Electromechanical slip rings for a foldable display device

A foldable touch screen display device made up of flexible segments that can be folded from a compact state to an expanded state which also includes electromechanical slip rings. The form factor of the compact state is roughly the size of a typical handheld phone or smaller. The form factor of the expanded state is roughly the size of a larger phone or tablet computer, which may also have the size and mechanical functionality of a laptop. The device form factor may also be a flip phone configuration. Both folded states may include an integrated speaker and microphone. The electromechanical slip rings are utilized to provide multiple electrical connections between the device's display segments and their respective support structures. The device may further include sensors to indicate the position of each display segment. In one embodiment, a module attached to, situated within, or otherwise associated with at least one segment of the flexible display or rigid display may contain all or substantially all processing and memory, along with a communications system, which may be used in any folded state.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to computing devices, and more particularly, to a computing device with a touch screen display that can be folded from a compact state to an expanded state.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The use of handheld computing devices today has been significantly enabled by a number of advancements in electronics, including the miniaturization of components, an increase in processing speeds, improved memory capacity, and the optimization of battery efficiency. Advancements in touch screen display technology have also enabled interfaces to become more adaptable and intuitive to use on a small scale. Because of these enormous improvements over the last decade, the differences in the performance between handheld computing devices, such as mobile phones, and larger computing devices, have become increasingly subtle.

One of the great difficulties in using a small-scale touch screen device, however, is in the fact that it can often be cumbersome to physically interact with. This is especially apparent when selecting and manipulating features and inputting text, which can sometimes be imprecise for a user. In such handheld computing devices as a touch screen mobile phone, the limited size of the display can also significantly reduce the viewing capacity while watching videos, using graphic intensive applications, and reading text. The rigid nature of a standard touch screen display can also limit the portability of a device when its form factor is in the larger size range for a phone, or at the scale of a tablet, which makes folding a desirable feature. Additionally, because a foldable device fundamentally has a hinge mechanism located between the two display segment's structural supports, it is challenging to connect the electronics from one structural support to the other. Flexible circuits are the most common method for making these electronic connections, however, over time flexible circuits can wear away and stop functioning once the device is folded enough times.

There is therefore a need for touch screen display devices that can be adjusted in size without sacrificing the convenience of being compact or handheld. There is also a need for electromechanical slip ring mechanisms to provide electrical connections between the electronics housed in the respective structural supports of a foldable device's two display segments. As the usage of foldable devices becomes more pervasive, and more apps integrate the folding of the device as part of their function, more folds per day per unit will lead to the disfunction of standard flexible circuit connections making slip rings a viable alternative solution.

SUMMARY OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

A foldable touch screen display device made up of flexible segments that can be folded from a compact state to an expanded state which also includes electromechanical slip rings. The form factor of the compact state is roughly the size of a typical handheld phone or smaller. The form factor of the expanded state is roughly the size of a larger phone or tablet computer, which may also have the size and mechanical functionality of a laptop. The device form factor may also be a flip phone configuration. Both folded states may include an integrated speaker and microphone. The electromechanical slip rings are utilized to provide multiple electrical connections between the device's display segments and their respective support structures. The device may further include sensors to indicate the position of each display segment. In one embodiment, a module attached to, situated within, or otherwise associated with at least one segment of the flexible display or rigid display may contain all or substantially all processing and memory, along with a communications system, which may be used in any folded state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the exemplary embodiment shown inFIG.1, an electromechanical slip ring mechanism11for a foldable computing device is shown in two separate positions50and51. In position50, slip ring mechanism11is shown in a position that corresponds to the unfolded state of a foldable device, and below in position51, slip ring mechanism11is shown in a position that corresponds to the folded state of a foldable device. In position51, slip ring33is shown rotated such that its connection slot16is facing upward while its segment input connection15is positioned to be parallel with the same plane as its corresponding segment which is positioned in the unfolded state flat against the ground plane. Slip ring33is also concentrically connected to spur gear30which is driven by the movement of its corresponding segment. Similarly, slip ring35, which is located opposite slip ring33, is positioned such that its connection slot17is also facing upward while its segment input connection18is positioned parallel to the same plane as its corresponding segment which is positioned in the unfolded state along the ground plane. Slip ring35is concentrically connected to spur gear31which is driven by the movement of its corresponding segment. Pin19is utilized to provide an electromechanical connection between slip ring33and35allowing a continuous electrical connection to be made while the device is free to rotate from a folded to an unfolded state. The full electrical connection travels from segment input connection15through slip ring33to connection slot16, and then to pin19, to connection slot17, to slip ring35, and then finally to segment input connection18. Also shown and situated behind slip rings33and35are a series of slip rings that represent multiple electrical connections. Multiple electrical connections could also be run through a single slip ring assembly with multiple slots and pins if necessary, to reduce the overall space that the connections makeup within the device. It is also important to note that the pin used to connect two slip rings could be affixed to one slip ring which would then connect and slide within a slot located on a second slip ring. This would eliminate the need for having two slots to make a single connection.

In position51, electromechanical slip ring assembly11is shown corresponding to a foldable device's folded state. In this case, slips rings33and35are shown pointing downward while their respective segment input connections15and18, where each segment's relative electronic connections are connected through, are positioned upward such that they are parallel with each of their respective segment's structural supports as they are positioned in the folded state. This is further illustrated inFIG.2, where segment structural support36is shown on the left side connected to spur gear30and slip ring33, while segment structural support38is shown on the right side connected to spur gear31and slip ring35. A flexible display39is shown at the top of the foldable device attached to segment structural supports36and38. The hinge housing13is used to support the electromechanical slip ring assembly11. It is also important to note that while the embodiments show a single flexible display with two display segments, a rigid cover display may also be included with the device, and two rigid tiled display segments may also be integrated instead of having a flexible display. The device may also have different display aspect ratios such that it takes on a flip phone form factor.

Shown inFIG.3is an embodiment of an electromechanical slip ring assembly37, which utilizes slips rings55and57to provide the electrical connection between the device's segment structural supports. In this embodiment, slip rings55and57are concentrically connected and utilize a more standard slip ring configuration where an electrical rotary connection is made between both slip rings such that a constant force is applied from one electrical connection to the other as the slip rings rotate in opposite directions to each other. Position71corresponds with a foldable device's unfolded state, while position73corresponds with a foldable device's folded state. Similar to the embodiment shown inFIG.1, electromechanical slip ring assembly37also has segment input connections15and18, which can be seen connected to segment structural supports36and38respectively fromFIG.4in positions75and77, which correspond with positions71and73. These structural supports also include an attached flexible display39. A third embodiment that could be implemented would be in having circular slip rings that are concentrically located with each gear, similar to the embodiment shown inFIG.1, but with their electrical connections situated on their outside edges such that their connections are constantly in contact with each other as the mating slip rings rotate alongside each other.