Foldable display apparatus

• US 9,348,450 B1
• Filed: 06/02/2015
• Issued: 05/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Jun Hyung
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui, Hung S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wu, James
• Application Number:
  US14/728,509
• Time in Patent Office: 357 Days
• Field of Search: 361/679.27, 361/679.3, 361/749, 349/58
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1641 the display being formed by a plurality of foldable display components G06F1/1647 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1652 the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1681 Details related solely to hinges hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04102 Flexible digitiser, i.e. constructional details for allowing the whole digitising part of a device to be flexed or rolled like a sheet of paper
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0216 Foldable in one direction, i.e. using a one degree of freedom hinge
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/022 The hinge comprising two parallel pivoting axes
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0247 comprising more than two body parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0268 including a flexible display panel
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/16 including more than one display unit
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/028 Bending or folding regions of flexible printed circuits H05K1/0283 takes precedence
• 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 2201/2027 Guiding means, e.g. for guiding flexible circuits

Abstract

Embodiment relate to a structure for supporting a bending portion of a flexible display panel in an unfolded state so that the bending portion does not flex when pressed. The structure also enables the bending portion of the flexible display panel to bend at a predetermined curvature in a folded state. The structure includes two rotating plates rotating about two axes that slide relative to flexible supporting members extending from portions of the flexible display panel that do not bend as the flexible display panel is bent. As the flexible display panel is bent, the distance between ends of the rotating plates are increased so that the bending portion of the flexible display panel would have an increased radius of curvature.

Claims

1. A foldable display device comprising:

a flexible display panel comprising a first display area, a second display area and a bending display area between the first display area and the second display area;

a first supporting member under the first display area and extending below a first portion of the bending display area to provide support for the first portion of the bending display area in an unfolded state of the foldable display device;

a second supporting member under the second display area and extending below a second portion of the bending display area to provide support for the second portion of the bending display area in the unfolded state, an edge of the second supporting member under the bending display area separated from an edge of the first supporting member under the bending display area by a predetermined distance in the unfolded state, the second supporting member bent away from the second portion of the bending display area in the folded state to increase a distance between the edge of the first supporting member and the edge of the second supporting member;

a first rotation plate configured to rotate about a first axis and extend towards the edge of the first supporting member to support a portion of the first supporting member in the unfolded state; and

a second rotation plate configured to rotate about a second axis parallel to the first axis, the second rotation plate extending towards the edge of the second supporting member to support a portion of the second supporting member in the unfolded state; and

wherein the first supporting member stretches and slides relative to the first rotation plate and the second supporting member stretches and slides relative to the second rotation plate when the first case is rotated relative to the second case.

2. The foldable display device of claim 1, further comprising:

a first case securing a portion of the first supporting member and the first display area;

a second case securing a portion of the second supporting member and the second display area;

a first hinge member secured to the first case; and

a second hinge member secured to the second case and rotatable relative to the first hinge member.

3. The foldable display device of claim 2, further comprising a hinge cover enclosing at least part of the first hinge member and the second hinge member, the hinge cover comprising a first supporter supporting part and a second supporter supporting part, the first supporter supporting part extending across a width of the first rotation plate and configured to support the first rotation plate in the unfolded state, and the second supporter supporting part extending across a width of the second rotation plate and configured to support the second rotation plate in the unfolded state.

4. The foldable display device of claim 3, wherein the first hinge member comprises an end formed with a first gear, and wherein the second hinge member comprises an end formed with a second gear engaging with the first gear.

5. The foldable display device of claim 4, further comprising a first hinge axis member rotatably connecting the first gear to the hinge cover, and a second hinge axis member rotatably connecting the second gear to the hinge cover.

6. The foldable display device of claim 2, further comprising:

a first pin extending along the first axis and rotatably connecting the first rotation plate to the first case; and

a second pin extending along the second axis and rotatably connecting the second rotation plate to the second case.

7. The foldable display device of claim 6, wherein the first pin extends through the first hinge member and the second pin extends through the second hinge member.

8. The foldable display device of claim 2, wherein the distance between the edge of the first supporting member and the edge of the second supporting member increases as the first cover and the second cover are rotated away from the unfolded state.

9. The foldable display device of claim 2 wherein a surface of the first rotation plate supporting the first supporting member and a surface of the second rotation plate supporting the second supporting member are flat.

10. The foldable display device of claim 2, further comprising:

a first supporter fixing structure between the first rotation plate and the first case, the first supporter fixing structure configured to apply force to the first rotation plate to rotate in a direction that pulls a portion of the first rotation plate supporting the first supporting member towards a bottom surface of the first case; and

a second supporter fixing structure between the second rotation plate and the second case, the second supporter fixing structure configured to apply force to the second rotation plate to rotate in a direction that pulls a portion of second rotation plate supporting the second supporting member towards a bottom surface of the second case.

11. The foldable display device of claim 10, wherein the first and second supporter fixing structures comprise a spring or a magnet.

12. The foldable display device of claim 2, further comprising:

a first adhesive member between the first display area and a coupling part of the first supporting member;

a second adhesive member between the second display area and a coupling part of the second supporting member;

a third adhesive member between the coupling part of the first supporting member and a surface of the first case; and

a fourth adhesive member between the coupling part of the second supporting member and a surface of the second case.

13. The foldable display device of claim 1, wherein the flexible display panel is placed between the first supporting member and the second supporting member in a folded state.

14. The foldable display device of claim 1, wherein the first supporting member and the first rotation plate are integrated into a single body, and the second supporting member and the second rotation plate are integrated into another single body.

15. A method of folding or unfolding a foldable display device comprising:

supporting a first display area of a flexible display panel by a first case;

supporting a second display area of the flexible display panel by a second case;

supporting a first portion of a bending display area between the first display area and the second display area by a first supporting member under the first display area and extending below the first portion of the bending display area in an unfolded state of the foldable display device;

supporting a second portion of the bending display area by a second supporting member under the second display area and extending below the second portion of the bending display area in the unfolded state;

rotating, about a first axis, a first rotation plate supporting a portion of the first supporting member in the unfolded state;

rotating, about a second axis parallel to the first axis, a second rotation plate that supports a portion of the second supporting member in the unfolded state;

and

bending the second supporting member away from the second portion of the bending display area to increase a distance between an edge of the first supporting member and an edge of the second supporting member with rotation of the first case and second case away from the unfolded state to cause the bending display area to bend at a predetermined curvature in a folded state of the foldable display device; and

sliding and stretching the first supporting member relative to the first rotation plate during rotation of the first case relative to the second case; and

sliding and stretching the second supporting member relative to the second rotation plate during the rotation of the first case relative to the second case.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

supporting a first hinge member connected to the first case and a second hinge member connected to the second case by a hinge cover in the unfolded state; and

engaging the first hinge member with the second hinge member during rotation of the first case relative to the second case.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

applying force by a first supporter fixing structure to the first rotation plate to rotate the first rotation plate in a direction that pulls a portion of the first rotation plate supporting the first supporting member towards a bottom surface of the first case; and

applying force by a second supporter fixing structure to the second rotation plate supporting the second supporting member to rotate the second rotation plate in a direction that pulls a portion of second rotation plate towards a bottom surface of the second case.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the bending display area of the flexible display panel is placed between the first supporting member and the second supporting member in a folded state.