US 11,892,878 B2
Electronic device
Kensuke Yoshizumi, Kanagawa (JP)
Assigned to Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd., Atsugi (JP)
Filed by SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD., Atsugi (JP)
Filed on Feb. 25, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/680,419.
Application 17/680,419 is a continuation of application No. 16/683,348, filed on Nov. 14, 2019, granted, now 11,281,256.
Application 16/683,348 is a continuation of application No. 15/350,263, filed on Nov. 14, 2016, granted, now 10,481,638, issued on Nov. 19, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 2015-225499 (JP), filed on Nov. 18, 2015.
Prior Publication US 2022/0179454 A1, Jun. 9, 2022
Int. Cl. G06F 1/16 (2006.01); H04M 1/02 (2006.01); G04G 17/04 (2006.01); G04G 9/04 (2006.01); H10K 50/80 (2023.01); H10K 59/10 (2023.01); H10K 59/12 (2023.01); H10K 59/40 (2023.01); H10K 102/00 (2023.01)
CPC G06F 1/1641 (2013.01) [G04G 9/04 (2013.01); G04G 17/045 (2013.01); G06F 1/163 (2013.01); G06F 1/1624 (2013.01); G06F 1/1626 (2013.01); G06F 1/1643 (2013.01); G06F 1/1652 (2013.01); G06F 1/1681 (2013.01); H04M 1/0237 (2013.01); H04M 1/0247 (2013.01); H04M 1/0268 (2013.01); C09K 2323/00 (2020.08); H04M 1/0239 (2013.01); H04M 2201/38 (2013.01); H04M 2250/16 (2013.01); H04M 2250/22 (2013.01); H10K 50/80 (2023.02); H10K 59/10 (2023.02); H10K 59/12 (2023.02); H10K 59/40 (2023.02); H10K 2102/3026 (2023.02)] 3 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An electronic device comprising:
a display panel having flexibility, the display panel comprising a first portion, a second portion,
a first housing;
a second housing; and
a mechanism for slidably connecting the first housing to the second housing,
wherein the display panel is configured to be transformed along with sliding of the first housing and the second housing to have a folded state, a spread state, and a transition state that is between the folded state and the spread state,
wherein the first housing and the second housing are in contact with each other in each of the folded state, the spread state, and the transition state,
wherein when the display panel is spread in the spread state, the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion are in a same plane and wholly exposed to an outside,
wherein, in the spread state, the first portion and the third portion are positioned on a top surface of the first housing, and the second portion is positioned on a top surface of the second housing,
wherein when the display panel is folded in the folded state, the second portion is positioned over the first portion with the third portion therebetween, and exposed to the outside,
wherein, in the folded state, a part of the second portion overlaps with the first portion and the third portion, and the other part of the second portion does not overlap with the first portion or the third portion,
wherein in the folded state, the second housing is positioned over the first housing,
wherein, in the folded state, the second portion is positioned on the top surface of the second housing,
wherein, in the folded state, the first portion is not exposed to the outside, and a part of the third portion is positioned on one of side surfaces of the second housing,
wherein when the display panel is changed in shape in the transition state, an area of the first portion that is exposed to the outside is changed along with transformation of the display panel,
wherein a height of the first portion that is exposed in the transition state and a height of the second portion that is exposed in the transition state are different,
wherein, in the transition state, the height of the second portion that is exposed is maintained,
wherein in the folded state and the transition state, the third portion comprises a first curved portion where part of a surface of the third portion is convexly curved and a second curved portion where another part of the surface is concavely curved,
wherein in the folded state, the second curved portion is positioned on the first portion side and the first curved portion is positioned on the second portion side, and
wherein an area of the second portion is larger than the area of the first portion.