Foldable display device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10485116-B2
Application number	US-201816223527-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 18, 2018
Priority date	Dec 27, 2017
Publication date	Nov 19, 2019
Grant date	Nov 19, 2019

Abstract

A foldable display device is discussed, which is capable of shielding the folding region of a housing, to which a flexible display panel is coupled, so as to prevent exposure of the folding region to the outside upon an operation of folding the housing, and which is capable of improving the flatness of the flexible display panel when the flexible display panel or the housing returns from the folded state to the unfolded state.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A foldable display device comprising:
a display panel configured to be bent elastically;
a lower plate coupled to a bottom surface of the display panel;
a housing comprising a first plate for covering a portion of a bottom surface of the lower plate, a second plate for covering a remaining portion of the bottom surface of the lower plate, and a folding region defined by a hinge coupling between the first plate and the second plate; and
a sub-frame disposed in the folding region to couple the lower plate onto the housing,
wherein when the first plate and the second plate are folded, the sub-frame shields the folding region by being folded within the folding region in accordance with a folding of the first plate and the second plate,
wherein the sub-frame comprises:
a first unit sub-layer disposed under the bottom surface of the lower plate; and
at least one second unit sub-layer disposed further outwardly than the first unit sub-layer;
a fixed region fixed to a location between the lower plate and one of the first plate and the second plate; and
a slippage region disposed at a location between the lower plate and a remaining one of the first plate and the second plate, and
wherein when the housing is folded, a portion of the first unit sub-layer and a portion of the at least one second unit sub-layer that are located in the slippage region slip relative to each other.

2. The foldable display device according to claim 1 , wherein the first unit sub-layer and the at least one second unit sub-layer are formed to have a same shape as each other, and have a same hole pattern such that holes formed in the first unit sub-layer and holes formed in the at least one second unit sub-layer communicate with each other.

3. The foldable display device according to claim 1 , wherein the fixed region of the sub-frame is fixed to a location between the bottom surface of the lower plate and a top surface of the second plate,
wherein the sub-frame comprises a guide portion disposed in the slippage region, the guide portion having therein a slot through which a guide protrusion protruding from one of the lower plate and the housing is inserted, and
wherein, when the housing is folded, the sub-frame is guided in a folding direction by the guide protrusion inserted through the slot in the guide portion.

4. A foldable display device comprising:
a display panel configured to be bent elastically;
a lower plate coupled to a bottom surface of the display panel;
a housing comprising a first plate for covering a portion of a bottom surface of the lower plate, a second plate for covering a remaining portion of the bottom surface of the lower plate, and a folding region defined by a hinge coupling between the first plate and the second plate; and
a sub-frame disposed in the folding region to couple the lower plate onto the housing, wherein when the first plate and the second plate are folded, the sub-frame shields the folding region by being folded within the folding region in accordance with a folding of the first plate and the second plate,
wherein the sub-frame comprises:
a first unit sub-layer disposed under the bottom surface of the lower plate; and
at least one second unit sub-layer disposed further outwardly than the first unit sub-layer, and
wherein the first unit sub-layer and the at least one second unit sub-layer are formed to have a same shape as each other, and have a same hole pattern such that holes formed in the first unit sub-layer and holes formed in the at least one second unit sub-layer communicate with each other.

Assignees

• Lg Display Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Jun-Hyung

Classifications

• G06F1/1641 Primary

  the display being formed by a plurality of foldable display components (G06F1/1647 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G09F9/301 Primary

  flexible foldable or roll-able electronic displays, e.g. thin LCD, OLED · CPC title

• G06F1/1652

  the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable · CPC title

• G06F1/1656

  Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories (mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203) · CPC title

• H05K5/0226

  Hinges · CPC title