Flexible display device with touch panel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016011689-A1
Application number	US-201514693496-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 22, 2015
Priority date	Jul 14, 2014
Publication date	Jan 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A flexible display device includes a display panel including a first surface including a display area configured to display an image, and a second surface disposed on the opposite side of the display panel from the first surface, and a touch panel disposed on the first surface, the touch panel including a base film and a transparent conductive layer disposed on a surface of the base film facing the display panel, in which at least a portion of each of the display panel and the touch panel is bendable such that centers of curvature of the display panel and the touch panel are positioned outside the second surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A flexible display device, comprising:
a display panel comprising:
a first surface comprising a display area configured to display an image; and
a second surface disposed on the opposite side of the display panel from the first surface; and
a touch panel disposed on the first surface, the touch panel comprising:
a base film; and
a transparent conductive layer disposed on a surface of the base film facing the display panel,
wherein at least a portion of each of the display panel and the touch panel is bendable, such that centers of curvature of the display panel and the touch panel are positioned outside the second surface.

2 . The flexible display device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a sensing electrode unit disposed on the base film; and a functional coating layer covering the transparent conductive layer and the sensing electrode unit, wherein the functional coating layer is configured to create an anchor effect with the sensing electrode unit.

3 . The flexible display device of claim 2 , wherein:
the functional coating layer comprises an acryl-based resin or a polyurethane-based resin; and the thickness of the functional coating layer is in a range from 0.1 μm to 30 μm.

4 . The flexible display device of claim 3 , wherein the functional coating layer has a refractive index in a range from 1.3 to 2.0.

5 . The flexible display device of claim 2 , further comprising a protective film covering the functional coating layer.

6 . The flexible display device of claim 5 , wherein the protective film comprises at least one of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), cyclo-olefin polymer (COP), triacetyl cellulose (TAC), and polycarbonate (PC).

7 . A flexible display device, comprising:
a display panel comprising:
a first surface comprising a display area configured to display an image; and
a second surface disposed on the opposite side of the display panel from the first surface; and
a touch panel disposed on the first surface, the touch panel comprising:
a base film; and
a sensing electrode unit comprising a transparent conductive layer disposed on the base film,
wherein: the sensing electrode unit comprises first sensing electrodes extending in a first direction and second sensing electrodes disposed in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; at least one of the first sensing electrodes and the second sensing electrodes is disposed on a surface of the base film facing the display panel; and at least a portion of each of the display panel and the touch panel is bendable, such that centers of curvature of the display panel and the touch panel are positioned outside the second surface.

8 . The flexible display device of claim 7 , wherein:
the first sensing electrodes and the second sensing electrodes are disposed on the surface of the base film facing the display panel; and the first sensing electrodes are insulated from the second sensing electrodes by an insulating layer.

9 . The flexible display device of claim 8 , further comprising:
a functional coating layer covering the first sensing electrodes and the second sensing electrodes; and a protective film covering the functional coating layer.

10 . The flexible display device of claim 7 , wherein:
the touch panel further comprises a first base film and a second base film overlapping each other; the first sensing electrodes are disposed on a surface of the first base film facing the display panel; and the second sensing electrodes are disposed on a surface of the second base film facing the display panel.

11 . The flexible display device of claim 10 , further comprising:
a first functional coating layer covering the first sensing electrodes; and a second functional coating layer covering the second sensing electrodes.

12 . The flexible display device of claim 11 , wherein:
the second functional coating layer is disposed closer to the display panel than the first functional coating layer; and the second functional coating layer is covered with a protective film.

13 . The flexible display device of claim 7 , wherein:
the touch panel further comprises a first base film and a second base film overlapping each other; and the first sensing electrodes are disposed on a surface of the first base film facing the display panel.

14 . The flexible display device of claim 13 , wherein:
the second base film is disposed closer to the display panel than the first base film; and the second sensing electrodes are disposed on a surface of the second base film facing the first base film.

15 . The flexible display device of claim 14 , further comprising:
a first functional coating layer covering the first sensing electrodes; and a second functional coating layer covering the second sensing electrodes.

16 . A flexible display device, comprising:
a display panel comprising:
a first surface comprising a display area configured to display an image; and
a second surface disposed on the opposite side of the display panel from the first surface;
a touch panel disposed on the first surface, the touch panel comprising:
a base film; and
a sensing electrode unit comprising a transparent conductive layer; and
a cover window disposed on the touch panel, wherein: the sensing electrode unit comprises:
first sensing electrodes disposed on a surface of the cover window facing the base film; and
second sensing electrodes disposed on a surface of the base film facing the display panel; and
at least a portion of each of the display panel, the touch panel, and the cover window is bendable, such that centers of curvature thereof are positioned outside the second surface.

17 . The flexible display device of claim 16 , further comprising:
a first functional coating layer covering the first sensing electrodes; and a second functional coating layer covering the second sensing electrodes.

18 . The flexible display device of claim 17 , further comprising a protective film covering the second functional coating layer.

Assignees

• Samsung Display Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Young Sik
• Park Jung Mok
• Kim Chang Bum
• Kim Hyung Chul

Classifications

• 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

• G06F1/1652

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

• G06F2203/04103

  Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices · CPC title

• G06F3/045

  using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact · CPC title