Display device
A display device reduces or minimizes a stress received by a display panel in a folded state. The display device includes a display panel including a bendable area; and a panel support portion combined to the display panel and including a multi-joint member to support the bendable area, and the multi-joint member includes a plurality of joint portions sequentially arranged in a first direction and combined to each other to rotate with respect to one another, and at least one of the joint portions includes an elastic plate at an edge of a support side arranged toward the bendable area.
1. A display device comprising:
a display panel including a bendable area displaying an image; and
a panel support portion including a multi-joint member including a first joint portion,
wherein the first joint portion includes a main body and two elastic plates connected to the main body,
a distance from the display panel to one of the elastic plates is smaller than a distance from the display panel to a surface of the main body opposite a side of the main body where the elastic plates are connected,
the multi-joint member overlaps the bendable area, and
the two elastic plates are between a bottom side of the display panel and the main body.
2. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the panel support portion is disposed between a portion of the display panel and another portion of the display panel in a folded state.
3. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the main body has a trapezoidal shape in a cross-sectional view, and a wedge-shaped groove is disposed between the main body and at least one of the elastic plates.
4. The display device of claim 3 , wherein each of the elastic plates includes a fixed terminal connected to the main body, and an unfixed terminal opposite the fixed terminal, and each of the elastic plates is bent with respect to the fixed terminal and closely contacts the main body when a pressure is applied.
5. The display device of claim 4 , wherein the first joint portion includes a support side arranged toward the bendable area of the display panel, and the support side includes a center support side corresponding to an upper side of the main body and upper sides of the elastic plates at a side of the center support side.
6. The display device of claim 5 , wherein, in an unfolded state, the center support side is parallel to the upper sides of the elastic plates, and in a folded state, at least one of the upper sides of the elastic plates has a slanted angle with respect to the center support side.
7. The display device of claim 1 , wherein,
the multi-joint member further includes a second joint portion neighboring the first joint portion, and
in a folded state, the first joint portion and the second joint portion closely contact each other, and the bendable area that is bent applies a pressure to the elastic plates to transform the elastic plates.
8. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the panel support portion further comprises two support plates at respective sides of the multi-joint member, and the support plates and the multi-joint member are combined to each other by a plurality of rotation combiners respectively comprising a rotation shaft.
9. The display device of claim 8 , wherein the display panel includes a first flat area and a second flat area, and the support plates are disposed between the first flat area and the second flat area of the display panel in a folded state.
10. The display device of claim 8 , wherein the rotation combiners are arranged at an outside of the respective sides of the display panel.
11. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the display panel includes two bendable areas that are separated from each other by a distance, and the panel support portion includes two multi-joint members corresponding to the two bendable areas, and a center support plate between the two multi-joint members.
12. The display device of claim 11 , wherein the center support plate and the two multi-joint members are combined to each other by a plurality of rotation combiners respectively comprising a rotation shaft.
13. The display device of claim 12 , wherein the rotation combiners are arranged at an outside of the respective sides of the display panel.
14. A display device comprising:
a display panel including a bendable area and a display unit including a plurality of pixels; and
a panel support portion including a multi-joint member including a first joint portion,
wherein the first joint portion includes a main body and two elastic plates connected to the main body, and overlaps with the display unit in a thickness direction of the display panel,
the multi-joint member overlaps the bendable area, and
the two elastic plates are between a bottom side of the display panel and the main body.
15. The display device of claim 14 , wherein at least one portion of the display unit is disposed in the bendable area.
16. The display device of claim 14 , wherein the panel support portion further includes two support plates overlapping with the display unit in the thickness direction of the display panel at respective sides of the multi-joint member, and the support plates and the multi-joint member are connected.
17. The display device of claim 16 , wherein the support plates are combined to the multi-joint member by a plurality of rotation combiners respectively comprising a rotation shaft.
18. The display device of claim 14 , wherein the bendable area includes a first bendable area and a second bendable area that are separated from each other by a distance, and the multi-joint member includes a first multi-joint member overlapping with the first bendable area and a second multi-joint member overlapping with the second bendable area.
19. The display device of claim 18 , wherein the panel support portion further includes a center support plate between the first multi-joint member and the second multi-joint member.
20. The display device of claim 19 , wherein the center support plate and the two multi-joint members are combined to each other by a plurality of rotation combiners respectively comprising a rotation shaft.