IP Library Granted Patent US 12713766
Granted Patent B2
US 12713766 · App. 18/073,239 · Granted Aug 18, 2026

Display apparatus

Inventors: Jonghyun Choi (Yongin-si, KR); Minjeong Oh (Yongin-si, KR); Kijune Lee (Yongin-si, KR)
Assignee: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
H10K59/1213G06F1/1616G06F1/1652H10D86/441H10D86/60H10K59/131H10K59/873H10K59/65H10K2102/311
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12713766
App. No.
18/073,239
Granted
Aug 18, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A display apparatus includes a display panel in which a folding area and a non-folding area are defined, and a support layer disposed on the display panel. The support layer includes a first area corresponding to the folding area of the display panel and a second area corresponding to the non-folding area of the display panel, and the first area of the support layer includes a plurality of slits. The folding area of the display panel includes a slit corresponding area corresponding to a slit of the support layer and a rib corresponding area corresponding to a rib of the support layer, and the display panel includes a second display element disposed in the slit corresponding area, and a second pixel circuit disposed in the rib corresponding area and connected to the second display element.

Claims (69)

1 . A display apparatus comprising:

a display panel in which a folding area and a non-folding area are defined; and

a support layer disposed on the display panel, wherein the support layer includes a first area corresponding to the folding area of the display panel and a second area corresponding to the non-folding area of the display panel,

wherein the first area of the support layer comprises a plurality of slits,

the folding area of the display panel comprises a slit corresponding area corresponding to a slit of the support layer and a rib corresponding area corresponding to a rib of the support layer, and

the display panel comprises:

a substrate including a first surface facing the support layer and a second surface opposite the first surface in a thickness direction thereof;

a first display element disposed in the rib corresponding area over the second surface of the substrate;

a first pixel circuit disposed in the rib corresponding area over the second surface of the substrate and connected to the first display element;

a second display element disposed in the slit corresponding area over the second surface of the substrate; and

a second pixel circuit disposed in the rib corresponding area over the second surface of the substrate and connected to the second display element,

wherein

all pixel circuits of the display panel in the folding area are disposed not to overlap the plurality of slits of the first area of the support layer in a direction perpendicular to the second surface of the substrate of the display panel in a cross-sectional view.

2 . The display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the slit of the support layer has a length in a first direction parallel to a folding axis of the folding area.

3 . The display apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the rib corresponding area of the display panel has a size corresponding to a width of the rib of the support layer in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction of the support layer.

4 . The display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the display panel further comprises a first connection line which connects the second display element and the second pixel circuit to each other.

5 . The display apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the first connection line is arranged on a same layer as a source or drain electrode of a thin film transistor included in the second pixel circuit.

6 . The display apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the first connection line is in a layer between the second display element and a source or drain electrode of a thin film transistor included in the second pixel circuit.

7 . The display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the display panel further comprises an inorganic insulating layer in which a groove is defined to surround each of the first pixel circuit and the second pixel circuit.

8 . The display apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the display panel further comprises an organic insulating layer covering the groove and disposed over the inorganic insulating layer.

9 . The display apparatus of claim 8 , wherein

the inorganic insulating layer comprises a plurality of inorganic insulating patterns surrounded by the groove, and

the organic insulating layer is disposed between the inorganic insulating patterns.

10 . The display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the display panel further comprises:

a third display element disposed in the non-folding area; and

a third pixel circuit disposed in the non-folding area and connected to the third display element.

11 . The display apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a component disposed under the display panel,

wherein a component area overlapping the component in the non-folding area and an intermediate area between the component area and the non-folding area are defined in the display panel.

12 . The display apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the component includes at least one selected from a camera, an imaging device, a solar cell, a flash, an illuminance sensor, a proximity sensor, an iris sensor, and a sound receiver.

13 . The display apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the display panel further comprises:

a fourth display element disposed in the component area;

a fourth pixel circuit disposed in the intermediate area and connected to the fourth display element;

a fifth display element disposed in the intermediate area; and

a fifth pixel circuit disposed in the intermediate area and connected to the fifth display element.

14 . The display apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the component area comprises a transmission area surrounding the fourth display element.

15 . The display apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the display panel further comprises: a first connection line which connects the second display element and the second pixel circuit to each other; and a second connection line which connects the fourth display element and the fourth pixel circuit to each other.

16 . The display apparatus of claim 15 , wherein

the second connection line is disposed in a same layer as the first connection line and includes a same material as the first connection line.

17 . An electronic apparatus comprising the display apparatus of claim 1 .

18 . A display apparatus comprising:

a display panel in which a folding area and a non-folding area are defined; and

a support layer disposed on the display panel and including a first area corresponding to the folding area of the display panel and a second area corresponding to the non-folding area of the display panel,

wherein the first area of the support layer comprises a plurality of slits,

the folding area of the display panel comprises a slit corresponding area corresponding to a slit of the support layer and a rib corresponding area corresponding to a rib of the support layer, and

the display panel comprises:

a substrate including a first surface facing the support layer and a second surface opposite the first surface in a thickness direction thereof;

a first display element disposed in the slit corresponding area over the second surface of the substrate;

a first pixel circuit disposed in the rib corresponding area over the second surface of the substrate and connected to the first display element;

an inorganic insulating layer in which a groove is defined to surround the first pixel circuit; and

an organic insulating layer covering the groove and disposed over the inorganic insulating layer,

wherein

all pixel circuits of the display panel in the folding area are disposed not to overlap the plurality of slits of the first area of the support layer in a direction perpendicular to the second surface of the substrate of the display panel in a cross-sectional view.

19 . The display apparatus of claim 18 , wherein

the display panel further comprises a first connection line which connects the first display element and the first pixel circuit to each other, and

the first connection line is disposed in a same layer as a source or drain electrode of a thin film transistor included in the first pixel circuit.

20 . The display apparatus of claim 18 , wherein

the display panel further comprises a first connection line which connects the first display element and the first pixel circuit to each other, and

the first connection line is disposed in a layer between the first display element and a source or drain electrode of a thin film transistor included in the first pixel circuit.

21 . The display apparatus of claim 18 , further comprising:

a component disposed under the display panel,

wherein a component area overlapping the component in the non-folding area and an intermediate area between the component area and the non-folding area are defined in the display panel, and

the display panel further comprises:

a second display element disposed in the component area; and

a second pixel circuit disposed in the intermediate area and connected to the second display element.

22 . The display apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the display panel further comprises:

a first connection line which connects the first display element and the first pixel circuit to each other; and

a second connection line which connects the second display element and the second pixel circuit to each other, and

the second connection line is disposed in a same layer as the first connection line and includes a same material as the first connection line.