Display device having a flexible display panel

• US 10,281,956 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2015
• Issued: 05/07/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Yang, Tae-Hoon, Jung, So-Youn, Jung, Jae-Wan, Lee, Ki-Yong, Lee, Sang-Wol
• Primary Examiner(s): Thaker, Nidhi
• Application Number:
  US14/693,367
• Publication Number:
  US 20160048169A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,476 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133305 Flexible substrates, e.g. plastics, organic film
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1652 the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0268 including a flexible display panel

Abstract

A display device includes a display panel having a bendable part and flat parts, at least one flat part disposed at each side of the bendable part; and a panel guide attached to surfaces of the flat parts of the display panel, in which the display panel is attached to the panel guide when the bendable part is in a state of being tensioned at a reference strain included in an elastic range.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a foldable display device which is foldable around a folding axis, the foldable display device having a display panel comprising a bendable part and flat parts, at least one flat part disposed at each side of the bendable part and a panel guide attached to surfaces of the flat parts of the display panel, the method comprising:

extending opposite ends of the flat parts away from the bendable part in a direction normal to the folding axis such that the bendable part is subject to a tension that falls within an elastic range; and

attaching the display panel to the panel guide while the bendable part is under the tension.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the tension of the bendable part is a maximum tension the bendable part is able to withstand without permanent deformation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the flat parts are attached to the panel guide so that the tension is symmetrically applied based on the bendable part.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the panel guide comprises:

a folding part corresponding to the bendable part of the display panel; and

supporting parts corresponding to the flat parts of the display panel.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the folding part is configured in an angulated form to be foldable based on the folding axis.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the folding part has a round shape having a curvature equal to or greater than a maximum curvature of the bendable part.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the folding part and the supporting parts have different thicknesses.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the folding part is thinner than the supporting parts.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein the folding part includes one or more recesses or slits in an area in which the folding axis is positioned.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein the folding part and the supporting parts are formed of different materials, and/or wherein the folding part is formed of a material having a lower hardness than the supporting parts.

11. The method of claim 4, wherein the folding part overlaps at least a portion of the bendable part.

12. The method of claim 4, wherein the folding part comprises one or more openings exposing a portion of the bendable part.