Flexible display

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9681538-B2
Application number	US-201514710494-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 12, 2015
Priority date	Nov 14, 2014
Publication date	Jun 13, 2017
Grant date	Jun 13, 2017

Abstract

A flexible display is disclosed. In one aspect, the flexible display includes a flexible display panel including: a first flat portion, a bending portion connected to the first flat portion, and a second flat portion connected to the bending portion and opposing the first flat portion. The flexible display also includes a guide member fixed to the flexible display panel and arranged between the first and second flat portions and a housing supporting the flexible display panel and the guide member and arranged between the first and second flat portions. The flexible display further comprises a sliding member connected to the housing and the guide member and configured to move the second flat portion by substantially the same distance as and in an opposite direction to the first flat portion when the first flat portion is moved.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A flexible display, comprising: a flexible display panel including: i) a first flat portion, ii) a bending portion connected to the first flat portion, and iii) a second flat portion connected to the bending portion and opposing the first flat portion;
a guide member supporting the flexible display panel and arranged between the first and second flat portions;
a housing supporting the flexible display panel and the guide member and arranged between the first and second flat portions; and
a sliding member connected to the housing and the guide member and configured to move the second flat portion by substantially the same distance as and in an opposite direction to the first flat portion when the first flat portion is moved,
wherein the first portion is configured to be: i) slid in a first direction via a pulling force so as to have a maximum area in an opened state and ii) slid in a second direction opposite to the first direction via a pushing force so as to have a minimum area in a closed state.

2. The flexible display of claim 1 , wherein the flexible display panel is folded in a length direction thereof and wherein the first flat portion, the bending portion, and the second flat portion are sequentially arranged.

3. The flexible display of claim 2 , wherein the flexible display panel includes a flexible substrate and a display unit formed over the flexible substrate and wherein a portion of the display unit corresponding to the first flat portion is configured to display an image.

4. The flexible display of claim 1 , wherein the sliding member comprises:
a first shaft having a first end fixed to the first flat portion via the guide member, wherein the first shaft is compressible and extendable;
a gear box including: i) a first gear configured to rotate with the first shaft and ii) a second gear engaged with the first gear; and
a second shaft connected to the second gear and having a first end fixed to the second flat portion via the guide member, wherein the second shaft is compressible and extendable.

5. The flexible display of claim 4 , wherein the guide member comprises:
a first plate overlapping and fixed to the first flat portion;
a second plate fixed to an edge of the second flat portion; and
a connecting portion connecting the first plate to the second plate,
wherein the first end of the first shaft and the first end of the second shaft are respectively fixed to the first plate and the second plate.

6. The flexible display of claim 5 , wherein the flexible display panel includes a printed circuit board connected to the edge of the second flat portion and overlapping the second plate.

7. The flexible display of claim 5 , wherein the housing includes a curved portion and wherein the bending portion and the connecting portion contact the curved portion.

8. The flexible display of claim 7 , wherein the housing comprises:
a support comprising a third flat portion, the curved portion, and a fourth flat portion which are integrally connected;
a pair of side portions fixed to opposing sides of the support; and
a guide protrusion overlapping an edge of the flexible display panel and formed along at least one of the side portions.

9. The flexible display of claim 8 , wherein the third and fourth flat portions are interposed between the first and second plates wherein a first opening and a second opening are respectively formed in the third flat portion and the fourth flat portion, and wherein the sliding member is placed in the first and second openings.

10. The flexible display of claim 5 , wherein the first shaft comprises:
a first fixing portion fixed to the first plate;
a first rotating portion connected to the first gear; and
a first compression spring connecting the first fixing portion to the first rotating portion,
wherein the second shaft comprises:
a second fixing portion fixed to the second plate;
a second rotating portion connected to the second gear; and
a second compression spring connecting the second fixing portion to the second rotating portion.

11. The flexible display of claim 10 , wherein the first shaft further comprises a pair of first pins respectively fixed to the first fixing portion and the first rotating portion, wherein the pair of first pins are positioned inside the first compression spring, wherein the second shaft further comprises a pair of second pins respectively fixed to the second fixing portion and the second rotating portion, and wherein the pair of second pins are positioned inside the second compression spring.

12. The flexible display of claim 10 , wherein the gear box is fixed to the housing and defines two spaces for respectively housing the first gear and the second gear.

13. The flexible display of claim 12 , wherein the space housing the first gear and the space housing the second gear are opened in opposing directions, wherein the first and second rotating portions are respectively connected to opposing sides of the first and second gears, and wherein the first shaft and the second shaft are arranged at different heights.

14. The flexible display of claim 4 , wherein when the first flat portion is slid in the first direction: i) the first gear and the second gear rotate in opposing directions, ii) the first shaft is compressed and then extended, iii) the second flat portion is slid in the second direction, and iv) the second shaft is compressed and then extended.

15. The flexible display of claim 4 , wherein when the first flat portion is slid in the second direction: i) the first gear and the second gear rotate in opposing directions, ii) the first shaft is compressed and then extended, iii) the second flat portion is slid in the first direction, and iv) the second shaft is compressed and then extended.

16. A flexible display, comprising:
a flexible display panel including: i) a first flat portion, ii) a bending portion connected to the first flat portion, and iii) a second flat portion connected to the bending portion and opposing the first flat portion;
a housing supporting the flexible display panel; and
a sliding member including:
a first shaft having a first end fixed to the first flat portion, wherein the first shaft is compressible and extendable;
a first gear connected to a second end of the first shaft;
a second gear rotatably engaged to the first gear; and
a second shaft having a first end connected to the second flat portion and a second end connected to the second gear, wherein the second shaft is compressible and extendable,
wherein when a user exerts a force on the first portion: i) at least a portion of the force is transferred to the second flat portion via the sliding member and ii) the second flat portion moves by substantially the same distance and in the opposite direction to the first flat portion.

17. The flexible display of claim 16 , wherein the first gear and the second gear are fixed to the housing.

Assignees

• Samsung Display Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ahn Sung Sang

Classifications

• H05K5/0204

  Mounting supporting structures on the outside of casings · CPC title

• H04M1/0237

  Sliding mechanism with one degree of freedom · CPC title

• G06F1/1652

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

• H04M1/0268

  including a flexible display panel · CPC title

• G06F1/1616 Primary

  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