Flexible display window and electronic device having the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11099607-B2
Application number	US-202016870229-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 8, 2020
Priority date	Jan 6, 2016
Publication date	Aug 24, 2021
Grant date	Aug 24, 2021

Abstract

A flexible display window and an electronic device having the same are provided. The electronic device includes a housing including a first rigid portion and a flexible portion, at least one outer layer that covers the first rigid portion and the flexible portion, a display device including a screen including a first portion exposed through the first rigid portion and a second portion extended from the first portion and exposed through the flexible portion, at least one processor electrically coupled to the display device, and a memory electrically coupled to the at least one processor, wherein the outer layer includes a polymer layer, a glass layer interposed between the polymer layer and the screen, and an adhesive layer interposed between the polymer layer and the glass layer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a housing including a first housing portion, a second housing portion, and a flexible housing portion connecting the first housing portion and the second housing portion, the flexible housing portion configured to facilitate folding of the housing by allowing the first housing portion and the second housing portion to rotate toward each other with respect to the flexible housing portion;
a protective sheet spanning the first housing portion, the second housing portion, and the flexible housing portion, the protective sheet including a first portion corresponding to the first housing portion, a second portion corresponding to the second housing portion, and a third portion corresponding to the flexible housing portion, the protective sheet comprising a plurality of layers including a polymer layer, a glass layer, and an adhesive layer interposed between the polymer layer and the glass layer; and
a display accommodated by the housing, the display having a continuous display area including a first display region viewable through the first portion of the protective sheet, a second display region viewable through the second portion of the protective sheet, and a third display region viewable through the third portion of the protective sheet,
wherein an edge of the protective sheet is spaced from an inner surface of a sidewall of the housing,
wherein an adhesive layer is interposed between the glass layer and the display, and
wherein the adhesive layer interposed between the glass layer and the display, and the adhesive layer interposed between the polymer layer and the glass layer consist of materials that enable slip.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the flexible housing portion is bendable such that the first housing portion and the second housing portion face each other when the flexible housing portion is fully bent.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the second protective portion faces toward the first protective portion when the flexible housing portion is fully bent.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the second display region faces away from the first display region when the flexible housing portion is fully bent.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic device is an out-folding device.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the protective sheet further comprises an anti-fingerprint layer, an anti-scratch layer, or an anti-reflective layer.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the polymer layer includes at least one of polyimide (PI), norbornene, high heat resisting polyester, epoxy, urethane, a copolymer in which polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and special PMMA are coupled, a copolymer in which polycarbonate (PC) and PI are coupled, a copolymer in which PMMA and PI are coupled, or a copolymer to which urethane is coupled.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the glass layer has a thickness in a range between 0.025 mm to 0.2 mm.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the adhesive layers include at least one of an optically clear adhesive or an optical clear resin.

10. The electronic device of claim 1 ,
wherein the glass layer comprises a first glass layer portion in the first housing portion and a second glass layer portion in the flexible housing portion, and
wherein the first glass layer portion has substantially a same thickness as the second glass layer portion.

11. An electronic device comprising:
a housing comprising a first housing portion, a second housing portion, and a hinge portion connecting the first housing portion and the second housing portion, wherein the hinge portion is configured to facilitate folding of the housing along the hinge portion by allowing the first housing portion and the second housing portion to be rotatable toward each other with respect to the hinge portion;
a display accommodated by the housing, the display including a touch screen that includes a first display area corresponding to the first housing portion, a second display area corresponding to the second housing portion, and a third display area corresponding to the hinge portion, wherein the first display area extends from the third display area, and the second display area extends from the third display area; and
an outer protective sheet disposed on the display to span the first display area, the second display area, and the third display area of the display,
wherein the outer protective sheet comprises a plurality of layers including a polymer layer and a glass layer,
wherein the outer protective sheet is disposed on the display such that an edge of the outer protective sheet is spaced apart from a sidewall of the housing,
wherein a first plane associated with an outermost surface of the protective sheet is closer to the display than a second plane parallel to the first plane and associated with an outermost surface of the sidewall,
wherein an adhesive layer is interposed between the glass layer and the display,
wherein an adhesive layer is interposed between the polymer layer and the glass layer, and
wherein the adhesive layer interposed between the glass layer and the display, and the adhesive layer interposed between the polymer layer and the glass layer consist of materials that enable slip.

12. The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the glass layer has a thickness in a range between 0.025 mm to 0.2 mm.

13. The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the polymer layer includes at least one of polyimide (PI), norbornene, high heat resisting polyester, epoxy, urethane, a copolymer in which polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and special PMMA are coupled, a copolymer in which polycarbonate (PC) and PI are coupled, a copolymer in which PMMA and PI are coupled, or a copolymer to which urethane is coupled.

14. The electronic device of claim 11 ,
wherein the adhesive layer interposed between the polymer layer and the glass layer is substantially transparent.

15. The electronic device of claim 11 , further comprising:
an adhesive layer interposed between the outer protective sheet and the display, wherein the adhesive layer consisting of materials that enable slip.

16. The electronic device of claim 11 , further comprising:
a support element interposed between an edge surface of the display and an inner surface of the sidewall of the housing.

17. The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the electronic device is an out-folding device.

18. The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the hinge portion is a multi-joint hinge.

19. The electronic device of claim 11 ,
wherein the adhesive layer interposed between the polymer layer and the glass layer comprises at least one of a first adhesive layer, a second adhesive layer, or a third adhesive layer,
wherein the first adhesive layer corresponds to a first housing portion, the second adhesive layer corresponds to the hinge portion, and the third adhesive layer corresponds to the second housing portion, and
wherein an adhesiveness strength of the second adhesive layer is lower than an adhesiveness strength of the first adhesive layer and an adhesiveness strength of the third adhesive layer.

20. The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the outer protective sheet is elongated closer to an inner surface of the sidewall of the housing than to the display.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Younggyun
• Moon Heecheul

Classifications

• G09F9/301 Primary

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

• G06F1/1652 Primary

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

• G06F2203/04102

  Flexible digitiser, i.e. constructional details for allowing the whole digitising part of a device to be flexed or rolled like a sheet of paper · CPC title

• G06F3/0414

  using force sensing means to determine a position · CPC title

• G06F3/044

  by capacitive means · CPC title