IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,581,005
Granted Patent B2
US 12,581,005 · App. 18/361,232 · Granted Mar 17, 2026

Display device

Inventors: Eunwon Seo (Yongin-si, KR); Joon-Ik Lee (Yongin-si, KR)
Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
H04M1/0268G06F1/1652G09F9/301
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,581,005
App. No.
18/361,232
Granted
Mar 17, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A display device includes a display panel including non-folding regions and a folding region disposed between the non-folding regions and a lower member disposed under the display panel. The lower member includes a base part including a plurality of portions having different flexural moduli and support lines that are disposed inside the base part and that intersect each other in a plan view and define openings.

Claims (60)

1 . A display device comprising:

a display panel including non-folding regions and a folding region disposed between the non-folding regions along a second direction intersecting a first direction; and

a lower member disposed under the display panel, the lower member comprising:

a base part including a plurality of portions having different flexural moduli; and

support lines disposed inside the base part and intersecting each other in a plan view so as to define openings, and

wherein the support lines are made of a different material than the base part,

wherein the base part comprises:

a first portion overlapping the folding region and made of a first solid material having a first flexural modulus, and

a second portion and a third portion overlapping the non-folding regions, respectively, the second portion and the third portion made of a second solid material having a second flexural modulus,

wherein the first flexural modulus of the first portion is lower than the second flexural modulus of each of the second portion and the third portion, and

wherein the second solid material is spaced apart from a center line of the folding region extending in the first direction in plan view.

2 . The display device of claim 1 , wherein the base part comprises a polymer resin.

3 . The display device of claim 1 , wherein the support lines comprise at least one of stainless steel, titanium, aluminum, nickel, and an alloy thereof.

4 . The display device of claim 1 , wherein the support lines are disposed in a central portion of the base part in a thickness direction.

5 . A display device comprising:

a display panel including non-folding regions and a folding region disposed between the non-folding regions along a second direction intersecting a first direction; and

a lower member disposed under the display panel, wherein

the lower member comprises:

a base part including a plurality of portions having different flexural moduli; and

support lines disposed inside the base part and intersecting each other in a plan view so as to define openings,

wherein the support lines are made of a different material than the base part,

wherein the support lines comprise:

first support lines, each extending in the first direction in plan view; and

second support lines, each extending in the second direction in plan view,

wherein the first support lines and the second support lines are not integrally formed with each other,

wherein the first support lines and the second support lines form a mesh structure that overlaps the folding region and the non-folding regions, and

wherein the support lines are spaced apart from surfaces of the base part defined along, a thickness direction of the base part intersecting the first direction and the second direction.

6 . The display device of claim 5 , wherein the first support lines and the second support lines are alternately arranged in the first direction and the second direction, respectively, to form a woven structure.

7 . The display device of claim 6 , wherein

each of the second support lines forms valleys and ridges on a vertical cross section taken along the second direction and viewed in the first direction, and

the valleys and ridges of the second support lines are alternately arranged in the first direction.

8 . The display device of claim 7 , wherein each of the first support lines is disposed through an upper portion of a valley and a lower portion of a ridge of second support lines overlapping each other among the second support lines.

9 . The display device of claim 8 , wherein each of the first support lines extends parallel to the second direction.

10 . The display device of claim 9 , wherein the first support lines comprise centers that are parallel to the second direction in the vertical cross section taken along the second direction.

11 . The display device of claim 8 , wherein each of the first support lines forms valleys and ridges on a vertical cross section taken along the first direction and viewed in the second direction.

12 . The display device of claim 11 , wherein the first support lines comprise centers that are adjacent to each other in the second direction and are not aligned with the second direction in the vertical cross section taken along the second direction.

13 . The display device of claim 5 , wherein the folding region is folded about a folding axis extending in the first direction.

14 . The display device of claim 1 , further comprising: a window module disposed on the display panel.

15 . The display device of claim 1 , further comprising: an input sensor disposed on the display panel and configured to sense an external input.

16 . A display device comprising:

a display panel including a folding region and a non-folding region; and

a lower member disposed on a rear surface of the display panel, the lower member comprising:

support lines overlapping the folding region and the non-folding region, the support lines forming a mesh structure; and

a base part covering the support lines, and

wherein the base part corresponding to the folding region has a lower flexural modulus than the base part corresponding to the non-folding region

wherein the base part comprises:

a first portion overlapping the folding region and made of a first solid material having a first flexural modulus, and

a second portion and a third portion overlapping the non-folding region, respectively, the second portion and the third portion made of a second solid material having a second flexural modulus,

wherein the first flexural modulus of the first portion is lower than the second flexural modulus of each of the second portion and the third portion, and

wherein the second solid material is spaced apart from a center line of the folding region extending in a first direction in plan view.

17 . The display device of claim 16 , wherein

the support lines comprise at least one of stainless steel, titanium, aluminum, nickel, and

an alloy thereof,

the mesh structure overlaps the folding region and the non-folding region, and

the support lines are made of a different material than the base part.

18 . The display device of claim 16 , wherein the support lines comprise: first support lines, each extending in the first direction, the first support lines arranged in a second direction intersecting the first direction; and

second support lines, each extending in the second direction, the second support lines arranged in the first direction.

19 . The display device of claim 18 , wherein

each of the second support lines forms valleys and ridges on a vertical cross section taken along the second direction and viewed in the first direction, and

each of the first support lines is disposed through an upper portion of a valley and a lower portion of a ridge of second support lines overlapping each other in the first direction.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 28, 2023
From: SEO, EUNWON; LEE, JOON-IK
To: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 064421/0001 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2022-0135893 · Oct 20, 2022 · national
Continuity (2)
Related Publication 20240137433A1 · Apr 25, 2024
Related Publication 20240236220A9 · Jul 11, 2024
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