KR20200064376A - Folding Unit and Foldable Display Device - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a foldable display device including the same. The folding unit comprises: a first plate in which a long hole elongated in a first direction is provided in a first pattern to correspond to a folding area; a second plate disposed on an upper surface of the first plate, wherein a long hole elongated in a second direction different from the first direction is provided in a second pattern; and a third plate disposed on an upper surface of the second plate and having a pattern area width narrower than a pattern area width of the first pattern, wherein a long hole elongated in the first direction is provided in a third pattern. The first plate, the second plate, and the third plate are stacked on each other.

Description

Folding unit and foldable display device including same

The present invention relates to a foldable display device that can be used by folding or unfolding a display panel.

There are various types of display devices that display images, such as liquid crystal displays (LCDs), plasma displays (PDPs), organic light emitting display devices (OLEDs), and electrophoretic displays (EPDs).

Recently, research on a foldable display device that can be bent, opened, folded, and opened for use in various applications has been actively conducted.

The foldable display device may be implemented by connecting a flat panel display panel, or may be implemented using a flexible display panel in which the display panel itself is flexible.

The flexible display panel has flexibility of the panel itself, and can be rolled or folded in various shapes. In the implementation of the display device, other internal components such as a case for protecting the flexible display panel and a hinge that is bent in a folding or unfolding state in a folding area are also required.

However, such hinges and the like required for a foldable display device have a complicated configuration in which a plurality of configurations are connected to rotate with each other, which causes a lot of time and cost for replacement or repair, and is vulnerable to shock. Above all, the problem that the thickness of the device itself becomes thick has been pointed out.

The folding unit and the foldable display device including the same according to the present invention can reduce the thickness of the folding unit that functions as a hinge in the folding area, and provide the folding unit with the required folding radius by adjusting the pattern direction of the long hole. It is an object of the present invention to provide a folding unit capable of protecting a folding area from impact and a foldable display device including the same, because the folding unit has a structure in which a plurality of plates are stacked.

In order to solve this problem, the present invention is a first plate provided in a first pattern so that the long hole formed in the first direction corresponding to the folding region; It is disposed on the upper surface of the first plate, and a long hole formed in a second direction different from the first direction is disposed on the second plate and the upper surface of the second plate provided as a second pattern, and the pattern area width is greater than the first pattern. It provides a folding unit characterized in that the narrow, elongated holes formed in the first direction are stacked with each other, including a third plate provided in a third pattern.

The folding unit may further include a fourth plate disposed on an upper surface or a rear surface of the second plate and provided with a long hole formed in a third pattern different from the first direction and the second direction in a fourth pattern.

The fourth pattern may be provided in an x-axis or y-axis symmetry with the long hole direction of the second pattern, assuming the long hole direction of the first pattern is the y-axis.

Each pattern provided on the plates may have a different pattern area width.

Each pattern provided on the plates may increase or decrease the pattern area width along the stacking direction.

The first pattern region of the first plate may be wider than the second pattern region of the second plate.

When a fourth plate is disposed between the upper surface of the second plate and the third plate, the second pattern region of the second plate may be wider than the fourth pattern region of the fourth plate.

When the thickness of each plate increases, the width of the pattern region of each plate increases, and when the thickness of each plate decreases, the width of the pattern region of each plate may decrease.

The folding radius may decrease as the distance between the long hole adjacent to each of the patterns in the folding area and the adjacent long hole in the folding area decreases, and as the distance increases, the folding radius may increase.

In the folding area, the second direction and the third direction are formed to be 90° or less based on the first direction, and as the angle formed by the second direction and the third direction from the first direction is smaller, the folding radius is reduced. In addition, as the angle formed by the second direction and the third direction from the first direction is larger, the foldin radius may be increased.

In the folding area, the width of the pattern area may decrease toward the inside of the folding radius.

The plates can be attached to each other in the remaining areas of each pattern area.

Each thickness of the plates may be provided at least 1.5 mm or less.

Resin may be filled in the long hole formed in each of the plates equal to the thickness of each plate.

The folding unit may further include a cover resin coupled to cover the rear surface of the first plate corresponding to the folding area.

The region of the first pattern may be formed at least equal to or larger than the folding region.

In addition, the present invention is a display panel that is folded along the folding area; A first plate provided in a first pattern so that a housing covering a side surface or a rear surface of the display panel and a long hole formed in a first direction correspond to a folding area, and disposed on an upper surface of the first plate, and the first direction and The long hole formed in the other second direction is disposed on the second plate provided in the second pattern and the upper surface of the second plate, the pattern area width is narrower than the first pattern, and the long hole formed in the first direction is made It provides a foldable display device including a folding unit having a third plate provided in three patterns.

The folding unit may include a fourth plate disposed on an upper surface or a rear surface of the second plate, and provided with a long hole formed in a third direction different from the first direction and the second direction in a fourth pattern.

In the folding unit, the first plate to the fourth plate are stacked with each other so that the rest of each pattern area is attached, and the first plate and the third plate can be disposed on the outermost surface, which is the upper or lower surface of the folding unit, respectively. have.

The width of each pattern area provided on the plates may decrease toward the inside of the folding radius.

The housing has a separated structure around a folding area, and the folding unit can connect the separated housing.

According to the folding unit and the foldable display device including the same according to the present invention,

First, since a plurality of thin plates are stacked to provide a hinge function, the structure is simplified, and the thickness of the foldable display device becomes thin,

Second, it is possible to implement a desired folding radius through the folding unit by giving each set pattern to flat plates.

Third, the rigidity of the folding unit can be reinforced by changing the direction of each pattern for each plate,

Fourth, the thickness of the folding unit is thin, reducing the occurrence of steps even when assembling the housing, and is advantageous in maintaining flatness.

1 is a perspective view showing a foldable display according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a first plate of the folding unit shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a second plate of the folding unit shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a third plate of the folding unit shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a fourth plate of the folding unit shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 6 is a reference diagram showing a stacked state of the folding unit of the foldable display device shown in FIG. 1.
7 is a reference diagram illustrating a state in which the folding units of the foldable display device shown in FIG. 6 are stacked.
8 is a cross-sectional view partially showing a state in which the folding unit of the foldable display device shown in FIG. 1 is stacked.
9 is a cross-sectional view partially showing a state in which the folding unit of the foldable display device shown in FIG. 8 is folded.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described so that those skilled in the art can easily carry out. It should be noted that, in the accompanying drawings, the same reference number is used when the same number is indicated in the other drawings. In addition, in the description of the present invention, when it is determined that detailed descriptions of related well-known functions or known configurations may unnecessarily obscure the subject matter of the present invention, detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted. In addition, certain features shown in the drawings are enlarged or reduced or simplified for ease of description, and the drawings and their components are not necessarily drawn to scale. However, those skilled in the art will readily understand these details.

1 is a perspective view showing a foldable display according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the foldable display device 100 and 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention include a display panel 110, a housing 120 and a folding unit 130.

First, the display panel 110 is folded along the folding line FL. Since the display panel 110 is not folded to have a certain angle on the set line when the display panel 110 is folded, the folding unit 130 provided in the housing 120 has a predetermined curvature so that the folding area is constant. It is formed by.

The display panel 110 may be a flexible display panel in which the panel itself can be bent or bent, or the panel itself may be a rigid flat panel display panel that is not easily deformed by external force in a flat state.

The flexible display panel 110 of which the display panel 110 itself is flexible may be implemented as an organic light emitting field display (OLED), an electrophoretic display, or an electrochromic display (ECD). have.

As a method of forming a foldable display panel using the flat panel display panel 110, a method of physically folding a plurality of flat panel display panels and a flexible folding inside of a single flat panel display panel can be performed. A method of separately forming an area may be applied, and the flat panel display panel may be formed of a liquid crystal display (LCD) or a plasma display (PDP). In a foldable display panel in which a plurality of flat panel display panels are physically foldable, separate circuit units may be connected to individual display panels.

The display panel 110 includes an active area (A/A) in which an image is displayed, and a non-display area in which an image is not displayed because it is located at an edge of the display area. In the non-display area, an extension line of the signal line and a bonding area to which the extension line and the circuit unit are connected may be provided. The circuit unit is for applying an electrical signal to drive the display panel, and includes a circuit patterned substrate and an integrated circuit chip (IC chip) mounted on the substrate. The substrate includes a main substrate on which an integrated circuit is mounted, and a connecting substrate connecting the main substrate and the display panel. The main board is provided with a single-layer or multi-layer wiring pattern, and a rigid printed circuit board (PCB), which itself is difficult to bend or fold, is applied or flexible printed circuit boards having flexibility. Board, FPCB) can be applied. The connection substrate is provided with a single-layer or multi-layer wiring pattern, and is preferably a form that can be bent or folded by itself. A flexible printed circuit (FPC) may be applied as a connection substrate, and a chip mounted film (COF) may be applied to the film.

The display panel 110 is provided with a non-display area along the upper edge portion, and a display area in which an image is displayed is provided inside the non-display area. In addition, the foldable display device 100 of the present invention will be described as an example of an inner folding type in which the display areas are folded to face each other inside. Of course, the upper surface of the display panel 110 may be additionally provided with a protective film or various optical sheets to protect it.

In addition, the housing 120 is disposed to cover the display panel 110 and the folding unit 130. The housing 120 is composed of a bottom surface 121 and a side surface 122, a folding unit 130 is stored in the bottom surface 121, and a side surface of the display panel 110 is disposed on the side surface 122. It protects the display panel 110 and the folding unit 130.

The folding unit 130 in the housing 120 may be disposed to correspond to the folding area FA, and the folding unit 130 may be disposed over the entire surface of the bottom surface 121. At this time, when the folding unit 130 is disposed corresponding to the folding area FA, a groove may be formed to insert the folding unit 130. And the housing 120 may have a separate structure to correspond to the folding operation of the folding area FA on the rear surface of the housing 120, and the housing 120 is separated from the folding unit 130 in the part separated corresponding to the folding area FA. ) Is elastically connected, and a cover resin 123 covering the folding unit 130 so as not to be exposed to the outside is provided between the separated housings 120. The cover resin 123 and the folding unit 130 connect the bottom surfaces 121 of the separated housings 120 to each other and can be flexibly bent, and the cover resin 123 is a folding area ( FA) is accompanied by a function to prevent direct exposure to impact. In addition, the cover resin 123 may prevent noise or damage due to friction between the housing 120 and the folding unit 130 in the process of folding the folding unit 130.

In addition, the folding unit 130 provides a reaction force such that the plurality of plates are combined in a stacked state so that the display panel 110 or the housing 120 is elastically restored in the folding area FA.

The folding unit 130 is coupled to the first plate 131 to the fourth plate 134, and at least three or more plates should be combined. The structure of these plates is as follows.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a first plate of the folding unit 130 shown in FIG. 1 and enlarging a part thereof.

Referring to FIG. 2, the first plate 131 is disposed on the inner bottom surface 121 of the housing 120. The first plate 131 is provided with a plurality of first patterns P1 having long holes formed long along the first direction D1 in correspondence to the position of the folding area FA. Here, the first pattern area PA1 is formed to have the same width as the folding area FA, and has the widest width compared to the pattern areas of the remaining plates. As shown in FIG. 2, the first pattern P1 has respective long holes arranged side by side at equal intervals, but the shape, size, width, spacing of long holes, and positions of each long hole can be changed. More preferably, the width of the long holes is the same as the distance between the respective long holes, and it is preferable that the length of each long hole is also the same.

In the first pattern P1, the long hole is disposed along the longitudinal direction of the folding area FA, that is, the first direction D1, and the first plate 131 is the distance T1 between adjacent long holes along the long direction of the long hole. The restoring force due to folding occurs through the first plate 131, so the space between the long holes (T1) is relatively smaller than that of the other plates, so that the folding is smaller than that of the second plate 132 or the third plate 133. Has the smallest reaction force. Therefore, the first plate 131 may provide the smallest folding radius.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a second plate 132 of the folding unit 130 shown in FIG. 1 and enlarging a part.

Referring to FIG. 3, the second plate 132 is disposed on the top surface of the first plate 131. The second plate 132 is elongated along the second direction D2 having a different angle from the first direction D1 and is provided with a plurality of second patterns P2. The width of the second pattern area PA2 has a width smaller than that of the first pattern area PA1, and the width of the pattern area decreases toward the upper direction. This is because the folding radius decreases from the first plate 131 toward the third plate 133.

Also, the second pattern P2 is formed in the same shape, size, and spacing as the long hole of the first pattern P1, but the direction of the long hole is clockwise from the first direction D1 of the first pattern P1 (FIG. 3) Reference) is disposed along the second direction D2 rotated about 45°.

Therefore, the repulsive force generated when the second plate 132 is folded is compared to the first plate 131 because the long hole has a slope in the second direction D2 compared to the first plate 131. Increases. This is because the first plate 131 has a larger distance T2 between the long hole of the second plate 132 and the adjacent long hole than the distance T1 of the adjacent long hole along the longitudinal direction of the long hole. The stiffness of the folding unit 130 can be supplemented, thereby increasing the repelling force of the folding unit 130 to restore the display panel 110 and the housing 120 to their original positions (unfolded state).

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a third plate 133 of the folding unit 130 shown in FIG. 1 and enlarging a part thereof.

Referring to FIG. 4, the third plate 133 has a long hole in the third pattern P3 along the first direction D1 as in the first plate 131. However, the third pattern P3 is formed in the same direction and shape as the first pattern P1, and the width of the pattern area is smaller than that of the second pattern P2. In addition, the lowermost layer and the uppermost layer of the folding unit 130 are preferably disposed such that the same pattern is formed in the same direction in the first plate 131 and the third plate 133, respectively. This is because each pattern of the second plate 132 and the fourth plate 134 located in the middle has an angle with respect to the folding direction. This is because the three plates 133 can be prevented.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a fourth plate 134 of the folding unit 130 shown in FIG. 1 and enlarging a part.

Referring to FIG. 5, the fourth plate 134 has a folding pattern in a fourth pattern P4 in which a long hole is elongated in a third direction D3 symmetric with respect to the second pattern P2 of the second plate 132 (FA). That is, assuming that the first direction D1 of the long hole in the first pattern P1 is the y-axis, the long hole in the third direction D3 has the x-axis or y-axis symmetry with respect to the long hole in the second direction D2. do. Accordingly, if the second direction D2 is formed at an angle of 45° with respect to the first direction D1, the third direction D3 is arranged to be symmetrical with the second direction D2 at an angle of 90°. The foldable display device 100 of the present invention includes at least the first plate 131 to the third plate 133, but when a greater rigidity is required or when the folding radius needs to be increased, the fourth plate 134 It may be additionally provided.

At this time, the fourth pattern P4 of the fourth plate 134 is preferably long elongated in the direction perpendicular to the second pattern P2 of the second plate 132. Of course, the angle of the fourth pattern P4 may be provided as a pattern having different angles from the first pattern P1 and the second pattern P2.

In addition, the first pattern (P1) to the fourth pattern (P4) is preferably a long hole is disposed at a length smaller than the angle of at least 90 ° with respect to the longitudinal direction of the folding area FA, that is, the first direction D1. When the angle of the second pattern P2 or the fourth pattern P4 from the first pattern P1 is small, the folding radius is reduced. In other words, the smaller the folding radius, the smaller the angle of the second direction D2 or the third direction D3 from the first direction D1, the smaller the folding radius. And, if the application of the pattern at right angles to the first direction D1 is required, maximum stiffness or maximum folding radius may be selectively applied.

The first plate 131 to the fourth plate 134 are made of a metal material having a thickness of at least less than 0.15 mm, and the thickness is preferably applied to 0.1 mm or less.

FIG. 6 is a reference diagram showing a stacked state of the folding unit 130 of the foldable display device 100 shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 7 is a folding unit 130 of the foldable display device 100 shown in FIG. 6 8 is a cross-sectional view partially showing a state in which the folding unit 130 of the foldable display device 100 shown in FIG. 1 is stacked. FIG. 9 is a view showing the stacked state. It is a sectional view partially showing a folded state of the folding unit 130 of the foldable display device 100.

As illustrated in FIG. 6, the first plate 131 has the largest width of the first pattern area PA1. The width of the second pattern area PA2 is smaller, the width of the fourth pattern area PA4 is smaller, and the width of the third pattern area PA3 is increased from the first plate 131 to the stacked upper portion. You can see that it is the smallest.

Each plate is provided with an attachment area in which a pattern is not formed around the pattern area, and the folding units 130 are completed as the first plate 131 to the fourth plate 134 are attached to each other except the pattern area. do. The folding unit 130 entails a function of connecting the divided housings 120 around the folding area FA inside the housing 120 to each other.

As such, when the third plate 133 is disposed at the uppermost portion and the pattern regions of the first plate 131 to the fourth plate 134 are combined to overlap each other corresponding to the folding region, as shown in FIG. 7 It can be seen that the long holes in various directions overlap each other.

In addition, although not shown in the drawings, the resin may be filled in the long hole formed inside each plate in the same manner as the height of the plate. The resin filled inside the long hole can prevent the patterns disposed on the upper and lower parts from being damaged in the folding process of the folding unit 130, and can also provide additional resilience to the pattern deformed in the folding process. .

8 shows a state in which the folding unit 130 is attached on the bottom surface 121 of the housing.

A double-sided tape 135 is provided between each plate to attach each other, and each plate is attached in a stacked state to each other, so that the double-sided tape 135 is disposed on the cover resin 123 disposed on the bottom surface of the first plate 131. ).

Then, as illustrated in FIG. 9, both ends of the folding unit 130 are attached by the double-sided tape 135 so that the length change does not occur, and the length change occurs in the region where the patterns of the respective plates are located.

While folded in the state of FIG. 8 and bent as shown in FIG. 9, the first pattern P1 of the first plate 131 increases most, and the third pattern P3 of the third plate 133 toward the inside of the folding radius ) Is the least stretched to have a tensile state with each other. At this time, a separate angle maintaining means may be required to maintain the folding state of the foldable display device 100.

In addition, both ends of each plate are attached by a double-sided tape 135, and there is an effect of easily restoring the folding unit 130 as a reaction force is generated due to a change in length caused by the deformation of each pattern.

According to the foldable display device 100 according to the present invention, first, a plurality of thin plates are stacked to provide a hinge function, thereby simplifying the structure, and the thickness of the foldable display device 100 becomes thin, and second, a flat plate The desired folding radius can be realized through the folding unit 130 by giving each set pattern, and third, the stiffness of the folding unit 130 can be reinforced by changing the direction of each pattern for each plate. Since the thickness of the unit 130 is thin, even when assembling the housing, the occurrence of steps is reduced, and there is an advantageous effect in maintaining flatness.

In the above, in order to illustrate the technical idea of the present invention, a specific embodiment has been described with reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the same configuration and effect as the specific embodiment as described above, and various modified examples are the scope of the present invention. It can be carried out within the limits that do not deviate. Therefore, such a modified example should be regarded as belonging to the scope of the present invention, and the true technical protection scope of the present invention should be determined by the technical spirit of the claims to be described later.

100: foldable display device
110: display panel
120: housing
130: folding unit

Claims (21)

A first plate provided in a first pattern so that a long hole formed in a first direction corresponds to a folding region;
A second plate disposed on an upper surface of the first plate and having a long hole formed in a second direction different from the first direction in a second pattern and
A third plate disposed on an upper surface of the second plate, having a narrower pattern area width than the first pattern, and having a long hole formed in the first direction as a third pattern;
Folding unit characterized in that it is laminated to each other, including. The method according to claim 1,
The folding unit further includes a fourth plate disposed on an upper surface or a rear surface of the second plate, and having a long hole formed in a third direction different from the first direction and the second direction in a fourth pattern. The method according to claim 2,
The fourth pattern,
The folding unit is provided in the x-axis or y-axis symmetry with the long hole direction of the second pattern, assuming that the long hole direction of the first pattern is the y-axis. The method according to claim 2,
Each pattern provided on the plates is a folding unit having a different pattern area width. The method according to claim 2,
Each pattern provided on the plates is a folding unit whose pattern area width increases or decreases along the stacking direction. The method according to claim 2,
Folding unit characterized in that the first pattern area of the first plate is larger than the second pattern area of the second plate. The method according to claim 2,
When the fourth plate is disposed between the upper surface and the third plate of the second plate,
Folding unit characterized in that the second pattern area of the second plate is larger than the fourth pattern area of the fourth plate. The method according to any one of claims 3 to 7,
When the thickness of each plate increases, the width of the pattern region of each plate increases, and when the thickness of each plate decreases, the folding unit of the pattern region width of each plate decreases. The method according to any one of claims 3 to 7,
A folding unit in which the folding radius decreases as the distance between the long hole adjacent to each of the patterns and the adjacent long hole in the folding area decreases, and the folding radius increases as the distance increases. The method according to any one of claims 3 to 7,
In the folding region, the second direction and the third direction based on the first direction are formed to be 90° or less,
The smaller the angle formed by the second and third directions from the first direction is, the smaller the folding radius is,
The folding unit in which the radius of the folding is increased as the angle formed by the second direction and the third direction from the first direction is larger. The method according to any one of claims 3 to 7,
A folding unit in which the width of the pattern region in the folding region decreases toward the inside of the folding radius. The method according to claim 2,
The plates are folded units attached to each other in the remaining areas of each pattern area. The method according to claim 2,
Each of the plates has a folding unit provided with at least 1.5mm or less. The method according to claim 2,
Each of the long holes formed in the plates,
A resin-filled folding unit equal to the thickness of each plate. The method according to claim 1,
A folding unit further comprising a cover resin coupled to cover the rear surface of the first plate corresponding to the folding area. The method according to claim 1,
The folding unit in which the area of the first pattern is formed at least equal to or larger than the folding area. A display panel folded along a folding area;
A housing covering the side or back of the display panel, and
A first plate provided in a first pattern so that a long hole formed in a first direction corresponds to a folding area, and a long hole disposed in an upper surface of the first plate and formed in a second direction different from the first direction in a second pattern Folding provided on the second plate provided on the upper surface of the second plate, the pattern area width is narrower than the first pattern, and the long hole formed in the first direction is provided in the third pattern unit;
Foldable display device comprising a. The method according to claim 17,
The folding unit,
A foldable display device including a fourth plate disposed on an upper surface or a rear surface of the second plate, and having a long hole formed in a third direction different from the first direction and the second direction in a fourth pattern. The method according to claim 18,
The folding unit,
The first to fourth plates are stacked with each other so that the rest of each pattern area is attached,
The foldable display device wherein the first plate and the third plate are disposed on the outermost sides of the folding unit, respectively. The method according to claim 18,
The width of each pattern area provided on the plates decreases toward the inside of the folding radius. The method according to claim 17,
The housing has a separate structure around the folding area,
The folding unit is a foldable display device that elastically connects the separated housings to each other.

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