IP Library Granted Patent US 10,219,370
Granted Patent B2
US 10,219,370 · App. 15/828,479 · Granted Feb 26, 2019

Display unit and electronic apparatus

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,219,370
App. No.
15/828,479
Granted
Feb 26, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A display unit includes: a display section ( 11 ) having flexibility; and a bending control section ( 12 a , 12 b ) configured to limit a movable shaft in bending the display section ( 11 ) to one direction in a display surface and allowed to maintain the display section ( 11 ) in an arbitrary bending state.

Claims (37)

1. A display unit, comprising:

a flexible display panel configured to display an image based on an image signal;

a supporting member configured to:

maintain the flexible display panel in a fixed bending state along a first direction, and

maintain the flexible display panel in a flat state along a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction;

an exterior member that includes a transparent material and a non-transparent frame member, wherein the transparent material corresponds to a transparent display region, and the non-transparent frame member corresponds to a peripheral region that surrounds the transparent display region; and

wherein the transparent display region is arranged to cover the flexible display panel with the exterior member in a visible manner through the transparent display region, and

the supporting member includes a laminated structure that includes a first layer and a second layer.

2. The display unit according to claim 1 , further comprising an input device that includes an operation button.

3. The display unit according to claim 1 , wherein the transparent material includes a resin.

4. The display unit according to claim 3 , wherein the transparent material is a resin film.

5. The display unit according to claim 1 , wherein the supporting member includes an antistatic member.

6. The display unit according to claim 1 , wherein the supporting member is further configured to maintain the flexible display panel in an arbitrary bending state along the first direction.

7. The display unit according to claim 1 , wherein the supporting member is arranged on a substantially entire back surface of the flexible display panel.

8. The display unit according to claim 1 , further comprising an input device that includes a plurality of operation buttons arranged along the second direction.

9. The display unit according to claim 1 , wherein the supporting member is further configured to issue a warning based on a bending diameter of the flexible display panel that reaches a bending threshold value.

10. The display unit according to claim 1 , wherein the first layer is a core that extends along the first direction.

11. The display unit according to claim 10 , wherein the core is composed of a resin material.

12. The display unit according to claim 10 , wherein the laminated structure further includes a third layer, and wherein the second layer is on a front surface side of the first layer and the third layer is on a back surface side of the first layer, such that the first layer is sandwiched between the second layer and the third layer.

13. The display unit according to claim 12 , wherein the first layer is made of a resin material, and the second layer is made of a metal material.

14. The display unit according to claim 1 , wherein the flexible display panel and an enclosure of the display unit are bendable along a first axis and are fixed along a second axis.

15. The display unit according to claim 14 , wherein the bendability of the flexible display panel is limited along the first direction to maintain the flexible display panel in the fixed bending state along the first direction.

16. The display unit according to claim 1 , wherein the first layer is made of a resin material, and the second layer is made of a metal material.

17. The display unit according to claim 16 , wherein the laminated structure further includes a third layer made of the metal material, and wherein the second layer is on a front surface side of the first layer and the third layer is on a back surface side of the first layer, such that the first layer is sandwiched between the second layer and the third layer.

18. A display unit, comprising:

a flexible display panel configured to display an image based on an image signal;

a supporting member configured to:

maintain the flexible display panel in a fixed bending state along a first direction, and

maintain the flexible display panel in a flat state along a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction; and

an enclosure that contains the flexible display panel;

wherein the supporting member and the enclosure are configured such that (i) a transparent display region is arranged to cover the flexible display panel in a visible manner through the transparent display region, and (ii) a non-transparent peripheral region surrounds the transparent display region,

the supporting member includes a laminated structure that includes a first layer and a second layer, and

the flexible display panel includes an organic electroluminescence device and a thin film transistor.

19. The display unit according to claim 18 , wherein the supporting member is further configured to entirely cover the flexible display panel.

20. The display unit according to claim 18 , wherein the laminated structure further includes a third layer, and wherein the second layer is on a front surface side of the first layer and the third layer is on a back surface side of the first layer, such that the first layer is sandwiched between the second layer and the third layer.

21. The display unit according to claim 18 , wherein the first layer is made of a resin material, and the second layer is made of a metal material.

22. The display unit according to claim 18 , wherein the laminated structure further includes a third layer made of a metal material, and wherein the second layer is on a front surface side of the first layer and the third layer is on a back surface side of the first layer, such that the first layer is sandwiched between the second layer and the third layer.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 7, 2022
From: SONY GROUP CORPORATION
To: INTERDIGITAL CE PATENT HOLDINGS, SAS
Reel/Frame 061642/0906 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Aug 19, 2022
From: SONY CORPORATION
To: SONY GROUP CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 061211/0700 →