FOLDABLE ORGANIC LIGHT EMITTING DIODE DISPLAY

• US 20120138970A1
• Filed: 11/28/2011
• Published: 06/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Samsung Mobile Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: SHIM, Hong-shik, KEE, In-seo, LEE, Sang-yoon
• Granted Patent: US 8,680,539 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/88
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/311 Flexible OLED
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/8426 Peripheral sealing arrangements, e.g. adhesives, sealants
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/85 Arrangements for extracting light from the devices
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/18 Tiled displays
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/90 Assemblies of multiple devices comprising at least one organic light-emitting element

Abstract

A foldable display includes a first plate, a second plate, a first protecting window, a second protecting window, a soft material layer and an intermediate layer which controls brightness. The first plate includes a thin film transistor and an organic light emitting diode (“OLED”), and displays at least one portion of an image to be displayed. The second plate includes a thin film transistor and an OLED, and displays a second portion different from the first portion of the image. The first protecting window is on the first plate. The second protecting window is on the second plate. The soft material layer is between the first and second protecting windows. The intermediate layer is between the soft material layer and a side surface of the first protecting window, and between the soft material layer and the second protecting window.

Claims

1. A foldable organic light emitting display comprising:

a first plate comprising a thin film transistor and an organic light emitting diode, wherein the first plate displays at least one portion of an image;

a second plate comprising a thin film transistor and an organic light emitting diode, wherein the second plate displays a second portion different from the first portion of the image;

a first protecting window on the first plate;

a second protecting window on the second plate;

a soft material layer between the first and second protecting windows; and

an intermediate layer between the soft material layer and a side surface of the first protecting window, and between the soft material layer and the second protecting window, wherein the intermediate layer controls brightness.

2. The foldable organic light emitting display of claim 1, wherein the intermediate layer decreases a reflection rate of light which is incident on the side surfaces of the first and second protecting windows through bottoms of the first and second protecting windows, respectively.

3. The foldable organic light emitting display of claim 1, wherein the intermediate layer increases a total reflection angle of light which is incident on the side surfaces of the first and second protecting windows through bottoms of the first and second protecting windows, respectively.

4. The foldable organic light emitting display of claim 1, wherein a refractive index of the intermediate layer is between a refractive index of the first protecting window and a refractive index of the soft material layer, and between a refractive index of the second protecting window and the refractive index of the soft material layer.

5. The foldable organic light emitting display of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the intermediate layer is about 3 micrometers to about 10 micrometers in a direction parallel to the first and second protecting windows.

6. The foldable organic light emitting display of claim 1, wherein a refractive index of the intermediate layer progressively decreases in a direction from the first protecting window to the soft material layer, and from the second protecting window to the soft material layer.

7. The foldable organic light emitting display of claim 4, wherein the intermediate layer is a single layer or a multi-layer in a direction parallel to the first and second protecting windows.

8. The foldable organic light emitting display of claim 7, wherein the intermediate layer is the multi-layer, and a refractive index of the multi-layer progressively decreases in a direction from the first protecting window to the soft material layer, and from the second protecting window to the soft material layer.

9. The foldable organic light emitting display of claim 1, wherein the soft material layer is in a folding portion of the foldable organic light emitting display.

10. The foldable organic light emitting display of claim 1,

further comprising a first display region on the first plate and a second display region on the second plate;

wherein the soft material layer is further between the second display region and the second protecting window, and connected to the soft material layer between the first and second protecting windows.

11. A method of forming a foldable organic light emitting display, the method comprising:

disposing a first protecting layer on a first display region of a first display device;

disposing a second protecting layer on a second display region of a second display device, and spaced apart from the first protecting layer;

disposing a third protecting layer between the first and second protecting layers, in a folding region of the foldable organic light emitting display; and

disposing an intermediate layer between the first protecting layer and the third protecting layer, and between the second protecting layer and the third protecting layer,

wherein a refractive index of the intermediate layer is

between refractive indices of the first protecting layer and the third protecting layer, and

between refractive indices of the second protecting layer and the third protecting layer.

12. The method of forming a foldable organic light emitting display of claim 11, wherein a material of the third protecting layer is softer than materials of the first and second protecting layers.

13. The method of forming a foldable organic light emitting display of claim 12, wherein

the intermediate layer is a multi-layer structure, and

a refractive index of the multi-layer structure progressively decreases in a direction from the first protecting layer to the third protecting layer, and from the second protecting layer to the third protecting layer.