Flexible display and method of manufacturing the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016374191-A1
Application number	US-201514971530-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 16, 2015
Priority date	Jun 17, 2015
Publication date	Dec 22, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A flexible display and a method of manufacturing the same are disclosed. In one aspect, the flexible display includes a flexible display panel including an active area configured to display an image and an inactive area surrounding the active area. The flexible display also includes a plurality of wires formed over the flexible display panel in the inactive area and configured to transmit an electric signal to the active area. The inactive area includes a plurality of edges that are bent with respect to the active area of the flexible display panel. A bending hole is formed at each corner where two adjacent edges of the flexible display panel meet and each of the corners is folded so as to define a folding region.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A flexible display, comprising:
a flexible display panel comprising an active area configured to display an image and an inactive area surrounding the active area; and a plurality of wires formed over the flexible display panel in the inactive area and configured to transmit an electric signal to the active area, wherein the inactive area comprises a plurality of edges that are bent with respect to the active area of the flexible display panel, wherein a bending hole is formed at each corner where two adjacent edges of the flexible display panel meet, and wherein each of the corners is folded so as to define a folding region.

2 . The flexible display of claim 1 , wherein each of the bending holes does not overlap the wires.

3 . The flexible display of claim 2 , wherein each of the bending holes is interposed between an adjacent set of the wires and the active area.

4 . The flexible display of claim 1 , wherein each of the bending holes penetrates through the flexible display panel in a thickness direction thereof.

5 . The flexible display of clam 1 , wherein each of the bending holes defines a closed curve surrounded by at least one of the edges.

6 . The flexible display of claim 5 , wherein each of the bending holes is surrounded by two adjacent edges.

7 . The flexible display of claim 1 , wherein each of the folding regions overlaps the two adjacent edges at the corresponding corner.

8 . The flexible display of claim 7 , wherein the wires comprise a plurality of sets of wires and wherein each of the sets of wires extends between two adjacent edges and via the corresponding corner.

9 . The flexible display of claim 1 , wherein the edges are folded at least once in a direction opposite to a direction in which the flexible display panel is configured to display an image.

10 . The flexible display of claim 1 , wherein the edges are folded to a first surface of the flexible display panel that opposes a second surface of the flexible display panel that is configured to display an image.

11 . The flexible display of claim 1 , wherein the inactive area surrounds the active area and wherein the edges are folded in a direction opposite to a direction in which the flexible display panel is configured to display an image along a circumference of the active area.

12 . The flexible display of claim 11 , wherein the inactive area comprises a plurality of first inactive areas opposing each other in a first direction and a plurality of second inactive areas opposing each other in a second direction, wherein each of the bending holes is formed at a corresponding one of the corners where a first edge of the first inactive areas and an adjacent second edge of the second inactive areas meet.

13 . The flexible display of claim 12 , wherein the active area has a quadrangular shape and wherein the edges comprise four edges which are folded together.

14 . The flexible display of claim 1 , wherein the flexible display panel comprises:
at least one flexible substrate; a plurality of light-emitting devices formed on the flexible substrate; and a plurality of insulating layers insulating the light-emitting devices from each other, wherein a reinforcing film is attached to the flexible substrate.

15 . The flexible display of claim 14 , wherein each of the bending holes penetrates through the flexible substrate and the reinforcing film at substantially the same location in a thickness direction of the flexible display panel.

16 . The flexible display of claim 14 , wherein the flexible substrate comprises at least one of: a flexible glass substrate and a flexible polymer substrate.

17 . The flexible display of claim 1 , wherein a radius of curvature of the flexible display panel is less than or equal to about 1 mm.

18 . A method of manufacturing a flexible display, comprising:
providing a flexible display panel comprising an active area configured to display an image and an inactive area surrounding the active area, wherein the inactive area comprises a plurality of edges; forming a plurality of wires in the inactive area, wherein the wires are configured to transmit an electric signal to the active area; forming a bending hole at each of a plurality of corners where two adjacent edges of the flexible display panel meet; bending each of the edges of the inactive area with respect to the active area of the flexible display panel; and forming a folding region by folding each of the corners at least once.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the bending of each of the edges comprise folding each of the edges at least once in a direction opposite to a direction in which the flexible display panel is configured to display an image and wherein the folding region overlaps the two adjacent edges at the corresponding corner.

20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the bending of each of the edges comprises folding the edges together to a first surface of the flexible display panel that opposes a second surface of the flexible display panel that is configured to display an image.

Assignees

• Samsung Display Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Myunghwan
• Kim Myeonghee
• Lee Sanggil
• Lee Heekeun

Classifications

• H10W70/688

  Flexible insulating substrates · CPC title

• H10W70/60

  Insulating or insulated package substrates; Interposers; Redistribution layers (leadframes H10W70/40) · CPC title

• H05K1/181

  associated with surface mounted components · CPC title

• H05K3/10

  in which conductive material is applied to the insulating support in such a manner as to form the desired conductive pattern · CPC title

• H05K2201/10128

  Display · CPC title