Display device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10838457-B2
Application number	US-202016743900-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 15, 2020
Priority date	Jan 16, 2019
Publication date	Nov 17, 2020
Grant date	Nov 17, 2020

Abstract

A display device is provided. The display device includes a display panel including a folding region, first and second non-folding regions at opposite sides of the folding region; a first support plate below the display panel to overlap the first non-folding region and to partially overlap the folding region; a second support plate below the display panel to overlap the second non-folding region and to partially overlap the folding region; a first plate coupling film between the display panel and the first support plate to overlap the first non-folding region; a second plate coupling film between the display panel and the second support plate to overlap the second non-folding region; a first step compensating member between the display panel and the first support plate to overlap the folding region, apart from the first plate coupling film, and including a light shielding layer; and a second step compensating member between the display panel and the second support plate to overlap the folding region, apart from the second plate coupling film, and including a light shielding layer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A display device comprising:
a display panel including a folding region, a first non-folding region disposed at a side of the folding region, and a second non-folding region disposed at another other side of the folding region;
a first support plate disposed below the display panel to overlap the first non-folding region and to partially overlap the folding region;
a second support plate disposed below the display panel to overlap the second non-folding region and to partially overlap the folding region;
a first plate coupling film disposed between the display panel and the first support plate to overlap the first non-folding region, wherein the first plate coupling film couples the display panel and the first support plate to each other;
a second plate coupling film disposed between the display panel and the second support plate to overlap the second non-folding region, wherein the second plate coupling film couples the display panel and the second support plate to each other;
a first step compensating member disposed between the display panel and the first support plate to overlap the folding region, and spaced apart from the first plate coupling film, wherein the first step compensating member includes a first light shielding layer; and
a second step compensating member disposed between the display panel and the second support plate to overlap the folding region, and spaced apart from the second plate coupling film, wherein the second step compensating member includes a second light shielding layer.

2. The display device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a lower cover panel disposed between the display panel and the first plate coupling film to overlap the folding region, the first non-folding region, and the second non-folding region.

3. The display device of claim 2 , wherein, when the display device is folded, the first non-folding region and the second non-folding region are disposed to overlap each other.

4. The display device of claim 3 , wherein, when the display device is folded:
the first step compensating member is separated from the lower cover panel and attached to the first support plate; and
the second step compensating member is separated from the lower cover panel and attached to the second support plate.

5. The display device of claim 1 , wherein a separation distance between the first plate coupling film and the second plate coupling film is in a range of 7 millimeters to 8 millimeters.

6. The display device of claim 5 , wherein
a separation distance between the first plate coupling film and a first side surface of the first step compensating member facing an inner side surface of the first plate coupling film is in a range of 300 micrometers to 800 micrometers, and
a separation distance between the second plate coupling film and a first side surface of the second step compensating member facing an inner side surface of the second plate coupling film is in a range of 300 micrometers to 800 micrometers.

7. The display device of claim 6 , wherein a separation distance between a second side surface of the first step compensating member facing the first side surface thereof and a second side surface of the second step compensating member facing the first side surface thereof is in a range of 0.2 millimeter to 0.4 millimeter.

8. The display device of claim 7 , wherein
when viewed in a plan view, a first width of the first step compensating member between the inner side surface of the first plate coupling film and an inner side surface of the first support plate is in a range of 3.0 millimeters to 3.3 millimeters, and
when viewed in a plan view, a second width of the second step compensating member between the inner side surface of the second plate coupling film and an inner side surface of the second support plate is in a range of 3.0 millimeters to 3.3 millimeters.

9. The display device of claim 6 , wherein
a second side surface of the first step compensating member facing the first side surface thereof is aligned with or disposed more inward than the inner side surface of the first support plate when viewed in a plan view in a thickness direction of the first support plate, and
a second side surface of the second step compensating member facing the first side surface thereof is aligned with or disposed more inward than the inner side surface of the second support plate when viewed in a plan view in a thickness direction of the second support plate.

10. The display device of claim 2 , wherein
the first step compensating member further includes a first step compensating coupling film and a first step compensating substrate, and
the second step compensating member further includes a second step compensating coupling film and a second step compensating substrate.

11. The display device of claim 10 , wherein
the first step compensating coupling film is disposed between the first support plate and the first step compensating substrate to directly couple the first support plate and the first step compensating substrate to each other, wherein the first light shielding layer is disposed between the first step compensating substrate and the lower cover panel and is directly printed on a surface of the first step compensating substrate, and
the second step compensating coupling film is disposed between the second support plate and the second step compensating substrate to directly couple the second support plate and the second step compensating substrate to each other, wherein the second light shielding layer is disposed between the second step compensating substrate and the lower cover panel and is directly printed on an upper surface of the second step compensating substrate.

12. The display device of claim 10 , wherein
an elastic modulus of the first step compensating coupling film is greater than an elastic modulus of the first plate coupling film, and
an elastic modulus of the second step compensating coupling film is greater than an elastic modulus of the second plate coupling film.

13. The display device of claim 12 , wherein each of the elastic modulus of the first plate coupling film and the elastic modulus of the second plate coupling film is in a range of 0.03 megapascal to 0.06 megapascal.

14. The display device of claim 10 , wherein
the first step compensating coupling film is disposed between the first support plate and the first light shielding layer to directly couple the first support plate and the first light shielding layer to each other, wherein the first step compensating substrate is disposed between the first light shielding layer and a lower cover panel, and
the second step compensating coupling film is disposed between the second support plate and the second light shielding layer to directly couple the second support plate and the second light shielding layer to each other, wherein the second step compensating substrate is disposed between the second light shielding layer and the lower cover panel.

15. The display device of claim 10 , wherein,
the first step compensating coupling film is disposed between the first light shielding layer and the first step compensating substrate to directly couple the first light shielding layer and the first step compensating substrate each other, wherein the first step compensating substrate is disposed between the lower cover panel and the first step compensating coupling film, and the first light shielding layer is directly printed on a surface of the first support plate, and
the second step compensating coupling film is disposed between the second light shielding layer and the second step compensa

Assignees

• Samsung Display Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yu Jae Young
• Ko Yong Gi
• Koo Bon Joo
• Kim Yun Ha
• Park Jae Chun
• Baik Nam Seok
• Itakura Mikiya
• Lee Hyoung Jin
• Choi Dae Guen
• Choi Sung Chul

Classifications

• H04M1/0268 Primary

  including a flexible display panel · CPC title

• G09F9/301 Primary

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

• G06F1/1616 Primary

  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

• G06F1/1641

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

• G02F1/133305

  Flexible substrates, e.g. plastics, organic film · CPC title