Rollable display

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9685100-B2
Application number	US-201514709078-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 11, 2015
Priority date	Nov 12, 2014
Publication date	Jun 20, 2017
Grant date	Jun 20, 2017

Abstract

A rollable display is disclosed. In one aspect, the rollable display includes a flexible display panel configured to display an image via at least a portion thereof and a housing accommodating at least a portion of the flexible display panel. The flexible display panel has a point of inflection in the portion of the flexible display panel accommodated in the housing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A rollable display, comprising:
a flexible display panel configured to display an image via at least a first portion thereof; and
a housing accommodating at least a second portion of the flexible display panel,
wherein a point of inflection is defined in the second portion of the flexible display panel accommodated in the housing,
wherein the housing comprises a first housing and a second housing connected to the first housing at a joint,
wherein the point of inflection of the flexible display panel is adjacent to the joint between the first and second housings, and
wherein the joint between the first and second housings is shaped so as to bend the flexible display panel to form the point of inflection.

2. The rollable display of claim 1 , further comprising a reel core connected to the flexible display panel and accommodated in the housing, wherein the flexible display panel is configured to be rolled along an outer surface of the reel core.

3. The rollable display of claim 2 , wherein:
the first housing accommodates the reel core therein and has a first radius of curvature; and
the second housing has a second radius of curvature.

4. The rollable display of claim 3 , wherein the second housing does not accommodate the reel core therein.

5. The rollable display of claim 3 , wherein one end of the second housing is connected to the first housing and the other end of the second housing comprises an opening through which the flexible display panel is configured to be withdrawn from the housing.

6. The rollable display of claim 3 , wherein the first housing has a center of curvature located within the first housing and wherein the second housing has a center of curvature located outside of the second housing.

7. The rollable display of claim 3 , wherein the flexible display panel comprises:
a first flexible display panel accommodated in the first housing and surrounding the reel core;
a second flexible display panel connected to the first flexible display panel and accommodated in the first housing and the second housing; and
a third flexible display panel connected to the second flexible display panel and configured to display the image.

8. The rollable display of claim 7 , wherein the point of inflection is defined in the second flexible display panel.

9. The rollable display of claim 7 , wherein the third flexible display panel is configured to be exposed to the exterior of the housing, wherein the first flexible display panel has a convex shape when viewed from a first direction, and wherein the second flexible display panel has a concave shape when viewed from the first direction.

10. The rollable display of claim 9 , wherein the first flexible display panel has a substantially circular or oval cross-sectional shape.

11. The rollable display of claim 7 , wherein the third flexible display panel is configured to be exposed to the exterior of the housing, wherein the first housing has a convex shape when viewed from a first direction, and wherein the second housing has a concave shape when viewed from the first direction.

12. The rollable display of claim 11 , wherein the first housing has a substantially circular or oval cross-sectional shape.

13. The rollable display of claim 3 , wherein the first housing comprises:
a first upper housing having a convex shape when viewed from a first direction; and
a first lower housing connected to the first upper housing and having a concave shape when viewed from the first direction,
wherein the second housing comprises:
a second upper housing connected to the first upper housing and having a concave shape when viewed from the first direction; and
a second lower housing opposing the second upper housing, connected to the first lower housing, and having a concave shape when viewed from the first direction.

14. The rollable display of claim 3 , further comprising:
a protective film configured to be arranged under the flexible display panel; and
a protective housing accommodating at least a portion of the protective film.

15. The rollable display of claim 14 , further comprising a protective reel core connected to the protective film and accommodated in the protective housing, wherein the protective film is configured to be rolled along an outer surface of the protective reel core.

16. The rollable display of claim 14 , wherein the protective film is configured to protect the flexible display panel when exposed to the exterior of the housing.

17. The rollable display of claim 14 , wherein the protective housing is arranged on the second housing.

18. A rollable display comprising:
a flexible display panel configured to display an image via at least a portion thereof; and
a housing accommodating at least a portion of the flexible display panel,
wherein the housing comprises:
a first upper housing comprising a first peak;
a second upper housing connected to the first upper housing and comprising a first valley;
a first lower housing connected to the first upper housing and comprising a second valley; and
a second lower housing connected to the first lower housing, spaced apart from the second upper housing, and comprising a third valley.

19. The rollable display of claim 18 , wherein the portion of the flexible display panel arranged in the housing has a peak and a valley.

20. The rollable display of claim 18 , further comprising a reel core connected to the flexible display panel and arranged between the first upper housing and the first lower housing, wherein the flexible display panel comprises:
a first flexible display panel surrounding the reel core;
a second flexible display panel connected to the first flexible display panel, wherein the second flexible display panel has a valley and does not have a peak; and
a third flexible display panel connected to the second flexible display panel and configured to display the image.

21. A rollable display, comprising:
a flexible display panel; and
a housing accommodating the flexible display panel,
wherein the housing comprises a first housing and a second housing connected to the first housing, the first housing comprising a reeled portion of the flexible display panel, and the second housing comprising a non-reeled portion of the flexible display panel continuous with the reeled portion of the flexible display panel, and
wherein the second housing comprises a second upper housing and a second lower housing, the second upper housing comprising an upper valley, and the second lower housing comprising a lower valley corresponding to the upper valley.

Assignees

• Samsung Display Co Ltd

Inventors

• Choi Kyungmin
• Kim Youn Joon
• Lee Sangjo
• Lee Junghun
• Lee Jusuck

Classifications

• G09F9/301 Primary

  flexible foldable or roll-able electronic displays, e.g. thin LCD, OLED · CPC title

• G06F1/1652

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