Display device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11726527-B2
Application number	US-202117484350-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 24, 2021
Priority date	Dec 10, 2020
Publication date	Aug 15, 2023
Grant date	Aug 15, 2023

Abstract

A display device includes a display panel; a first digitizer layer disposed on the display panel; a second digitizer layer disposed on the display panel and separated from the first digitizer layer; a first plate member disposed on the first digitizer layer; and a second plate member disposed on the second digitizer layer, wherein each of the first plate member and the second plate member includes a plurality of plate portions and one or more hinge portions configured to rotatably connect the plurality of plate portions to each other.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A display device comprising:
a display panel;
a first digitizer layer disposed on the display panel;
a second digitizer layer disposed on the display panel and separated from the first digitizer layer;
a first plate member disposed on the first digitizer layer; and
a second plate member disposed on the second digitizer layer,
wherein each of the first plate member and the second plate member includes a plurality of plate portions and one or more hinge portions configured to rotatably connect the plurality of plate portions to each other,
wherein the first plate member includes a first plate portion, a second plate portion having one end rotatably connected to one end of the first plate portion, and a third plate portion having one end rotatably connected to another end of the second plate portion, and
wherein the second plate member includes a fourth plate portion, a fifth plate portion having one end rotatably connected to one end of the fourth plate portion, and a sixth plate portion having one end rotatably connected to another end of the fifth plate portion.

2. The display device of claim 1 , wherein, when the display device is folded, at least one plate portion of the plurality of plate portions rotates in a direction different from a direction in which the remaining plate portions other than the at least one plate portion of the plurality of plate portions rotate.

3. The display device of claim 1 , wherein,
a portion of the display panel is bent to have a curvature when the display device is folded, and
at least a portion of the bent portion of the display panel is disposed between the second plate portion and the fifth plate portion and between the third plate portion and the sixth plate portion.

4. The display device of claim 1 , wherein, when the display device is folded, a distance between the one end of the first plate portion and the one end of the fourth plate portion is less than a distance between another end of the third plate portion and another end of the sixth plate portion.

5. The display device of claim 1 , wherein
a gap is formed between the first digitizer layer and the second digitizer layer when the display device is unfolded, and
when the display device is folded, the third plate portion and the sixth plate portion rotate in a direction in which the gap is narrowed.

6. The display device of claim 5 , wherein, when the display device is folded, a portion of the first digitizer layer disposed on the third plate portion and a portion of the second digitizer layer disposed on the sixth plate portion are bent respectively due to the third plate portion and the sixth plate portion.

7. The display device of claim 1 , further comprising a first hinge portion configured to rotatably connect the one end of the first plate portion and the one end of the second plate portion, a second hinge portion configured to rotatably connect the another end of the second plate portion and the one end of the third plate portion, a third hinge portion configured to rotatably connect the one end of the fourth plate portion and the one end of the fifth plate portion, and a fourth hinge portion configured to rotatably connect the another end of the fifth plate portion and the one end of the sixth plate portion.

8. The display device of claim 7 , further comprising a planarization member disposed on the first digitizer layer and the second digitizer layer and including a pattern portion configured to reduce rigidity of the display device,
wherein the second hinge portion and the fourth hinge portion are disposed to be aligned with boundaries of the pattern portion in a thickness direction of the display device.

9. The display device of claim 8 , further comprising a first digitizer layer coupling member interposed between the planarization member and the first digitizer layer and a second digitizer layer coupling member interposed between the planarization member and the second digitizer layer.

10. The display device of claim 7 , further comprising a first plate member coupling member interposed between the first digitizer layer and the first plate member and a second plate member coupling member interposed between the second digitizer layer and the second plate member.

11. The display device of claim 7 , wherein
a distance between the first hinge portion and the third hinge portion is greater than a distance between the second hinge portion and the fourth hinge portion when the display device is unfolded, and
the distance between the first hinge portion and the third hinge portion is less than the distance between the second hinge portion and the fourth hinge portion when the display device is folded.

12. The display device of claim 1 , further comprising a first base member disposed on the first plate member and a second base member disposed on the second plate member,
wherein each of the first base member and the second base member includes an inclined surface on which the plate portion is seated when the display device is folded.

13. The display device of claim 1 , further comprising a connection member connecting an end portion of the first plate member and an end portion of the second plate member to cover a gap between the first plate member and the second plate member.

14. A display device comprising:
an integral member disposed in a folding area, a first non-folding area connected to one side of the folding area, and a second non-folding area connected to another side of the folding area;
a first separable member disposed on the integral member and located in the first non-folding area;
a second separable member disposed on the integral member, located in the second non-folding area, and separated from the first separable member;
a first plate member disposed on the first separable member; and
a second plate member disposed on the second separable member,
wherein each of the first plate member and the second plate member includes a plurality of plate portions and one or more hinge portions configured to rotatably connect the plurality of plate portions to each other,
wherein the first plate member includes a first plate portion, a second plate portion having one end rotatably connected to one end of the first plate portion; and a third plate portion having one end rotatably connected to another end of the second plate portion, and
wherein the second plate member includes a fourth plate portion, a fifth plate portion having one end rotatably connected to one end of the fourth plate portion, and a sixth plate portion having one end rotatably connected to another end of the fifth plate portion.

15. The display device of claim 14 , wherein
the integral member includes a display panel,
the first separable member includes a first digitizer layer, and
the second separable member includes a second digitizer layer.

16. The display device of claim 15 , the separable member includes a first plate member coupling member interposed between the first digitizer layer and the first plate member and a second plate member coupling member interposed between the second digitizer layer and the second plate member.

17. The display device of claim 15 , wherein
the integral member includes a planarization member disposed between the display panel and the separable member, and
the separable member includes a first digitizer layer coupling member interposed between the planarization member and the first digitizer layer, and a second digitizer layer coupling member interposed between the planarization member and the second digitizer layer.

Assignees

• Samsung Display Co Ltd

Inventors

• Seo Dong Woo
• La So Jeong
• Park Dong Jin
• Shin Jai Ku
• Lee Seok Chan
• Choi Sung Chul
• Shin Ji Hye

Classifications

• H04M1/0268

  including a flexible display panel · 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

• 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

• G06F1/1681

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

• G09F9/301 Primary

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