Display apparatus

1. A display apparatus comprising:

a display panel to display an image; and

a variable member to vary a shape of the display panel such that the display panel transforms from at least a first state to a second state, the display panel is bent in the second state,

wherein at least one portion of the display panel has a different curvature than another portion of the display panel in the second state, the display panel is bent in the second state such that a cross section of the display panel perpendicular to a first direction, the first direction corresponding to a vertical height direction of the display panel, has a curvature, and

wherein, if an area including a center of the display panel and extending in a second direction crossing the first direction is a first row, and an area including the center of the display panel and extending in the first direction is a first column, and

if, in the second state, a difference of curvatures between a center portion and an edge portion of the display panel in the first row is a first difference, and a difference of curvatures between a center portion and an edge portion of the display panel in the first column is a second difference,

the first difference is greater than the second difference.

2. The display apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the curvature of the display panel in the second state is less, at an edge portion, than that at a center portion in a second direction that crosses the first direction.

3. The display apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the curvature of the display panel in the second state is gradually reduced with increasing distance from the center portion or decreasing distance to the edge portion in the second direction.

4. The display apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the display panel is bent in the second state such that a cross section of the display panel in the first direction has a curvature, and the curvature is, at an edge portion, equal to or greater than that at a center portion in the first direction.

5. The display apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the curvature of the display panel in the second state is gradually increased with increasing distance from the center portion or decreasing distance to the edge portion in the first direction.

6. The display apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the display panel is bent in the second state such that a cross section thereof perpendicular to a first direction has a curvature, and

wherein, if the display panel is divided into a plurality of virtual areas in the second state, at least two virtual areas have different curvatures.

7. The display apparatus according to claim 6 ,

wherein the virtual areas include a first row including a center of the display panel and extending in a second direction crossing the first direction to include an edge portion of the display panel,

a first column crossing a center portion of the first row in the first direction and a second column crossing the edge portion of the first row in the first direction, and

wherein, a curvature of the first column is greater than a curvature of the second column.

8. The display apparatus according to claim 7 ,

wherein the virtual areas include at least one third column in the first direction located between the first column and the second column, and

wherein, a curvature of the at least one third column is less than the curvature of the first column and greater than the curvature of the second column.

9. The display apparatus according to claim 8 ,

wherein the at least one third column includes a plurality of third columns, and

wherein curvatures of the respective third columns are gradually reduced with increasing distance from the first column or decreasing distance to the second column.

10. The display apparatus according to claim 6 ,

wherein the virtual areas include a second row that does not include a center of the display panel and extending in a second direction crossing the first direction to include an edge portion of the display panel,

a first column crossing a center portion of the second row in the first direction and a second column crossing the edge portion of the second row in the first direction, and

wherein, a curvature of the first column is greater than a curvature of the second column.

11. The display apparatus according to claim 6 ,

wherein the virtual areas include a first row including a center of the display panel and extending in a second direction crossing the first direction, and a second row including an edge of the display panel and extending in the second direction,

wherein a first column crosses each of the first row and the second row and includes the center of the display panel and a second column crosses each of the first row and the second row and includes the edge of the display panel in the second direction, and

wherein a curvature of a portion of the first column crossing the second row is equal to or greater than a curvature of a portion of the first column crossing the first row.

12. The display apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein a curvature of a portion of the second column crossing the second row is equal to or greater than a curvature of a portion of the second column crossing the first row.

13. The display apparatus according to claim 6 ,

wherein the virtual areas include a first row including a center of the display panel and extending in a second direction crossing the first direction, and a second row including an edge of the display panel and extending in the second direction,

wherein a first column crosses each of the first row and the second row and includes the center of the display panel and a second column crosses each of the first row and the second row and includes the edge of the display panel in the second direction, and

wherein, if a difference of curvatures between the first column and the second column crossing the first row is a first difference and a difference of curvatures between the first row and the second row crossing the first column is a second difference, the first difference is greater than the second difference.

14. The display apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the variable member extends lengthwise in a second direction crossing the first direction, and

wherein the variable member is bent in the second state with a curvature.

15. The display apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein a curvature of a center portion of the variable member is greater than a curvature of an edge portion of the variable member in the second state.

16. The display apparatus according to claim 14 ,

wherein the first state is a planar state of the display panel, and

wherein, in the first state of the display panel, the variable member tilted towards the display panel such that a distance between the variable member and the display panel is less, at an edge portion of the variable member, than that at a center portion of the variable member in the second direction.

17. The display apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the display apparatus further comprises a support member provided between the display panel and the variable member to support the display panel,

wherein the variable member includes a first part and a second part spaced apart from each other by a distance, and

wherein the display apparatus further comprises a guide member provided on each of the first and second parts, the guide member serving to movably secure the variable member to the support member.