Electronic Devices With Retractable Displays

a technology of electronic devices and displays, applied in the field of electronic devices, can solve the problems of reduced size, less viewing area, and more bulky electronic devices than desired, and achieve the effect of reducing and increasing the size of the viewing area

Active Publication Date: 2017-03-02
APPLE INC
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent describes a display that can be attached to a support structure at the back of the screen. The support structure includes rigid and flexible slats that help keep the display in a rigid state when deployed and allow it to flex and wrap around a roller when retracted. This technology makes it easier to transport and display the display without damaging it.

Problems solved by technology

The use of rigid display substrates can cause displays and electronic devices to be more bulky than desired.
Although devices can be reduced in size by using smaller displays, this may result in viewing areas that are not as large as desired.

Method used

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Examples

Experimental program
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Effect test

Embodiment Construction

[0027]An illustrative electronic device of the type that may be provided with a retractable flexible display is shown in FIG. 1. Electronic device 10 may be used as a portable monitor (e.g., for displaying content from an associated computer or other electronic equipment), may be a stand-alone computing device (e.g., an electronic device that can display media, handle wireless communications, receive input from a user, etc.), or may be any other electronic device. Device 10 may contain an embedded computer or may have reduced functionality to reduce device cost and complexity.

[0028]Device 10 may have a flexible display such as display 14. In the deployed position of FIG. 1, display 14 may have a planar shape (i.e., display 14 may lie in the X-Y plane of FIG. 1). The outline of display 14 may be rectangular or display 14 may have other suitable deployed shapes. Because display 14 is flexible, display 14 may be retracted into housing 12 of device 10 when it is desired to store display...

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PUM

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Abstract

An electronic device may have a pair of elongated housings. A flexible display may be placed in a first position in which the display is retracted within one of the housings and a second position in which the flexible display is deployed and extends between the housings in a planar shape for viewing by a user. Support structures such as rigid slats that run parallel to the housings and bistable slats that run perpendicular to the rigid slats may be used to support the flexible display. Speakers, microphones, cameras, and other components can be mounted in the housings. The housings may be held together using magnets and may contain electrical components such as integrated circuits, batteries, and other devices. The components may be mounted on printed circuit boards that rotate within a rotating roller around which the display is wrapped when retracted.

Description

BACKGROUND[0001]This relates generally to electronic devices, and, more particularly, to electronic devices with displays.[0002]Electronic devices often include displays for presenting image to a user. Displays are typically formed from rigid planar substrates. The use of rigid display substrates can cause displays and electronic devices to be more bulky than desired. Although devices can be reduced in size by using smaller displays, this may result in viewing areas that are not as large as desired.[0003]It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide improved electronic devices with displays.SUMMARY[0004]An electronic device may have a pair of elongated housings. A flexible display may be coupled between the housings. The flexible display may be placed in a first state in which the display is retracted within one of the housings and second state in which the flexible display is deployed and extends between the housings for viewing by a user.[0005]The flexible housing may wrap...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): G06F1/16H01L51/00
CPCG06F1/1605G06F1/1628G06F1/1615G06F1/1652H01L51/0097G06F2203/04102Y02E10/549H10K77/111H10K50/80H10K50/84H10K50/87H10K2102/311
Inventor ZHANG, ZHENDRZAIC, PAUL S.
Owner APPLE INC
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