Patent Publication Number: US-2022214756-A1

Title: Electromechanical Slip Rings For A Foldable Display Device

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/133,292, filed on Jan. 1, 2021, which is incorporated in its entirety herein by reference. 
    
    
     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&#39;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&#39;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&#39;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. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The subject matter regarded as the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. The invention, however, both as to organization and method of operation, together with objects, features, and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following detailed description when read with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an electromechanical slip ring mechanism for a foldable computing device is shown in two separate positions, the first position shows the device in an unfolded state, and the second position shows the device in a folded state. 
         FIG. 2  is a side view showing the electromechanical slip ring mechanism from  FIG. 1  with its hinge housing and sections of its two flexible display segments and their respective structural support shown in a unfolded and folded state. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an electromechanical slip ring mechanism for a foldable computing device is shown in two separate positions, the first position shows the device in an unfolded state, and the second position shows the device in a folded state. 
         FIG. 4  is a side view showing the electromechanical slip ring mechanism from  FIG. 3  with its hinge housing and sections of its two flexible display segments and their respective structural support shown in a unfolded and folded state. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
     In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the present invention. 
     Although embodiments of the invention are not limited in this regard, discussions utilizing terms such as, for example, “processing,” “computing,” “calculating,” “determining,” “establishing”, “analyzing”, “checking”, or the like, may refer to operation(s) and/or process(es) of a computer, a computing platform, a computing system, or other electronic computing device, that manipulates and/or transforms data represented as physical (e.g., electronic) quantities within the computer&#39;s registers and/or memories into other data similarly represented as physical quantities within the computer&#39;s registers and/or memories or other information non-transitory storage medium that may store instructions to perform operations and/or processes. Although embodiments of the invention are not limited in this regard, the terms “plurality” and “a plurality” as used herein may include, for example, “multiple” or “two or more”. The terms “plurality” or “a plurality” may be used throughout the specification to describe two or more components, devices, elements, units, parameters, or the like. Unless explicitly stated, the method embodiments described herein are not constrained to a particular order or sequence. Additionally, some of the described method embodiments or elements thereof can occur or be performed simultaneously, at the same point in time, or concurrently. 
     In accordance with the exemplary embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , an electromechanical slip ring mechanism  11  for a foldable computing device is shown in two separate positions  50  and  51 . In position  50 , slip ring mechanism  11  is shown in a position that corresponds to the unfolded state of a foldable device, and below in position  51 , slip ring mechanism  11  is shown in a position that corresponds to the folded state of a foldable device. In position  51 , slip ring  33  is shown rotated such that its connection slot  16  is facing upward while its segment input connection  15  is 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 ring  33  is also concentrically connected to spur gear  30  which is driven by the movement of its corresponding segment. Similarly, slip ring  35 , which is located opposite slip ring  33 , is positioned such that its connection slot  17  is also facing upward while its segment input connection  18  is positioned parallel to the same plane as its corresponding segment which is positioned in the unfolded state along the ground plane. Slip ring  35  is concentrically connected to spur gear  31  which is driven by the movement of its corresponding segment. Pin  19  is utilized to provide an electromechanical connection between slip ring  33  and  35  allowing 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 connection  15  through slip ring  33  to connection slot  16 , and then to pin  19 , to connection slot  17 , to slip ring  35 , and then finally to segment input connection  18 . Also shown and situated behind slip rings  33  and  35  are 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 connection 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 position  51 , electromechanical slip ring assembly  11  is shown corresponding to a foldable device&#39;s folded state. In this case, slips rings  33  and  35  are shown pointing downward while their respective segment input connections  15  and  18 , where each segment&#39;s relative electronic connections are connected through, are positioned upward such that they are parallel with each of their respective segment&#39;s structural supports as they are positioned in the folded state. This is further illustrated in  FIG. 2 , where segment structural support  36  is shown on the left side connected to spur gear  30  and slip ring  33 , while segment structural support  38  is shown on the right side connected to spur gear  31  and slip ring  35 . A flexible display  39  is shown at the top of the foldable device attached to segment structural supports  36  and  38 . The hinge housing  13  is used to support the electromechanical slip ring assembly  11 . 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 in  FIG. 3  is an embodiment of an electromechanical slip ring assembly  37 , which utilizes slips rings  55  and  57  to provide the electrical connection between the device&#39;s segment structural supports. In this embodiment, slip rings  55  and  57  are 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. Position  71  corresponds with a foldable device&#39;s unfolded state, while position  73  corresponds with a foldable device&#39;s folded state. Similar to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , electromechanical slip ring assembly  37  also has segment input connections  15  and  18 , which can be seen connected to segment structural supports  36  and  38  respectively from  FIG. 4  in positions  75  and  77 , which correspond with positions  71  and  73 . These structural supports also include an attached flexible display  39 . 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 in  FIG. 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. 
     While certain features of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications, substitutions, changes, and equivalents will now occur to those of ordinary skill in the art. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes that fall within the true spirit of the invention.