Flexible device

• US 10,191,517 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2013
• Issued: 01/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kang, Tae Wook
• Primary Examiner(s): Sinclair, David M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brown, Robert
• Application Number:
  US14/028,646
• Publication Number:
  US 20140307378A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,960 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1652 the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable

Abstract

A flexible device that includes a flexible display panel bent to have a curved surface and a supporting member provided at one end of the flexible display panel. The flexible display panel makes contact with a portion of the supporting member and surrounds the supporting member while being bent.

Claims

1. A flexible device, comprising:

a flexible display panel having a display area and a non-display area disposed adjacent to the display area;

a supporting member provided at a predetermined area of the flexible display panel adjacent to one side of the flexible display panel and extending in parallel to the one side of the flexible display panel; and

a flexible printed circuit board connected to the one side of the flexible display panel,

wherein the non-display area of the flexible display panel makes contact with a portion of the supporting member, surrounds the supporting member while being bent, the one side of the flexible display panel is not in contact with the supporting member, and the flexible printed circuit board is disposed to be spaced apart from the supporting member,

wherein the supporting member comprises a bar shape and at least one curved surface, and the curved surface of the flexible display panel and the curved surface of the supporting member make contact with each other.

2. The flexible device of claim 1, wherein the non-display area is bent to a rear surface of the flexible display panel, which is opposite to a front surface of the display area of the flexible display panel and on the front surface the image is displayed.

3. The flexible device of claim 2, wherein the non-display area comprises

a first non-display area,

a second non-display area spaced apart from the first non-display area to face the first non-display area,

a third non-display area disposed adjacent to the first and second non-display areas, and

a fourth non-display area disposed adjacent to the first and second non-display areas and spaced apart from the third non-display area to face the third non-display area, and

the flexible display panel is bent in at least one of the first, second, third, or fourth non-display area.

4. The flexible device of claim 3, wherein the flexible printed circuit board is connected to an end portion of the fourth non-display area.

5. The flexible device of claim 4, wherein the flexible display panel is bent in the fourth non-display area.

6. The flexible device of claim 4, wherein the flexible display panel is bent in the first non-display area and the second non-display area.

7. The flexible device of claim 6, wherein the first non-display area and the second non-display area are bent symmetrical to each other.

9. The flexible device of claim 4, wherein the flexible display panel is bent in the third non-display area and the fourth non-display area.

10. The flexible device of claim 9, wherein the third non-display area and the fourth non-display area are bent symmetrical to each other.

11. The flexible device of claim 9, wherein the third non-display area and the fourth non-display area are bent asymmetrical to each other.

12. The flexible device of claim 4, wherein the supporting member is provided at the bent area of the flexible display panel in singular number or the supporting member is provided in a plural number and the supporting members are disposed to be spaced apart from each other.

13. The flexible device of claim 12, wherein the curved surface of the flexible display panel and the curved surface of the supporting member have a same curvature.

14. The flexible device of claim 1, wherein the bar shape of the supporting member has a cylindrical shape.

15. The flexible device of claim 1, wherein the supporting member has a segment of a circle shape in a cross section.

16. The flexible device of claim 1, wherein the supporting member comprises a material with plasticity.

17. The flexible device of claim 16, further comprising an adhesive disposed between the supporting member and the flexible display panel.

18. The flexible device of claim 1, wherein the supporting member comprises a material with elasticity.

19. The flexible device of claim 18, further comprising:

an adhesive disposed between the supporting member and the flexible display panel.

8. A flexible device, comprising:

a flexible display panel having a display area and a non-display area disposed adjacent to the display area;

a supporting member provided at a predetermined area of the flexible display panel adjacent to one side of the flexible display panel and extending in parallel to the one side of the flexible display panel; and

a flexible printed circuit board connected to the one side of the flexible display panel,

wherein the non-display area of the flexible display panel makes contact with a portion of the supporting member, surrounds the supporting member while being bent, and forms a predetermined bent angle with respect to the display area by the supporting member, the one side of the flexible display panel is not in contact with the supporting member, and the flexible printed circuit board is disposed to be spaced apart from the supporting member,

wherein the non-display area comprises;

a first non-display area;

a second non-display area spaced apart from the first non-display area to face the first non-display area;

a third non-display area disposed adjacent to the first and second non-display areas; and

a fourth non-display area disposed adjacent to the first and second non-display areas and spaced apart from the third non-display area to face the third non-display area,

the flexible printed circuit board is connected to an end portion of the fourth non-display area, the flexible display panel is bent in the first non-display area and the second non-display area, and the first non-display area and the second non-display area are bent asymmetrical to each other.