Apple’s patent for “hinge for folding display devices” was recently published.
The abstract shows that the present disclosure relates to hinges for folding display devices. A foldable display device may have housing portions joined by a hinge. A hinge can have a series of interconnected links. The link may be formed by interdigitated fingers in a friction clutch. The fingers or other parts of the link may be provided with crescent shaped slots that receive the pins. During folding of the device, the pins can slide along the crescent-shaped slots, ensuring that adjacent connectors rotate relative to each other about an axis of rotation located outside the hinge and within the flexible display panel. The links may also be formed from link members having curved cooperating bearing surfaces that slide relative to each other as adjacent links are rotated relative to each other. The housing rotation synchronization mechanism may be formed using a set of gears extending between the first housing part and the second housing part.
The instructions show that the device could be a cellular phone, tablet computer, wrist watch device or other wearable device, television, stand-alone computer monitor or other monitor, etc.
Apple has previously obtained a number of patents for folding screen devices, including detecting that an iPhone/iPad equipped with a flexible screen is in a dropped state, and automatically folding the screen to minimize screen damage.
In addition, in the patent titled “Hinges for Folding Display Devices” (A variety of hinges designed for folding screen devices), a complex hinge consisting of 4 pairs of pinions and 6 static components is mentioned. design.
Samsung previously said it expects Apple to join the folding screen space in 2024, starting with laptops and tablets rather than smartphones.
