Over the years Samsung has generated a plethora of patent applications regarding foldable and flexible displays and devices. We've archived these inventions here for easy review. In late 2014 a Samsung executive talking with Wall Street Analysts stated that the company would deliver a foldable device by the end of 2015 to appease the market after having a disastrous quarter due to poor smartphone sales. In a report from Korea yesterday we learned that at the last moment, if you believe it, "Samsung scrapped a plan to unveil its new Note-branded "Fonblet." Was this the imaginary foldable product that was forecast in 2014? Only time will tell. Until such time, Samsung continues to dream up new foldable devices in the hopes that one of them may actually make it to market in the not too distant future. Today we cover Samsung's latest foldable device design.
Samsung's Latest Foldable Device Invention
In Samsung's patent FIG. 1 noted below we're able to see a perspective view illustrating an outer appearance of their latest foldable device invention; FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating a state where the foldable device of FIG. 1 unfolded.
Samsung notes that the folding mechanism is under the display and the flexible OLED display is designed to fold in the middle using and elastic unit configured to apply a tensile force to the flexible display device at the unfolded position.
Samsung's patent FIG. 5 noted below is an exploded perspective view illustrating the foldable device of FIG. 1.
Samsung's patent FIG. 13 noted below is a perspective view illustrating a state where the first body and the second body are stopped at a predetermined unfolding angle.
Samsung' patent FIG. 8C is a partially exploded perspective view illustrating the gear connection structure of the foldable device.
Samsung filed their U.S. patent application back in February 2015. Considering that this is a patent application, the timing of such a product to market is unknown at this time.
In June, a Korean Patent surfaced showing us a prototype (or CAD drawing) of a tri-fold device as noted below.
Unfortunately prototypes from Samsung are basically meaningless marketing tools. Back in 2009 Samsung was at CES showing off their latest two-display based smartphone that was due in "one year" and affordable in "one or two years." Six years later and there's only air to show for it. Considering that Samsung can't copy another company's design, they're finding it difficult to actually deliver on their paper tiger inventions.
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