US-12628531-B2 - Display device

Abstract

A display device includes a display panel including a foldable area folded based on an axis extending in a first direction, and a first non-foldable area and a second non-foldable area spaced apart from each other in a second direction crossing the first direction with the foldable area being therebetween, and a support plate below the display panel, and including: a porous metal layer including a porous metal material, an upper support layer on the porous metal layer and having a different density from the porous metal layer, and a lower support layer below the porous metal layer and having a different density from the porous metal layer.

Inventors

• MINSOK JANG

Assignees

• SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20230623

Priority Date

20220930

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A display device comprising: a display panel comprising a foldable area folded based on an axis extending in a first direction, and a first non-foldable area and a second non-foldable area spaced apart from each other in a second direction crossing the first direction with the foldable area being therebetween; and a support plate below the display panel, and comprising: a porous metal layer comprising a porous metal material and overlapping the foldable area, the first non-foldable area, and the second non-foldable area; an upper support layer on the porous metal layer, having a different density from the porous metal layer, and overlapping the foldable area, the first non-foldable area, and the second non-foldable area; and a lower support layer below the porous metal layer, having a different density from the porous metal layer, and overlapping the foldable area, the first non-foldable area, and the second non-foldable area.
2. 2 . The display device of claim 1 , further comprising an encapsulation material surrounding an edge of the support plate.
3. 3 . The display device of claim 2 , wherein the encapsulation material surrounds an edge of the porous metal layer.
4. 4 . The display device of claim 2 , wherein the encapsulation material comprises a conductive spacer comprising a conductive material.
5. 5 . The display device of claim 1 , wherein the porous metal layer comprises at least one of porous aluminum, porous titanium, or porous copper.
6. 6 . The display device of claim 1 , wherein the upper support layer comprises an opaque material.
7. 7 . The display device of claim 1 , wherein the upper support layer comprises at least one of steel use stainless (SUS), titanium (Ti), Ti alloy, aluminum (Al), Al alloy, copper (Cu), Cu alloy, carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP), or glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP).
8. 8 . A display device comprising: a display panel comprising a foldable area folded based on an axis extending in a first direction, and a first non-foldable area and a second non-foldable area spaced apart from each other in a second direction crossing the first direction with the foldable area being therebetween; a support plate below the display panel, and comprising: a porous metal layer comprising a porous metal material; an upper support layer on the porous metal layer and having a different density from the porous metal layer; and a lower support layer below the porous metal layer and having a different density from the porous metal layer, wherein a width of the porous metal layer in the second direction is smaller than a width of the upper support layer in the second direction and a width of the lower support layer in the second direction.
9. 9 . The display device of claim 8 , further comprising an encapsulation material surrounding an edge of the support plate.
10. 10 . The display device of claim 9 , wherein the encapsulation material comprises a portion protruding in a direction facing the porous metal layer.
11. 11 . A display device comprising: a display panel comprising a foldable area folded based on an axis extending in a first direction, and a first non-foldable area and a second non-foldable area spaced apart from each other in a second direction crossing the first direction with the foldable area therebetween; and a support plate below the display panel, and comprising: a porous metal layer overlapping the foldable area and comprising a porous metal material; and a support layer surrounding at least a side surface of the porous metal layer and overlapping the porous metal layer in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction.
12. 12 . The display device of claim 11 , wherein the support layer of the support plate comprises a recess portion having a concave shape in a direction opposite to the display panel, in an area overlapping the foldable area.
13. 13 . The display device of claim 12 , wherein the porous metal layer is on the recess portion of the support layer.
14. 14 . The display device of claim 13 , wherein the support layer surrounds a side surface and a bottom surface of the porous metal layer.
15. 15 . The display device of claim 11 , wherein a top surface of the porous metal layer and a top surface of the support layer are on a same plane.
16. 16 . The display device of claim 11 , wherein the support layer of the support plate comprises a first support layer and a second support layer spaced apart from each other in the second direction.
17. 17 . The display device of claim 16 , wherein the porous metal layer is on the first support layer and the second support layer.
18. 18 . The display device of claim 17 , wherein a top surface of the first support layer, a top surface of the second support layer, and a top surface of the porous metal layer are on a same plane.
19. 19 . The display device of claim 11 , wherein the porous metal layer comprises at least one of porous aluminum, porous titanium, or porous copper.
20. 20 . The display device of claim 11 , wherein the support layer comprises at least one of steel use stainless (SUS), titanium (Ti), Ti alloy, aluminum (Al), Al alloy, copper (Cu), Cu alloy, carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP), or glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP).

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0125775, filed on Sep. 30, 2022, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. BACKGROUND 1. Field Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a display device. 2. Description of the Related Art Recently, mobile electronic devices have garnered widespread adoption. Laptop computers and tablet personal computers (PCs), in addition to small-sized electronic devices such as mobile phones, have been widely used as mobile electronic devices. Such mobile electronic devices include display devices to provide various functions, for example, providing visual information such as images or video, to a user. Recently, a method of enlarging a display area of a display device while adding various functions to the display area is being studied. Further, to decrease an overall size of an electronic device while increasing an area of a display area, a display device having a portion that is folded or rolled is being developed. The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention, and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art. SUMMARY Aspects of some embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a display device in which impact resistance is enhanced (e.g., increased) by using a porous material for a support substrate disposed below a display panel. Additional aspects will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the presented embodiments of the disclosure. According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, there is provided a display device including: a display panel including a foldable area folded based on an axis extending in a first direction, and a first non-foldable area and a second non-foldable area spaced apart from each other in a second direction crossing the first direction with the foldable area being therebetween; and a support plate below the display panel, and including: a porous metal layer including a porous metal material; an upper support layer on the porous metal layer and having a different density from the porous metal layer; and a lower support layer below the porous metal layer and having a different density from the porous metal layer. In some embodiments, the display device further includes an encapsulation material surrounding an edge of the support plate. In some embodiments, the encapsulation material surrounds an edge of the porous metal layer. In some embodiments, the encapsulation material includes a conductive spacer including a conductive material. In some embodiments, a width of the porous metal layer in the second direction is smaller than a width of the upper support layer in the second direction and a width of the lower support layer in the second direction. In some embodiments, the display device further includes an encapsulation material surrounding an edge of the support plate. In some embodiments, the encapsulation material includes a portion protruding in a direction facing the porous metal layer. In some embodiments, the porous metal layer includes at least one of porous aluminum, porous titanium, or porous copper. In some embodiments, the upper support layer includes an opaque material. In some embodiments, the upper support layer includes at least one of steel use stainless (SUS), titanium (Ti), Ti alloy, aluminum (Al), Al alloy, copper (Cu), Cu alloy, carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP), or glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP). According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, there is provided a display device including: a display panel including a foldable area folded based on an axis extending in a first direction, and a first non-foldable area and a second non-foldable area spaced apart from each other in a second direction crossing the first direction with the foldable area therebetween; and a support plate below the display panel, and including: a porous metal layer overlapping the foldable area and including a porous metal material; and a support layer surrounding at least a side surface of the porous metal layer. In some embodiments, the support layer of the support plate includes a recess portion having a concave shape in a direction opposite to the display panel, in an area overlapping the foldable area. In some embodiments, the porous metal layer is on the recess portion of the support layer. In some embodiments, the support layer surrounds a side surface and a bottom surface of the porous metal layer. In some embodiments, a top surface of the porous metal layer and a top surface of the support layer are on a same plane. In some embodiments, the support layer of the support plate includes a first support layer and a second support la