Flexible display apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9756757-B2
Application number	US-201514981653-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 28, 2015
Priority date	Jun 19, 2015
Publication date	Sep 5, 2017
Grant date	Sep 5, 2017

Abstract

A flexible display apparatus has a small thickness which makes it easy to wind or unwind a flexible display module. The flexible display apparatus includes a frame module, into or from which a flexible display module is wound or unwound, and a panel elevating module configured to vertically move the flexible display module via folding or unfolding of at least one retractable unit. The retractable unit includes joint members provided at ends of first and second links intersecting each other, and elastic members installed to the respective joint members and supported by the ends of the first and second links.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A flexible display apparatus comprising:
a flexible display module;
a frame module connected to a lower side of the flexible display module, the flexible display module being configured to be wound onto the frame module or unwound from the frame module; and
a panel elevating module connected to an upper side of the flexible display module, the panel elevating module including at least one retractable unit configured to elevate the flexible display module via unfolding of the at least one retractable unit,
wherein the retractable unit includes:
a plurality of first links;
a plurality of second links intersecting respective ones of the first links;
a hinge member provided at each intersection between the first and second links;
a joint member provided at adjoining ends of each of the first and second links; and
an elastic member provided at each joint member and supported by the ends of the first and second links,

wherein the flexible display module includes:
a flexible display panel; and
a flexible rear cover coupled to an upper side of the flexible display panel to selectively support a rear surface of the flexible display panel, and

wherein the frame module includes:
a panel roller, the flexible display panel being configured to be wound around the panel roller or unwound from the panel roller; and
a cover roller, the flexible rear cover being wound around the cover roller or unwound from the cover roller via vertical movement of the panel elevating module.

2. The flexible display apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic member is compressed when the flexible display module is moved downward; and
wherein the elastic member provides the respective first and second links with a restoration force when the flexible display module is moved upward.

3. The flexible display apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the panel elevating module further includes:
an upper frame coupled to the upper side of the flexible display module to support an upper side of the retractable unit;
a lower frame coupled to the frame module to support a lower side of the retractable unit; and
a link elevating unit coupled to the lower frame to fold and unfold the retractable unit.

4. The flexible display apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic member includes:
a coil portion configured to surround the joint member;
a first elastic arm extending from one end of the coil portion and connected to the first link; and
a second elastic arm extending from the other end of the coil portion and connected to the second link.

5. The flexible display apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein each second link extends through the corresponding first link.

6. The flexible display apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic member includes:
a first torsion spring supported by first ends of the first and second links and surrounding the joint member at the first ends of the first and second links; and
a second torsion spring supported by the second ends of the first and second links and surrounding the joint member at the second ends of the first and second links.

7. The flexible display apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the frame module further includes first and second support frames configured to support the panel elevating module, and
wherein the panel roller is connected between the first and second support frames.

8. The flexible display apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the flexible display module further includes:
a module connection member connected to a lower side of the flexible display panel and coupled to the panel roller.

9. The flexible display apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the flexible rear cover is coupled to the upper side of the retractable unit, and
wherein the cover roller is connected between the first and second support frames.

10. The flexible display apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the flexible rear cover includes a plurality of support bars rotatably connected to one another.

11. The flexible display apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the flexible rear cover includes:
a plurality of first support bars having a first length;
a plurality of second support bars having a second length shorter than the first length, the second support bars being rotatably connected between the respective first support bars; and
side surface protective covers provided respectively at both sides of the first support bars protruding in a lateral direction of the second support bars.

12. The flexible display apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the flexible display module further includes a panel attachment member configured to selectively attach a portion of the flexible rear cover to the rear surface of the flexible display panel using magnetic force.

13. The flexible display apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the flexible display module further includes a rear curtain coupled to an upper side of a rear surface of the panel elevating module to cover the rear surface of the panel elevating module, and
wherein the frame module includes a rear curtain roller connected between the first and second support frames, the rear curtain being wound around the rear curtain roller or unwound from the rear curtain roller via vertical movement of the panel elevating module.

14. The flexible display apparatus according to claim 9 , further comprising:
an upper portion cover configured to cover upper edge portions of the flexible display module and the panel elevating module; and
side curtain units provided to the upper portion cover to cover both side surfaces of each of the panel elevating module and the flexible display module.

15. The flexible display apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein each of the side curtain units includes:
a first side curtain roller provided at one side of the upper portion cover;
a second side curtain roller provided to the other side of the upper portion cover;
a first side curtain coupled between the first side curtain roller and the frame module to cover a first side surface of each of the panel elevating module and the flexible display module by being unwound from the first side curtain roller when the flexible display module is moved upward; and
a second side curtain coupled between the second side curtain roller and the frame module to cover a second side surface of each of the panel elevating module and the flexible display module by being unwound from the second side curtain roller when the flexible display module is moved upward.

16. A flexible display apparatus comprising:
a flexible display module;
a frame module connected to a lower side of the flexible display module, the flexible display module being configured to be wound onto the frame module or unwound from the frame module; and
a panel elevating module connected to an upper side of the flexible display module, the panel elevating module including at least one retractable unit configured to elevate the flexible display module via unfolding of the at least one retractable unit,
wherein the retractable unit includes:
a plurality of first links;
a plurality of second links intersecting respective ones of the first links;
a hinge member provided at each intersection between the first and second links;
a joint member provided at adjoining ends of each of the first and second links; and
an elastic member provided at each joint member and supported by the ends of the first and second links,

wherein the elastic member is compressed when the flexible display module is moved downward,

Assignees

• Lg Display Co Ltd

Inventors

• Park Chang Yoon
• Kang Choun Sung
• Lee Yong Seok
• Park Sang Dae

Classifications

• H05K7/1417

  having securing means for mounting boards, plates or wiring boards (H05K7/1461 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G09F15/0062

  collapsible · CPC title

• G09F9/301 Primary

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

• H05K7/16 Primary

  on hinges or pivots · CPC title

• H05K5/0017

  with operator interface units · CPC title