Samsung files a new patent for a foldable display

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In November 2018, Samsung unveiled its first foldable display phone, Samsung Galaxy Fold. Huawei showcased its foldable display phone, Huawei Mate X at the Mobile World Congress 2019.

Along with Samsung and Huawei, companies like LG, Oppo, Xiaomi and Motorola are working towards foldable phones.

The United States Patent & Trademark office on July 4th published a fresh patent application by Samsung related to a foldable display device.

Samsung notes in its filing that, “A display device such as an organic light emitting diode display, etc. includes a display panel, and the display panel is manufactured to include several layers and elements on a substrate.

Glass is used as a substrate of a conventional display panel. However, because the glass substrate is rigid, it is difficult to bend or deform the display device.”

Flexible display devices use flexible substrates which are easy to deform.

Samsung further notes, “The flexible display device may be classified into a bendable display device, a foldable display device, a rollable display device, and a stretchable display device depending on its application and form.

Among them, the foldable display device has a structure such that the display device may be folded. When bending the display device, a plurality of layers in the foldable display device may be separate each other and are deformed such that reliability of the display device may be deteriorated.”

Samsung claims its invention as “1. A foldable display device comprising: a display panel; a pair of rear surface supporters supporting a rear surface of the display panel; a fastener fastening the pair of rear surface supporters; and a pair of pivots respectively connecting the fastener and the pair of rear surface supporters, wherein a position of the pivot is determined by an equation below: Dh=Dm-(2.times.Oh) [Equation] where Dm represents an interval when the pair of rear surface supporters are folded in parallel, Dh represents a horizontal distance between centers of the pair of pivots, Oh represents an offset of the pivot, and the offset of the pivot is a value obtained by subtracting an upper surface height of the rear surface supporter when the rear surface supporter is unfolded from the height of the pivot.”

Samsung’s figure 1 is a lateral view of a foldable display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present inventive concept.

Samsung’s figure 2 is a view showing a structure in which a foldable display device of figure 1 is folded.

Samsung’s figure 3 is a view showing a position of a pivot in a foldable display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present inventive concept.

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