Before the official release on April 26, Samsung provided the first batch of Galaxy Fold evaluation testers to a number of evaluation agencies and digital bloggers. But unfortunately, the results of the first criticism are almost "disaster". Many early adopters have three serious design flaws: the hinge design is easy to bulge and damage the screen, while the curved folding structure causes the flexible PCB to rupture, between the screen and the hinge. The gap is easy to damage the OLED panel. To this end, Samsung decided to suspend the sale of new products before these issues are properly resolved.






Quoted from foreign media Pricebaba, Samsung has acquired three technology patents related to folding mobile phones during the extended period of time, each of which provides a solution for the design flaws of Galaxy Fold.






As mentioned above, the main cause of major design flaws in the Galaxy Fold is the poor hinge design. In order to solve this problem, a simple hinge design is described in Samsung's latest patent. Its appearance is somewhat similar to that of a motorcycle chain. A multi-component hinge consists of a plurality of interlocking trapezoidal blocks. This design allows the hinge to be hinged. Fold and unfold without complicating internal parts. It is also described in this patent that these trapezoidal blocks can be composed of aluminum or high strength plastics such as silicone or polyurethane to eliminate noise and achieve a smoother transition.






The second patent is a flexible PCB board. The new flexible PCB can be bent or twisted at any angle to eliminate any damage. The new PCB design involves an S-shaped zigzag pattern, similar to a telephone line.






The third patent, entitled "Foldable Display Device" with "Encapsulation Layer", prevents dust and foreign particles from entering. However, it does not describe how Samsung achieves waterproofing because it is not limited to a single device. This patent details various combinations of materials that can seal a flexible display as well as the entire foldable unit.