Display device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10901541-B2
Application number	US-201614989435-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 6, 2016
Priority date	Feb 16, 2015
Publication date	Jan 26, 2021
Grant date	Jan 26, 2021

Abstract

A display device includes a display member and a touch member. The display member is configured to generate an image. The display member includes a folding area configured to be folded along a folding axis, and another area adjacent to the folding area. The touch member is configured to detect a touch interaction association with the display member. The touch member includes a touch sensor, and a signal line electrically connected to the touch sensor. The touch sensor is a mesh-shaped touch sensor. A mesh line of the mesh-shaped touch sensor crosses the folding axis. A minimum angle between the folding axis and the mesh line is less than 90 degrees.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A The display device comprising:
a display member configured to generate an image, the display member being, in a plan view, divided into:
a folding area configured to be folded along a folding axis; and
a plan area adjacent to the folding area; and

a touch member configured to detect a touch interaction associated with the display member, the touch member comprising:
a touch sensor comprising:
a first touch electrode extending in a first direction; and
a second touch electrode insulated from the first touch electrode, the second touch electrode extending in a second direction crossing the first direction; and

a signal line electrically connected to the touch sensor,

wherein:
each of the first touch electrode and the second touch electrode comprises a plurality of mesh lines integrally formed with each other in at least the folding area to form a sensing portion of each of the first and second touch electrodes in a mesh-shape, the plurality of mesh lines extending in directions different from the first direction and the second direction;
at least some of the plurality of mesh lines overlap the folding axis in a plan view; and
a minimum angle between the folding axis and each of the directions of the mesh lines overlapping the folding axis is less than 90 degrees,

wherein:
the touch sensor comprises a plurality of touch electrodes, the first touch electrode being one of the plurality of touch electrodes;
each of the plurality of touch electrodes comprises:
first mesh lines of the plurality of mesh lines, the first mesh lines extending in a third direction different from the first direction and the second direction; and
second mesh lines of the plurality of mesh lines, the second mesh lines extending in a fourth direction crossing the third direction and being different from the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction; and

the first mesh lines and the second mesh lines define transmission parts,

wherein one of the plurality of touch electrodes overlapping the folding area further comprises:
third mesh lines overlapping the folding area, the third mesh lines being disposed on the first mesh lines and the second mesh lines; and
fourth mesh lines crossing the third mesh lines in the folding area, the fourth mesh lines being disposed on the first mesh lines and the second mesh lines, the fourth mesh lines crossing the third mesh lines, and

wherein the first mesh lines, the second mesh lines, the third mesh lines, and the fourth mesh lines are electrically connected to one another.

2. The display device of claim 1 , wherein a width of each of plurality of mesh lines is greater than or equal to about 10 micrometers and less than or equal to about 3000 micrometers.

3. The display device of claim 2 , wherein:
the plurality of mesh lines define transmission parts; and
each transmission part of the transmission parts is a polygonal shape in a plan view.

4. The display device of claim 3 , wherein, in a plan view, different transmission parts of the transmission parts comprise different polygonal shapes from one another.

5. The display device of claim 3 , wherein, in a plan view, polygonal shapes of the transmission parts are equivalent to one another.

6. The display device of claim 1 , wherein each of the transmission parts is lozenge shaped.

7. The display device of claim 6 , wherein:
a first transmission part of the transmission parts overlaps the folding area; and
a lozenge shape of the first transmission part comprises:
a first diagonal line substantially parallel to the folding axis; and
a second diagonal line crossing the first diagonal line.

8. The display device of claim 7 , wherein length of the first diagonal line is longer than length of the second diagonal line.

9. The display device of claim 8 , wherein, in a folded state, the touch member is configured to apply a compressive stress in the folding area.

10. The display device of claim 8 , wherein, in a folded state, the touch member is configured to apply a tensile stress in the folding area.

11. The display device of claim 8 , wherein the length of the first diagonal line is greater than or equal to about 10 micrometers and less than or equal to about 500 micrometers.

12. The display device of claim 1 , wherein:
each of the third mesh lines is substantially parallel to each of the first mesh lines; and
each of the fourth mesh lines is substantially parallel to each of the second mesh lines.

13. The display device of claim 1 , wherein:
the signal line comprises a plurality of conductive lines;
the plurality of conductive lines define a mesh shape; and
arrangements of the plurality of conductive lines and the plurality of mesh lines are equivalent to one another.

14. The display device of claim 1 , wherein:
the first touch electrode is one of a plurality of first touch electrodes;
the second touch electrode is one of a plurality of second touch electrodes;
the first touch electrodes extend in the first direction and are arranged in the second direction crossing the first direction; and
the second touch electrodes extend in the second direction and are arranged in the first direction.

15. The display device of claim 14 , wherein the folding axis extends in a direction substantially parallel to the first direction or the second direction.

16. The display device of claim 14 , wherein:
the first touch electrode comprises:
first sensing parts arranged in the first direction; and
first connection parts disposed between and connecting adjacent first sensing parts of the first sensing parts; and

the second touch electrode comprises:
second sensing parts arranged in the second direction; and
second connection parts disposed between and connecting adjacent second sensing parts of the second sensing parts;

each of the first sensing parts and the first connecting parts respectively comprises some of the plurality of mesh lines of the first touch electrode; and
each of the second sensing parts and the second connecting parts respectively comprises some of the plurality of mesh lines of the second touch electrode.

17. The display device of claim 16 , wherein:
an insulating layer is disposed between the first sensing parts and the second sensing parts; and
the insulating layer is disposed between the first connection parts and the second connecting parts.

18. The display device of claim 16 , wherein:
a layer of the touch sensor comprises the second sensing parts and the first sensing parts; and
the second sensing parts are, in a plan view, spaced apart from the first sensing parts.

19. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the display member comprises:
a base layer; and
an element layer disposed on the base layer, the element layer comprising an organic light emitting diode.

20. The display device of claim 19 , wherein:
the display member comprises an encapsulation layer covering the element layer; and
the touch sensor is disposed on the encapsulation layer.

Assignees

• Samsung Display Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ko Gwang-Bum
• Na Hyunjae
• Kim Cheolkyu
• Choi Sangkyu
• Sohn Jiwon
• Ahn Soonsung

Classifications

• G06F1/1652

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

• G06F1/1643 Primary

  the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads (details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615) · CPC title

• G06F2203/04111

  Cross over in capacitive digitiser, i.e. details of structures for connecting electrodes of the sensing pattern where the connections cross each other, e.g. bridge structures comprising an insulating layer, or vias through substrate · CPC title

• G06F3/0445

  using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer · CPC title

• G06F3/0446

  using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes · CPC title