Display device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9746701-B2
Application number	US-201314063068-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 25, 2013
Priority date	Oct 25, 2012
Publication date	Aug 29, 2017
Grant date	Aug 29, 2017

Abstract

A display device is provided. The display device may include a display panel for displaying an image and a back cover provided behind the display panel and coupled to the display panel. A bending assembly may be coupled to the back cover to bend the display panel. A controller may be provided that is configured to control the bending assembly to apply a physical force to the back cover to bend the display panel a prescribed amount.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A display device comprising:
a display panel for displaying an image;
a back cover provided behind the display panel and coupled to the display panel;
a bending assembly coupled to the back cover to bend the back cover; and
a controller configured to control the bending assembly to apply a physical force to the back cover to bend the display panel a prescribed amount,
wherein the bending assembly includes a plurality of elastic members formed of shape memory alloy that expands or contracts corresponding to a change in temperature of the shape memory alloy,
wherein the elastic members are provided on a front surface or a rear surface of the back cover, and
wherein the display device further comprises:
a bracket coupled to a rear of the back cover via a first fastener; and
a printed circuit board coupled to a rear of the bracket,
wherein the first fastener is provided between the bracket and the back cover to couple the back cover to the bracket along a central vertical axis of the display panel.

2. The display device according to claim 1 , wherein the shape memory alloy has a cylindrical shape having a prescribed length that changes based on an amount of current that flows through the shape memory alloy.

3. The display device according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic members are provided on the back cover to extend laterally across on the back cover such that the shape memory alloy expands or contracts laterally with respect to the back cover.

4. The display device according to claim 3 , wherein a recess is formed in the back cover to accommodate the elastic members.

5. The display device according to claim 1 , wherein a support bracket is coupled to the back cover to support the shape memory alloy.

6. The display device according to claim 5 , further comprising a middle cover attached to a rear surface of the display panel and provided between the display panel and the back cover, wherein the support bracket is provided on a front surface of the back cover between the back cover and the middle cover, the shape memory alloy extending laterally along the back cover and coupled to the support bracket.

7. The display device according to claim 6 , wherein the support bracket includes a plurality of vertical portions spaced a prescribed distance from the back cover toward the display panel, the elastic members coupled to the vertical portions to extend laterally across the back cover.

8. The display device according to claim 7 , wherein the support bracket and the elastic members are modularized for coupling to the back cover.

9. The display device according to claim 1 , wherein
a support bracket is coupled to the back cover and includes a center support that extends vertically along a center of the back cover and a plurality of lateral supports provided at lateral regions of the back cover, the support bracket coupling the center and lateral regions of the back cover to the display panel, and
the back cover has a prescribed curvature in a lateral direction and when the shape memory alloy provided laterally along the back cover contracts in length, a center of the display is pulled toward the back cover to bend the display panel.

10. The display device according to claim 9 , wherein, when the shape memory alloy contracts, the prescribed curvature of the back cover is increased to bend the display panel.

11. The display device according to claim 10 , wherein the plurality of lateral supports are slidable connectors that allow the middle cover to slide laterally relative to the back cover when the display panel is bent.

12. The display device according to claim 11 , wherein the slidable connectors include a body fixed at one of the back cover or the middle cover and a moving member slidably coupled to the body and fixed to the other one of the back cover or the middle cover.

13. The display device according to claim 1 , further comprising a support bracket provided a prescribed distance behind the back cover, the support bracket extending vertically and positioned to correspond to a center of the back cover, wherein the elastic members extend from the support bracket to the rear cover to pull the center of the rear cover toward the support bracket when the temperature of the shape memory alloy is increased above a prescribed level.

14. The display device according to claim 13 , further comprising a motor coupled to the support bracket to rotate the support bracket along a longitudinal axis of the support bracket, wherein the shape memory alloy is wound around an outer surface of the support bracket when the support bracket is rotated to bend the display panel.

15. The display device according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of elastic members are provided to extend parallel to each other to form a first column corresponding to a left side of the display panel and a second column corresponding to a right side of the display panel.

16. The display device according to claim 15 , wherein the controller controls a length of the shape memory alloy in the left column to be different than in the right column.

17. The display device according to claim 1 , wherein the controller controls an amount of current applied to the shape memory alloy to change a length of the shape memory alloy to bend the display panel.

18. The display device according to claim 1 , further comprising a second fastener provided between the bracket and the printed circuit board to couple the printed circuit board to the bracket along a lateral side of the printed circuit board.

19. The display device according to claim 18 , further comprising a third fastener provided between the bracket and the back cover to couple a lateral region of the back cover to the bracket, wherein the second fastener includes a first portion coupled to the back cover and a second portion coupled to the bracket, the first portion being movably coupled to the second portion to allow lateral movement of the rear cover relative to the bracket.

20. The display device according to claim 1 , wherein the bending assembly includes a bi-metal having a first metal provided at a front side that faces the display panel and a second metal provided at a rear side opposite the front side, the first metal having a thermal expansion coefficient that is relatively less than a thermal expansion coefficient of the second metal.

21. The display device according to claim 1 , wherein the back cover comprises Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Plastic.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Sung Jaehyun
• Kim Jinsu
• Lee Ahreum
• Song Hyeoncheol
• Park Sangdon
• Lee Moungyoub
• Kwon Heewon
• Lee Deogjin
• Ryu Inkeun

Classifications

• G02F1/133305 Primary

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

• G09F9/301 Primary

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

• H05K7/14

  Mounting supporting structure in casing or on frame or rack · CPC title

• G02F2001/133314

  Physics · mapped topic

• G02F1/133314

  Back frames · CPC title