Flexible display

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9606384-B2
Application number	US-201414226480-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 26, 2014
Priority date	Nov 25, 2013
Publication date	Mar 28, 2017
Grant date	Mar 28, 2017

Abstract

A flexible display includes a flexible display substrate, a first fixing part at a first side of the display substrate, and a second fixing part at a second side of the display substrate opposite to the first side. The first fixing part includes a plurality of first unit fixing parts arranged along the first side, and the second fixing part includes a plurality of second unit fixing parts arranged along the second side. A first folding part is between adjacent ones of the plurality of first unit fixing parts, and a second folding part is between adjacent ones of the plurality of second unit fixing parts. A plurality of first folding lines, each extending between the corresponding first folding part and the corresponding second folding part, are defined, and the display substrate is configured to be folded along at least one of the first folding lines.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A flexible display comprising:
a flexible display substrate;
a first fixing part at a first side of the display substrate; and
a second fixing part at a second side of the display substrate opposite to the first side,
wherein the first fixing part comprises a plurality of first unit fixing parts arranged along the first side, and the second fixing part comprises a plurality of second unit fixing parts arranged along the second side,
wherein a first folding part is between adjacent ones of the plurality of first unit fixing parts, and a second folding part is between adjacent ones of the plurality of second unit fixing parts,
wherein a plurality of first folding lines, each extending between the corresponding first folding part and the corresponding second folding part, are defined,
wherein the display substrate is configured to be folded along at least one of the first folding lines, and
wherein the entire area of the first folding part is between adjacent ones of the plurality of first unit fixing parts.

2. The flexible display of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of first unit fixing parts and each of the plurality of second unit fixing parts respectively comprise a first sub-unit fixing part and a second sub-unit fixing part having shapes different from each other, and
wherein the first sub-unit fixing part and the second sub-unit fixing part are alternately arranged along each of the first side and the second side.

3. The flexible display of claim 2 , wherein respective sides of the first sub-unit fixing part have a first base surface and a concave portion recessed from the first base surface, and respective sides of the second sub-unit fixing part have a second base surface and a convex portion protruding from the second base surface, and
wherein the concave portion of the first sub-unit fixing part and the convex portion of the second sub-unit fixing part adjacent to the first sub-unit fixing part engage each other.

4. The flexible display of claim 3 , wherein the first base surface and the second base surface are foldably coupled to each other.

5. The flexible display of claim 3 , wherein as the display substrate is bent along a first folding line, an inner end of the concave portion adjacent to the first folding line and an outer end of the convex portion adjacent to the first folding line move away from each other.

6. The flexible display of claim 3 , wherein the first sub-unit fixing part has at least one groove, and the at least one groove is recessed from an inner side surface of the concave portion of the first sub-unit fixing part, and
wherein the second sub-unit fixing part comprises at least one protrusion corresponding to the at least one groove, and the at least one protrusion protrudes from an outer side surface of the convex portion of the second sub-unit fixing part adjacent to the first sub-unit fixing part.

7. The flexible display of claim 3 , wherein the first fixing part and the second fixing part are on a first surface and/or a second surface of the display substrate, the second surface facing oppositely away from the first surface, and an outer side of the first fixing part and an outer side of the second fixing part are outside the first side and the second side of the display substrate, respectively, and
wherein an inner side surface adjacent to the display substrate of the concave portion of the first sub-unit fixing part at the first side of the display substrate is outside the first side of the display substrate, and an inner side surface adjacent to the display substrate of the concave portion of the first sub-unit fixing part at the second side of the display substrate is outside the second side of the display substrate.

8. The flexible display of claim 3 , wherein the first fixing part and the second fixing part each have an insertion groove at a side surface thereof, the insertion grooves respectively face the first side and the second side of the display substrate, and the first side and the second side of the display substrate are inserted into the insertion groove of the first fixing part and the insertion groove of the second fixing part, respectively, and
wherein an inner side surface adjacent to the display substrate of the concave portion of the first sub-unit fixing part at the first side of the display substrate is outside the first side of the display substrate, and an inner side surface adjacent to the display substrate of the concave portion of the first sub-unit fixing part at the second side of the display substrate is outside the second side of the display substrate.

9. The flexible display of claim 2 , wherein the first sub-unit fixing part is ‘H’-shaped, and the second sub-unit fixing part is ‘+’-shaped.

10. The flexible display of claim 2 , wherein respective sides of the first sub-unit fixing part has a base surface and a concave portion recessed from the base surface, and
wherein the base surface of the first sub-unit fixing part of one of the plurality of first unit fixing parts and the base surface of the first sub-unit fixing part of an adjacent one of the plurality of the first unit fixing parts are foldably coupled to each other, and the second sub-unit fixing part is between the first sub-unit fixing part of the one of the plurality of first unit fixing parts and the first sub-unit fixing part of the adjacent one of the plurality of first unit fixing parts.

11. The flexible display of claim 1 , wherein the first fixing part and the second fixing part are on a first surface or a second surface of the display substrate, the second surface facing oppositely away from the first surface, and
wherein an outer side of the first fixing part and an outer side of the second fixing part are outside the first side and the second side of the display substrate, respectively.

12. The flexible display of claim 1 , wherein the first fixing part and the second fixing part each have an insertion groove in a side surface thereof, the insertion grooves respectively facing the first side and the second side of the display substrate, and
wherein the first side and the second side of the display substrate are inserted into the insertion groove of the first fixing part and the insertion groove of the second fixing part, respectively.

13. The flexible display of claim 1 , wherein a side of the first unit fixing part has a concave portion, and an other side of the first unit fixing part has a convex portion, and
wherein the concave portion of the first unit fixing part and the convex portion of another adjacent first unit fixing part engage each other.

14. The flexible display of claim 1 , further comprising a third fixing part and a fourth fixing part which respectively couple a third side and a fourth side adjacent to the first side and the second side of the display substrate,
wherein the third fixing part comprises a plurality of third unit fixing parts arranged along the third side, the fourth fixing part comprises a plurality of fourth unit fixing parts arranged along the fourth side, a third folding part is between adjacent ones of the plurality of third unit fixing parts, and a fourth folding part is between adjacent ones of the plurality of fourth unit fixing parts, and
a plurality of second folding lines, each extending between the corresponding third and the corresponding fourth folding part, are defined, and
wherein the display substrate is configured to be folded along at least one of the first folding lines and at least one of the second folding lines.

15. The flexible display of claim 14 , wherein the first folding lin

Assignees

• Samsung Display Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Jeong Eun

Classifications

• G02F1/133308 Primary

  Support structures for LCD panels, e.g. frames or bezels · CPC title

• G02F1/133305

  Flexible substrates, e.g. plastics, organic film · CPC title

• G09F9/00 Primary

  Indicating arrangements for variable information in which the information is built-up on a support by selection or combination of individual elements (in which the variable information is permanently attached to a movable support G09F11/00; abacus G06C1/00; slide-rules G06G1/00) · CPC title