IP Library Granted Patent US 12,379,748
Granted Patent B2
US 12,379,748 · App. 17/831,517 · Granted Aug 5, 2025

Electronic device including flexible display

Inventors: Sangbong Lee (Suwon-si, KR); Hoyeon Kim (Suwon-si, KR); Soonwoo Kwon (Suwon-si, KR); Yongyi Kim (Suwon-si, KR); Jaesik Kim (Suwon-si, KR); Kyuyoung Lee (Suwon-si, KR); Jongsu Lee (Suwon-si, KR); Juha Lee (Suwon-si, KR)
Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
G06F1/1656G06F1/1652G06F1/1681H04M1/0216H04M1/0268H04M2201/38
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,379,748
App. No.
17/831,517
Granted
Aug 5, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

According to various embodiments, an electronic device may include: a first housing, a second housing foldably connected to the first housing through a hinge, and a flexible display supported by the first housing and the second housing, the flexible display including a window layer having a first surface and a second surface facing a direction opposite to the first surface, and including a glass layer, and a display panel corresponding to the second surface under the window layer, wherein the glass layer includes a plurality of first patterns on the first surface, a surface of the plurality of first patterns being lower than the first surface, and a plurality of second patterns on the second surface, a surface of the plurality of second patterns being lower than the second surface, and a first etching amount per unit area of the plurality of first patterns and a second etching amount per the unit area of the plurality of second patterns are different.

Claims (55)

1. An electronic device comprising:

a first housing;

a second housing foldably connected to the first housing through at least a hinge; and

a flexible display supported by the first housing and the second housing, the flexible display comprising:

a window layer comprising a glass layer, the glass layer having a first surface and a second surface facing a direction opposite to the first surface; and

a display panel corresponding to the second surface under the window layer, wherein the glass layer comprises:

a plurality of first patterns on the first surface, a surface of the plurality of first patterns being lower than the first surface; and

a plurality of second patterns on the second surface, a surface of the plurality of second patterns being lower than the second surface, and

wherein a first etching amount per unit area of the plurality of first patterns and a second etching amount per the unit area of the plurality of second patterns are different, and

wherein the plurality of first patterns and the plurality of second patterns are disposed in a manner in which a first virtual line passing through a center of each of the plurality of first patterns does not coincide with a second virtual line passing through a center of each of the plurality of second patterns.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first etching amount and/or the second etching amount are determined through an etching depth of the plurality of first patterns and/or the plurality of second patterns.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first etching amount and/or the second etching amount are determined through an etching shape of the plurality of first patterns and/or the plurality of second patterns.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first etching amount and/or the second etching amount are determined through an arrangement density of the plurality of first patterns and/or the plurality of second patterns.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the window layer further comprises a filler filled in the plurality of first patterns and/or the plurality of second patterns.

6. The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein a refractive index of the filler is substantially the same as a refractive index of the glass layer.

7. The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the window layer further comprises a planarization layer laminated on the first surface and/or the second surface.

8. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the planarization layer is formed of the same material as that of the filler.

9. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the window layer further comprises at least one protective layer comprising a polymer material and laminated on the planarization layer.

10. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the window layer comprises:

a first region corresponding to the first housing;

a second region corresponding to the second housing; and

a bendable third region connecting the first region and the second region, and

wherein the plurality of first patterns and/or the plurality of second patterns are arranged in parts corresponding to the first region, the second region, and the third region of the glass layer.

11. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the window layer comprises:

a first region corresponding to the first housing;

a second region corresponding to the second housing; and

a bendable third region connecting the first region and the second region, and

wherein the plurality of first patterns and/or the plurality of second patterns are arranged in a part corresponding to the third region of the glass layer.

12. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein a vertical distance between each unit pattern of the plurality of first patterns and the second surface is at least 30 μm.

13. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein a vertical distance between each unit pattern of the plurality of second patterns and the first surface is at least 30 μm.

14. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein a shortest distance between each unit pattern of the plurality of first patterns and each unit pattern of the plurality of second patterns adjacent thereto is at least 30 μm.

15. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic device is configured to be folded such that at least parts of the flexible display face each other in an in-folding type, and

wherein the second etching amount is greater than the first etching amount.

16. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic device is configured to be folded such that at least parts of the flexible display face in opposite directions in an out-folding type, and

wherein the second etching amount is less than the first etching amount.

17. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the glass layer has a thickness having a vertical distance from the first surface to the second surface in a range of 50 μm to 300 μm.

18. An electronic device comprising:

at least one housing; and

a flexible display comprising a bending region at least partially bendable through support of the at least one housing, the flexible display comprising:

a window layer comprising a glass layer, the glass layer having a first surface and a second surface facing a direction opposite to the first surface; and

a display panel corresponding to the second surface under the window layer, wherein the glass layer comprises:

a plurality of first patterns on the first surface, a surface of the plurality of first patterns being lower than the first surface; and

a plurality of second patterns on the second surface, a surface of the plurality of second patterns being lower than the second surface, and

wherein a first etching amount per unit area of the plurality of first patterns and a second etching amount per the unit area of the plurality of second patterns are different, and

wherein the plurality of first patterns and the plurality of second patterns are disposed in a manner in which a first virtual line passing through a center of each of the plurality of first patterns does not coincide with a second virtual line passing through a center of each of the plurality of second patterns.

19. The electronic device of claim 18 , wherein the first etching amount and/or the second etching amount is determined through at least one of an etching depth, an etching shape, or an arrangement density of the plurality of first patterns and/or the plurality of second patterns.

20. An electronic device comprising:

a first housing;

a second housing foldably connected to the first housing through a hinge; and

a flexible display supported by the first housing and the second housing, the flexible display comprising:

a window layer comprising a glass layer, the glass layer having a first surface and a second surface facing a direction opposite to the first surface; and

a display panel corresponding to the second surface under the window layer,

a plurality of first patterns on the first surface, a surface of the plurality of first patterns being lower than the first surface, and

a plurality of second patterns on the second surface, a surface of the plurality of second patterns being lower than the second surface,

wherein the plurality of first patterns and the plurality of second patterns are disposed in a manner in which a first virtual line passing through a center of each of the plurality of first patterns does not coincide with a second virtual line passing through a center of each of the plurality of second patterns.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 3, 2022
From: LEE, SANGBONG; KIM, HOYEON; KWON, SOONWOO; KIM, YONGYI; KIM, JAESIK; LEE, KYUYOUNG; LEE, JONGSU; LEE, JUHA
To: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD
Reel/Frame 060093/0335 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2021-0084042 · Jun 28, 2021 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTKR2022007645 · May 30, 2022
Related Publication 20220413556A1 · Dec 29, 2022
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Cited By (1)
US 12,727,365