US 11,747,867 B2
Foldable display device
Jong Yoon Kim, Suwon-si (KR); Jung Jin Kim, Suwon-si (KR); Young Sun Park, Yongin-si (KR); and Chung Keun Yoo, Suwon-si (KR)
Assigned to Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Suwon-si (KR)
Filed by Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Suwon-si (KR)
Filed on May 23, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/750,919.
Application 17/750,919 is a continuation of application No. 17/313,399, filed on May 6, 2021, granted, now 11,340,663.
Application 17/313,399 is a continuation of application No. 16/990,369, filed on Aug. 11, 2020, granted, now 11,061,445, issued on Jul. 13, 2021.
Application 16/990,369 is a continuation of application No. 16/199,743, filed on Nov. 26, 2018, granted, now 10,775,852, issued on Sep. 15, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 10-2017-0159793 (KR), filed on Nov. 28, 2017; and application No. 10-2018-0023001 (KR), filed on Feb. 26, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0291724 A1, Sep. 15, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G06F 1/16 (2006.01); H05K 5/02 (2006.01); H04M 1/02 (2006.01); H05K 5/00 (2006.01)
CPC G06F 1/1681 (2013.01) [G06F 1/1616 (2013.01); G06F 1/1641 (2013.01); G06F 1/1652 (2013.01); H04M 1/022 (2013.01); H04M 1/0268 (2013.01); H05K 5/0226 (2013.01); G06F 1/1679 (2013.01); G06F 2203/04102 (2013.01); H04M 1/0216 (2013.01); H05K 5/0017 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A portable communication device comprising: a flexible display; a first housing accommodating a first display portion of the flexible display; a second housing accommodating a second display portion of the flexible display; a hinge structure disposed substantially between the first housing and the second housing such that each of a first ending portion and a second ending portion of the hinge structure in a length direction thereof is entirely covered by the flexible display when viewed from above, the hinge structure including: a first shaft configured to rotate about a first axis while the portable communication device is folded or unfolded, a second shaft disposed as substantially parallel with the first shaft and configured to rotate about a second axis substantially parallel with the first axis while the portable communication device is folded or unfolded, a first gear disposed under the flexible display and coupled to the first shaft, a second gear disposed under the flexible display and coupled to the second shaft, a first rotational member configured to rotate about a third axis while the first shaft rotates about the first axis, a second rotational member configured to rotate about a fourth axis substantially parallel with the third axis while the second shaft rotates about the second axis, a third gear disposed under the flexible display as aligned with a third shaft disposed between the first shaft and the second shaft in a length direction thereof; and a fourth gear disposed under the flexible display as aligned with a fourth shaft disposed between the third shaft and the second shaft in a length direction thereof; and a hinge housing accommodating at least a portion of the hinge structure, the hinge housing disposed substantially between the first housing and the second housing such that at least a portion of an outer surface of the hinge housing is exposed when the portable communication device is fully folded, and the outer surface of the hinge housing is entirely hidden by the first housing and the second housing when the portable communication device is fully unfolded, wherein the third axis and the fourth axis are closer to the flexible display than the first axis and the second axis, respectively.