U.S. patent application number 16/459502 was filed with the patent office on 2020-06-04 for foldable display device.
The applicant listed for this patent is Shanghai Tianma AM-OLED Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Yingteng Zhai.
Application Number | 20200178403 16/459502 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 65142214 |
Filed Date | 2020-06-04 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20200178403 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Zhai; Yingteng |
June 4, 2020 |
Foldable Display Device
Abstract
A foldable display device includes a foldable display panel and
its support plate. The support plate includes a folding area and a
non-folding area, arranged in a X direction. The folding area
includes a plurality of connecting units, the connecting units are
arranged in the X direction and extend in the Y direction, which is
perpendicular to the X direction. Adjacent connecting units are
connected to each other. The width of each connecting unit in the Y
direction is gradually decreased. The foldable display device
further includes a buffer layer, disposed between the foldable
display panel and the plurality of connecting units, and an
anti-stretch film above the buffer layer.
Inventors: |
Zhai; Yingteng; (Shanghai,
CN) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Shanghai Tianma AM-OLED Co., Ltd. |
Shanghai |
|
CN |
|
|
Family ID: |
65142214 |
Appl. No.: |
16/459502 |
Filed: |
July 1, 2019 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 1/1652 20130101;
G06F 1/1681 20130101; G06F 1/1641 20130101; H05K 5/0017 20130101;
H05K 5/0217 20130101 |
International
Class: |
H05K 5/00 20060101
H05K005/00; H05K 5/02 20060101 H05K005/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 30, 2018 |
CN |
201811457107.3 |
Claims
1. A foldable display device, comprising: a foldable display panel;
and a support plate for supporting the foldable display panel;
wherein the support plate comprises a folding area and a
non-folding area, wherein the folding area and the non-folding area
are aligned along a first direction; wherein the folding area
comprises a plurality of connecting units, arranged in the first
direction and extending in a second direction, wherein the second
direction is perpendicular to the first direction, and wherein each
connecting unit of the plurality of connecting units is connected
to a neighboring connecting unit; wherein along a third direction,
a width in the first direction of each of the connecting units is
gradually decreased, wherein the third direction is perpendicular
to the foldable display panel and the support plate; and wherein
the foldable display device further comprises a buffer layer, an
anti-stretch film and at least one second spring group; wherein the
buffer layer is disposed between the foldable display panel and the
plurality of connecting units, the anti-stretch film is attached to
one side of the foldable display panel facing the support plate,
and wherein the at least one second spring group comprises two
second springs, wherein the two second springs are located on
opposite ends of the anti-stretch film and extend in the first
direction, wherein each of the two second springs is connected to
the anti-stretch film at one end, and a side wall of a housing of
the foldable display device at another end.
2. The foldable display device of claim 1, wherein the buffer layer
comprises a plurality of buffer units, wherein the plurality of
buffer units has an one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of
connecting units, a projection in the third direction of each of
the plurality of buffer units falls within a projection of said
respective one connecting unit on the foldable display panel.
3. The foldable display device of claim 2, wherein each of the
plurality of buffer units is a rubber mat.
4. The foldable display device of claim 2, wherein a surface of
each of the plurality of buffer units facing the foldable display
panel is curvy.
5. The foldable display device of claim 2, wherein the each of the
plurality of buffer units has a solid structure or a hollow
structure.
6. The foldable display device of claim 2, wherein the each of the
plurality of connecting units has a grooved structure or a block
structure.
7-8. (canceled)
9. The foldable display device of claim 1, wherein a material of
the anti-stretch film has an elastic modulus being greater than 10
Gigapascals (GP).
10. The foldable display device of claim 1, wherein a material of
the buffer layer has an elastic modulus being less than 0.01
GP.
11. A foldable display device, comprising: a foldable display
panel; and a support plate for supporting the foldable display
panel; wherein the support plate comprises a folding area and a
non-folding area, wherein the folding area and the non-folding area
are aligned along a first direction; wherein the folding area
comprises a plurality of connecting units, arranged in the first
direction and extending in a second direction, wherein the second
direction is perpendicular to the first direction, and wherein each
connecting unit of the plurality of connecting units is connected
to a neighboring connecting unit; wherein along a third direction,
a width in the first direction of each of the connecting units is
gradually decreased, wherein the third direction is perpendicular
to the foldable display panel and the support plate; and wherein
the foldable display device further comprises a buffer layer
disposed between the foldable display panel and the plurality of
connecting units, wherein the buffer layer comprises a plurality of
buffer units, wherein the plurality of buffer units each has an
one-to-one correspondence with one of the plurality of connecting
units, wherein a projection in the third direction of each of the
plurality of buffer units falls within a projection of said
respective one connecting unit on the foldable display panel;
wherein the each of the plurality of connecting units has a grooved
structure, and said each of the plurality of buffer units is
located at least in part in one grooved structure of the plurality
of connecting units; wherein said each of the plurality of buffer
units comprises a roller, a rolling rod of the roller and at least
one first spring group, wherein the first spring group comprises
two first springs disposed on opposite ends of the roller; wherein
the two first springs extend along the third direction, and the two
ends of each of the two first springs are respectively connected to
the rolling rod and one of the plurality of connecting units; and
wherein the foldable display device further comprises two rolling
rod slide rails, along the second direction, each of the two
rolling rod slide rails is arranged at one end of the rolling rod
to guide the rolling rod slide, along the third direction.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to a Chinese patent
application No. CN201811457107. 3 filed on Nov. 30, 2018, the
disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its
entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] Present disclosure relates to foldable display technology,
and in particular, relates to a foldable display device.
BACKGROUND
[0003] The foldable display device provides a large display screen
in a working state, and takes up less space in an idle state,
thereby providing excellent user experiences.
[0004] In a related art, the foldable display device includes a
foldable display panel and a support plate for supporting the
foldable display panel, and the support plate includes a folding
area and a non-folding area. While the folding area is provided
with a plurality of strip-shaped connecting units arranged in
parallel, the widths of the connecting units are gradually reduced
along a direction that the foldable display panel is directed
toward the support plate. The foldable display panel is in contact
with the support plate, during the bending of the foldable display
device, the foldable display panel and the support plate are both
being stretched, and the bent portion is subjected to tensile
stress. When an external force hits the above-mentioned bent
portion, the foldable display panel has poor impact resistance and
is easily damaged.
SUMMARY
[0005] The present disclosure provides a foldable display device
for improving the impact resistance of a bent portion of a foldable
display device during bending.
[0006] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a foldable
display device including: a foldable display panel and a support
plate for supporting the foldable display panel.
[0007] The support plate includes a folding area and a non-folding
area, and the folding area and the non-folding area are aligned
along a first direction.
[0008] The folding area includes many connecting units, the
connecting units are arranged in the first direction and extending
in a second direction, the second direction is perpendicular to the
first direction, and each of the connecting units is connected to a
neighboring connecting unit. Along a third direction, a width of in
the first direction of each of the connecting units is gradually
decreased, and the third direction is perpendicular to the foldable
display panel and the support plate.
[0009] The foldable display device further includes a buffer layer,
which is located between the foldable display panel and the
connecting units.
[0010] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, by
means of providing a buffer layer disposed between the foldable
display panel and the connecting units in the folding area of the
support plate, when the bent portion of the foldable display device
is bent by an external force, the buffer layer can buffer and
absorb the impact kinetic energy, so the impact resistance of the
above-mentioned bent portion is improved.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0011] Other features, objects and advantages of the present
disclosure will become more apparent from a detailed description of
non-restrictive embodiments with reference to the drawings.
[0012] FIG. 1 is a top view showing structures of a foldable
display device according to an embodiment of the present
disclosure;
[0013] FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken along a dotted line
A-B in FIG. 1;
[0014] FIG. 3 is another cross sectional view taken along a dotted
line A-B in FIG. 1 when the buffer unit has a solid filled
structure;
[0015] FIG. 4 is another cross sectional view taken along a dotted
line A-B in FIG. 1 when the connecting units have grooved
structures;
[0016] FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken along a dotted line
C-D in FIG. 1; and
[0017] FIG. 6 is another cross sectional view taken along a dotted
line A-B in FIG. 1 when the buffer unit has an arc structure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0018] To further elucidate technical means and technical effects
for achieving an intended purpose of the present disclosure, the
specific embodiments, structures, features and effects of a
foldable display device according to the present disclosure will be
described hereinafter in detail with reference to the drawings and
preferred embodiments.
[0019] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a foldable
display device including: a foldable display panel and a support
plate for supporting the foldable display panel.
[0020] The support plate includes a folding area and a non-folding
area, and the folding area and the non-folding area are aligned
along a first direction.
[0021] The folding area includes a plurality of connecting units,
the plurality of connecting units are arranged in the first
direction and extend in a second direction, while the second
direction is perpendicular to the first direction. Adjacent
connecting units are connected to each other, along a third
direction, a width of each of the connecting units in the first
direction is gradually decreased, and the third direction is a
direction from the foldable display panel to the support plate.
[0022] The foldable display device further includes a buffer layer,
and the buffer layer is disposed between the foldable display panel
and the connecting units and.
[0023] According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, a
buffer layer is disposed between the foldable display panel and the
connecting units in the folding area of the support plate,
attenuates and absorb the impact kinetic energy when the bent
portion of the foldable display device is bent by an external
force, therefore improving the impact resistance of the bent
portion.
[0024] The embodiments of the present disclosure will be described
clearly and completely in conjunction with the drawings. Based on
the embodiments, variations in details obtained by those skilled in
the art without creative work are within the scope of the present
disclosure.
[0025] Details are set forth below to facilitate a thorough
understanding of the present disclosure. The disclosure is not
limited by the specific embodiments described below.
[0026] When the embodiments of the present disclosure are described
in detail, for convenience of explanation, the schematic diagram
illustrating the structure of the device may not be partially
enlarged in accordance with the general scale. In addition,
practical manufacturing may include three-dimension spatial sizes:
length, width and height.
[0027] FIG. 1 is a top view showing the structure of a foldable
display device according to an embodiment of the present
disclosure. FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken along a dotted
line A-B in FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 2, the foldable display
device includes a foldable display panel 200 and a support plate
100 for supporting the foldable display panel 200. The support
plate 100 includes a folding area 20 and an unfolding area 10, the
folding area 20 and the unfolding area 10 are arranged along a
first direction Y, and the folding area 20 includes a number of
connecting units 210, only four are shown in the figures. As shown
in FIG. 1, the plurality of connection units 210 is arranged along
the first direction Y and each of them extends along a second
direction X. The second direction X is perpendicular to the first
direction Y. Adjacent connecting units 210 are physically attached
to each other on their long sides. Still referring to FIG. 2, along
a third direction Z in the cross section, the widths of the
connecting unit 210 in the first direction Y is gradually
decreasing, and Z axis is perpendicular to the foldable display
panel 200 and the support plate 100. The foldable display device
further includes a buffer layer 510, and the buffer layer 510 is
disposed between the plurality of the connecting units 210 and the
foldable display panel 200.
[0028] Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the foldable display device
further includes a housing 600 for protecting the foldable display
panel 200 from damage. In order to simplify the drawings, FIG. 1
and FIG. 2 merely show a part of the structure of the housing 600.
In practical applications, the overall structure of the foldable
display panel 200 and the support plate 100 is disposed in the
accommodating space of the housing 600.
[0029] It should be noted that the folding area 20 of the support
plate 100 is disposed opposite to the bending area of the foldable
display panel 200, so that the foldable display device can achieve
a normal bending function. In addition, as shown in FIG. 2, each
connecting unit 210 is wide at the top and narrow at the bottom,
such that the folding area 20 of the support plate 100 has a
bending angle limit when bent, preventing excessive bending to
cause damage to the internal components of the supported foldable
display panel 200. On the other hand, when the foldable display
device is bent, the stress in the folding area of the support plate
can be reduced.
[0030] Additionally, it should be noted that, the buffer layer 510
is a buffer film layer, and it may be contacting the connection
units 210 or may be merely placed over the connection units 210,
but not contacting the connection units 210. It should be noted
that the buffer layer 510 may have various structures, for example,
a full-layer film structure, or a structure including many
sub-sections as shown in FIG. 2.
[0031] According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, a
buffer layer 510 between the foldable display panel 200 and the
plurality of connecting units 210 in the folding area 20 of the
support plate 100, can reduce and absorb the impact kinetic energy,
when the bent portion of the foldable display device is bent by an
external force, the buffer layer 510, so the impact resistance of
the above-mentioned bent portion is improved.
[0032] The elastic modulus of the buffer layer 510 is smaller than
0.01 GP.
[0033] It should be noted that the buffer layer 510 formed by a
material with a smaller than 0.01 GP elastic modulus is susceptible
to deformation, low rigidity, therefore good buffering and kinetic
energy absorption capability. Therefore, the elastic modulus of the
cushion material in this embodiment is preferably set to be less
than 0.01 GP.
[0034] As is shown in FIG. 2, the buffer layer 510 may include a
number of buffer units 511 aligned with connection unit 210, so
each of them has an one-to-one correspondence with one connection
unit 210, and projections along z-axis of one buffer unit 511 falls
within the projection of one respective connecting unit 210 on the
foldable display panel 200.
[0035] It should be noted that, in such an arrangement, the buffer
layer 510 is avoided to be disposed at the contacting position of
the adjacent connection units 210, thereby preventing the buffer
layer 510 from increasing the bending resistance of the folding
area 20 of the support plate 100 during the bending of the foldable
display device.
[0036] The buffer unit 511 can be a rubber mat.
[0037] It should be noted that the cushioning performance of the
rubber pad is good and the cost is low, which is a preferred choice
of the buffer unit 511 in this embodiment. It can be understood
that, in other mode of the embodiments, the buffer unit 511 may
also be other buffer material.
[0038] Referring to FIG. 2, the surface of the buffer units 511
facing the foldable display panel 200 may be curved.
[0039] It should be noted, in such an arrangement, a gap exists
between the adjacent buffer units 511, and the gap can accommodate
a micro-deformation of the buffer units 511 on both sides, thereby
enhancing the stress release capability of the buffer layer
510.
[0040] Still referring to FIG. 2, each buffer unit 511 can be a
hollow structure.
[0041] It should be noted that, by employing such an arrangement, a
buffer space is formed between each buffer unit 511 and its
corresponding connecting unit 210, which further enhances the
stress release capability of the buffer layer 510.
[0042] There are variations of the buffer layer which share the
same top view of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is another cross sectional view
taken along a dotted line A-B in a different buffer layer structure
under the same top view of FIG. 1. Although the structure of the
foldable display device shown in FIG. 3 is similar to that of the
foldable display device shown in FIG. 2, the buffer unit 511 in the
foldable display device of FIG. 3 has a solid filled structure.
[0043] It should be noted that the buffer unit 511 of solid filled
structure is easier to prepare, reducing the cost in preparing the
foldable display device.
[0044] As is shown in FIG. 3, each connecting unit 210 may be a
block structure.
[0045] It should be noted that the supporting force for the
connecting units 210 of the block structure in Z axis is quite
large, which is beneficial to achieve effective support of the
support panel 100 for the foldable display panel 200.
[0046] Optionally, FIG. 4 is another cross sectional view taken
along a dotted line A-B for another different buffer layer
structure under the same top view of FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 4,
the connecting units 210 in the foldable display device have
grooved structures.
[0047] It should be noted that, in such an arrangement, the buffer
units 511 disposed between the connecting units 210 and the
foldable display panel occupy more buffering space, which is
beneficial to releasing stress from bending. The weight of the
support plate 100, and also the overall weight of the foldable
display device is reduced.
[0048] Further, still referring to FIG. 4, when the connecting
units 210 have grooved structures, the buffer units 511 are located
at least in part in the grooves of the connecting units 210. FIG. 5
is a cross sectional view taken along a dotted line C-D in FIG. 1.
As shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, each of the buffer units 511
includes a roller 540, a rolling central rod 530 of the roller 540
and at least one first spring group 520. The first spring group 520
includes two first springs 521 each disposed on opposite ends of
the roller 540, the first springs 521 extend in the third direction
Z, and the two ends of each first spring 521 are respectively
connected to the rolling rod 530 and one connecting unit 210. Still
referring to FIG. 5, the foldable display device further includes
two rolling rod slide rails 550, two rolling rod slide rails 550
are disposed on opposite sides of each rolling rod 530, and are
respectively fitted with the ends of corresponding rolling rod 530,
and the rolling rod slide rails 550 extend along Z axis for use as
a sliding track for the rolling rod 530.
[0049] It should be noted that, by employing such an arrangement,
the weight of the connecting units 210 can be reduced and the
buffering function can be achieved, thereby reducing the overall
weight of the foldable display device. It can be understood that,
in other implement modes of the embodiment, when the connecting
unit 210 has a grooved structure, the buffer units 511 may also
have other buffer structures, for example, the arc structure
adopted in FIG. 2, which is shown in FIG. 6.
[0050] It should be noted that FIG. 5 merely illustrates the buffer
units 511 including two first spring groups 520 as an example and
is not limited thereto, in other implement modes of the embodiment,
the buffer units 511 may also include other numbers of the first
spring groups 520, which is not specifically limited in this
embodiment. In addition, the grooves may penetrate the connecting
units 210 in the second direction X or may not penetrate the
connecting units 210, and at this moment, the connecting units 210
include two side walls respectively disposed on the two sides of
each groove in the second direction X. In the former case, the
rolling rod slide rail 550 can be disposed on the housing 600 of
the foldable display device. In the latter case, the sliding rod
slide rails may be disposed on the two side walls of the connecting
unit 210, which is shown in FIG. 5
[0051] Still referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the foldable display
device may further include an anti-stretch film 300 attached to one
side of the foldable display panel 200 near the support plate 100,
and at least one second spring group 420, wherein each of the
second spring groups 420 includes two second springs 421 on
opposite ends of the anti-stretch film 300 in the first direction
Y, and the second spring 421 extends in the first direction Y, one
end of the second spring 421 is connected to the anti-stretch film
300, and the other end is connected to the side wall of the housing
600 of the foldable display device.
It should be noted that the anti-stretch film 300 has good tensile
strength and is not easily deformed by stretching. During the
bending of the foldable display device, the anti-stretch film 300
is undeformed, so that the bent portion of the foldable display
panel 200 that is in contact with the anti-stretch film 300 is not
deformed by stress, and thus the bent portion of foldable display
device is not easily damaged by an external force. Furthermore, to
ensure that the anti-stretch film 300 does not affect the normal
bending of the foldable display panel 200, at least one second
spring group 420 is provided, the second spring 421 of the second
spring group 420 can be stretched during the bending of the display
device, such that the foldable display device achieves effective
bending without the foldable display panel 200 being stretched
[0052] It should be noted that the connection between the second
spring 421 and the anti-stretch film 300 can be achieved by using a
double-ended clip. Specifically, the first collet of the
double-ended clip clamps the corresponding end of the second spring
421, and the second collet clamps the anti-stretch film 300. It can
be understood that any way to achieve effective connection between
the second spring 421 and the anti-stretch film 300 is within the
protection scope of the embodiment, and no more examples are
described herein again.
[0053] It should be noted that FIG. 1 merely shows the foldable
display device including two second spring groups 420, which is
illustrative and not limitation. In other implement modes of the
embodiment, the number of the second spring groups 420 may also be
other values, which is not specifically defined in this
embodiment.
[0054] Optionally, the material of the anti-stretch film 300 may
have an elastic modulus being greater than 10 GP.
[0055] It should be noted that, ideally, the foldable display panel
200 does not undergo tensile deformation during the bending of the
foldable display device. Therefore, the deformation of the
anti-stretch film 300 is as difficult as possible, and the elastic
modulus of the material forming the anti-stretch film 300 is
preferably as large as possible. Depending on the actual
application herein, the elastic modulus of the material of the
anti-stretch film 300 is preferably set to be greater than 10
GP.
[0056] It should be noted that, FIG. 1 to FIG. 6 are merely
illustrative and not limited to the case where the folding area 20
of the support plate 100 includes four connecting units 210. In
other implement modes of the embodiment, the folding area 20 of the
support plate 100 may further include other numbers of connecting
units 210, which are not specifically limited in this
embodiment.
[0057] It should be noted that the above are only preferred
embodiments of the present disclosure and the technical principles
used therein. It will be understood by those skilled in the art
that the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments
described herein. Those skilled in the art can make various
apparent modifications, adaptations, combinations and substitutions
without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
Therefore, while the present disclosure has been described in
detail via the above-mentioned embodiments, the present disclosure
is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments and may include
more other equivalent embodiments without departing from the
concept of the present disclosure. The scope of the present
disclosure is determined by the scope of the appended claims.
* * * * *