IP Library Granted Patent US 11,169,580
Granted Patent B2
US 11,169,580 · App. 16/896,351 · Granted Nov 9, 2021

Display device

Inventors: Jungil Lee (Seoul, KR); Sungsang Ahn (Hwaseong-si, KR)
Assignee: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
G06F1/1681G06F1/1616G06F1/1652
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 11,169,580
App. No.
16/896,351
Granted
Nov 9, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A display device includes: a folding region and a non-folding region; a display module corresponding to the folding region and the non-folding region; a module supporter corresponding to the non-folding region and in which the display module is received; and a hinge corresponding to the folding region and rotatably connected to the module supporter. The hinge includes: a first joint and a second joint, a first rotator which rotatably connects the module supporter to the first joint, and a second rotator which rotatably connects the first joint to the second joint. The display module includes a first plane facing the module supporter, and a distance between the second rotator and the first plane is greater than a distance between the first rotator and the first plane.

Claims (86)

1. A display device, comprising:

a display module corresponding to a folding region at which the display device is foldable and a non-folding region which is adjacent to the folding region;

a module supporter corresponding to the non-folding region and in which the display module is received; and

a hinge corresponding to the folding region and rotatably connected to the module supporter, the hinge including:

a first joint and a second joint in order along the display module, from the module supporter,

a first rotator which rotatably connects the module supporter to the first joint, and

a second rotator which rotatably connects the first joint to the second joint,

wherein

the display module includes a first plane facing the module supporter, and

a distance between the second rotator and the first plane is greater than a distance between the first rotator and the first plane.

2. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the display module further includes:

a second plane which faces the first plane;

a protective panel corresponding to the module supporter and the hinge, the protective panel defining the first plane; and

a display panel corresponding to the module supporter and the hinge, the display panel defining the second plane.

3. The display device of claim 2 , wherein the second rotator is closer to the second plane than the first rotator.

4. The display device of claim 2 , wherein the first rotator defines a first rotation axis in a plane between the first plane and the second plane.

5. The display device of claim 2 , wherein the second rotator defines a second rotation axis in the second plane.

6. The display device of claim 1 , wherein

the first rotator defines a first rotation axis and the second rotator defines a second rotation axis;

a first distance is defined between the first plane and the first rotation axis and a second distance is defined between the first plane and the second rotation axis; and

the first distance is less than the second distance.

7. The display device of claim 6 , wherein the first distance is half the second distance.

8. The display device of claim 6 , wherein

the module supporter and the first joint are rotatable about the first rotation axis at a first angle;

the first joint and the second joint are rotatable about the second rotation axis at a second angle; and

the first angle is less than the second angle.

9. The display device of claim 8 , wherein a ratio of the second angle to the first angle corresponds to a ratio of the second distance to the first distance.

10. The display device of claim 8 , wherein the first angle is half the second angle.

11. The display device of claim 6 , wherein the display module further includes:

a protective panel corresponding to the module supporter and the hinge, the protective panel having a thickness in a range from about 0.05 millimeter to 0.2 about millimeter; and

a display panel corresponding to the module supporter and the hinge,

wherein

the protective panel having the thickness in the range from about 0.05 millimeter to 0.2 about millimeter, defines the first plane,

the first distance defined between the first plane and the first rotation axis is in a range from about 0.025 millimeter to about 0.1 millimeter, and

the second distance defined between the first plane and the second rotation axis is in a range from about 0.05 millimeter to about 0.2 millimeter.

12. The display device of claim 1 , wherein

the display device is folded about a folding axis,

the display module further includes:

a display panel corresponding to the module supporter and the hinge, and

a second plane which faces the first plane and is closer to the display panel than the first plane, and

the folding axis is closer to the first plane than to the second plane.

13. The display device of claim 1 , wherein

the module supporter includes:

a bottom portion corresponding to the non-folding region; and

a sidewall portion extended from the bottom portion and in which the display module is received, and

the first rotator is rotatably connected to the module supporter at the sidewall portion thereof.

14. The display device of claim 13 , wherein

the display device is folded about a folding axis,

the hinge further includes a first end and a second end opposing each other along the folding axis, and

at the first end of the hinge:

the first joint of the hinge includes:

a first joint block rotatably connected to a first end of the sidewall portion by the first rotator; and

a first connector extended along the folding axis, from the first joint block toward the second end of the hinge, and the second joint of the hinge includes:

a second joint block rotatably connected to the first joint block by the second rotator; and

a second connector extended along the folding axis, from the second joint block toward the second end of the hinge.

15. The display device of claim 14 , wherein

the first joint block includes:

a first side surface facing the sidewall portion; and

a second side surface opposite to the first side surface and facing the second joint block, the second side surface forming a first angle with the first side surface, and

the second joint block includes:

a first side surface which faces the second side surface of the first joint block; and

a second side surface which is opposite to the first side surface of the second joint block, the second side surface of the second joint block forming a second angle with the first side surface of the second joint block, the second angle being the same as the first angle,

wherein the display device which is folded about the folding axis disposes the first side surface and the second side surface of the first joint block, contacting the sidewall portion of the module supporter and the first side surface of the second joint block, respectively.

16. A display device, comprising:

a display module corresponding to a folding region at which the display device is foldable and a non-folding region which is adjacent to the folding region;

a module supporter corresponding to the non-folding region and in which the display module is received, the module supporter including a bottom portion and a sidewall portion which extends from the bottom portion; and

a hinge corresponding to the folding region and rotatably connected to the module supporter,

wherein

the display module includes a first plane facing the bottom portion of the module supporter,

the hinge includes a first joint and a second joint in order along the display module, from the module supporter,

the first joint and the second joint are rotatably connected to each other about a first rotation axis,

the module supporter and the first joint are rotatably connected to each other about a second rotation axis, and

a first distance between the first rotation axis and the first plane is greater than a second distance between the second rotation axis and the first plane.

17. The display device of claim 16 , wherein the display module further includes:

a second plane which faces the first plane;

a display panel corresponding to the bottom portion of the module supporter and the hinge, the display panel defining the second plane; and

a protective panel between the bottom portion of the module supporter and the display panel, the protective panel defining the first plane

wherein the second rotation axis is between the first plane and the second plane.

18. The display device of claim 17 , wherein the first distance corresponds to a thickness of the protective panel.

19. The display device of claim 17 , wherein

the display module further includes an adhesive layer between the protective panel and the display panel, and

the first distance corresponds to a sum of a thickness of the protective panel and a thickness of the adhesive layer.

20. The display device of claim 16 , wherein

the first joint and the second joint are rotatable about the first rotation axis at a first angle,

the module supporter and the first joint are rotatable about the second rotation axis at a second angle, and

the first angle is greater than the second angle.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 9, 2020
From: LEE, JUNGIL; AHN, SUNGSANG
To: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 052875/0732 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2019-0091569 · Jul 29, 2019 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210034118A1 · Feb 4, 2021
Cited By (4)
US 12,197,252 US 12,200,881 US 12,216,497 US 12,603,948