Motorola Mobility LLC

Motorola Corporation

Google Inc.

Roger W Harmon

Alberto R Cavallaro

Jee-Woong Lee

Christopher A Arnholt

Steve C Emmert

Michael J Lombardi

Roger William Ady

Daniel T Berg

Jason P Wojack

Frank H Stone

Paul M Pierce

John Joseph Gorsica

Brian Jon Hassemer

Timothy J Sutherland

Nicholas Woodley

David Kyungtag Lim

William R Groves

Tim J Sutherland

Kevin J Schechtel

Giles D McWilliam

John Christopher Pincenti

Kevin W Johnson

Jason Edward Jordan

David G Fliszar

Yoo Jung Ahn

Thomas Anthony Petrella

Kenneth W Carlson

Michiel S Knoppert

Wayne Garrett Morrison

Aamir A Abbasi

Daniel P Rodgers

Paul Brian Koch

Michael J Formenti

Michael F Spence

Benjamin Finney

Paul J Smith

Glenn S Schultz

Srikanth V Thiruppukuzhi

Jonathan Mark Hewitt

Andrew B Herrmann

Narendra A Patel

A device includes a housing. The housing can define a duct having a central axis. A first loading surface can extend into the duct toward the central axis, while a second loading surface can extend into the duct toward the central axis. A first driver and a second driver can be situated within the duct along the central axis. The first driver can abut the second driver. A first spring biases the first driver away from the first loading surface, thereby causing the first driver to apply a first loading force to the second driver. A second spring applies a second loading force to the second driver, along a common direction with the first loading force, to bias the second driver away from the second loading surface, with the first spring and second spring operating in parallel on the second driver.

Dual spring and driver assembly and corresponding electronic devices

An electronic device includes a first device housing and a second device housing. Each can optionally define a linear recess. A hinge couples the first device housing to the second device housing. The first device housing is pivotable about the hinge relative to the second device housing. A flexible display is situated in the linear recess, where included, and spans the hinge. The hinge includes a cam, a first support plate pivotally coupled to a first side of the cam, and a second support plate pivotally coupled to a second side of the cam. The first support plate, the cam, and the second support plate bridge the linear recess of each device housing when the electronic device is in an axially displaced open position, but define boundaries within which the flexible display defines a service loop when the electronic device is in a closed position.

Hinged electronic device with moving support plates for a flexible display and corresponding systems

A foldable display has multiple layers, including at least a display layer that creates the display that users see when looking at the foldable display and a stiff support layer that provides the display layer with support despite the foldable nature of the display. An adhesive layer binds the display layer to the stiff support layer. The stiff support layer has a stiffness that is at least six times greater than the stiffness of the adhesive layer and at least six times greater than the stiffness of the display layer. Given the foldable nature of the display, there is typically a hinge system below part of the display. In situations in which pressure is applied to the foldable display (e.g., by a user's finger or stylus), the stiffness of the stiff support layer prevents the display from being damaged despite the presence of the hinge system.

Foldable display with stiff support

A mobile device includes a device housing with an opening there through, the housing having a front external surface and a back external surface. A camera housing is sized to fit within the opening in the device housing, the camera housing including two cameras and two respective lenses. In a centered position, the lenses protrude beyond the front and back surfaces of the mobile device. A retention mechanism applies a force to the camera housing to retain it substantially centered in the opening unless an outside force of damaging magnitude is encountered.

Protruding camera lens protection

An electronic device includes a first device housing and a second device housing. A hinge, which can be a multi-link hinge, couples the first device housing to the second device housing. The first device housing is pivotable about the hinge relative to the second device housing. A flexible display is coupled to the first device housing and the second device housing and spans the hinge. The flexible display is to deform when the first device housing pivots about the hinge relative to the second device housing.

Electronic device with flexible display and hinged housing, and corresponding systems and methods

An electronic device includes a first device housing and a second device housing. A hinge couples the first device housing to the second device housing. The first device housing is pivotable about the hinge relative to the second device housing. The hinge includes a cam, which can be shaped like the head of a cat. A first follower is biased against a first side of the cat head shaped cam by a first spring disposed between the first follower and the first device housing. A second follower is biased against a second side of the cat head shaped cam by a second spring disposed between the second follower and the second device housing.

Electronic device with hinge and corresponding systems and methods

The present application provides an electronic device having at least a three part housing foldable between multiple use positions. The three part housing includes a first housing part, a second housing part, and a third housing part, where each of the three housing parts has a front facing, a back facing, and two spaced apart sides respectively coupled between the front facing and back facing at opposite edges of the front and back facings. The second housing part is respectively movably coupled to a side of each the first housing part and the third housing part at a different one of the two spaced apart sides of the second housing part. The electronic device further includes a flexible display which extends along at least portions of the first housing part and the second housing part, and across the movably coupled sides, at which the first housing part is coupled to the second housing part. The third housing part is adapted to be moved relative to the second housing part to selectively cover at least a portion of the flexible display.

Three part foldable housing supporting multiple use positions in an electronic device

A display stack-up for an electronic device has: multiple layers that include a display layer and a second layer; and an outer seal. Each layer has first and second base surfaces and a thickness therebetween defining a height of a lateral surface at a periphery of the layer. The multiple layers are stacked along an axis perpendicular to their base surfaces and parallel to their lateral surfaces, and the outer seal is positioned along the lateral surface of at least some of the multiple layers. The outer seal is composed of a flexible material and is arranged to bind the second layer and at least one other layer of the multiple layers. The outer seal also contains a non-adhesive liquid between the second layer and the at least one other layer to allow relative sliding between at least two layers of the multiple layers.

Flexible display stack-up and method for arranging

Electrical connection systems () for electronic devices () are disclosed. In one embodiment, a male electrical connector () includes a male housing portion () and at least a first magnet () carried by the male housing portion (). The first magnet () includes a curved contact surface () configured to abut with a female electrical receptacle (). At least a first resilient electrical contact () is carried by the male housing portion () for making an electrical connection with the female electrical receptacle (). The first magnet () and the first resilient electrical contact () are disposed in a parallel configuration along a transverse axis of the male housing portion ().

Magnetic electrical connection system for an electronic device

A camera assembly for an electronic device. The camera assembly comprises an image sensor, a housing barrel, at least one lens and a seal member. The housing barrel is positioned above the image sensor and includes a proximal end and a distal end, as well as an inner surface which defines a barrel cavity. The image sensor is configured to receive light that extends through the barrel cavity. The at least one lens is positioned within the housing barrel. The upper lens cover is positioned over the distal end of the housing barrel. The upper lens cover has an inner surface and an outer surface. The seal member is integrally formed with one of the housing barrel, at a distal end thereof, and the inner surface of the upper lens cover, wherein the seal member effectively provides a seal between the housing barrel and the upper lens cover.

Camera assembly for an electronic device having a seal member integrally formed therewith

A magnetic field sensor, such as a Hall effect sensor, and a corresponding magnetic field producing unit, such as a magnet, can be both positioned near a hinge of a hinged device, such that the magnet, in one part of the device, rotates around the Hall effect sensor, in another part of the device. Three positions can, thereby be detected: (1) when the device is closed and the magnet is 'above' the sensor, (2) when the device is partially open and the magnet is 'to the side' of the sensor, and (3) when the device is fully open and the magnet is &#x201c;below&#x201d; the sensor. The hinged device can have the hinge offset slightly to enable the magnet to rotate around the sensor as described. Alternatively, the locations of the magnet and sensor can be reversed.

Detecting three different open ranges in a flip device

An improved handheld electronic device is provided with a display and a unique edge to edge qwerty keypad. The specially arranged qwerty keypad has special side keys and intermediate keys which cooperate with the housing to provide a waterproof casing (case) and sealing system to seal and protect the keys, backlighting, flexes, domes and printed circuit board (PCB) from water.

Edge to edge qwerty keypad for a handheld device

Growing community of inventors

Crystal Lake, IL, United States of America

Roger W Harmon