Patent · US Expired

Electronic apparatus with a foldable display

US5734513A · kind A · utility

33Cited by
2References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 3, 1996
Grant dateMar 31, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 3, 2016

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B25/002
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A foldable screen display for displaying screen images is disclosed which comprises: (a) at least two sub-displays; (b) a hinging member for pivotally connecting the sub-displays together on a side-by-side manner; (c) a magnifying optical element provided on top of each of the sub-displays, the magnifying optical element providing a magnifying power of between about 1.05 and about 1.3 so as to cause images displayed on the sub-displays to be perceived by a user as if they were from a single display; and (d) a membrane covering both of the sub-displays and the hinging member, the membrane being made of a transparent and resilient material. In a preferred embodiment, the magnifying optical element is a zone plate type magnifying optical element and is constructed to provide a magnifying power approximately equalling to one plus the ratio between the width of the hinging member and the width of sub-display. The foldable screen display provides the advantages of being able to reduce the size of the display without compromising user's desire for maximum viewing comfort; therefore, it is an excellent device for use in making personal digital assistants, electronic books, electronic Rolod…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.