ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND DISPLAY DEVICE APPLIED TO THE SAME

• US 20200137900A1
• Filed: 10/24/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Park, Jaechun, Park, Changmin, Lee, Sang Wol, Choi, Giljae
• Granted Patent: US 11,096,293 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133305 Flexible substrates, e.g. plastics, organic film
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13452 Conductors connecting driver circuitry and terminals of panels
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0268 including a flexible display panel
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/147 at least one of the printed circuits being bent or folded, e.g. by using a flexible printed circuit H05K1/148 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/148 Arrangements of two or more hingeably connected rigid printed circuit boards, i.e. connected by flexible means
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/189 characterised by the use of a flexible or folded printed circuit H05K3/326 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10128 Display
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0017 with operator interface units
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/03 Covers

Abstract

A display device is provided that includes a case comprising a bottom portion and a sidewall to define a receiving space in which the display device is accommodated. The display device comprises a display module with a display panel for displaying an image, a folding area, and a plurality of non-folding areas, and a circuit board electrically connected to the display panel. The folding area is capable of being folded about a folding axis and the non-folding areas are disposed adjacent to both sides of the folding area. A receiving groove is defined in the bottom portion of the case corresponding to a part mounting area of the circuit board. The circuit board is disposed on a rear surface of the display module.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a display device; and

a case comprising a bottom portion and a sidewall to define a receiving space in which the display device is accommodated, the display device comprising;

a display module comprising a display panel displaying an image and comprising a folding area and a plurality of non-folding areas, which are defined therein, and a circuit board electrically connected to the display panel, the folding area being folded about an imaginary folding axis and the non-folding areas being disposed adjacent to both sides of the folding area when viewed in a plan view; and

a cover panel disposed on a rear surface of the display module and comprising a plurality of layers, wherein a receiving groove is defined in the bottom portion of the case to correspond to a part mounting area of the circuit board, the circuit board is disposed on a rear surface of the cover panel, and the cover panel is provided with an air gap portion defined therein

between at least two layers among the layers to correspond to the part mounting area of the circuit board.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the cover panel comprises:

a support plate supporting the display module; and

a first adhesive film disposed between the support plate and the display module.

3. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the first adhesive film is provided with an opening defined therethrough to correspond to the air gap portion.

4. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the cover panel further comprises:

a buffer film disposed between the first adhesive film and the display module; and

a second adhesive film disposed between the buffer film and the display module.

5. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the air gap portion comprises an air gap defined by the opening between the buffer film and the support plate.

6. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the cover panel further comprises a first step difference film disposed between the support plate and the buffer film corresponding to the opening.

7. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the first step difference film has a thickness smaller than the first adhesive film.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the first step difference film is disposed on the support plate.

9. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the first step difference film has a width smaller than a width of the opening.

10. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the support plate comprises:

a first support plate disposed in a first non-folding area adjacent to a first side of the folding area; and

a second support plate spaced apart from the first support plate and disposed in a second non-folding area adjacent to a second side of the folding area.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the first adhesive film comprises:

a first sub-adhesive film fixing the first support plate to the first non-folding area; and

a second sub-adhesive film fixing the second support plate to the second non-folding area.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the cover panel further comprises a second step difference film disposed between the first and second sub-adhesive films and interposed between the display module and the support plate.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the second step difference film comprises:

a first sub-step difference film disposed on the first support plate; and

a second sub-step difference film disposed on the second support plate.

14. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the display module further comprises a window disposed on the display panel and comprising a flexible material.

15. A display device, comprising:

a display module comprising a display panel displaying an image and a circuit board electrically connected to the display panel and comprising a folding area folded about a folding axis and non-folding areas disposed adjacent to both sides of the folding area when viewed in a plan view; and

a cover panel disposed on a rear surface of the display module and comprising a plurality of layers,

wherein the circuit board is disposed on a rear surface of the cover panel, and

wherein the cover panel is provided with an air gap portion that corresponds to a part mounting area of the circuit board, and is defined between at least two layers of the cover panel.

16. The display device of claim 15, wherein the cover panel comprises:

a support plate disposed on the rear surface of the display module; and

a first adhesive film disposed between the support plate and the display module, and the first adhesive film is provided with an opening defined therethrough to correspond to the air gap portion.

17. The display device of claim 16, wherein the cover panel further comprises:

a buffer film disposed between the first adhesive film and the display module; and

a second adhesive film disposed between the buffer film and the display module.

18. The display device of claim 17, wherein the air gap portion comprises an air gap defined by the opening between the buffer film and the support plate.

19. The display device of claim 17, wherein the cover panel further comprises a first step difference film disposed between the support plate and the buffer film corresponding to the opening.

20. The display device of claim 19, wherein the first step difference film has a thickness smaller than a thickness of the first adhesive film.

21. The display device of claim 20, wherein the first step difference film is disposed on the support plate.

22. The display device of claim 19, wherein the first step difference film has a width smaller than a width of the opening.

23. A display device, comprising:

a display module comprising a display panel displaying an image and a circuit board electrically connected to the display panel and comprising a folding area folded about a folding axis, and non-folding areas disposed adjacent to both sides of the folding area, when viewed in a plan view; and

a cover panel disposed on a rear surface of the display module and comprising a plurality of layers, the circuit board being disposed on a rear surface of the cover panel, the cover panel comprising;

a support plate disposed on the rear surface of the display module;

an adhesive film disposed between the support plate and the display module; and

a hydrophobic material layer disposed between the support plate and the adhesive film in a region corresponding to a part mounting area of the circuit board.

24. The display device of claim 23, wherein the hydrophobic material layer comprises a hydrophobic material, and an adhesiveness of the adhesive film with respect to the support plate is lost by the hydrophobic material layer.

25. The display device of claim 23, wherein the cover panel further comprises:

a first insulating layer disposed between the support plate and the hydrophobic material layer to correspond to the part mounting area;

a metal material layer disposed between the hydrophobic material layer and the adhesive film; and

a second insulating layer disposed between the metal material layer and the adhesive film.

26. The display device of claim 25, wherein the hydrophobic material layer comprises a hydrophobic material, and an adhesiveness of the adhesive film with respect to the support plate is lost by the hydrophobic material layer and the metal material layer.

27. The display device of claim 25, wherein the metal material layer comprises at least one of silver (Ag) and aluminum (Al).