WO2004038941A1

WO2004038941A1 - A portable display

Info

Publication number: WO2004038941A1
Application number: PCT/KR2003/002213
Authority: WO
Inventors: Seok-Hong Jeong
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-10-23
Filing date: 2003-10-21
Publication date: 2004-05-06
Anticipated expiration: 2005-04-23
Also published as: KR20040036071A; AU2003273086A1; KR100506380B1

Abstract

A portable display includes a first display for displaying an image, a second display for displaying an image, the second display being coupled on the first display, a connecting link for connecting the first and second displays such that the first and second displays are foldable with screens oriented in an identical direction and unfoldable on a same plane, and a portable communication device rotatably coupled on a central portion of the connecting link.

Description

TITLE OF THE INVENTION

A PORTABLE DISPLAY

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(a) Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a portable display, and more particularly, to a portable display that has an enlarged screen size, being conveniently associated with a communication device.

(b) Description of the Related Art

As a portable communication device such as a cellular phone, a PDA, and a mobile communication device is being minimized , a display associated with such a portable communication device is also being minimized. However, as the size of the display is reduced, the actual screen size is also reduced, deteriorating the convenience in use. Therefore, to solve this problem , a portable display having two display panels foldable on each other has been developed.

The portable display is designed to be foldable such that the screens face each other. That is, when the portable communication device is in a not-using-state, the display panel is maintained in a state where the screens are folded to face each other, and when in a using-state, it is unfolded such that the screens are connected to each other. It becomes a trend that the portable communication is designed having a multi function such as a mobile phone and

Internet. When a user intends to use a sim ple function such as a mobile phone function, only a part of screen is required to display an image. However, when the user intends to use an Internet-function, which requires a large-sized screen, there is a need of using the entire screen to display the image. However, the conventional foldable display has not met such a user's requirement.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the present invention has been made in an effort to solve the above-described problem . It is an objective of the present invention to provide a portable display that is designed to allow a user to see the displayed image even when it is in the folded state while providing an enlarged screen when it is unfolded.

To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides a portable display associated with a portable communication device, the portable display comprising at least two displays for coupling on the portable communication device and for display an image; and connecting means for connecting the displays such that the displays are foldable with screens oriented in an identical direction and unfoldable on a same plane. According to another aspect of the present invention, there is a provided a portable display comprising a first display for displaying an image; a second display for displaying an image, the second display being coupled on the first display; a connecting link for connecting the first and second displays such that the first and second displays are foldable with screens oriented in an identical direction and unfoldable on a same plane; and a portable communication device rotatably coupled on a central portion of the connecting link.

Therefore, the present invention has advantages in that the portable communication is available in providing the display image to the user even when the displays are folded on each other, providing the convenience. In addition, when the displays are unfolded, the enlarged screen can be realized to meet the variety of user's requirements.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portable display according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a major portion of a portable display according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating an operation of a portable display according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a view illustrating an operation process of a portable display according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a portable display according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a view illustrating an operation process of a portable display according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a portable display according to a third embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 8 is a view illustrating an operation process of a portable display according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of a portable display according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 1 is a view illustrating an operation process of a portable display according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 12 and 1 3 are perspective views of a portable display according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 14 is an exploded perspective view of a portable display according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described more in detail hereinafter in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a portable display according to a first embodiment of the present invention and FIG. 2 shows an exploded perspective view of FIG. 1 . There are shown a portable communication device 1 , a first display 3 coupled on the communication device 1 , and a second display 5 coupled to the first display 3 by connecting means. A cellular phone, a PDA and the like may be employed as the portable communication device 1 .

The first display 3 is coupled on the portable communication device 1 by a hinge so that it can be folded on the communication device 1 (see arrow direction in FIG. 1 ) . In addition, the first display 3 is provided with a screen 3a that can display an image upward from a top surface in FIG. 2. It is preferable that the screen 3a is disposed to be sided toward one side so that it can be disposed adjacent to the second display 5 when the first and second displays 3 and 5 are unfolded on a same plane.

The second display 5 is coupled on the first display 3 by the connecting means and is provided with a screen 5a for displaying an image. The screen 5a of the second display 5 is disposed toward a top surface when the second display

5 is folded on a top of the first display 3 (see FIG. 2). That is, the screen 5a of the second display 5 is oriented in a direction identical to the screen 3a of the first display 3.

The connecting means is designed to fold the screens 3a and 5a of the first and second displays 3 and 5 such that the screens 3a and 5a are oriented in an identical direction and is designed to unfold the first and second displays 3 and 5 on a same plane. The connecting means comprises a link 7 that is hingedly coupled on one side of the first and second displays 3 and 5 by screws

9 (see FIG. 2).

Although FIG. 2 shows an example in which the link 7 is coupled on a lower side of the first and second displays 3 and 5, the present invention is not limited to this. That is, the link 7 may be provided on an upper or lower-side portion of the first and second displays 3 and 5. In addition, one or more links may be provided.

As shown in FIG. 4, the link 7 is designed such that a link distance "c" at a hinge coupling point is identical to or greater than the sum of a distance "a" from a hinge point of the first display 3 to corners facing each other (the corners that are disposed on a center portion when the first and second displays are arranged on the same plane) and a distance "b" from a hinge point of the second display 3 to corners facing each other.

The operation of the first embodiment will be described more in detail An operation process of a portable display according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be illustrate hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 1 , 3 and 4.

As shown in FIG. 1 , when the portable communication device is unfolded by rotating the first and second displays 5 in the arrow direction, the screen 5a of the second display 5 is directed upward in FIG. 1 . Accordingly, it is possible to use the portable communication device 1 by seeing the image displayed on the screen 5a of the second display 5.

In addition, when intending to enlarge the size of the screen, the user pushes the second display 5 toward one side (in the dotted-arrow directions of

FIGS. 3 and 4). As a result, since the link 7 is hingedly coupled on sides of the displays 3 and 5 , the first and second displays 3 and 5 are unfolded on the identical plane. By operating the screens 3a and 5a in this state, the user can obtain the large-sized screen.

As described above, since the displays are arranged such that their screens are oriented in the identical direction, it is possible to see the image including letters even in a state where the displays are folded on each other. In addition, when the displays are unfolded, it is possible to obtain the enlarged screen.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a portable display according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 shows a view illustrating the operation of the second embodiment. In this embodiment, the first and second displays 3 and 5 are connected by two li ks 7. By using two links, the first and second displays 3 and 5 are more stably coupled to each other. That is, this second embodiment shows that the number of links is not limited in the present invention. Since the operation effect of this second embodiment is identical to that of the first embodiment, the detailed description thereof will be omitted herein.

FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a third embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 8 shows a view illustrating the operation of the third embodiment, and FIG. 9 shows a sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 8. In this embodiment, the first display 3 is provided at a lower side surface (see FIG. 7) or an upper side surface with a guide groove 3b. One end of the link 7 is hingedly coupled while moving along the guide groove 3b. The other end of the link 7 is hingedly coupled on the side surface of the second display 5. In this third embodiment, the link 7 is designed such that one end thereof is to slide along the guide groove provided on one of the displays while having a rotational motion. The other end of the link 7 is hingedly poupled on the other one of the displays. Hereinafter, the third embodiment will be described hereinafter while the identical portions to the first and second embodiments are omitted. To use the enlarged screen, when the second display 5 is pushed in the dotted-arrow direction (see FIG. 7), one end of the link 7 moves along the guide groove 3b and rotates at the end of the guide groove 3b such that the first and second displays 3 and 5 are arranged on the same plane. Although the operation effect is identical to that of the first and second embodiments, the third embodiment is designed to allow the size of the link 7 to be reduced, increasing the free of design.

FIG. 1 0 shows a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 1 shows a view illustrating the operation of the fourth embodiment. In this embodiment, links 7 are hingedly coupled on the first and second displays 3 and 5 and central portions of the links 7 are coupled on the portable communication device 1 . As in the forgoing embodiments, the links 7 are hingedly coupled by screws 9. As shown in FIG. 1 1 , the first and second displays 3 and 5 simultaneously rotate based on the portable communication device 1 , thereby enlarging the screen of the display. Accordingly, while the displays in the first to third embodiments are disposed to be sided based on the center of the portable communication device 1 , the displays in this embodiment are identically unfolded based on the center of the portable communication device 1 to enlarge the screen size. Therefore, this fourth embodiment has an advantage of improving the quality grade of the products.

FIGS. 12 and 1 3 show views of a fifth embodiment of the present invention, in which the first display 3 is coupled on the portable communication device to be foldable or unfoldable. In addition, second and third displays 5 and

1 3 that can be unfoldably coupled at the left and right sides of the first display 3 by the connecting means described in the forgoing embodiments. That is, the second and third displays 5 and 1 3 are coupled on the first display 3 by the links 7 to be -foldable and unfoldable.

As in the forgoing embodiments, the screen 5a of the second display 5 is oriented upward (see FIGS. 12 and 1 3) so that the user can see the image even when the displays are folded on each other (see FIG. 13) .

This fifth embodiment has an advantage of further enlarging the screen size

In first to fifth embodiments, the displays aie coupled by the link, the present invention is not limited to this Any connecting means that allows the uppermost display to expose the screen outside when the displays are folded on each other can be employed in the present invention For example, the connecting means can be designed having a motor and a powei transmission gear for transmitting driving force of the motor

FIG 14 shows an exploded perspective view illustrating a major portion of a sixth embodiment of the present invention, in which the display is designed to be opened by elastic force That is, in this embodiment, an elastic member such as a spring 21 is designed to bias the second display 5 against the first display 3 so that the second display 5 is unfolded form the first display 3 In addition, hooking means is provided on the side surface of the first and second display 3 and 5 to maintain the unfolded state of the first and second displays 3 and 5

One end of the spring 21 is elastically supported on the first display 3, and the other end of the spring 21 supports one end of the link 7 such that the link 7 biases the second display 5 in the unfolding direction against the first display 3

The hooking means comprises a button portion 23 provided with a hook step 23a and formed on a side portion of the first display 3 and a hook portion 25 provided with a hook groove 25a and formed on the second display 5 to be engaged with the hook step 23a. The hook means is preferably formed of a material having predetermined elastic force. In this sixth embodiment, when the button portion 23 is pressed, the engagement of the hook step 23a and the hook groove 25a is released. At this point, the spring 21 elastically depresses the link 7 to move the second display 5 in an opening direction against the first display 3. Accordingly, the first and second displays 3 and 5 provide the enlarged screen. Except for the spring for easily opening the first and second displays 3 and 5, the operation effect of this embodiment is identical to those of the forgoing embodiments, detailed description of which will be omitted herein.

As described above, the portable communication is available in providing the display image to the user even when the displays are folded on each other, providing the convenience. In addition, when the displays are unfolded, the enlarged screen can be realized to meet the variety of user's requirements.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1 . A portable display associated with a portable communication device, the portable display comprising: at least two displays for coupling on the portable communication device and for display an image; and connecting means for connecting the displays such that the displays are foldable with screens oriented in an identical direction and unfoldable on a same plane.

2. The portable display of claim 1 wherein the connecting means comprises at least one link having a first end hingedly coupled on a side of one of the displays and a second end hingedly coupled on a side of the other of the displays.

3. The portable display of claim 1 wherein the connecting means comprises a link having a first end slidably and hingedly coupled on a guide groove formed on a side of one of the displays and a second end hingedly coupled on a side of the other of the displays.

4. The portable display , of claim 2 wherein the connecting means comprises an elastic member having a first end elastically supported on one of the displays and a second end elastically supporting the link such that the elastic member can unfold the displays on the same plane.

5. The portable display of claim 1 further com prising fixing means for maintaining the folded state of the displays.

6. The portable display of claim 5 wherein the fixing means comprises a hook groove formed on one of the displays and a hook step formed on the other of the displays, the hook step being engaged with the hook groove.

7. The portable display of claim 2 wherein the link is designed such that a link distance at a hinge coupling point is identical to or greater than the sum of a distance from a hinge point of one of the displays to corners of the displays facing each other and a distance from a hinge point of the other of the displays to corners of the displays facing each other.

8. A portable display comprising: a first display for displaying an image; a second display for displaying an image, the second display being coupled on the first display; a connecting link for connecting the first and second displays such that the first and second displays are foldable with screens oriented in an identical direction and unfoldable on a same plane; and a portable communication device rotatably coupled on a central portion of the connecting link.