Flexible display device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10820433-B2
Application number	US-201916728357-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 27, 2019
Priority date	Jan 31, 2019
Publication date	Oct 27, 2020
Grant date	Oct 27, 2020

Abstract

A flexible display device including a first body; a second body; a flexible display unit arranged on a front surface of the first and second bodies; and a rear plate coupled to a rear surface of the flexible display unit, and configured to be transformed together with the flexible display unit. Further, in a folded state of the flexible display unit, the second body covers a rear surface of the first body, a first part of the rear plate is wound around a bearing portion in the first body together with a first part of the flexible display unit, and a second part of the rear plate is coupled to a second part of the flexible display unit exposed to the outside; in an unfolded state of the flexible display unit, the first body and the second body are arranged in parallel; and in an extending state of the flexible display unit from the unfolded state, the first body is extended and the first part of the rear plate is unwound from the bearing portion together with the flexible display unit to increase an exposed region of the flexible display unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A flexible display device, comprising:
a first body;
a second body;
a flexible display unit arranged on a front surface of the first and second bodies; and
a rear plate coupled to a rear surface of the flexible display unit, and configured to be transformed together with the flexible display unit,
wherein in a folded state of the flexible display unit, the second body covers a rear surface of the first body, a first part of the rear plate is wound around a bearing portion in the first body together with a first part of the flexible display unit, and a second part of the rear plate is coupled to a second part of the flexible display unit exposed to the outside,
wherein in an unfolded state of the flexible display unit, the first body and the second body are arranged in parallel, and
wherein in an extending state of the flexible display unit from the unfolded state, the first body is extended and the first part of the rear plate is unwound from the bearing portion together with the flexible display unit to increase an exposed region of the flexible display unit.

2. The flexible display device of claim 1 , wherein the rear plate includes:
mounting portions extended in one direction, and recessed to couple the rear surface of the flexible display unit;
transformation portions having a plurality of extension bars arranged in parallel so as to cross the mounting portions, and configured to be transformed in correspondence to the flexible display unit; and
a bending supporting portion extended towards the outside from both sides of the mounting portions.

3. The flexible display device of claim 2 , further comprising:
a bonding member between an upper surface of the rear plate and a bottom surface of the flexible display unit.

4. The flexible display device of claim 2 , wherein the bending supporting portion is concaved downward, and
wherein a metallic supporting member is coupled to a bottom surface of the bending supporting portion, in correspondence to a shape of the bottom surface.

5. The flexible display device of claim 2 , further comprising:
a molding member having a concavo-convex shape coupled to an upper surface of the bending supporting portion.

6. The flexible display device of claim 2 , wherein the transformation portions include:
a first transformation portion having a plurality of extension bars arranged in parallel and spaced from each other with predetermined intervals, so as to be transformed in correspondence to a folding and unfolding of the flexible display unit; and
a second transformation portion spaced from the first transformation portion, and having a plurality of extension bars arranged in parallel so as to be transformed in correspondence to the first part of the rear plate wound around the bearing portion.

7. The flexible display device of claim 1 , wherein the first body includes a plurality of parts connected to each other so as to be relatively moveable, and
wherein the flexible display unit is changed into the extending state from the unfolded state, by being extended by a relative movement of the plurality of parts of the first body.

8. The flexible display device of claim 2 , wherein the bearing portion is installed at a first side of the first body.

9. The flexible display device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a hinge unit connecting the first body and the second body to each other such that the first body and the second body can be folded and unfolded with respect to each other, and
wherein the hinge unit is installed at another side of the first body.

10. The flexible display device of claim 9 , wherein the hinge unit includes a plurality of hinge segments sequentially arranged in one direction, and enclosing a side surface of the first body in the folded state of the flexible display unit.

11. The flexible display device of claim 1 , wherein the bearing portion includes:
a first bearing configured to wind the flexible display unit thereon; and
a second bearing spaced from the first bearing, and configured to support the flexible display unit in the first body, and
wherein the first body includes a groove for inserting the second bearing, and the second bearing performs a rotation and a linear movement in the groove.

12. The flexible display device of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of parts of the first body include:
a first part;
a second part coupled to the first part; and
a third part slidable between the first part and the second part.

13. The flexible display device of claim 12 , further comprising:
a first extension unit arranged at the first body,
wherein the first extension unit includes a plurality of links rotatably connected to each other, and a first fixing housing and a second fixing housing arranged with the plurality of links are interposed therebetween, and
wherein the first fixing housing is coupled to the flexible display unit and is moveable in the first body, and the second fixing housing is fixed to the first body.

14. The flexible display device of claim 13 , further comprising:
a second extension unit overlapping with the first extension unit, having one side connected to the first part, and having another side connected to one end of the flexible display unit,
wherein the second extension unit includes a third fixing housing and a fourth fixing housing arranged with a plurality of links are interposed therebetween.

15. A flexible display device, comprising:
a first body having a plurality of parts connected to each other so as to be relatively moveable;
a second body connected to one side of the first body by a hinge unit, so as to be relatively rotatable with respect to the first body;
a flexible display unit configured to be folded and rolled, and arranged on a front surface of the first and second bodies;
a rear plate coupled to a rear surface of the flexible display unit, and configured to be transformed together with the flexible display unit; and
bearing portions installed at another side of the first body, and configured to wind at least part of rear plate together with the flexible display unit thereon,
wherein the flexible display unit is changed into an extending state from an unfolding state, by being unfolded together with the rear plate by a relative movement of the plurality of parts.

16. The flexible display device of claim 15 , wherein the bearing portions include:
a first bearing configured to wind the rear plate together with the flexible display unit thereon; and
a second bearing spaced from the first bearing, and configured to support the rear plate with the flexible display unit in the first body.

17. The flexible display device of claim 15 , wherein in a folded state of the flexible display unit, the second body covers a rear surface of the first body, a first part of the rear plate is wound around the bearing portion in the first body together with a first part of the flexible display unit and a second part of the rear plate is coupled to a second part of the flexible display unit exposed to the outside,
wherein in an unfolded state of the flexible display unit, the first body and the second body are arranged in parallel, and
wherein in an extending state of the flexible display unit from the unfolded state, the first body is extended and the first part of the rear plate is unwound from the bearing portion together with the flexible display unit to increase an exposed region of the flexible display unit.

18. The flexible display device of claim 17 , wherein the rear plate includes:
mounting p

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Cha Youngdo

Classifications

• H05K5/0017

  with operator interface units · CPC title

• G06F1/1616

  with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position · CPC title

• G09F9/301

  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

• G06F1/1681 Primary

  Details related solely to hinges (hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683) · CPC title