IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,840,464

Granted Patent B2

US 10,840,464 · App. 16/248,890 · Granted Nov 17, 2020

Foldable electronic device having an elastic body in openings of the spacers

Inventors: Masaaki Hiroki (Kanagawa, JP); Akio Endo (Kanagawa, JP)

Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratories Co., Ltd.

H01L51/0097 H01L2251/5338 Y02E10/549

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 10,840,464
App. No.: 16/248,890
Granted: Nov 17, 2020
Kind: B2

External Links

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Abstract

A highly portable and highly browsable light-emitting device is provided. A light-emitting device that is less likely to be broken is provided. The light-emitting device has a strip-like region having high flexibility and a strip-like region having low flexibility that are arranged alternately. In the region having high flexibility, a light-emitting panel and a plurality of spacers overlap with each other. In the region having low flexibility, the light-emitting panel and a support overlap with each other. When the region having high flexibility is bent, the angle between normals of facing planes of the two adjacent spacers changes according to the bending of the light-emitting panel; thus, a neutral plane can be formed in the light-emitting panel or in the vicinity of the light-emitting panel.

Claims (103)

1. An electronic device comprising:

a first region;

a second region; and

a third region,

wherein the first region is between the second region and the third region,

wherein the first region includes a light-emitting panel and a connection portion,

wherein the second region includes the light-emitting panel and a first support,

wherein the third region includes the light-emitting panel and a second support,

wherein the first region is flexible and foldable,

wherein the first region is configured to be kept folded,

wherein the first region includes spacers and an elastic body, and

wherein when the first region is folded, a light-emitting surface of the light-emitting panel faces inward and each of the first support and the second support includes a region positioned on the inner side than the light-emitting panel.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic body is in openings of the spacers.

3. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic body is a spring or rubber.

4. The electronic device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the connection portion overlaps with the light-emitting panel with a protective layer positioned therebetween,

wherein the light-emitting panel overlaps with the first support with the protective layer positioned therebetween, and

wherein the light-emitting panel overlaps with the second support with the protective layer positioned therebetween.

5. An electronic device comprising:

a first display region;

a second display region;

a third display region; and

a foldable region between the second display region and the third display region,

wherein each of the first to third display regions has a planar shape,

wherein when the second display region and the third display region are on a same plane, the foldable region is also on the same plane and serves as a display region,

wherein the foldable region includes spacers and an elastic body, and

wherein when the first to third display regions overlap one another, the first display region faces outward.

6. The electronic device according to claim 5 , wherein the elastic body is in openings of the spacers.

7. The electronic device according to claim 5 , wherein the elastic body is a spring or rubber.

8. The electronic device according to claim 5 ,

wherein the foldable region includes a light-emitting panel, a connection portion, and a protective layer.

9. An electronic device comprising:

a first region;

a second region;

a third region;

a fourth region; and

a fifth region,

wherein the first region is between the second region and the third region,

wherein the fourth region is between the third region and the fifth region,

wherein the first region includes a light-emitting panel and a first connection portion,

wherein the second region includes the light-emitting panel and a first support,

wherein the third region includes the light-emitting panel and a second support,

wherein the fourth region includes the light-emitting panel and a second connection portion,

wherein the fifth region includes the light-emitting panel and a third support,

wherein the first region and the fourth region are flexible and foldable,

wherein each of the first region and the fourth region includes spacers and an elastic body, and

wherein when the second region, the third region, and the fifth region overlap one another, a light-emitting surface of the light-emitting panel in the first region faces outward and the light-emitting surface of the light-emitting panel in the fourth region faces inward.

10. The electronic device according to claim 9 , wherein the elastic body is in openings of the spacers.

11. The electronic device according to claim 9 , wherein the elastic body is a spring or rubber.

12. The electronic device according to claim 9 ,

wherein each of the first connection portion and the second connection portion overlaps with the light-emitting panel with a protective layer positioned therebetween,

wherein the light-emitting panel overlaps with the first support with the protective layer positioned therebetween,

wherein the light-emitting panel overlaps with the second support with the protective layer positioned therebetween, and

wherein the light-emitting panel overlaps with the third support with the protective layer positioned therebetween.

13. An electronic device comprising:

a first region;

a second region;

a third region; and

a sensor,

wherein the first region is between the second region and the third region,

wherein the first region includes a light-emitting panel and a connection portion,

wherein the second region includes the light-emitting panel and a first support,

wherein the third region includes the light-emitting panel and a second support,

wherein the first region is flexible and foldable,

wherein the first region is configured to be kept folded,

wherein the first region includes spacers and an elastic body,

wherein the sensor is configured to determine whether the electronic device is folded or not, and

wherein when the sensor senses that the electronic device is folded, the light-emitting panel becomes in a non-light-emitting state.

14. The electronic device according to claim 13 , wherein the elastic body is in openings of the spacers.

15. An electronic device comprising:

a first display region;

a second display region;

a third display region;

a foldable region between the second display region and the third display region; and

a sensor;

wherein each of the first to third display regions has a planar shape,

wherein when the second display region and the third display region are on a same plane, the foldable region is also on the same plane and serves as a display region,

wherein the foldable region includes spacers and an elastic body,

wherein when the first to third display regions overlap one another, the first display region faces outward,

wherein the sensor is configured to determine whether the electronic device is folded or not, and

wherein when the sensor senses that the electronic device is folded, the second display region and the third display region becomes in a non-light-emitting state.

16. The electronic device according to claim 15 , wherein the elastic body is in openings of the spacers.

17. An electronic device comprising:

a first region;

a second region;

a third region;

a fourth region;

a fifth region; and