US-12621939-B2 - Flexible display device and metal plate therefor

US12621939B2US 12621939 B2US12621939 B2US 12621939B2US-12621939-B2

Abstract

A flexible display device includes: a display panel including pixels, where a folding area is defined in the display panel; and a metal plate disposed on a rear surface of the display panel, where the metal plate includes: a lower metal plate; an upper metal plate including a step portion; and a main spacer and a subspacer disposed between the lower metal plate and the upper metal plate, where the subspacer overlaps the step portion in a plan view.

Inventors

Min Sok Jang

Assignees

SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20230322
Priority Date: 20220722

Claims (16)

1 . A flexible display device comprising: a display panel including pixels, wherein a folding area is defined in the display panel; and a metal plate disposed on a rear surface of the display panel, wherein the metal plate includes: a lower metal plate; an upper metal plate including a step portion; and a main spacer and a subspacer, which are disposed between the lower metal plate and the upper metal plate, wherein the subspacer overlaps the step portion in a plan view, the metal plate has a folding area in a portion corresponding to the folding area of the display panel, a mesh pattern portion with a plurality of openings is defined in the folding area of the metal plate, the main spacer and the subspacer and the step portion are provided in plural numbers, the plural numbers of the main spacer are arranged alternately with the plural numbers of the subspacer and the plural numbers of the step portion in first rows and first columns, and the openings of the mesh pattern portion are arranged in second rows and second columns in interstitial regions between the first rows and the first columns such that the plural numbers of the main spacer and the subspacer and the step portion are positioned not to overlap the openings of the mesh pattern portion in the plan view.
2 . The flexible display device of claim 1 , wherein the upper metal plate includes a first portion corresponding to the step portion and a second portion having a greater thickness than a thickness of the first portion, and the main spacer overlaps the second portion in the plan view.
3 . The flexible display device of claim 2 , wherein air is between the lower metal plate and the upper metal plate and around the main spacer and the subspacer.
4 . The flexible display device of claim 2 , wherein the metal plate further includes a sealant disposed along a periphery thereof, and the sealant seals a space between the upper metal plate and the lower metal plate.
5 . The flexible display device of claim 4 , wherein the sealant further includes a plurality of conductive spacers, and the conductive spacers are in contact with the upper metal plate and the lower metal plate.
6 . The flexible display device of claim 4 , wherein a filler is disposed in a space sealed by the sealant, wherein the filler functions as a buffer.
7 . The flexible display device of claim 2 , wherein the main spacer, the subspacer, and the step portion are positioned over an entire area of the metal plate.
8 . The flexible display device of claim 2 , wherein the metal plate has a folding area in a portion corresponding to the folding area of the display panel, and the main spacer, the subspacer, and the step portion are positioned in the folding area of the metal plate.
9 . The flexible display device of claim 2 , wherein the upper metal plate includes a metal plate having a plate-like structure and a plurality of insulating layers disposed on the metal plate, and the step portion is positioned between adjacent insulating layers among the insulating layers on the metal plate in the plan view.
10 . The flexible display device of claim 2 , further comprising: a cover window disposed on a front surface of the display panel; and a protective layer or a cushion layer disposed between the display panel and the metal plate.
11 . A metal plate comprising: a lower metal plate; an upper metal plate including a step portion; and a main spacer and a subspacer, which are disposed between the upper metal plate and the lower metal plate, wherein the subspacer overlaps the step portion in a plan view, the upper metal plate includes a first portion corresponding to the step portion and a second portion having a greater thickness than a thickness of the first portion, and the main spacer overlaps the second portion in the plan view, a mesh pattern portion with a plurality of openings is defined in a folding area of the metal plate, the main spacer and the subspacer and the step portion are provided in plural numbers, the plural numbers of the main spacer are arranged alternately with the plural numbers of the subspacer and the plural numbers of the step portion in first rows and first columns, and the openings of the mesh pattern portion are arranged in second rows and second columns in interstitial regions between the first rows and the first columns such that the plural numbers of the main spacer and the subspacer and the step portion are positioned not to overlap the openings of the mesh pattern portion in the plan view.
12 . The metal plate of claim 11 , wherein air is between the lower metal plate and the upper metal plate and around the main spacer and the subspacer.
13 . The metal plate of claim 11 , wherein the metal plate further includes a sealant disposed along a periphery thereof, and the sealant seals a space between the upper metal plate and the lower metal plate.
14 . The metal plate of claim 13 , wherein the sealant further includes a plurality of conductive spacers, and the conductive spacers are in contact with the upper metal plate and the lower metal plate.
15 . The metal plate of claim 13 , wherein a filler is disposed in a space sealed by the sealant, wherein the filler functions as a buffer.
16 . The metal plate of claim 11 , wherein the upper metal plate includes a metal plate having a plate-like structure and a plurality of insulating layers disposed on the metal plate, and the step portion is positioned between adjacent insulating layers among the insulating layers on the metal plate in the plan view.

Description

This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0091093, filed on Jul. 22, 2022, the content of which in its entirety is herein incorporated by reference. BACKGROUND 1. Field The disclosure relates to a flexible display device and a metal plate for a flexible display device, and more specifically, to a flexible display device with enhanced impact resistance without causing a problem due to folding, and a metal plate for the flexible display device. 2. Description of the Related Art A display device, such as an organic light emitting diode display, includes a display panel, and the display panel is manufactured to include several layers and elements on a substrate. Conventionally, glass has been used as a substrate of a display panel. However, since the glass substrate is rigid, it is difficult to bend or deform the display device. Recently, a flexible display device using a flexible substrate including or made of a material which is light and easy to deform, e.g., plastic, has been developed. The flexible display device may be classified into a bendable display device, a foldable display device, a rollable display device, and the like depending on its usage and form. Such a flexible display device may be bent or folded using a flexible substrate made of, e.g., plastic. In addition, a display device may include a function of detecting a touch position when a screen is touched, and depending on the display device, a touch of a hand or a touch of a separately provided pen may be detected. SUMMARY Embodiments provide a flexible display device and a metal plate for the flexible display device which is foldable several times without defects while having enhanced impact resistance. An embodiment provides a flexible display device including: a display panel including pixels, where a folding area is defined in the display panel; and a metal plate disposed on a rear surface of the display panel, where the metal plate includes: a lower metal plate; an upper metal plate including a step portion; and a main spacer and a subspacer, which are disposed between the lower metal plate and the upper metal plate, where the subspacer overlaps the step portion in a plan view. In an embodiment, the upper metal plate may include a first portion and a second portion having a greater thickness than a thickness of the first portion, and the main spacer may overlap the second portion in the plan view. In an embodiment, air may be between the lower metal plate and the upper metal plate and around the main spacer and the subspacer. In an embodiment, the metal plate may further include a sealant disposed along a periphery thereof, and the sealant may seal a space between the upper metal plate and the lower metal plate. In an embodiment, the sealant may further include a plurality of conductive spacers, and the conductive spacers may be in contact with the upper metal plate and the lower metal plate. In an embodiment, a filler may be disposed in a space sealed by the sealant, where the filler functions as a buffer. In an embodiment, the metal plate may have a folding area in a portion corresponding to the folding area of the display panel, and a mesh pattern portion with a plurality of openings may be defined in the folding area of the metal plate. In an embodiment, the main spacer and the subspacer may be positioned not to overlap the openings of the mesh pattern portion in the plan view. In an embodiment, the main spacer, the subspacer, and the step portion may be positioned over an entire area of the metal plate. In an embodiment, the metal plate may have a folding area in a portion corresponding to the folding area of the display panel, and the main spacer, the subspacer, and the step portion may be positioned in the folding area of the metal plate. In an embodiment, the upper metal plate may include a metal plate having a plate-like structure and a plurality of insulating layers disposed on the metal plate, and the step portion may be positioned between adjacent insulating layers among the insulating layers on the metal plate in the plan view. In an embodiment, the flexible display device may further include a cover window disposed on a front surface of the display panel, and a protective layer or a cushion layer disposed between the display panel and the metal plate. An embodiment provides a metal plate including: a lower metal plate; an upper metal plate including a step portion; and a main spacer and a subspacer disposed on the lower metal plate, where the subspacer overlaps the step portion in a plan view, the upper metal plate includes a first portion corresponding to the step portion and a second portion having a greater thickness than a thickness of the first portion, and the main spacer overlaps the second portion in the plan view. In an embodiment, air may be between the lower metal plate and the upper metal plate and around the main spacer and the subspacer. In an embodiment, the metal plate may fur