 24 is detected by a sensor (not shown) and transmits the signal to the driving motor 26 to stop the driving of the driving motor 26. .

Next, the unfolding of the display module 32 stored in the storage space 24 will be described. When the command to open the display module 32 is input, the driving motor 26 is driven in the opposite direction, and the guide column 30 is driven by the driving motor 26 to receive the storage case 22. It is moved to protrude from outside.

As the guide column 30 protrudes to the outside, the display module 32 also comes out of the storage case 22 together, and is unfolded by its rigidity. Of course, when the connector 34 is still in the storage case 22, the display module 32 is not fully unfolded.

In the process of exiting the connector 34 from the storage case 22, the guide inclined portion 29 is guided to the inlet edge of the storage case 22, and gradually expands. When the connector 34 completely exits from the storage case 22, the connector 34 is also unfolded together with the display module 32 to be in the state shown in FIG. 2, whereby the display module 32 can be used. . For reference, a sensor (not shown) senses that the display module 32 is fully extended so that the guide column 30 no longer needs to be moved.

The rights of the present invention are not limited to the embodiments described above, but are defined by the claims, and various changes and modifications can be made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the claims. It is self-evident.

For example, a gear train composed of a worm 28, a worm wheel 29, a pinion 29 'and a rack gear part which transmits the driving force of the drive motor 26 to the guide column 30 is It can be replaced by various other power transmission means. That is, the structure of a gear train may be changed, or a belt mechanism may be used.

In the flexible display module accommodating device according to the present invention as described in detail above, the following effects can be obtained.

First, in the present invention, a display module used in a mobile device, etc., having a flexible property, is used so that it can be unfolded and rolled up to accommodate. Therefore, it is possible to employ a display module larger than the size of the mobile device, it is possible to use a display module having a relatively large area regardless of the size of the mobile device. In other words, while the mobile device itself is light and simple, the display module can be used relatively large, thereby increasing the portability of the mobile device and at the same time using the display module of a larger area, thereby increasing the convenience of the user.

Claims (7)

A storage case having a storage space formed therein, A drive source installed outside the storage case and providing power; A guide column which is moved in and out of the storage case by receiving the driving force of the driving source; And a flexible display module installed in the guide column and stored inside the storage case in a rolled state by being moved in and out of the storage case by a driving force of the driving source and used in a state of being unfolded outside of the storage case. Flexible display module storage device. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the storage case is installed in a housing constituting an exterior. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the housing constitutes an exterior of a mobile device. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the guide column moves along a column slit formed through the storage case in a longitudinal direction. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the guide column receives a driving force of the driving source through a gear train. According to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the lower end of the display module is provided with a connector formed of a flexible material, the connector is installed in the guide column, along the both ends of the inlet edge of the storage case The flexible display module storage device, characterized in that the guide inclined portion is formed to guide and expand and roll the connector. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the connector is widest in a portion connected to the display module, and narrower as it moves away from the display module.

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