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EP-4047450-B1 - DISPLAY DEVICE

EP4047450B1EP 4047450 B1EP4047450 B1EP 4047450B1EP-4047450-B1

Inventors

  • KIM, TAE-CHANG
  • Jung, Soyoun

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20220112

Claims (8)

  1. A display device (100, 1000, 1100, 1200) having a first display area (11), a second display area (12), a third display area (13), and a fourth display area (14), the third display area (13) disposed between the first and second display areas (11, 12) and having a curved shape, the fourth display area (14) disposed on one side of the second display area (12), the display device (100, 1000, 1100, 1200) comprising: a display panel (200) overlapping the first, second, third, and fourth display areas (11, 12, 13, 14); an inner cover member (810) covering an outer periphery of the display panel (200) that overlaps the first, second, and third display areas (11, 12, 13); a first outer cover member (910) surrounding the inner cover member (810); and a hinge member (510) disposed on a bottom surface of the display panel (200) to overlap a boundary between the second display area (12) and the fourth display area (14), the hinge member (510) connected to the first outer cover member (910), the display device (100, 1000, 1100, 1200) further comprising: a second outer cover member (820) connected to the hinge member (510) and covering an outer periphery of the display panel (200) that overlaps the fourth display area (14), wherein, when the first outer cover member (910) and the second outer cover member (820) are folded through the hinge member (510), the first outer cover member (910) and the second outer cover member (820) are configured to be in contact with each other with the second and the fourth display areas (12, 14) facing each other, and, when the first outer cover member (910) and the second outer cover member (820) are unfolded through the hinge member (510), the first outer cover member (910) and the second outer cover member (820) are arranged in a first direction (D1),the display panel (200) is configured to be folded and unfolded through the hinge member (510), and the inner cover member (810) is configured to be drawn in to and out from the first outer cover member (910), characterized in that the display device (100, 1000, 1100, 1200) further comprises: a first protective layer (830) disposed on the display panel (200) to surround the display panel (200) that overlaps the first, second, and third display areas (11, 12, 13) when the display device (100, 1000, 1100, 1200) is fully folded; a second protective layer (930) disposed on the first protective layer (830) to overlap the first display area (11); and a third protective layer (950) disposed on the first protective layer (830) to overlap the second display area (12), wherein the inner cover member (810) is connected to at least one side surface of the first protective layer (830) such that the inner cover member (810) fixes the first protective layer (830), wherein the first protective layer (830) has a curved shape in the third display area (13), and wherein: a bottom surface of the first protective layer (830) is in contact with the display panel (200), and, when the inner cover member (810) is drawn out from the first outer cover member (910) in the first direction (D1), the display panel (200) is configured to slide on the bottom surface of the first protective layer (830).
  2. The display device (100, 1000, 1100, 1200) of claim 1, wherein the display device (100, 1000, 1100, 1200) is configured to display an image in the third display area (13).
  3. The display device (100, 1000, 1100, 1200) of claim 1, wherein: the first outer cover member (910) is connected to at least one side of the second protective layer (930) such that the first outer cover member (910) fixes the second protective layer (930), and the first outer cover member (910) is connected to at least one side of the third protective layer (950) such that the first outer cover member (910) fixes the third protective layer (950), wherein the second protective layer (930) and the third protective layer (950) are free of an overlap with the third display area (13), and the first protective layer (830) protrudes through an opening defined by the second protective layer (930) and the third protective layer (950), wherein, when the inner cover member (810) is drawn out from the first outer cover member (910) in the first direction (D1) while the display panel (200) is unfolded, a protruding area of the first protective layer (830) exposed from the second protective layer (930) and the third protective layer (950) is increased, wherein the display panel (200) is configured to display an image through the first, second, and third protective layers (830, 930, 950) in the first display area (11) and the second display area (12), and the display panel (200) is configured to display an image through the first protective layer (830) in the third display area (13), and wherein: a top surface of the first protective layer (830) is in contact with a bottom surface of each of the second and third protective layers (930, 950), and when the inner cover member (810) is drawn out from the first outer cover member (910) in the first direction (D1), the first protective layer (830) is configured to slide on the bottom surface of each of the second and third protective layers (930, 950).
  4. The display device (100, 1000, 1100, 1200) of at least one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising: a fourth protective layer (840) disposed on the display panel (200) that overlaps the fourth display area (14), wherein the second outer cover member (820) is connected to at least one side of the fourth protective layer (840) such that the second outer cover member (820) fixes the fourth protective layer (840), and wherein the display panel (200) is configured to display an image through the fourth protective layer (840) in the fourth display area (14).
  5. The display device (100, 1000, 1100, 1200) of claim 4, wherein, when the display panel (200) is unfolded, a side surface of the first protective layer (830) and a side surface of the fourth protective layer (840) be in contact with each other at the boundary between the second display area (12) and the fourth display area (14), wherein, when the inner cover member (810) is drawn out from the first outer cover member (910) in the first direction (D1) while the display panel (200) is unfolded, a side surface of the first protective layer (830) is spaced apart from a side surface of the fourth protective layer (840).
  6. The display device (100, 1000, 1100, 1200) of at least one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising: a first support member (710) disposed on the bottom surface of the display panel (200) that overlaps the first, second, and third display areas (11, 12, 13) when the display device (100, 1000, 1100, 1200) is fully folded; the first support member (710) comprising a first teethed structure (715) in a portion of a bottom surface thereof overlapping the first and third display areas (11, 13), a first rotation member (650) disposed under the first support member (710) that overlaps the third display area (13) and having a second teethed structure engaged with the first teethed structure (715); and a second support member (720) disposed on the bottom surface of the display panel (200) overlapping the fourth display area (14), wherein a top surface of the first support member (710) is in contact with the bottom surface of the display panel (200), and wherein a top surface of the second support member (720) is in contact with the bottom surface of the display panel (200).
  7. The display device (100, 1000, 1100, 1200) of at least one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising: a second rotation member (610) spaced apart from an end of the display panel (200) that overlaps the first display area (11); and a cover film (630) wound around the second rotation member (610), wherein one side of the cover film (630) is connected to the second rotation member (610), and an opposite side of the cover film (630) is connected to the end of the display panel (200), and wherein, when the inner cover member (810) is drawn out from the first outer cover member (910) in the first direction (D1) while the display panel (200) is unfolded, the first rotation member (650) is configured to rotate in a first rotational direction such that the display panel (200) overlapping the first display area (11) is moved to the third display area (13), and the display panel (200) overlapping the third display area (13) is moved to the second display area (12), and the second rotation member (610) is configured to rotate in the first rotational direction such that a part of the cover film (630) overlaps the first display area (11).
  8. The display device (100, 1000, 1100, 1200) of at least one of claims 1 to 7, wherein, when the display panel (200) is unfolded, the first display area (11) is used to display an image on a bottom surface of the display device (100, 1000, 1100, 1200), the second display area (12) and the fourth display area (14) are used to display an image on a top surface of the display device (100, 1000, 1100, 1200), and the third display area (13) is used to display an image on a side surface of the display device (100, 1000, 1100, 1200), and wherein the display panel (200) is integrally formed in the first, second, third, and fourth display areas (11, 12, 13, 14).

Description

BACKGROUND FIELD The present invention relates generally to a display device and more specifically, to a foldable and rollable display device. DISCUSSION OF THE BACKGROUND CN 111 739 421 A describes a display device comprising a foldable shell, a flexible display panel is arranged in the foldable shell and comprises a bent display part, a first non-bent display part, a second non-bent display part and a sliding display part, wherein the first non-bent display part and the second non-bent display part are connected to the two sides of the bent display part, and the sliding display part is connected with the side, away from the bent display part, of the second non-bent display part, a sliding part is arranged on the side, deviating from the light emitting direction, of the sliding display part, and under sliding of the sliding part, the sliding display part is unfolded to be in a coplanar state with the second non-bent display part, or the sliding display part is folded to be in an opposite state with the second non-bent display part. CN 111 933 028 A describes a display device which comprises a supporting body and a flexible display panel, the supporting body is provided with a first surface and a second surface which are oppositely arranged, the flexible display panel is laid on the first surface, the supporting body comprises at least two supporting pieces which are connected in a rotating mode, at least one supporting piece comprises a supporting part and a sliding part which are connected in a sliding mode, at least one end of the flexible display panel extends to the second surface of the supporting body, covers at least part of the second surface and wraps the end of the sliding part, and the flexible display panel located on the first surface and the flexible display panel located on the second surface are driven by the sliding part to transfer mutually. CN 110 706 598 A describes a foldable display device comprising a first shell, wherein a first storage cavity is formed in the first shell. a winding assembly is arranged in the first storage cavity, a stretching assembly is connected with the first shell in a sliding manner, a first rotating assembly is connected with the end, away from the first shell, of the stretching assembly, a second shell is connected with the first rotating assembly, one part of a flexible display assembly is arranged on the same side of the first shell and the second shell, and the other part of the flexible display assembly stretches into the first storage cavity and is connected with the winding assembly, the second shell is rotationally connected with the stretching assembly through the first rotating assembly, when the flexible display assembly located in the first storage cavity is stretched out, the winding assembly provides a folded elastic pull force for the flexible display assembly. US 2013/058063 A1 describes an expandable mobile device, the device includes first and second housing parts that slide-engage relative to each other to extend and retract the device. US 2022/039273 A1 describes a foldable display device including a first casing having a first receiving cavity inside, a rewinding component disposed in the first receiving cavity, a second casing disposed on a side of the first casing, a stretching component slidably having an end slidingly connected to the first casing and another end rotationally connected to the second casing, and a flexible display component having a part disposed on a same side of the first casing and the second casing and another part protruding into the first receiving cavity and connected to the rewinding component. Flat panel display devices are used as display devices for replacing a cathode ray tube display device due to lightweight and thin characteristics thereof. A liquid crystal display device and an organic light emitting diode display device are representative examples of such flat panel display devices. Recently, a lower substrate and an upper substrate of a display panel included in such a display device may include a flexible material, and a foldable display device in which a part of the display panel may be repeatedly folded and unfolded has been developed. For example, the display panel may include a polyimide substrate and a thin film encapsulation structure so as to have flexibility. In addition, the foldable display device may display an image even in a portion in which the display panel is folded. In other words, the foldable display device may include a display area for displaying an image, and a part of the display area may be folded. The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for understanding of the background of the inventive concepts, and, therefore, it may contain information that does not constitute prior art. SUMMARY It is the object of the present invention to provide a display device capable of performing a folding operation and a sliding operation to provide a wide display area