Display device
A display device reduces or minimizes a stress applied to a display panel in a folded state. The display device includes a display panel including a bendable area; and a panel support portion combined to the display panel and including a multi-joint member to support the bendable area, and the multi-joint member includes: a plurality of hard material portions sequentially arranged in a first direction, mutually combined to be rotated with respect to one another, and including a first surface arranged toward the bendable area; and a soft material portion contacting the first surface and fixed to the plurality of hard material portions.
1. A display device comprising:
a display panel comprising a bendable part; and
a multi-joint member configured to support the bendable part,
wherein the multi-joint member comprises:
a first hard material part and a second hard material part sequentially arranged in a first direction and mutually combined to be rotated with respect to each other; and
a soft material part comprising a first portion that is positioned between the first hard material part and the bendable part and contacts the first hard material part,
wherein each of the first hard material part and the second hard material part comprises a first surface facing the bendable part, and a second surface connected to the respective first surface, the second surface of the first hard material part facing the second surface of the second hard material part, and
wherein the soft material part further comprises a second portion arranged on the second surface of the first hard material part, the second portion comprising an outer surface that faces and is spaced from an outer surface of another portion of the soft material part that is arranged on the second surface of the second hard material part to define a gap between the outer surface of the second portion and the outer surface of the another portion when the display device is in an unfolded state.
2. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the first portion contacts the bendable part.
3. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the first portion contacts the first surface of the first hard material part.
4. The display device of claim 3 , wherein the first hard material part comprises the second surface and a third surface respectively connected to one edge of the first surface and another edge of the first surface, and the second portion of the soft material part contacts at least one of the second surface and the third surface.
5. The display device of claim 4 , wherein the first hard material part comprises a fourth surface opposite to the first surface, and the soft material part comprises a third portion that contacts the fourth surface.
6. The display device of claim 4 , wherein the second portion is positioned between the first hard material part and the second hard material part.
7. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the multi-joint member comprises a plurality of support sides facing the bendable part, and the support sides comprise a surface of the first portion.
8. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the first portion is positioned between the first hard material part and the second hard material part.
9. The display device of claim 8 , wherein the soft material part comprises a fourth portion, and the first portion and the fourth portion are positioned on respective sides of the first hard material part in the first direction.
10. The display device of claim 9 , wherein the first portion and the fourth portion are separated from each other.
11. The display device of claim 9 , wherein each of the first portion and the fourth portion has a triangular shape in a cross-sectional view, and a combination of the hard material part, the first portion, and the fourth portion forms a trapezoidal shape in a cross-sectional view.
12. The display device of claim 9 , wherein the first portion and the fourth portion are combined to the hard material part in a protrusion-groove configuration.
13. The display device of claim 9 , wherein the multi-joint member includes a plurality of support sides facing the bendable part, and a support side of the plurality of support sides includes a first surface of the first hard material part at a center of the support side, and a surface of the first portion and a surface of the second portion at respective sides of the first surface.
14. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the first hard material part and the second hard material part are combined to each other by a rotation combiner, and the rotation combiner is arranged outside respective sides of the display panel in a second direction crossing the first direction.
15. The display device of claim 14 , wherein the rotation combiner comprises a hinge assembly, and the hinge assembly comprises a hinge shaft about which the first hard material part and the second hard material part are rotatable.
16. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the soft material part includes a plate portion facing an entire side of the bendable part, and the plate portion includes a first overlapped portion overlapping the first hard material part, a second overlapped portion overlapping the second hard material part, and a connector between the first overlapped portion and the second overlapped portion.
17. The display device of claim 16 , wherein a side of the plate portion facing the bendable part defines a single support side of the multi-joint member.
18. The display device of claim 16 , wherein the connector includes a recess in a circular arc shape at a side that is opposite to the bendable part.
19. The display device of claim 16 , wherein the soft material part contacts at least two surfaces of the first hard material part.
20. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the hard material part comprises a material selected from a metal and a high strength plastic, and the soft material part comprises a material selected from silicone and polyurethane.