IP Library Granted Patent US 11,797,055
Granted Patent B2
US 11,797,055 · App. 17/672,014 · Granted Oct 24, 2023

Flexible display device

Inventor: Sunhaeng Cho (Hwaseong-si, KR)
Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
G06F1/1652G09F9/301H10K77/111G06F3/0412G06F2203/04102H10K59/40H10K2102/311
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,797,055
App. No.
17/672,014
Granted
Oct 24, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A flexible display device includes a flexible display module including a flexible display panel; a first frame and a second frame supporting the flexible display module; and a fixing coupler and an aligning coupler coupling the flexible display module with the first frame and the second frame, and the fixing coupler includes: a first fixing coupler fixing at least a portion of the first frame and at least a portion of the flexible display module; and a second fixing coupler fixing at least a portion of the second frame and at least a portion of the flexible display module, and the aligning coupler includes: a first aligning coupler fixed to another portion of the flexible display module; and a second aligning coupler fixed to another portion of the first frame and detachably coupled to the first aligning coupler.

Claims (39)

1. A flexible display device comprising:

a flexible display module comprising a flexible display panel;

a first frame and a second frame supporting the flexible display module, the first and second frames being rotatable relative to each other between an unfolded state in which the flexible display module is flat and a folded state in which the flexible display module is folded;

a fixing coupler coupling at least one of the first frame and the second frame with the flexible display module; and

an aligning coupler detachably coupling the flexible display module with at least one of the first frame and the second frame when the first and second frames are in the unfolded state, and

the aligning coupler overlaps a plurality of pixels of the flexible display panel in a plan view,

wherein the aligning coupler comprises a first aligning coupler fixed to the flexible display module, and a second aligning coupler fixed to the first frame and detachably coupled to the first aligning coupler, the first aligning coupler overlapping the second aligning coupler in a thickness direction of the flexible display module when the first and second frames are in the unfolded state.

2. The flexible display device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the fixing coupler comprises: at least one of a first fixing coupler fixing at least a portion of the first frame and at least a portion of the flexible display module and a second fixing coupler fixing at least a portion of the second frame and at least a portion of the flexible display module.

3. The flexible display device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the aligning coupler further comprises a third aligning coupler fixed to another portion of the second frame.

4. The flexible display device as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the second aligning coupler and the third aligning coupler are located adjacent to each other at a boundary portion between the first frame and the second frame.

5. A flexible display device comprising:

a flexible display module comprising a flexible display panel;

a first frame and a second frame supporting the flexible display module, the first and second frames being rotatable relative to each other between an unfolded state in which the flexible display module is flat and a folded state in which the flexible display module is folded;

a fixing coupler coupling at least one of the first frame and the second frame with the flexible display module; and

an aligning coupler detachably coupling the flexible display module with at least one of the first frame and the second frame when the first and second frames are in the unfolded state, and

the aligning coupler overlaps a plurality of pixels of the flexible display panel in a plan view,

wherein the fixing coupler comprises: at least one of a first fixing coupler fixing at least a portion of the first frame and at least a portion of the flexible display module and a second fixing coupler fixing at least a portion of the second frame and at least a portion of the flexible display module, and

the aligning coupler comprises: a first aligning coupler fixed to another portion of the flexible display module; and a second aligning coupler fixed to another portion of the first frame and detachably coupled to the first aligning coupler, and

wherein the first aligning coupler comprises a panel magnetic layer fixed to the flexible display module and having magnetic properties, and the second aligning coupler comprises a first frame magnetic layer fixed on the first frame and having magnetic properties.

6. The flexible display device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a hinge portion pivotally coupling the first frame and the second frame.

7. The flexible display device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the fixing coupler comprises: a first fixing coupler fixing at least a portion of the first frame and at least a portion of the flexible display module; and a second fixing coupler fixing at least a portion of the second frame and at least a portion of the flexible display module.

8. The flexible display device as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the first fixing coupler and the second fixing coupler overlap with each other when the first and second frames are in the folded state.

9. A flexible display device comprising:

a flexible display module comprising a flexible display panel;

a first frame and a second frame supporting the flexible display module, the first and second frames being rotatable relative to each other between an unfolded state in which the flexible display module is flat and a folded state in which the flexible display module is folded; and

a fixing coupler coupling at least one of the first frame and the second frame with the flexible display module; and

an aligning coupler detachably coupling the flexible display module with at least one of the first frame and the second frame when the first and second frames are in the unfolded state,

wherein the fixing coupler and the aligning coupler are disposed on a same layer, and

wherein the aligning coupler comprises a first aligning coupler fixed to the flexible display module, and a second aligning coupler fixed to the first frame and detachably coupled to the first aligning coupler, the first aligning coupler overlapping the second aligning coupler in a thickness direction of the flexible display module when the first and second frames are in the unfolded state.

10. The flexible display device as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the fixing coupler is directly on at least one of the first frame and the flexible display module, and

the aligning coupler is directly on at least one of the first frame and the flexible display module.

11. The flexible display device as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the fixing coupler comprises: a first fixing coupler fixing at least a portion of the first frame and at least a portion of the flexible display module; and a second fixing coupler fixing at least a portion of the second frame and at least a portion of the flexible display module.

12. The flexible display device as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the first fixing coupler is directly on the portion of the first frame and the flexible display module, and

the second fixing coupler is directly on the portion of the second frame and the flexible display module.

13. The flexible display device as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the first fixing coupler and the second fixing coupler overlap with each other when the first and second frames are in the folded state.

14. The flexible display device as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the first aligning coupler is directly on a portion of the flexible display module; and

the second aligning coupler is directly on a portion of the first frame.

15. The flexible display device as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the aligning coupler further comprises a third aligning coupler fixed to a portion of the second frame, and

the third aligning coupler is directly on the portion of the second frame.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 16, 2022
From: CHO, SUNHAENG
To: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 059141/0180 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2016-0135864 · Oct 19, 2016 · national
Continuity (4)
Continuation 17078665 · Oct 23, 2020
Continuation 16411750 · May 14, 2019
Division 15786416 · Oct 17, 2017
Related Publication 20220171435A1 · Jun 2, 2022
Cited By (1)
US 12,563,680