Rollable flexible display device

• US 9,684,340 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2015
• Issued: 06/20/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Han, Changhoon, Kim, Bongchul, Kim, Yongyub, Park, Jaewook, Kim, Jaehyun, Kim, Woosub
• Primary Examiner(s): THAKER, NIDHI VIVEK
• Application Number:
  US14/981,225
• Publication Number:
  US 20170031388A1
• Time in Patent Office: 540 Days
• Field of Search: 36167926, 36167927
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1601 Constructional details related to the housing of computer displays, e.g. of CRT monitors, of flat displays constructional details related to flat displays integrated in a portable computer, e.g. laptop, handheld computer G06F1/1637; constructional details related to television receivers H04N5/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1652 the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/02 Flexible displays
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3233 with pixel circuitry controlling the current through the light-emitting element
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/311 Flexible OLED
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/351 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/8423 Metallic sealing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/12 Active-matrix OLED [AMOLED] displays
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/8721 Metallic sealing arrangements

Abstract

Disclosed is a rollable flexible display device. The rollable flexible display device includes, for example, a display panel, a source board, and a panel roller unit. The panel roller unit provides a mechanical structure for rolling the display panel and the source board along an outer circumferential surface thereof. The panel roller unit may have a region forming a curved surface and a region forming a planar surface.

Claims

1. A rollable flexible display device comprising:

a display panel configured to display an image;

a source board connected to the display panel and allowing a driver for providing a signal to the display panel to be mounted thereon; and

a panel roller unit configured to provide a mechanical structure for rolling the display panel and the source board along an outer circumferential surface thereof,

wherein the panel roller unit has a region forming a curved surface and a region forming a planar surface, and

wherein the region forming the planar surface corresponds to the driver, and a size of the region forming the planar surface is equal to or greater than a size of the driver.

2. The rollable flexible display device of claim 1, wherein the panel roller unit has a depressed portion in the region forming the planar surface.

3. The rollable flexible display device of claim 2, wherein the depressed portion has a buffer member attached to a surface thereof.

4. The rollable flexible display device of claim 2, wherein a corner region of the depressed portion is rounded.

5. The rollable flexible display device of claim 1, wherein the display panel comprises a first substrate, an intermediate layer having a display area including a plurality of pixels, and a second substrate attached to the first substrate so as to be sealed, and wherein the second substrate is formed of a metal.

6. The rollable flexible display device of claim 5, wherein the first substrate has a non-etched region and an etched region having a thickness smaller than that of the non-etched region.

7. The rollable flexible display device of claim 6, wherein the non-etched region is a region in which a pad part connecting the display panel and an external board is positioned.

8. The rollable flexible display device of claim 6, wherein the panel roller unit comprises:

a first depressed portion in the region forming the planar surface and corresponding to the driver; and

a second depressed portion corresponding to the non-etched region.

9. The rollable flexible display device of claim 6, wherein a thickness of the non-etched region ranges from 0.1 mm to 0.2 mm and a thickness of the etched region ranges from 0.01 mm to 0.2 mm.

10. The rollable flexible display device of claim 5, wherein the second substrate has a protrusion protruding outwardly with respect to the first substrate.

11. The rollable flexible display device of claim 5, wherein the first substrate has a thickness ranging from 0.01 mm to 0.2 mm.

12. The rollable flexible display device of claim 11, wherein the first substrate formed of glass has a thickness ranging from 0.01 mm to 0.1 mm.

13. The rollable flexible display device of claim 5, wherein the second substrate has a thickness ranging from 0.01 mm to 0.2 mm.

14. The rollable flexible display device of claim 1, further comprising:

a receiving unit configured to receive the panel roller and the display panel.

15. The rollable flexible display device of claim 14, wherein the receiving unit comprises a driving device to rotate the panel roller electrically.

16. The rollable flexible display device of claim 1, wherein the display panel comprises a first substrate and a second substrate attached to the first substrate so as to be sealed, and

wherein the first substrate comprises a first portion and a second portion a width of which is thicker than that of the first portion.

17. The rollable flexible display device of claim 1, further comprising:

an auxiliary sheet configured to connect the display panel and the panel roller unit.