Foldable display device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9655235-B2
Application number	US-201313742668-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 16, 2013
Priority date	Jul 26, 2012
Publication date	May 16, 2017
Grant date	May 16, 2017

Abstract

A foldable display device having an excellent folding characteristic without image quality deterioration on a folding portion is provided. The foldable display device includes a flexible display panel and a cover window positioned outside the flexible display panel and protecting the flexible display panel from an external impact, wherein the cover window includes a folding region where concave grooves are formed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A foldable display device, comprising:
a flexible display panel; and
a cover window overlying the flexible display panel,
said cover window including a folding region operated to be folded or unfolded, positioned to transmit images generated by the flexible display panel where recesses are formed and overlying a display region of the display panel.

2. The foldable display device of claim 1 , comprised of the recesses formed in a stripe pattern, and positioned in alignment with a direction crossing a direction in which the cover window is folded.

3. The foldable display device of claim 2 , comprised of each length of the recesses being the same as a width of the cover window.

4. The foldable display device of claim 1 , comprised of the recesses formed with a dot shape, and positioned according to a first direction in which the cover window is folded and a second direction crossing the first direction.

5. The foldable display device of claim 1 , comprised of
the recesses formed with a bar shape,
the cover window folded according to a first direction, and
each long edge of the recesses positioned according to a second direction crossing the first direction.

6. The foldable display device of claim 1 , comprised of the recesses including first recesses of a bar shape and second recesses of a dot shape.

7. The foldable display device of claim 6 , comprised of the first recesses and the second recesses alternately positioned one by one according to a second direction crossing a first direction in which the cover window is folded.

8. The foldable display device of claim 2 , comprised of each width of the recesses and an interval of the recesses determined in a range of 40 nm to 100 nm.

9. The foldable display device of claim 8 , comprised of each depth of the recesses being less than half of a thickness of the cover window.

10. The foldable display device of claim 1 , comprised of the cover window manufactured of a hard material and a pair of non-folding regions positioned at respective sides of the folding region.

11. The foldable display device of claim 10 , comprised of the cover window being a single layer structure or a multi-layer structure including at least one of an acryl, a polycarbonate, and polyethylene terephthalate.

12. The foldable display device of claim 10 , further comprising:
a supporting member supporting the flexible display panel and the cover window,
the supporting member including a hinge part corresponding to the folding region and a first supporting part and a second supporting part respectively corresponding to a pair of non-folding regions.

13. A foldable display device, comprising:
a flexible display panel; and
a cover window including a folding region operated to be folded or unfolded overlying the flexible display panel to transmit images generated by the flexible display panel where recesses are formed in a stripe pattern and positioned in alignment with a direction crossing a direction in which the cover window is folded.

14. The foldable display device of claim 13 , comprised of each length of the recesses being the same as a width of the cover window.

15. The foldable display device of claim 13 , comprised of each width of the recesses and an interval of the recesses determined in a range of 40 nm to 100 nm.

16. The foldable display device of claim 15 , comprised of each depth of the recesses being less than half of a thickness of the cover window.

17. The foldable display device of claim 13 , comprised of the cover window manufactured of a hard material and a pair of non-folding regions positioned at respective sides of the folding region.

18. The foldable display device of claim 17 , comprised of the cover window being a single layer structure or a multi-layer structure including at least one of an acryl, a polycarbonate, and polyethylene terephthalate.

19. The foldable display device of claim 17 , further comprising:
a supporting member supporting the flexible display panel and the cover window,
the supporting member including a hinge part corresponding to the folding region and a first supporting part and a second supporting part respectively corresponding to a pair of non-folding regions.

Assignees

• Samsung Display Co Ltd

Inventors

• Hwang Seong-Jin
• Han Kwan-Young
• Kim Sang-Gu

Classifications

• G09F9/335

  being organic light emitting diodes [OLED] · CPC title

• H05K1/028 Primary

  Bending or folding regions of flexible printed circuits (H05K1/0283 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H05K2201/10128

  Display · CPC title

• H05K2201/2009

  Reinforced areas, e.g. for a specific part of a flexible printed circuit · CPC title

• G09F9/33

  being semiconductor devices, e.g. diodes · CPC title