IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,581,380
Granted Patent B2
US 11,581,380 · App. 17/102,020 · Granted Feb 14, 2023

Foldable display device, rollable display device, and display device

Inventors: Seunglyong Bok (Yongin-si, KR); Dongho Lee (Yongin-si, KR); Youngran Son (Yongin-si, KR)
Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
H01L27/3262H01L25/105H01L27/3248H01L27/3272H01L51/5218H01L51/5237H01L27/1214H01L2251/5338
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,581,380
App. No.
17/102,020
Granted
Feb 14, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A foldable display device includes a display panel including a front surface and a rear surface opposite the front surface, the front surface including a first component area including a first transmissive portion, a second component area including a second transmissive portion, and a main display area at least partially surrounding the first component area and the second component area, wherein, in a state in which the foldable display device is folded about a first folding axis that crosses the main display area such that two areas of the front surface or two areas of the rear surface face each other, the first component area and the second component area overlap each other on a plane.

Claims (81)

1. A foldable display device comprising:

a display panel comprising a front surface and a rear surface opposite the front surface, the front surface comprising a first component area comprising a first transmissive portion,

a second component area comprising a second transmissive portion, and

a main display area at least partially surrounding the first component area and the second component area,

wherein, in a state in which the foldable display device is folded about a first folding axis that crosses the main display area such that two areas of the front surface or two areas of the rear surface face each other, the first component area and the second component area overlap each other on a plane.

2. The foldable display device of claim 1 , wherein the display panel comprises:

main sub-pixels arranged in the main display area; and

first auxiliary sub-pixels and second auxiliary sub-pixels respectively arranged in the first component area and the second component area.

3. The foldable display device of claim 2 , wherein, in the state in which the foldable display device is folded about the first folding axis that crosses the main display area such that two areas of the front surface or two areas of the rear surface face each other, the first auxiliary sub-pixels overlap the second transmissive portion on a plane and the second auxiliary sub-pixels overlap the first transmissive portion on a plane.

4. The foldable display device of claim 2 , wherein a main display element implementing one of the main sub-pixels comprises a first pixel electrode,

wherein an auxiliary display element implementing one of the second auxiliary sub-pixels comprises a transparent pixel electrode,

wherein the first pixel electrode is greater in thickness than the transparent pixel electrode, and

wherein the first pixel electrode comprises a reflective layer.

5. The foldable display device of claim 2 , further comprising:

a dummy pixel circuit connected to an auxiliary display element to implement one of the second auxiliary sub-pixels, the dummy pixel circuit comprising a dummy thin-film transistor; and

a transparent wiring line connecting the auxiliary display element to the dummy thin-film transistor,

wherein the dummy thin-film transistor is spaced from the second component area.

6. The foldable display device of claim 1 , wherein the front surface further comprises a third component area at least partially surrounded by the main display area, the third component area comprising a third transmissive portion, and

wherein, in a state in which the foldable display device is folded about the first folding axis and a second folding axis that crosses the main display area, the first component area, the second component area, and the third component area overlap one another on a plane.

7. The foldable display device of claim 6 , wherein the display panel further comprises:

main sub-pixels arranged in the main display area; and

first auxiliary sub-pixels, second auxiliary sub-pixels, and third auxiliary sub-pixels respectively arranged in the first component area, the second component area, and the third component area,

wherein, in the state in which the foldable display device is folded about the first folding axis and the second folding axis, the first auxiliary sub-pixels overlap the second transmissive portion on a plane, the second auxiliary sub-pixels overlap the third transmissive portion on a plane, and the third auxiliary sub-pixels overlap the first transmissive portion on a plane.

8. The foldable display device of claim 6 , wherein the display panel comprises:

main sub-pixels arranged in the main display area; and

first auxiliary sub-pixels, second auxiliary sub-pixels, and third auxiliary sub-pixels respectively arranged in the first component area, the second component area, and the third component area,

wherein, in the state in which the foldable display device is folded about the first folding axis and the second folding axis, one of the first auxiliary sub-pixels, the second auxiliary sub-pixels, and the third auxiliary sub-pixels overlaps another one of the first auxiliary sub-pixels, the second auxiliary sub-pixels, and the third auxiliary sub-pixels on a plane.

9. The foldable display device of claim 6 , wherein the display panel further comprises a lower metal layer,

wherein the lower metal layer comprises:

a first lower hole that defines the first transmissive portion;

a second lower hole that defines the second transmissive portion; and

a third lower hole that defines the third transmissive portion, and

wherein one of the first lower hole, the second lower hole, and the third lower hole is different in size from another one of the first lower hole, the second lower hole, and the third lower hole.

10. The foldable display device of claim 6 , wherein the foldable display device is to be folded about one of the first folding axis and the second folding axis such that two areas of the front surface face each other, and

wherein the foldable display device is to be folded about the other one of the first folding axis and the second folding axis such that two areas of the rear surface face each other.

11. The foldable display device of claim 1 , wherein the display panel further comprises a substrate and a display layer arranged on a first surface of the substrate, and

wherein the foldable display device further comprises a component arranged on a second surface of the substrate opposite the first surface of the substrate.

12. The foldable display device of claim 11 , wherein the substrate comprises a through hole overlapping the first component area.

13. The foldable display device of claim 11 , wherein the display panel further comprises a panel protection member arranged on the second surface of the substrate, and

wherein the foldable display device further comprises:

a lower package arranged under the panel protection member,

wherein the component is attached to the lower package.

14. The foldable display device of claim 11 , wherein the component is attached to the display panel.

15. A foldable display device comprising:

a display panel comprising a component area comprising a first transmissive portion,

a main display area at least partially surrounding the component area, and

a transparent display area in which a second transmissive portion is arranged, the transparent display area being connected to the main display area,

wherein, in a state in which the foldable display device is folded, the transparent display area overlaps the component area and the main display area on a plane.

16. The foldable display device of claim 15 , wherein the display panel further comprises:

first auxiliary sub-pixels arranged in the component area, and

transparent auxiliary sub-pixels arranged in the transparent display area,

wherein the first auxiliary sub-pixels in the component area include a first pixel arrangement structure,

wherein the transparent auxiliary sub-pixels in the transparent display area include a second pixel arrangement structure, and

wherein the first pixel arrangement structure is different from the second pixel arrangement structure.

17. The foldable display device of claim 16 , wherein, in the state in which the foldable display device is folded, the first auxiliary sub-pixels overlap the second transmissive portion on a plane and the transparent auxiliary sub-pixels overlap the first transmissive portion on a plane.

18. A rollable display device comprising:

a display panel comprising a component area comprising a transmissive portion and a main display area at least partially surrounding the component area;

a roller to roll the display panel; and

a component overlapping the component area,

wherein a position where the component overlaps the component area on a plane changes in accordance with unrolling the display panel.

19. The rollable display device of claim 18 , further comprising:

a module portion under the display panel, the module portion supporting the display panel,

wherein the component is arranged in the module portion.

20. The rollable display device of claim 19 , further comprising:

a housing portion accommodating the roller; and

an interval adjuster between the module portion and the housing portion, the interval adjuster being configured to adjust an interval between the module portion and the housing portion.

21. The rollable display device of claim 18 , wherein the component area extends in a first direction in which the display panel is to be unrolled and a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and

wherein the component area in the first direction is greater in length than the component area in the second direction.

22. A display device comprising:

a first display panel comprising a first component area comprising a first transmissive portion and a first main display area at least partially surrounding the first component area;

a second display panel arranged on a rear surface of the first display panel and being movable relative to the first display panel, the second display panel comprising a second component area comprising a second transmissive portion;

a component overlapping the second component area;

a first state in which the first component area and the second component area overlap each other on a plane; and

a second state in which the first component area and the second component area are spaced from each other on a plane.

23. The display device of claim 22 , wherein the first display panel comprises first auxiliary sub-pixels arranged in the first component area, and

wherein the second display panel comprises second auxiliary sub-pixels arranged in the second component area.

24. The display device of claim 23 , wherein, in the first state, the first auxiliary sub-pixels overlap the second transmissive portion on a plane and the second auxiliary sub-pixels overlap the first transmissive portion on a plane.

25. The display device of claim 23 , wherein, in the first state, the first auxiliary sub-pixels overlap the second auxiliary sub-pixels on a plane.

26. The display device of claim 22 , wherein the first display panel comprises a first lower metal layer including a first lower hole defining the first transmissive portion,

wherein the second display panel comprises a second lower metal layer including a second lower hole defining the second transmissive portion, and

wherein the first lower hole is smaller in size than the second lower hole.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 23, 2020
From: BOK, SEUNGLYONG; LEE, DONGHO; SON, YOUNGRAN
To: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 054449/0169 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2020-0062644 · May 25, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210367020A1 · Nov 25, 2021
Cited By (1)
US 12,660,411