Display apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10948947-B2
Application number	US-201916670959-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 31, 2019
Priority date	Nov 2, 2018
Publication date	Mar 16, 2021
Grant date	Mar 16, 2021

Abstract

A display apparatus includes a display module and a support member disposed below the display module and supporting the display module. The display module includes a folding region and a plurality of non-folding regions adjacent to the folding region, and having a display surface for displaying an image. The display module is operated in a plurality of modes, and the plurality of modes includes a first mode in which the folding region has a first curvature radius and is folded in a first bending direction which surrounds a virtual first bending axis defined below the display module and a second mode in which the folding region has a second curvature radius and is folded in a second bending direction which surrounds a virtual second bending axis defined above the display module. The first curvature radius is greater than the second curvature radius.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A display apparatus comprising:
a display module comprising a folding region and a plurality of non-folding regions adjacent to the folding region, and having a display surface to display an image; and
a support member below the display module to support the display module, wherein
the display module is configured to operate in a plurality of modes, and
the plurality of modes comprises:
an unfolding mode in which an entire display module is unfolded to have a flat-plate shape;
a first mode in which the folding region has a first radius of curvature and is folded in a first bending direction around a first bending axis below the display module; and
a second mode in which the folding region has a second radius of curvature and is folded in a second bending direction around a second bending axis above the display module, wherein
the first bending axis is substantially parallel to the second bending axis,
the first radius of curvature is greater than the second radius of curvature,
wherein the support member comprises a folding unit comprising a plurality of joints, and
the plurality of joints are connected to each other through an inner connection member and an outer connection member spaced apart from the inner connection member.

2. The display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein
the folding region comprises:
a first region configured to be folded in the first bending direction in the first mode and to be folded in the second bending direction in the second mode; and
a second region adjacent to the first region, and configured to be folded in the first bending direction in the first mode and to be unfolded to have a flat-plate shape in the second mode.

3. A display apparatus comprising:
a display module comprising a folding region and a plurality of non-folding regions adjacent to the folding region, and having a display surface to display an image; and
a support member below the display module to support the display module, wherein
the display module is configured to operate in a plurality of modes, and
the plurality of modes comprises:
an unfolding mode in which an entire display module is unfolded to have a flat-plate shape;
a first mode in which the folding region has a first radius of curvature and is folded in a first bending direction around a first bending axis below the display module; and
a second mode in which the folding region has a second radius of curvature and is folded in a second bending direction around a second bending axis above the display module, wherein
the first bending axis is substantially parallel to the second bending axis, and
the first radius of curvature is greater than the second radius of curvature,
wherein
the folding region comprises:
a first region configured to be folded in the first bending direction in the first mode and to be folded in the second bending direction in the second mode; and
a second region adjacent to the first region, and configured to be folded in the first bending direction in the first mode and to be unfolded to have a flat-plate shape in the second mode, wherein
the first region is at a center of the folding region on a first plane, and
the second region comprises a plurality of second regions and adjacent to both sides of the first region in a first direction.

4. The display apparatus of claim 3 , wherein
the support member comprises:
a plurality of support plates overlapping with the non-folding regions on the first plane; and
a folding unit overlapping with the folding region on the first plane and configured to be folded or unfolded according to an operation of the folding region, wherein
the folding unit extends parallel to the first bending axis, and comprises a plurality of joints connected to each other.

5. The display apparatus of claim 4 , wherein
the folding unit comprises a first side and a second side facing oppositely away from the first side,
the plurality of joints comprises:
a plurality of central joints connected to each other, the plurality of central joints forming an array, the array comprising a first side and a second side facing oppositely away from the first side; and
a plurality of edge joints on at least the first and second sides of the folding unit and connecting the central joints on the first and second sides of the array to the support plates in a one-to-one correspondence.

6. The display apparatus of claim 5 , wherein
one or more of corresponding edge joints of the edge joints are between a corresponding one of the first and second sides of the array of central joints and a corresponding support plate.

7. The display apparatus of claim 5 , wherein
an upper surface of each of the plurality of joints define a support surface to support the display module,
an area of the upper surface of each of the plurality of joints is larger than an area of a bottom surface of each of the plurality of joints,
a maximum value of a separation distance between the joints is decreased in the first mode relative to the unfolding mode, and
the maximum value of the separation distance between the joints is increased in the second mode relative to the unfolding mode.

8. The display apparatus of claim 7 , wherein
a maximum value of a separation distance between adjacent joints in the first mode is less than the maximum value of the separation distance between adjacent to joints in the second mode, and
a maximum distance between the edge joint and the support plate in the second mode is less than a maximum value of a separation distance between adjacent central joints.

9. The display apparatus of claim 7 , wherein
a maximum value of a separation distance between adjacent central joints in the unfolding mode has a first distance,
the maximum value of the separation distance between adjacent central joints in the first mode has a second distance smaller than the first distance, and
the maximum value of the separation distance between adjacent central joints in the second mode has a third distance greater than the first distance.

10. The display apparatus of claim 9 , wherein
a separation distance between the edge joint and the support plate in the first mode is less than or equal to the first distance, and
the separation distance between the edge joint and the support plate in the second mode is less than the third distance and greater than or equal to the first distance.

11. The display apparatus of claim 7 , wherein
the folding unit further comprises a plurality of connection members to connect adjacent joints, and
the plurality of connection members comprises:
inner connection members adjacent to the upper surfaces of the joints and connecting upper portions of adjacent joints; and
outer connection members adjacent to the bottom surfaces of the joints and connecting lower portions of adjacent joints, wherein
the outer connection members comprises:
first outer connection members to connect adjacent central joints; and
second outer connection members to connect the support plates and the edge joints.

12. The display apparatus of claim 11 , wherein
a length of each of the second outer connection members is less than a length of each of the first outer connection members.

13. The display apparatus of claim 11 , wherein
each of the plurality of joints further comprises a guide rail on at least one surface thereof,
each of the outer connection members comprises a first side and a second side facing oppositely away from the first side, and
the separation distance between the joints is configured to be varied by movement of at least one of the first and second sides of each of the oute

Assignees

• Samsung Display Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yoon Hyoyul
• Lee Kyoungah
• Kim Mingu

Classifications

• G06F1/1641

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

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

• H10K2102/311

  Flexible OLED · CPC title

• G06F1/1652 Primary

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