FOLDABLE DISPLAY APPARATUS

• US 20120147599A1
• Filed: 12/02/2011
• Published: 06/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2010
• 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, KIM, Sun-kook, KWON, Hyuk-jun
• Granted Patent: US 8,582,049 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/231
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1652 the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable

Abstract

A foldable display apparatus includes a bendable display panel which folds with respect to a folding axis. The display panel includes a plurality of display devices and a window layer. Each of the display devices includes a plurality of pixels each including a plurality of color elements having different colors from each other. A plurality of color elements of a same color is linearly arranged in a direct line direction which is non-parallel to the folding axis. The window layer includes a soft material part including a soft material in a folding part of the display panel, and a protective window part other than the soft material part. The protective window part protects the display part of the plurality of display devices.

Claims

1. A foldable display apparatus comprising:

a bendable display panel which folds with respect to a folding axis, the display panel comprising;

a plurality of display devices each comprising;

a display part, and

a plurality of pixels each including a plurality of color elements having different colors from each other,

wherein a plurality of color elements of a same color is linearly arranged in a direct line direction which is non-parallel to the folding axis; and

a window layer comprising;

a soft material part comprising a soft material in a folding part of the display panel, and

a protective window part other than the soft material part, wherein the protective window protects the display part of the plurality of display devices.

2. The foldable display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of display devices includes color elements in a stripe arrangement structure in which the color elements of each color are in consecutive arrangement in the direct line direction, respectively.

3. The foldable display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of display devices includes:

the color elements of one color in consecutive arrangement in the direct line direction, and

color elements of remaining colors in a lattice arrangement.

4. The foldable display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the protective window part comprises a hard material.

5. The foldable display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the soft material part and the protective window part comprise a transparent material.

6. The foldable display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of display devices comprises a first display device and a second display device arranged with a height difference so that an image is continuous at a joint between the first display device and the second display device when the foldable display apparatus is in an unfolded state.

7. The foldable display apparatus of claim 6, wherein the soft material part is further between a display device among the first and second display devices which is furthest from the window layer, and a portion of the protective window part on the display device.

8. The foldable display apparatus of claim 6, wherein each of the plurality of display devices has a structure in which the direct line direction crosses the folding axis.

9. The foldable display apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of display devices has a structure in which the direct line direction crosses the folding axis.

10. The foldable display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of display devices includes:

a first group of color elements of a same color in consecutive arrangement in the direct line direction and extending across the display devices; and

a second group of color elements of different colors in alternating arrangement in the direct line direction and extending across the display devices,

wherein the first group of color elements and the second group of color elements alternate in a direction parallel to the folding axis of the display panel.

11. The foldable display apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the protective window part includes a first window part which overlaps the display part of a first display device, and a second window part which overlaps the display part of a second display device, and

the soft material part is between the first and second window parts.

12. The foldable display apparatus of claim 11, wherein

a first boundary between the first window part and the soft material part, and a second boundary between the second window part and the soft material part, each extend in a boundary direction, and

the boundary direction of the first and second boundaries is non-parallel to the direct line direction in which the color elements arranged.

13. The foldable display apparatus of claim 12, wherein the boundary direction of the first and second boundaries is parallel to the folding axis.

14. A method of forming a bendable display device, the method comprising:

forming a display panel which folds along a folding axis, the display panel including a plurality of display devices and a window layer,

wherein the forming a display panel includes;

forming the plurality of display devices each including a display part, and a plurality of pixels each including a plurality of color elements having different colors from each other,

wherein a plurality of color elements of a same color is linearly arranged in a direct line direction which is non-parallel to the folding axis; and

disposing the window layer on the display panel, the window layer including;

a soft material part comprising a soft material in a folding part of the display panel, and

a protective window part other than the soft material part, wherein the protective window protects the display part of the plurality of display devices.