KR102260667B1 - Electronic apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

A foldable electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention is provided. First and second grooves are formed on the first body and the second body. A flexible display is supported on each body. The foldable electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention is deformable in a folded state or an unfolded state.

Description

electronic device {ELECTRONIC APPARATUS}

The present specification relates to a folder-type electronic device configured to effectively fold or unfold a flexible display.

The electronic device in the form of a laptop according to the related art is configured in the form of a folder in which a monitor and a body of a main body are rotated by a hinge to open and close the electronic device. A display capable of outputting visual information, a keyboard for user input, and a speaker and touch pad for outputting sound signals are mounted on the closed inner side of the folder. The monitor is coupled to one side of the hinge formed in the folder connecting the monitor and the body, and the body is coupled to the other side. In addition, a cable for electrically connecting the main body and the monitor, for example, a flexible printed circuit board is installed.

In the electronic device in the form of a tablet according to the related art, a touch panel is disposed in front of a monitor. The user manipulates the electronic device by touch while directly looking at the screen.

However, there is no case in which a flexible display, which has been recently studied, is applied to a notebook-type or tablet-type electronic device according to the prior art. However, in recent years, the need to apply the flexible display to a notebook-type or tablet-type electronic device by using the advantages of the flexible display such as folding or bending characteristics, weight reduction, and thinness has emerged.

[Related technical literature]

[Folder type portable terminal for realizing wide display] (Patent Application No. 10-2011-0121431)

In recent years, research on flexible displays has been actively conducted. A flexible display is a next-generation display and can be folded or bent differently from a conventional flat panel display. In particular, since the flexible display can enable a lightweight and thin structure, it has the advantage of innovatively making thin and light electronic devices. However, the flexible display has a critical radius of curvature that can be bent to the maximum. When the flexible display is implemented in the form of a folder such as a laptop computer, the inventor of the present specification recognizes a problem in which damage or cracks occur when the flexible display is folded below the minimum radius of curvature value in the folded portion of the folder.

The inventors of the present specification have devised a structure capable of improving a crack problem caused by a minimum radius of curvature value of an electronic device equipped with a foldable flexible display. Specifically, the inventor of the present specification has invented a structure in which a foldable electronic device with a flexible display applied to the front of the electronic device can be transformed into a laptop or tablet.

The inventor of the present specification aims to provide an electronic device capable of providing various conveniences to a user while improving a crack problem by optimizing the electronic device and maintaining a lightweight and thin structure.

The problems to be solved according to an embodiment of the present specification are not limited to the problems mentioned above, and other problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an electronic device, comprising: a flexible display including a first area and a second area; a first body supporting a first area of the flexible display; a second body supporting a second area of the flexible display; and a connection part rotatably connecting the first body and the second body to enable switching between a folded state and an unfolded state of the flexible display. The first body includes a first groove adjacent to the connection portion, and the second body includes a second groove adjacent to the connection portion. The first groove and the second groove are curved surfaces, and a minimum radius of curvature value of each of the first groove and the second groove is greater than or equal to a critical radius of curvature value of the flexible display.

According to another feature of the present invention, the first groove and the second groove have a semicircular shape, and are configured to be in close contact with inner surfaces of the first groove and the second groove when the flexible display is folded.

According to another feature of the present invention, the length of the folding area of the flexible display between the first area and the second area is the length of the circumference of the curved surface of the first groove and the length of the circumference of the curved surface of the second groove. corresponds to the sum of

According to another feature of the present invention, the circumference of the curved surface of the first groove and the circumference of the curved surface of the second groove are the same, the value of the radius of curvature of the curved surface of the first groove is constant, and the The radius of curvature of the curved surface is constant.

According to another feature of the present invention, when the first body and the second body are in an unfolded state, the horizontal length of the first groove, the horizontal length of the second groove, and the first groove and the The sum of the lengths in the horizontal direction between the second grooves is equal to the length of the folding area of the flexible display.

According to another feature of the present invention, the curved surface of the first groove has a plurality of radius of curvature values, and the curved surface of the second groove has a plurality of radius of curvature values. The length of the folding area of the flexible display between the first area and the second area corresponds to the sum of the length of the circumference of the curved surface of the first groove and the length of the circumference of the curved surface of the second groove.

According to another feature of the present invention, the first groove has a semi-elliptical shape, the second groove has a semi-elliptical shape, and the flexible display is in close contact with inner surfaces of the first and second grooves in a folded state. configured to be

According to another feature of the present invention, the perimeters of the curved surface of the first groove and the curved surface of the second groove are different from each other, and the flexible display is in close contact with the inner surfaces of the first groove and the second groove in a folded state. configured to be

According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an electronic device, comprising: a flexible display including a first area and a second area; a first body supporting a first area of the flexible display; a second body supporting a second area of the flexible display; and a connection part rotatably connecting the first body and the second body to enable switching between a folded state and an unfolded state of the flexible display. The first body includes a first groove adjacent to the connection portion, and the second body includes a second groove adjacent to the connection portion. At least a partial area of the first groove is curved, and an area other than the partial area is flat. At least a partial area of the second groove is a curved surface, and an area other than the partial area is flat. A minimum radius of curvature value of the curved surface of each of the first groove and the second groove is greater than or equal to a threshold radius of curvature value of the flexible display.

According to another feature of the present invention, the perimeter of the curved surface of the first groove and the perimeter of the curved surface of the second groove are equal to each other, and the planar length of the first groove and the planar length of the second groove are equal to each other Do. A value of the radius of curvature of the curved surface of the first groove is equal to a value of the radius of curvature of the curved surface of the second groove. The predetermined angle of the plane of the first groove and the predetermined angle of the plane of the second groove are equal to each other.

According to another feature of the present invention, the circumference of the curved surface of the first groove and the circumference of the curved surface of the second groove are different from each other. A value of a radius of curvature of the curved surface of the first groove is different from a value of a radius of curvature of the curved surface of the second groove. The predetermined angle of the plane of the first groove and the predetermined angle of the plane of the second groove are different from each other.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an electronic device, comprising: a flexible display including a touch panel; a first body supporting a first area of the flexible display and including a first groove formed outside the first area; a second body supporting a second area of the flexible display and including a second groove formed outside the second area; a connection part rotatably connecting the first body and the second body; a sensing unit for sensing an angle of the connection unit; and a controller configured to differently control a display area of the flexible display including the touch panel according to an angle between the first body and the second body.

According to another feature of the present invention, when the angle between the first body and the second body is in a first angle range, the controller changes the operation mode of the electronic device to the tablet mode, and the first body and the second body When the angle between the second bodies is within the second angle range, the operation mode of the electronic device is changed to the notebook mode.

According to still another feature of the present invention, when the operation mode of the electronic device is a tablet mode, the controller operates as a single display for the first area and the second area of the flexible display, and When the operation mode is a notebook mode, the flexible display is controlled such that the first area of the flexible display operates as a display and the second area operates as an input unit.

According to another feature of the present invention, when the operation mode of the electronic device is a notebook mode, the control unit inactivates the touch panel in the first area, the second area, and the first area and the second area Activate the touch panel in the folding area between the two areas.

According to another feature of the present invention, when the operation mode of the electronic device is a notebook mode, the controller displays a status display bar of the electronic device on the folding area and responds to an output of the touch panel to the electronic device is configured to control the state of

According to another feature of the present invention, the flexible display further includes a film speaker disposed on the rear surface of the first area and outputting an acoustic signal to the outside through the flexible display.

According to another feature of the present invention, it is disposed between the film speaker and the flexible display, further comprising a spacer to form a resonance space of the film speaker.

According to another feature of the present invention, it further includes a haptic unit, wherein the control unit provides haptic feedback for a set time in response to the output of the touch panel.

The electronic device according to an embodiment of the present specification includes a flexible display, a first body, a second body, and a connection part, and thus the curvature of the first groove and the second groove when the electronic device is converted into a folded state and an unfolded state according to the angle of the connection part According to the radius, there is an effect that the flexible display can be controlled to be folded beyond the critical radius of curvature of the flexible display.

In addition, the electronic device according to another exemplary embodiment of the present specification has the effect of designing a thinner thickness of the electronic device by variously deforming the shapes of the first and second grooves.

The effects of the present specification are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

Since the content of the invention described in the problems to be solved above, the means for solving the problems, and the effects do not specify essential features of the claims, the scope of the claims is not limited by the matters described in the content of the invention.

1 is a perspective view of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present specification.
2 is an exploded perspective view of an electronic device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present specification.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along A-A′ of FIG. 2 when the electronic device illustrated in FIG. 2 is unfolded in the form of a tablet.
4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a folded state of the electronic device of FIG. 3 .
5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the electronic device shown in FIG. 2 in the form of a laptop.
6 is a cross-sectional view of an electronic device according to another exemplary embodiment of the present specification.
7 is a cross-sectional view of an electronic device according to another exemplary embodiment of the present specification.
8 is a cross-sectional view of an electronic device according to another exemplary embodiment of the present specification.
9 is a cross-sectional view of an electronic device according to another exemplary embodiment of the present specification.
10 is a cross-sectional view of an electronic device according to another exemplary embodiment of the present specification.
11 is a cross-sectional view of an electronic device according to another exemplary embodiment of the present specification.

Advantages and features of the present specification and methods of achieving them will become apparent with reference to the embodiments described below in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the present specification is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but will be implemented in various different forms, and only these embodiments allow the disclosure of the present specification to be complete, and common knowledge in the technical field to which this specification belongs It is provided to fully inform the possessor of the scope of the invention, and the present invention is only defined by the scope of the claims.

The shapes, sizes, proportions, angles, numbers, etc. disclosed in the drawings for explaining the embodiments of the present specification are exemplary and are not limited to the matters shown in the present specification. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. In addition, in describing the present specification, if it is determined that a detailed description of a related known technology may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present specification, the detailed description thereof will be omitted. When 'including', 'having', 'consisting', etc. mentioned in this specification are used, other parts may be added unless 'only' is used. When a component is expressed in the singular, the case in which the plural is included is included unless otherwise explicitly stated.

When the positional relationship of two parts is described as 'on', 'on', 'on', 'next to', etc., unless 'directly' or 'directly' is used, between the two parts One or more other parts may be located.

In interpreting the components, it is interpreted as including an error range even if there is no separate explicit description.

When temporal precedence is described as 'after', 'following', 'after', 'before', etc., cases that are not continuous unless 'immediately' or 'directly' are used. can

Although the first, second, etc. are used to describe various elements, these elements are not limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one component from another. Accordingly, the first component mentioned below may be the second component within the spirit of the present specification.

Each of the features of the various embodiments of the present specification may be partially or wholly combined or combined with each other, technically various interlocking and driving are possible, and each of the embodiments may be implemented independently of each other or may be implemented together in a related relationship. may be

Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present specification will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Like reference numerals refer to substantially identical elements throughout. In the following description, when it is determined that a detailed description of a known function or configuration related to the present specification may unnecessarily obscure the subject matter of the present specification, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Hereinafter, it will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 . The electronic device 100 according to an embodiment of the present specification is a foldable electronic device in which a single flexible display 110 is bent and converted into a laptop form or a tablet form. The electronic device 100 includes a flexible display 110 , a first body 120 , a second body 130 , and a connection unit 140 between the first body 120 and the second body 130 . The flexible display 110 is fixed to one surface of each of the first body 120 and the second body 130 . The flexible display 110 may be fixed to the first body 120 and the second body 130 by an adhesive member 170 . However, the fixing method of the flexible display 110 is not limited to adhesion, and for example, a method of structurally fixing the edge of the flexible display 110 may be used without limitation.

The first body 120 maintains and protects at least one component of the electronic device 100 , and the flexible display 110 in an area corresponding to the first body 120 is fixed to provide a flat screen to the user. The flexible display 110 is fixed to show the The first body 120 is located on the opposite surface of the display screen of the flexible display 110 . An adhesive member 170 may be disposed between the first body 120 and the flexible display 110 . For convenience of description, the area in which the flexible display 110 faces the first body 120 and the area including the display surface corresponding thereto are regarded as the first area A1 of the flexible display 110 and described below. do.

The second body 130 maintains and protects at least one component of the electronic device 100 like the first body 120 , and the flexible display 110 in an area corresponding to the second body 120 . ) is fixed to fix the flexible display 110 to show a flat screen to the user. The second body 120 is located on the opposite surface of the display screen of the flexible display 110 . An adhesive member 170 may be disposed between the second body 120 and the flexible display 110 . For convenience of description, the area in which the flexible display 110 faces the second body 120 and the area including the display surface corresponding thereto are regarded as the second area A2 of the flexible display 110 and described below. do. The second body 120 may further include a stand capable of fixing the first body 120 at a specific angle when operating in the form of a laptop.

Each of the first and second bodies 120 and 130 may be made of light and strong plastic, metal, metal alloy, carbon fiber, graphene, or the like. Since the flexible display 110 has excellent bending characteristics, it is not easily damaged even when the respective bodies 120 and 130 are bent, so it is also possible to apply a material having excellent elasticity and flexibility to each of the bodies 120 and 130 . Do.

Each body 120 and 130 has at least a sensing unit, a control unit, a film speaker, a haptic module, a communication module, a battery, and storage in order to perform various functions of the electronic device 100 . All or part of the unit or the external input port may be distributedly disposed or all may be disposed in one body.

The sensing unit detects a touch position and an unfolding angle of the electronic device 100 . As the sensing unit, at least one of an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, or a geomagnetic sensor may be selected and mounted on at least one of the first body 120 and the second body 130 . can The acceleration sensor is a sensor capable of measuring acceleration and direction of acceleration when motion occurs. Specifically, the acceleration sensor outputs a sensing value corresponding to the gravitational acceleration that is changed according to the inclination of the device to which the sensor is attached. Accordingly, when the acceleration sensors are respectively disposed on both edge regions of the first body 120 and the second body 130 , an output value sensed by each acceleration sensor is changed when at least one body rotates. The gyro sensor is a sensor that detects angular velocity by measuring a Coriolis force acting in the direction of the velocity when rotational motion occurs. According to the measured value of the gyro sensor, since it is possible to detect which body is rotated in which direction, angles of the first body 120 and the second body 130 can be detected. A geomagnetic sensor is a sensor that detects an azimuth using a 2-axis or 3-axis fluxgate. When the geomagnetic sensor is disposed at each edge of the flexible display apparatus 100 , the geomagnetic sensor outputs an electrical signal corresponding to a geomagnetic change caused by the movement of the edge.

The control unit analyzes various detection signals sensed by the sensing unit, recognizes the user's intention, and performs an operation corresponding to the user's intention. As an example of the operation performed by the controller, an operation of controlling to output a screen to a pixel area of the preset flexible display 110 according to the unfolding angle of the electronic device 100 may be performed. For example, the control unit calculates the angles of the first body 120 and the second body 130 using the output value sensed by the sensing unit, and according to the calculated angle, the control unit operates the flexible display in a laptop mode or a tablet mode. can do it

The controller may preset various angular regions and select an operation mode according to the preset angular range. For example, when the detected angle between the first body 120 and the second body 130 is 90° to 140°, the first angle range may be set, and when the detected angle is within the first angle range, the laptop mode may be set. In this case, the display area corresponding to the first area A1 of the flexible display 110 may be set to perform a keyboard function.

In this case, the controller displays the keyboard image on the display area corresponding to the first area A1 of the flexible display 110 . The keyboard image may be configured in the same form as a conventional laptop, or may be configured as a right-handed keyboard or a left-handed keyboard according to a user's selection. The display area corresponding to the second area A2 of the flexible display 110 may be set to perform a monitor function. At this time, the control unit displays the output image on the display area corresponding to the second area A2 of the flexible display 110. In this case, the control unit operates the touch panel in an area other than the keyboard area of the flexible display 110 in order to reduce a malfunction. can be limited. In addition, a status display window may be displayed on the folding area 180 between the first area A1 and the second area A2 . The status display window can display various statuses used by the laptop or tablet, such as antenna sensitivity, battery capacity, Caps Lock key on/off, Num Lock key on/off, Wi-Fi on/off, Bluetooth on/off, etc. The status display window may be controlled by a user's touch input.

Also, for example, if the detected angle between the first body 120 and the second body 130 is 170° to 180°, the second angle range is set, and when the second angle range is in the tablet mode, the tablet mode can be used. . In this case, the first area A1 , the second area A2 , and the folding area 180 of the flexible display 110 operate as one display. In addition, the touch panel detects a touch of the entire area. Therefore, it is possible to efficiently manage power consumption according to each mode.

Film speakers output sound or audio. The conventional speaker not only takes up a lot of volume, but has no choice but to maintain a fixed shape such as a cone or oval in order to generate resonance. Therefore, it was difficult to reduce the weight and thickness. However, since the flexible display 110 of the electronic device 100 according to the present specification has flexibility to facilitate contraction and expansion of the film speaker, the film speaker may be disposed on one surface of the flexible display 110 . . In addition, if the first body 120 or the second body 130 has flexibility, the film speaker may be disposed on one surface of at least one body. In addition, the film speaker is disposed between the flexible display 110 supported by the film speaker and the film speaker, and a gap layer is formed with a spacer that allows a resonance space of the film speaker to be formed, thereby causing contraction and expansion of the film speaker. sound pressure can be adjusted more easily. Therefore, when the film speaker is applied to the flexible display 110 , it can be applied without increasing the bezel width of the electronic device 100 .

A haptic module generates various tactile effects that a user can feel. A typical example of the tactile effect generated by the haptic module is vibration. The intensity and pattern of vibration generated by the haptic module can be controlled. For example, different vibrations may be synthesized and output or may be output sequentially. In addition to vibration, the haptic module has effects from stimulation such as a pin arrangement that moves vertically with respect to the contact skin surface, the blowing force or suction force of air through the nozzle or suction port, rubbing against the skin surface, electrode contact, and electrostatic force. , can generate various tactile effects, such as the effect of reproducing a feeling of coolness and warmth using an element capable of absorbing heat or generating heat. The haptic module can not only deliver a tactile effect through direct contact, but can also be implemented so that a user can feel the tactile effect through a muscle sense such as a finger or arm. At least one haptic module may be provided in at least one body of the electronic device 100 . Accordingly, the haptic feedback provided by the haptic module may provide various sensibility to the user when using the keyboard in the second area A2 in the laptop mode.

The communication unit is configured to communicate with various types of external devices according to various types of communication methods. The communication unit may include various communication modules such as a broadcast reception module, a short-range wireless communication module, a GPS module, and a wireless communication module. Here, the broadcast reception module may include a terrestrial broadcast reception module, a DMB module, and the like. The short-range wireless communication module is a module for performing communication with an external device located in a short distance according to a short-range wireless communication method such as NFC or Bluetooth. The GPS module is a module for receiving a GPS signal from a GPS satellite and detecting a current position of the flexible display device. The wireless communication module is a module that is connected to an external network and performs communication according to a wireless communication protocol such as WiFi and IEEE. In addition, communication module 3G (3rd Generation), 3GPP ( 3 rd Generation Partnership Project), LTE (Long Term Evoloution) various mobile communication according to the standard, connected to the mobile communication network further includes a mobile communication module for performing communication, such as You may.

The battery may supply power to each component of the electronic device 100 .

The storage unit may store various programs or data related to the operation of the flexible display, setting information set by the user, operating software, various application programs, information on operations corresponding to user manipulation, and the like.

Each of the external input ports may be connected to various types of external devices to receive various data, programs, control commands, and the like. Specifically, it may include a USB port, an HDMI port, a headset port, a power port, and the like.

As the adhesive member 170 , an adhesive resin, a double-sided adhesive type, or the like may be used. When the adhesive member 170 is a thermosetting resin, since the organic light emitting diode display is vulnerable to high temperatures, it is preferable to use a material that can be thermosetted to about 100 degrees Celsius or less.

The connection part 140 rotatably connects the first body 120 and the second body 130 . The connection part 140 is disposed between the first body 120 and the second body 130 . The connecting portion 140 may be configured as, for example, a hinge, in which case the hinge fixes one side of each body, respectively. The first body 120 and the second body 130 may be configured to be rotatable from 0° to 180° by the rotational movement of the hinge, but is not limited to this angle. The flexible display 110 may be converted into a folded state or an unfolded state by rotation of the connection unit 140 , and may detect each state and control the electronic device differently according to each state.

In addition to the hinge, the connecting part 140 may be implemented as a flexible film, a stretchable film, or a fabric. In addition, the connection unit 140 may further include a wiring electrically connecting at least one component held in the first body 120 and the second body 130 to each other. In this case, a flexible cable may be used.

When the connecting portion 140 is a hinge, one portion of the hinge fixed to the first body 120 and the other portion of the hinge fixed to the second body 130 may be formed of magnets having different polarities. In this case, each body may be magnetically fixed in the folded state during tablet mode operation.

The flexible display 110 may be implemented as a flexible organic light emitting display device, a flexible liquid crystal display device, or a flexible electronic paper furnace. and explain

The organic light emitting display device includes a cathode, an anode, a plurality of pixels including an organic light emitting device, a flexible substrate, a flexible encapsulation, a plurality of switching devices, a plurality of driving devices, a scan driver, a data driver, and a pad unit. An organic light emitting display device displays an image by controlling the brightness of an organic light emitting diode disposed between a cathode and an anode for each pixel by operation of a switching element and a driving element.

However, when such a display device is bent, there is a problem in durability. _{Therefore, a concept of a threshold radius of curvature or “R th} ” may be used to express the degree of durability against bending of the flexible display 110 . The radius of curvature is a value indicating the degree of curvature at each point of a curved surface or curve. The larger the radius of curvature, the smoother the curvature. For example, the radius of curvature in the plane is infinite, the radius of curvature of a circle is equal to the radius and the degree of curvature is constant, and the curvature is sharper as the radius of curvature decreases.

In the present specification, the critical radius of curvature R _th value of the flexible display 110 means the degree of maximum allowable bending. The critical radius of curvature R _th value may vary according to the thickness, material, or structure of each element of the flexible display 110 . The flexible display 110 has a critical radius of curvature R _th that can be maximally bent according to an internal design characteristic.

The critical radius of curvature R _th may have different values based on the vertical or horizontal direction of the display according to internal design characteristics. Also, the critical radius of curvature R _th may have a different value depending on the pixel area or the non-pixel area.

When bent below the critical radius of curvature R _th value, cracks may occur in some of the various components of the display, causing a disconnection or short circuit in the organic light emitting display device, or damage to the organic light emitting device due to moisture and oxygen due to the destruction of the encapsulation. have. That is, when the flexible display 110 is folded to be less than or equal to the minimum radius of curvature during folding or folding, serious damage to the flexible display 110 may occur.

1 , 2 , 3 , 4 and 5 , the first groove 150 and the second groove 160 formed in the first body 120 and the second body 130 adjacent to the connection part 140 . ) will be described in detail.

In the present specification, a problem of damage occurring when the flexible display 110 is folded by the first groove 150 and the second groove 160 may be improved. More specifically, the first groove 150 and the second groove 160 of the electronic device 100 guide the flexible display 110 so that the flexible display 110 does not bend below the _{critical radius of curvature R th value.}

The first groove 150 is formed in the first body 120 adjacent to the connection part 140 . The second groove 160 is formed in the second body 130 adjacent to the connection part 140 . The adhesive member 170 is not applied to the area of the flexible display 110 corresponding to the first groove 150 and the second groove 160 to facilitate folding.

Hereinafter, it will be described with reference to FIG. 3 . FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along A-A′ of FIG. 2 when the electronic device 100 illustrated in FIG. 2 is unfolded in the form of a tablet.

L1 denotes the length of the flexible display 110 corresponding to the folding area 180 when the first body 120 and the second body 130 of the electronic device 100 are unfolded in a tablet form. In this specification, the folding area 180 refers to an area in which the flexible display 110 can be bent by folding the first body 120 and the second body 130 . For example, the first groove 150 , the second groove 160 , the area between the connection part 140 and the first groove 150 , and the area between the connection part 140 and the second groove 160 are the folding area 180 . this can be

Accordingly, the folding area 180 refers to an area in which the first body 120 and the second body 130 are rotated by the connection unit 140 to affect the folding and unfolding of the flexible display 110 . Also, damage to the flexible display 110 may occur in the folding area 180 .

Each of the first groove 150 and the second groove 160 according to an embodiment of the present specification has a semicircular shape. Therefore, when fully folded as shown in FIG. 4 , the cut surface of the space between the first groove 150 and the second groove 160 is substantially circular. When in the form of a circle, the value of the radius of curvature of the arc of the circle is uniform. A diameter of the first groove 150 is referred to as L2. A diameter of the second groove 160 is referred to as L3. A distance from the connecting portion 140 to the first groove 150 is referred to as L4. A distance from the connecting portion 140 to the second groove 160 is referred to as L5. The length of the arc of the first groove 150 is referred to as L6. The arc length of the second groove 160 is referred to as L7. The thickness of the adhesive layer 170, the spacing between the first body 120 and the second body 130, the tolerance, etc. are omitted for convenience of description, but those skilled in the art may design in consideration of these parts.

In order to effectively implement the tablet form, it is preferable that the length L1 of the area corresponding to the folding area 180 of the flexible display 110 is the sum of L2, L3, L4, and L5. When these conditions are satisfied, when the flexible display 110 is unfolded in the form of a tablet, the folding area 180 may be flattened. That is, when operating in a tablet form, the folding area 180 of the flexible display 110 may be flattened.

For example, when the critical curvature R _th value is 5 mm, the electronic device 100 determines the dimensions of the folding area 180 to maintain _{the critical curvature radius R th value or more of the flexible display in the folded state.} . First, since the R _th value is 5 mm, L2 and L3 are determined to be 10 mm. Also, assuming that the flexible display 110 does not increase or decrease, L2+L3+L4+L5=L6+L7 is established. Assuming that L4 and L5 are the same value, and assuming that L6 and L7 are the same value, solving the above equation, L4 = 5.7mm and L5 = 5.7mm are calculated. At this time, L1 becomes 31.4mm. If L1 is longer than 31.4 mm, the flexible display 110 corresponding to the folding area 180 may not be flattened. If the length of L1 is shorter than 31.4 mm, the length L1 of the folding area 180 of the flexible display 110 is short, so that the first body 120 and the second body 130 may not be flattened in the form of a complete tablet. have. That is, the angle of the first body 120 and the second body 130 may not be extended to 180°.

Hereinafter, it will be described with reference to FIG. 4 . 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which the electronic device 100 of FIG. 3 is folded. When the first body 120 and the second body 130 are in a folded state, the flexible display 110 of the folding area 180 illustrated in FIG. 3 is the first groove 150 and the second groove illustrated in FIG. 4 . (160) followed by curling. In this case, in order to effectively implement folding, it is preferable that L1 of the flexible display 110 is the sum of L6 and L7. When these conditions are satisfied, the L1 region of the flexible display 110 may be in close contact along the radius of curvature inside the first groove 150 and the second groove 160 when folded, and may be uniformly rolled into the inner surface. For example, when L6 = 15.7 mm and L7 = 15.7 mm, L1 may be 31.4 mm. If L1 is longer than 31.4 mm, since the flexible display 110 becomes longer than the sum of the lengths of the first groove 150 and the second groove 160 , the electronic device 100 may not be completely closed, and the flexible display 110 may not be completely closed. Undesired stress may be applied to the display 110 to cause damage. If L1 is smaller than 31.4 mm, the value of the radius of curvature of the flexible display 110, which is folded as L1 of the flexible display 110 becomes shorter, becomes smaller, and may be spaced apart from each other by a certain interval without being in close contact along the inner radius of curvature. have.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the electronic device 100 shown in FIG. 2 in the form of a laptop. Referring to FIG. 5 , the first body 120 and the second body 130 are unfolded in the form of a laptop. The folding area 180 corresponding to the area having the length L1 of the flexible display 110 described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 is spaced apart from the first body 120 and the second body 130 and spread out.

In order to implement the flexible display 110 in the form of a folder, each body has a groove capable of reducing the possibility of cracking by satisfying the _{critical radius of curvature R th value of the flexible display 110 when folded, and at the same time when unfolded in a tablet form} Dimensions of the first body 120 , the second body 130 of the electronic device 100 , and the folding area 180 of the flexible display 110 so that the flexible display 110 of the folding area 180 can be flattened. to decide Specifically, the radius of curvature of the first groove 150 and the second groove 160 is designed to be equal to or greater than the minimum radius of curvature of the flexible display 110, and the conditions L1 = L2 + L3 + L4 + L5 and L1 = L6 When the +L7 condition is simultaneously satisfied, the flexible display 110 can effectively implement folding and unfolding while minimizing stress generated during folding and unfolding.

Hereinafter, a modified embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 6 . The electronic device 200 according to a modified embodiment of the present invention includes a flexible display 210 , a first body 220 , a second body 230 , a connection part 240 , a first groove 250 , and a second groove ( 260 , and an adhesive member 270 .

The first groove 250 and the second groove 260 may be implemented in an elliptical shape instead of a circular shape. When implemented in the form of an ellipse, each arc has a different radius of curvature. An advantage of the oval shape is that the thickness of the electronic device 200 can be made thinner than that of the circular shape.

For example, the minimum thickness of the electronic device 200 of FIG. 4 may not be smaller than the diameters of circles formed by at least the first grooves 250 and the second grooves 260 . That is, in the case of an elliptical shape, the thickness by the height of each groove is increased by increasing the horizontal diameters of the first grooves 250 and the second grooves 260 and decreasing the vertical diameters of the first grooves 250 and the second grooves 260 . It is possible to take it thinly. According to this configuration, the thickness of the electronic device 200 can be made relatively thin.

Hereinafter, a modified embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 7 . The electronic device 300 according to a modified embodiment of the present invention includes a flexible display 310 , a first body 320 , a second body 330 , a connection part 340 , a first groove 350 , and a second groove ( 360) and an adhesive member 370 .

The radius of curvature of the curved surfaces of the first groove 350 and the second groove 360 may be implemented differently depending on the curved surface. When implemented in the form shown in FIG. 7 , the radius of curvature of the beginning of the groove of each body can be gently designed. The starting part of the groove means the starting point of each arc adjacent to the adhesive member 370 . This case is particularly effective for smoothing the radius of curvature of the starting point of the arc compared to the shape of FIG. 3 .

Hereinafter, a modified embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 8 . The electronic device 400 according to a modified embodiment of the present invention includes a flexible display 410 , a first body 420 , a second body 430 , a connection part 440 , a first groove 450 , and a second groove ( 460 ) and an adhesive member 470 .

A portion of the first groove 450 and the second groove 460 may be formed as a flat surface, and a portion may be implemented as a curved surface. When implemented in the form shown in FIG. 8, the radius of curvature of the beginning of the groove of each body can be gently designed. This case is particularly effective in smoothing the radius of curvature of the starting point of the arc compared to the shape of FIG. 3 .

Hereinafter, a modified embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 9 . The electronic device 500 according to a modified embodiment of the present invention includes a flexible display 510 , a first body 520 , a second body 530 , a connection part 540 , a first groove 550 , and a second groove ( 560 , and an adhesive member 570 .

The first groove 550 and the second groove 560 may be implemented in different shapes. When implemented in the form shown in FIG. 9 , the thickness of the second body 530 may be reduced because the space of the second groove 560 is relatively smaller than that of the first groove 550 . In particular, when the electronic device 500 is designed to mainly use a laptop, this structure makes the second body 530 used as a monitor thin to implement an ultra-thin design.

Hereinafter, a modified embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 10 . The electronic device 600 according to a modified embodiment of the present invention includes a flexible display 610 , a first body 620 , a second body 630 , a connection part 640 , a first groove 650 , and a second groove ( 660 ) and an adhesive member 670 .

The possibility of damage to the flexible display 610 due to friction may be reduced by treating the corner 680 in which the contact with the flexible display 610 of the electronic device 600 occurs as a curved surface.

Hereinafter, a modified embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 11 . The electronic device 700 according to a modified embodiment of the present invention includes a flexible display 710 , a first body 720 , a second body 730 , a connection part 740 , a first groove 750 , and a second groove ( 760 ) and an adhesive member 770 .

Hereinafter, differences from an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 11 . In the electronic device 700 according to another modified embodiment of the present specification, only the first groove 750 may be implemented. When implemented in the form shown in FIG. 11 , since the second body 730 is flat, the thickness of the second body 730 may be reduced. In particular, when the electronic device 700 is designed to mainly use a laptop, this structure makes the second body 730 used as a monitor thin to implement an ultra-thin design.

The lengths and dimensions presented herein are for illustrative purposes only and are for illustrative purposes only, and in practicing the present invention, those skilled in the art will appreciate the assembly tolerance of the device, the coefficient of thermal expansion of each material, the ductility of each material, or each It is desirable to design considering the elasticity of the material.

Although the embodiments of the present specification have been described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, the present invention is not necessarily limited to these embodiments, and various modifications may be made within the scope without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention. . Accordingly, the embodiments disclosed in the present specification are for explanation rather than limiting the technical spirit of the present invention, and the scope of the technical spirit of the present invention is not limited by these embodiments. Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments described above are illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The protection scope of the present invention should be construed by the claims, and all technical ideas within the scope equivalent thereto should be construed as being included in the scope of the present invention.

100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700: electronic device
110, 210, 310, 410, 510, 610, 710: flexible display
120, 220, 320, 420, 520, 620, 720: first body
130, 230, 330, 430, 530, 630, 730: second body
150, 250, 350, 450, 550, 650, 750: first groove
160, 260, 360, 460, 560, 660: second groove
170, 270, 370, 470, 570, 670, 770: adhesive member

Claims (19)

a flexible display including a first area and a second area;
a first body supporting a first area of the flexible display;
a second body supporting a second area of the flexible display; and
and a connection part rotatably connecting the first body and the second body to enable switching between the folded state and the unfolded state of the flexible display,
The first body includes a flat portion to which the flexible display is attached and a first groove disposed between the flat portion and the connection portion, and the second body includes a flat portion to which the flexible display is attached, and the flat portion and the second body. a second groove disposed between the connecting portions;
The first groove is formed of a plane inclinedly extending from the planar portion of the first body and a curved surface extending from the plane toward the connecting portion, and the second groove is inclinedly extending from the planar portion of the second body. It consists of a plane and a curved surface extending from the plane toward the connection part,
a minimum radius of curvature value of the curved surface of each of the first groove and the second groove is greater than or equal to a threshold radius of curvature value of the flexible display;
The electronic device, characterized in that the value of the radius of curvature of the plane of the first groove and the plane of the second groove is infinite. The method of claim 1,
The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the flexible display is configured to be in close contact with inner surfaces of the first and second grooves in a folded state. The method of claim 1,
The length of the folding area of the flexible display between the first area and the second area corresponds to the sum of the length of the circumference of the first groove and the length of the circumference of the second groove. 4. The method of claim 3,
The circumference of the curved surface of the first groove and the circumference of the curved surface of the second groove are equal to each other, the value of the radius of curvature of the curved surface of the first groove is constant, and the value of the radius of curvature of the curved surface of the second groove An electronic device, characterized in that is constant. 4. The method of claim 3,
When the first body and the second body are in an unfolded state, a horizontal length of the first groove, a horizontal length of the second groove, and a horizontal length between the first groove and the second groove The sum of is equal to the length of the folding area of the flexible display, the electronic device. The method of claim 1,
The curved surface of the first groove has a plurality of radius of curvature values, and the curved surface of the second groove has a plurality of values of the radius of curvature,
The length of the folding area of the flexible display between the first area and the second area corresponds to a sum of the length of the circumference of the first groove and the length of the circumference of the second groove. delete 7. The method of claim 6,
The curved surface of the first groove and the circumference of the curved surface of the second groove are different from each other, and the flexible display is configured to be in close contact with the inner surfaces of the first groove and the second groove in a folded state, electronic device. delete The method of claim 1,
a perimeter of the curved surface of the first groove and a perimeter of the curved surface of the second groove are equal to each other, and the planar length of the first groove and the planar length of the second groove are equal to each other;
A value of the radius of curvature of the curved surface of the first groove is equal to a value of the radius of curvature of the curved surface of the second groove;
and a predetermined angle formed between the plane of the first groove and the planar portion and a predetermined angle formed between the plane of the second groove and the planar portion are identical to each other. The method of claim 1,
The circumference of the curved surface of the first groove is different from the circumference of the curved surface of the second groove,
A value of the radius of curvature of the curved surface of the first groove is different from a value of the radius of curvature of the curved surface of the second groove;
and a predetermined angle formed between the plane of the first groove and the planar portion and a predetermined angle formed between the flat surface of the second groove and the planar portion are different from each other. a flexible display including a touch panel;
a first body including a flat portion supporting a first area of the flexible display and a first groove formed outside the first area;
a second body including a flat portion supporting a second area of the flexible display and a second groove formed outside the second area;
a connection part rotatably connecting the first body and the second body;
a sensing unit for sensing an angle of the connection unit; and
a control unit configured to differently control a display area of the flexible display including the touch panel according to an angle between the first body and the second body;
The first groove is made of a plane extending obliquely from the plane portion of the first body and a curved surface extending from the plane toward the connection part,
The second groove is made of a plane inclinedly extending from the plane portion of the second body and a curved surface extending from the plane toward the connecting portion,
A portion of the connection portion adjacent to the first body is formed of a magnet having a polarity opposite to that of another portion of the connection portion adjacent to the second body. 13. The method of claim 12,
The control unit is
When the angle between the first body and the second body is within the first angle range, changing the operation mode of the electronic device to a tablet mode,
When the angle between the first body and the second body is within a second angle range, the electronic device is characterized in that the operation mode of the electronic device is changed to a notebook mode. 14. The method of claim 13,
The control unit is
When the operation mode of the electronic device is a tablet mode, the first area and the second area of the flexible display operate as one display,
The electronic device characterized in that when the operation mode of the electronic device is a notebook mode, the flexible display is controlled such that the first area of the flexible display operates as a display and the second area operates as an input means. 15. The method of claim 14,
The control unit is
When the operation mode of the electronic device is a notebook mode, inactivating the touch panel in the first area and activating the touch panel in the second area and a folding area between the first area and the second area characterized in that the electronic device. 16. The method of claim 15,
The control unit is
When the operation mode of the electronic device is a notebook mode, the electronic device is configured to display a status bar of the electronic device on the folding area and control the state of the electronic device in response to an output of the touch panel. . 13. The method of claim 12,
and a film speaker disposed on a rear surface of the first area of the flexible display and outputting an acoustic signal to the outside through the flexible display. 18. The method of claim 17,
The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a spacer disposed between the film speaker and the flexible display to form a resonance space of the film speaker. 13. The method of claim 12,
It further comprises a haptic unit;
The electronic device, characterized in that the control unit provides haptic feedback for a set time in response to the output of the touch panel.

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