Display device

Abstract

A display device is disclosed, which includes a first shell, a second shell, a display panel, and a support, wherein the second shell can be separated from the first shell, the display panel is located in the first shell and connected to the second shell, when the second shell moves away from the first shell, the display panel is pulled out from the first shell, the support is located in the second shell and connected to the first shell, the support supports the display panel, and when the first shell moves away from the second shell, the support is pulled out from the second shell.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] Korean Patent Application No. 10-2014-0134488, filed on Oct. 6, 2014 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, entitled “DISPLAY DEVICE,” is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0003] One or more exemplary embodiments relate to a device, and more particularly, to a display device. Background Art

[0004] Electronic devices based on mobility are widely used. Recently, tablet computers and small electronic devices such as mobile phones have been used as mobile electronic devices.

[0005] Such a mobile (i.e., portable) electronic device includes a display unit that displays visual information, such as an image, to a user. Recently, as other parts for driving the display unit in the mobile electronic device have been made compact, the volume occupied by the display unit in the mobile electronic device has gradually increased, and a structure that can be bent at a predetermined angle from a flat state has been developed. Summary of the invention

[0006] According to one or more exemplary embodiments, a display device includes a first shell, a second shell, a display panel and a support, wherein the second shell is separable from the first shell, the display panel is located in the first shell and is connected to the second shell, and the display panel is pulled out of the first shell when the second shell moves away from the first shell, the support is located in the second shell and is connected to the first shell, the support supports the display panel, and when the first shell moves away from the second shell, the support is pulled out of the second shell.

[0007] The display device may further include a control board connected to the display panel and disposed in the first housing or the second housing.

[0008] The display device may further include a battery disposed in the first housing or the second housing and electrically connected to the control board.

[0009] The display device may further include a roller disposed in at least one selected from the first housing and the second housing, wherein at least one selected from the display panel and the support is wound around or unwound from the roller.

[0010] The roller may include a first roller and a second roller, the first roller being arranged in one of the first shell and the second shell, wherein the display panel and one of the support members are wound around or unwound from the first roller, and the second roller being arranged in the other of the first shell and the second shell, wherein the other of the display panel and the support member is wound around or unwound from the second roller.

[0011] The display device may further include an elastic unit applying a restoring force to the roller.

[0012] The display device may further include a driver which rotates the roller to wind or unwind at least one selected from the display panel and the support member around the roller.

[0013] At least one selected from the display panel and the support may be arranged to slide along at least one selected from the inner surface of the first housing and the inner surface of the second housing.

[0014] The display device may further include a sliding portion connected to at least one selected from the display panel and the support and moving along at least one selected from the inner surface of the first housing and the inner surface of the second housing.

[0015] The display device may further include a stopper provided in at least one selected from the first housing and the second housing and restricting a path of the sliding portion.

[0016] The display device may further include a guide portion formed on at least one selected from an inner surface of the first housing and an inner surface of the second housing and guiding movement of the sliding portion.

[0017] The support may be a metal foil.

[0018] The display device may further include an insulating member disposed between the support member and the display panel.

[0019] The display panel may be an organic light emitting display panel.

[0020] The display panel may be flexible.

[0021] The display panel may include a substrate, a display unit formed on the substrate, and a thin film encapsulation layer formed on the display unit and encapsulating the display unit.

[0022] The substrate may be formed of polyimide (PI).

[0023] The thin film encapsulation layer may have a structure in which at least one selected from an organic layer and an inorganic layer is stacked.

[0024] The second housing may include a supporting protrusion, and at least a portion of the supporting member is located on the supporting protrusion and supported thereon.

[0025] The display panel may be pulled out from the first housing in a first direction, and the support may be pulled out from the second housing in a second direction opposite to the first direction. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] Various features will become apparent to those skilled in the art by describing exemplary embodiments in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0027] Figure 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a display device according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0028] Figure 2 According to an exemplary embodiment, Figure 1 a cross-sectional view of a portion of a display panel;

[0029] Figure 3 According to an exemplary embodiment, a Figure 1 A cross-sectional view showing the operation of the display device;

[0030] Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional view of a display device according to another exemplary embodiment;

[0031] Figure 5 According to an exemplary embodiment, Figure 4 A partial stereogram of a sliding portion and a guide portion;

[0032] Figure 6 According to an exemplary embodiment, a Figure 4 A cross-sectional view showing the operation of the display device;

[0033] Figure 7 A cross-sectional view showing a display device according to another exemplary embodiment; and

[0034] Figure 8 A cross-sectional view of a display device according to another exemplary embodiment is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] Exemplary embodiments will now be described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings; however, exemplary embodiments may be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments mentioned herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete and will fully convey exemplary implementations to those skilled in the art.

[0036] In the accompanying drawings, the sizes of layers and regions may be exaggerated for clarity of illustration. It should also be understood that when a layer or element is referred to as being "on" another layer or substrate, it may be directly on the other layer or substrate, or there may be an intermediate layer. In addition, it should be understood that when a layer is referred to as being "between" two layers, it may be the only layer between the two layers, or there may be one or more intermediate layers. Throughout the text, the same reference numerals indicate the same elements.

[0037] It should be understood that although the terms “first”, “second”, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another.

[0038] Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, as used herein, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well. It should also be understood that the terms "comprise" and / or "comprising" used herein indicate the presence of the indicated features or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features or components.

[0039] When a certain embodiment can be implemented differently, the specific processing order can be performed differently from the described order. For example, two consecutively described processes can be performed substantially at the same time or in the reverse order of the described order.

[0040] As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. When a statement such as "at least one of..." follows a list of elements, it modifies the entire list of elements rather than the individual elements in the list.

[0041] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a display device 100 according to an exemplary embodiment. Figure 2 is a diagram showing a method according to an exemplary embodiment Figure 1 1 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the display panel 120. Figure 3 is used to illustrate the exemplary embodiment Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the operation of the display device 100.

[0042] Reference Figures 1 to 3 , the display device 100 may include a first housing 110, a second housing 130, at least one roller, a display panel 120, an insulating member 170, a support member 160, a control board 181, a battery 182, and an elastic unit (not shown).

[0043] A space may be formed in the first housing 110, and the first roller 140 and the display panel 120 may be inserted into the space formed in the first housing 110. The first housing 110 may be formed such that at least a portion of the first housing 110 is bent.

[0044] The second housing 130 may be separated from the first housing 110. For example, each of the first housing 110 and the second housing 130 may include a partitioning side wall, whereby the first housing 110 and the second housing 130 may be pulled away from each other to a predetermined distance. In this case, a space may be formed in the second housing 130, and the support 160 and the second roller 150 may be inserted into the space formed in the second housing 130. The second housing 130 may be formed so that at least a portion of the second housing 130 is bent. And, the second housing 130 may include a support protrusion 131 that supports the support 160 when the support 160 is pulled. In this case, the support protrusion 131 may be formed in a direction parallel to the direction in which the support 160 is pulled. For example, the space in the first housing 110 may be independent of the space in the second housing 130.

[0045] The display panel 120 may be pulled out from the first housing 110. In this case, a first end of the ends of the display panel 120 may be fixed to the first roller 140 in the first housing 110, and a second end of the ends of the display panel 120 may be connected to the second housing 130, for example, the second end of the ends of the display panel 120 may be fixed to at least one of the second housing 130 and the control board 181. Thus, the movement of the second housing 130 away from the first housing 110 may pull the display panel 120 out of the first housing 110 by a predetermined distance, so that the user can see and use the display panel 120.

[0046] The display panel 120 may include a substrate 121 ( Figure 2 ) and a display unit (not shown). Also, the display panel 120 may include a thin film encapsulation layer E ( Figure 2 ). Now refer to Figure 2 The display panel 120 is described in more detail.

[0047] Reference Figure 2 , a display unit of the display panel 120 may be formed on the substrate 121. In this case, the display unit may include a thin film transistor (TFT), a passivation film 127a may be formed to cover the TFT, and an organic light emitting diode (OLED) 128 may be formed on the passivation film 127a.

[0048] In this case, the substrate 121 may be formed of, for example, a plastic material or polyimide (PI). For convenience of explanation, the following will be described in detail on the assumption that the substrate 121 is formed of PI.

[0049] Made of organic and / or inorganic compounds, such as SiO x (x≥1) or SiN x(x≥1) A buffer layer 122 formed may be further formed on the top surface of the substrate 121. After an active layer 123 having a predetermined pattern is formed on the buffer layer 122, the active layer 123 is covered by a gate insulating layer 124. The active layer 123 has a source region 123a, a drain region 123c, and a channel region 123b formed between the source region 123a and the drain region 123c. The active layer 123 may be formed to include various materials. For example, the active layer 123 may include an inorganic semiconductor material, such as amorphous silicon or crystalline silicon. In another example, the active layer 123 may include an oxide semiconductor. In yet another example, the active layer 123 may include an organic semiconductor material. However, for ease of description, the following will be described in detail on the assumption that the active layer 123 is formed of amorphous silicon.

[0050] The active layer 123 may be formed by forming an amorphous silicon film on the buffer layer 122, forming a polysilicon film by crystallizing the amorphous silicon film, and patterning the polysilicon film. The source region 123a and the drain region 123c of the active layer 123 are doped with impurities according to the type of TFT, such as a driving TFT (not shown) or a switching TFT (not shown).

[0051] A gate electrode 125 corresponding to the active layer 123 and an interlayer insulating layer 126 covering the gate electrode 125 are formed on a top surface of the gate insulating layer 124. After a contact hole H1 is formed in the interlayer insulating layer 126 and the gate insulating layer 124, a source electrode 127b and a drain electrode 127c are formed on the interlayer insulating layer 126 to contact the source region 123a and the drain region 123c, respectively.

[0052] The passivation film 127a is formed on the TFT, and the pixel electrode 128a of the OLED 128 is formed on the passivation film 127a. The pixel electrode 128a contacts the drain electrode 127c of the TFT through the through hole H2 formed in the passivation film 127a. The passivation film 127a may be formed of an inorganic material and / or an organic material to have a single-layer or multi-layer structure. The passivation film 127a may be formed so that the top surface is flattened and the bottom surface is curved, or may be formed so that the top surface is curved along the curved bottom surface. For example, the passivation film 127a is formed of a transparent insulating material to achieve resonance.

[0053] After the pixel electrode 128a is formed on the passivation film 127a, the pixel defining film 129 is formed by using an organic material and / or an inorganic material to cover the pixel electrode 128a and the passivation film 127a. The pixel defining film 129 is opened to expose a portion of the pixel electrode 128a.

[0054] The intermediate layer 128b and the counter electrode 128c are formed at least on the exposed portion of the pixel electrode 128a. The pixel electrode 128a acts as an anode, and the counter electrode 128c acts as a cathode. However, the polarity of the pixel electrode 128a and the counter electrode 128c can be changed, and the pixel electrode 128a can act as a cathode, and the counter electrode 128c can act as an anode.

[0055] The pixel electrode 128a and the counter electrode 128c are insulated from each other by the intermediate layer 128b, and different voltages are applied to the intermediate layer 128b to enable the organic emission layer to emit light. For example, the intermediate layer 128b may include an organic emission layer. In another example, the intermediate layer 128b may include an organic emission layer, and may further include at least one of a hole injection layer (HIL), a hole transport layer (HTL), an electron transport layer (ETL), and an electron injection layer (EIL).

[0056] One unit pixel includes a plurality of sub-pixels, and the plurality of sub-pixels may emit light of different colors. For example, the plurality of sub-pixels may include sub-pixels emitting red light, green light, and blue light, or may include sub-pixels emitting red light, green light, blue light, and white light.

[0057] The thin film encapsulation layer E may include a plurality of inorganic layers, or may include an inorganic layer and an organic layer. The organic layer of the thin film encapsulation layer E may be formed of a polymer, and may be a single film or a laminated film formed of, for example, at least one of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), PI, polycarbonate, epoxy resin, polyethylene, and polyacrylate.

[0058] For example, when the organic layer is formed of polyacrylate, the polyacrylate layer may be formed by polymerizing a monomer composition including a diacrylate-based monomer and a triacrylate-based monomer. A monoacrylate-based monomer may also be included in the monomer composition. Also, a photoinitiator, for example, 2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl-diphenylphosphine oxide (TPO) may also be included in the monomer composition, but the exemplary embodiment is not limited thereto.

[0059] The inorganic layer of the thin film encapsulation layer E may be a single film or a stacked film including a metal oxide or a metal nitride. In detail, the inorganic layer may include, for example, SiN x 、Al 2 O 3 、SiO 2 and TiO 2 At least one of .

[0060] The uppermost layer of the thin film encapsulation layer E exposed to the outside may be an inorganic layer to prevent moisture from penetrating into the OLED 128 .

[0061] For example, the thin film encapsulation layer E may include at least one sandwich structure in which at least one organic layer is inserted between at least two inorganic layers. In another example, the thin film encapsulation layer E may include at least one sandwich structure in which at least one inorganic layer is inserted between at least two organic layers. In yet another example, the thin film encapsulation layer E may include a sandwich structure in which at least one organic layer is inserted between at least two inorganic layers, and a sandwich structure in which at least one inorganic layer is inserted between at least two organic layers.

[0062] For example, the thin film encapsulation layer E may include a first inorganic layer, a first organic layer, and a second inorganic layer sequentially stacked on the OLED 128. In another example, the thin film encapsulation layer E may include a first inorganic layer, a first organic layer, a second inorganic layer, a second organic layer, and a third inorganic layer sequentially stacked on the OLED 128. In yet another example, the thin film encapsulation layer E may include a first inorganic layer, a first organic layer, a second inorganic layer, a second organic layer, a third inorganic layer, a third organic layer, and a fourth inorganic layer sequentially stacked on the OLED 128.

[0063] For example, a halogenated metal layer including LiF may be additionally disposed between the OLED 128 and the first inorganic layer of the thin film encapsulation layer E. The halogenated metal layer may prevent the OLED 128 from being damaged when the first inorganic layer is formed by using sputtering. For example, the first organic layer may have an area smaller than that of the second inorganic layer, and the second organic layer may have an area smaller than that of the third inorganic layer.

[0064] A coating film or a protective film (not shown) may be attached to the surface of the display panel 120 to protect the display panel 120 from being damaged or scratched when the display panel 120 contacts an external object, such as the first housing 110 or the support 160. However, for ease of explanation, the following will be described in detail on the assumption that there is no coating film or protective film on the surface of the display panel 120.

[0065] Return to reference Figure 1 , the support 160 may be arranged to be pulled into the second shell 130. In this case, a first end of the ends of the support 160 may be fixed to the second roller 150. And, a second end of the ends of the support 160 may be fixed to the first shell 110. In this case, the second end of the ends of the support 160 may be fixed to the outer surface of the first shell 110, or may be fixed to the inner surface of the first shell 110 by being partially inserted into the first shell 110.

[0066] When the display panel 120 is pulled, the support member 160 may support the display panel 120. In this case, the support member 160 may include a material having sufficient hardness, for example, a metal material. For example, the support member 160 may be formed as a metal foil.

[0067] The insulating member 170 may be disposed between the display panel 120 and the support 160. In this case, the insulating member 170 may be provided on at least one of the display panel 120 and the support 160. The insulating member 170 may include an insulating material, for example, polyurethane or PET.

[0068] The insulating member 170 may be formed in any of various types. For example, the insulating member 170 may be formed as a film and may be attached to at least one of the display panel 120 and the support member 160. In another example, the insulating member 170 may be coated on at least one of the display panel 120 and the support member 160. Also, the insulating member 170 may be formed as a partition plate and may be firmly attached to at least one of the display panel 120 and the support member 160. When the display panel 120 is pulled out of the first housing 110, the insulating member 170 may insulate the display panel 120 from the support member 160.

[0069] The roller may be provided in at least one of the first housing 110 and the second housing 130. In this case, the roller may allow at least one of the display panel 120 and the support 160 to be wound therearound or unwound therefrom.

[0070] For example, as described above, the roller may include a first roller 140 provided in the first housing 110, and a second roller 150 provided in the second housing 130. In another example, the first roller 140 and the second roller 150 may be provided optionally, for example, only the first roller 140 may be provided in the first housing 110 or only the second roller 150 may be provided in the second housing 130. However, the following will be described in detail on the assumption that the first roller 140 and the second roller 150 are provided in the first housing 110 and the second housing 130, respectively.

[0071] An elastic unit for applying a restoring force to the roller when the roller rotates may be provided on the roller. The elastic unit may include a first elastic unit 191 provided on the first roller 140 and a second elastic unit 192 provided on the second roller 150.

[0072] The first roller 140 , the second roller 150 , the first elastic unit 191 , and the second elastic unit 192 will now be described in detail.

[0073] The first roller 140 may allow the display panel 120 to be rolled around or unrolled therefrom. In this case, the display panel 120 may be rolled around the first roller 140 so that the display unit (not shown) does not contact the outer surface of the first roller 140 .

[0074] The first roller 140 may include a first roller body 141 disposed in the first housing 110 and rotated, and a first insulator 142 disposed to surround the first roller body 141. In this case, the first insulator 142 may include an insulating material, for example, polyurethane or PET. Figure 1 As shown in , when the display panel 120 is rolled up on the first roller 140, the first insulator 142 is located between the display panel 120 and the first roller body 141. In addition, when the display panel 120 is rolled up on the first roller 140, the first insulator 142 may be in contact with a portion of the surface of the substrate 121 on which the display unit is not formed (e.g., directly).

[0075] The first elastic unit 191 may be provided on the first roller 140. In this case, the first elastic unit 191 may include a torque spring. Specifically, a first end of the first elastic unit 191 may be connected to the first roller body 141, and a second end of the first elastic unit 191 may be connected to the first housing 110. When the display panel 120 is unwound from the first roller 140, the first elastic unit 191 may apply a restoring force to the first roller 140 in a direction opposite to the direction in which the first roller 140 rotates.

[0076] The support member 160 may be wound around or unwound from the second roller 150. In this case, the second roller 150 may be formed similarly to the first roller 140. For convenience of description, the second roller 150 will not be described in detail.

[0077] The second elastic unit 192 may be disposed on the second roller 150. In this case, when the support 160 is unwound from the second roller 150, the second elastic unit 192 may apply a restoring force to the second roller 150 in a direction opposite to the direction in which the second roller 150 rotates. The second roller 150 is the same as or similar to the first roller 140, and thus a detailed description thereof will not be provided.

[0078] The display device 100 may include a driver (not shown) for driving the roller, instead of the elastic unit. In this case, the driver may wind or unwind each member by rotating the roller. Specifically, the driver may include a first driver (not shown) disposed on the first roller 140 and a second driver (not shown) disposed on the second roller 150. For ease of explanation, the following will be described in detail on the assumption that the display device 100 includes the elastic unit.

[0079] The control board 181 may be electrically connected to the display panel 120 and the battery 182. In this case, the control board 181 may be disposed in the first housing 110 or the second housing 130. For ease of explanation, the following will be described in detail on the assumption that the control board 181 is disposed in the second housing 130.

[0080] The control board 181 may receive power from the battery 182, and may control the display panel 120. In this case, the control board 181 may be formed identically or similarly to a circuit board or a control board generally used in the field of displays.

[0081] The battery 182 may be disposed in the first housing 110 or the second housing 130. In this case, the battery 182 and the control board 181 may be disposed in the same space. For ease of explanation, the following will be described in detail on the assumption that the battery 182 is disposed in the second housing 130.

[0082] The battery 182 may be formed as a rechargeable secondary battery. For example, the battery 182 may be provided to be separated from the second housing 130. In another example, the battery 182 may be provided to be fixed to the second housing 130.

[0083] Now refer to Figure 3 The operation of the display device 100 is described. The first housing 110 and the second housing 130 may contact each other.

[0084] Reference Figure 3 , when the first housing 110 and the second housing 130 move away from each other, the display panel 120 may be unwound from the first roller 140 to be pulled outside the first housing 110. In this case, the second end of the end of the display panel 120 fixed to the control board 181 may move together with the second housing 130.

[0085] In a case where the display panel 120 is moved as described above, the support 160 may be pulled out from the second housing 130. In this case, the support 160 may be unwound from the second roller 150.

[0086] When the display panel 120 and the support member 160 are pulled out of the first housing 110 and the second housing 130, respectively, as described above, the display unit of the display panel 120 may be exposed to the outside, and the support member 160 may support the display panel 120. In this case, since the insulating member 170 is disposed between the display panel 120 and the support member 160 ( Figure 3 ), so the insulating member 170 can insulate the display panel 120 from the support member 160.

[0087] When the display panel 120 is completely pulled outward as described above, a desired operation may be performed by touching the display panel 120 or a manipulation unit (not shown) provided in at least one of the first housing 110 and the second housing 130. Alternatively, the user may manipulate the display panel 120 by using motions such as hand movements or voice.

[0088] Once the user manipulates the display device 100, the display panel 120 may display an image. In this case, the initial operation for the display panel 120 to operate, such as turning on the display screen, may depend on various signals, such as motion, voice, touch, a signal input through the manipulation unit, or separation between the first housing 110 and the second housing 130.

[0089] Then, the display panel 120 and the support member 160 may be stored by being respectively inserted into the first housing 110 and the second housing 130. In this case, the first elastic unit 191 and the second elastic unit 192 may respectively apply restoring forces to the first roller 140 and the second roller 150 to rotate the first roller 140 and the second roller 150, and thereby wind the display panel 120 and the support member 160 around the first roller 140 and the second roller 150, respectively.

[0090] Therefore, the display device 100 can have a minimized volume when it is not in use, thereby improving portability and operability. Also, the display device 100 can store the display panel 120 by using a simple structure.

[0091] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a display device 200 according to another exemplary embodiment. Figure 5 is a diagram showing a method according to an exemplary embodiment Figure 4 A partial stereoscopic view of the sliding portion 292 and the guide portion 293. Figure 6 According to an exemplary embodiment, for the purpose of explaining Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of the operation of the display device 200.

[0092] Reference Figures 4 to 6 , the display device 200 may include a first housing 210, a second housing 230, a roller, a display panel 220, an insulating member 270, a support member 260, a sliding portion 292, a guide portion 293, a stopper 294, a control board 281, a battery 282, and a driver (not shown). In this case, the first housing 210, the second housing 230, the display panel 220, the insulating member 270, the support member 260, the control board 281 and the battery 282 are connected to the display panel 220. Figures 1 to 3 , and thus their detailed description will not be provided.

[0093] The sliding portion 292 may be provided to be fixed to a second end portion among the ends of the support 260. In this case, when the sliding portion 292 moves after being seated or inserted, the guide portion 293 may guide the movement of the sliding portion 292.

[0094] In detail, the guide portion 293 may be provided in the second housing 230. The sliding portion 292 and the guide portion 293 may be formed into any of various types. For example, according to an exemplary embodiment, the sliding portion 292 may be formed into a block, and the guide portion 293 may be formed as a portion surrounding the sliding portion 292. In another example, the sliding portion 292 may be formed into a roller, and the guide portion 293 may be formed into a track along which the roller moves. In yet another example, the sliding portion 292 and the guide portion 293 may be formed into a linear motion guide. However, the sliding portion 292 and the guide portion 293 are not limited thereto, and may be any device and structure, as long as the sliding portion 292 moves with the movement of the support 260, and the guide portion 293 guides the movement of the sliding portion 292.

[0095] The roller may include a first roller 240 disposed in the first housing 210. Also, the driver may include a first driver 291 provided on the first roller 240. In this case, the first roller 240 and the Figures 1 to 3 The rollers in FIG. 1 are the same or similar, and therefore a detailed description thereof will not be provided.

[0096] The first driver 291 may be electrically connected to the battery 282 and the control board 281, and when the display panel 220 is pulled out of or inserted into the first housing 210, the first driver 291 may rotate the first roller 240. In this case, the first driver 291 may be a general small motor.

[0097] The embodiment is not limited thereto. For example, instead of the first driver 291, a Figures 1 to 3 However, for convenience of explanation, a detailed description will be given on the assumption that the first elastic unit 191 is used.

[0098] The battery 282 may be disposed in the first housing 210 or the second housing 230, or may be disposed in both the first housing 210 and the second housing 230. In this case, when the battery 282 is disposed in the second housing 230, the battery 282 may be connected to the first driver 291 in a state where a power cable or the like is disposed on the support 260.

[0099] The display device 200 may further include a stopper 294 disposed in the second housing 230. In this case, the stopper 294 may limit the path of the sliding portion 292. For example, the stopper 294 may limit the path of the sliding portion 292 so that when the display panel 220 is fully pulled out, the support member 260 is no longer pulled. Specifically, the stopper 294 may protrude from a specific position of the second housing 230 to limit, i.e., stop the movement of the sliding portion 292. The stopper 294 is not limited thereto, and may include any structure and device for limiting the path of the sliding portion 292, such as a compression spring or rubber connected to the end of the sliding portion 292.

[0100] The display device 200 may include a second driver (not shown) instead of referring to Figures 1 to 3 The elastic unit described in the second roller 150 in FIG. 1 moves the support member 260. In this case, the second driver operates identically or similarly to the first driver 291, and thus a detailed description thereof will not be provided.

[0101] The operation of the display device 200 will now be described. When the first housing 210 and the second housing 230 are moved away from each other, the display panel 220 and the support member 260 may be pulled out from the first housing 210 and the second housing 230, respectively. In this case, the insulating member 270 may be arranged between the support member 260 and the display panel 220. And, when the support member 260 is pulled, the support protrusion 231 may support the support member 260.

[0102] When the support member 260 is pulled as described above, the slide portion 292 may move along the guide portion 293, and after moving a predetermined distance, may be stopped from moving due to the stopper 294. Also, the first driver 291 may rotate the first roller 240 to unwind the display panel 220 from the first roller 240. When the display panel 220 is fully pulled out as described above, the display panel 220 may perform a desired operation or command through manipulation.

[0103] Next, when the first housing 210 and the second housing 230 move closer to each other to insert the display panel 220 into the first housing 210, the first driver 291 may operate to roll the display panel 220 around the first roller 240. In this case, when a predetermined signal is generated, for example, a signal is input through a manipulation unit (not shown), a touch is input through the display panel 220, the first housing 210 and the second housing 230 move closer to each other, or a predetermined force is detected, the first driver 291 may operate.

[0104] When the display panel 220 is inserted into the first housing 210 as described above, the slide portion 292 moves in the opposite direction along the guide portion 293 , and the support 260 moves along the inner surface of the second housing 230 to be inserted into the second housing 230 .

[0105] Therefore, since the display device 200 can have a minimized volume when it is not in use, portability and operability can be improved. Also, the display device 200 can store the display panel 220 by using a simple structure.

[0106] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a display device 300 according to another exemplary embodiment.

[0107] Reference Figure 7 , the display device 300 may include a first housing 310, a second housing 330, a roller (not shown), an elastic unit (not shown), a display panel 320, an insulating member 370, a support member 360, a sliding portion 392, a guide portion 393, a stopper 394, a control board 381, and a battery 382. In this case, the first housing 310, the second housing 330, the display panel 320, the insulating member 370, the support member 360, the control board 381, and the battery 382 are the same as or similar to those described above, and thus a detailed description thereof will not be provided.

[0108] The roller may include a second roller 350 disposed in the second housing 330. In this case, the second roller 350 and the Figures 1 to 3 The second roller 150 is the same as or similar to the second roller 150 , and therefore a detailed description thereof will not be provided.

[0109] Also, the elastic unit may include a second elastic unit 391 disposed on the second roller 350. In this case, the second elastic unit 391 is Figures 1 to 3 The second elastic unit 192 is the same or similar to the second elastic unit 192, and therefore a detailed description thereof will not be provided.

[0110] The sliding portion 392 may be connected to the display panel 320. In this case, the sliding portion 392 may be formed as a block. Figures 4 to 6 The described sliding portions are identically or similarly formed, and therefore a detailed description thereof will not be provided.

[0111] The slide portion 392 may move along the inner surface of the first housing 310. In this case, the guide portion 393 may be formed on the inner surface of the first housing 310 and may guide the movement of the slide portion 392. In detail, the guide portion 393 may be formed with reference to Figures 4 to 6 The described guide portions are identically or similarly formed, and therefore a detailed description thereof will not be provided.

[0112] The stopper 394 may be formed in a portion of the first housing 310. In this case, the stopper 394 may be formed on the inner surface of the first housing 310 and may limit the path of the sliding portion 392. In detail, when the sliding portion 392 moves, the stopper 394 may limit the maximum moving distance of the sliding portion 392. In this case, the stopper 394 may be formed with reference to Figures 4 to 6 The stoppers described are identically or similarly formed, and therefore a detailed description thereof will not be provided.

[0113] The operation of the display device 300 will now be described. When the first housing 310 and the second housing 330 are moved away from each other, the display panel 320, the insulating member 370, and the support member 360 may be pulled out of the first housing 310 and the second housing 330. In this case, when the support member 360 is pulled, the support protrusion 331 provided in the second housing 330 may support the support member 360.

[0114] The display panel 320 may be connected to the second housing 330, and thus may move along the inner surface of the first housing 310 as the second housing 330 moves. Also, since the insulating member 370 is attached to the display panel 320, the insulating member 370 may move together with the display panel 320. The sliding portion 392 may be connected to the display panel 320 and may move along the guide portion 393 as the display panel 320 moves. When the display panel 320 is fully pulled out, the sliding portion 392 moving as described above may be limited by the stopper 394 and may no longer move. In this case, the display panel 320 may reach a maximum length.

[0115] During the above operation, the support 360 may be unwound from the second roller 350 and may be pulled to the outside of the second housing 330. In this case, the support 360 connected to the first housing 310 may move as the first housing 310 moves.

[0116] When the display panel 320 and the support 360 are pulled as described above, the support 360 may support the display panel 320. In this case, the insulating member 370 may be disposed between the display panel 320 and the support 360, and thus the display panel 320 and the support 360 may be insulated.

[0117] The method of returning the display device 300 to its original state may be performed in reverse order. In detail, when the first housing 310 and the second housing 330 move closer to each other, the sliding portion 392 may move along the guide portion 393, and the display panel 320 and the insulating member 370 may be inserted into the first housing 310. In addition, the second elastic unit 391 may apply a restoring force to the second roller 350 to wind the support member 360 around the second roller 350, and the support member 360 may be inserted into the second housing 330.

[0118] Therefore, the display device 300 can have a minimized volume, ie, size, when it is not in use, thereby improving portability and operability. Also, the display device 300 can store the display panel 320 by using a simple structure.

[0119] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a display device 400 according to another exemplary embodiment.

[0120] Reference Figure 8 , the display device 400 may include a first housing 410, a second housing 430, a display panel 420, an insulating member 470, a support member 460, a sliding portion 492, a guide portion 493, a stopper 494, a control board 481, and a battery 482. In this case, the first housing 410, the second housing 430, the display panel 420, the insulating member 470, the support member 460, the control board 481, and the battery 482 are similar to the reference Figure 7 Those described are the same or similar, and thus their detailed description will not be provided.

[0121] The sliding portion 492 may be connected to at least one of the display panel 420 and the support 460, and may move along at least one of the inner surface of the first housing 410 and the inner surface of the second housing 430. Also, a stopper 494 may be provided in at least one of the first housing 410 and the second housing 430, and may limit a path of the sliding portion 492. A guide portion 493 may be formed on at least one of the inner surface of the first housing 410 and the inner surface of the second housing 430, and may guide movement of the sliding portion 492.

[0122] In this case, the sliding portion 492 may be connected to one of the display panel 420 and the support 460, and may include a first sliding portion 492a disposed in one of the first housing 410 and the second housing 430. Also, the sliding portion 492 may be connected to the other of the display panel 420 and the support 460, and may include a second sliding portion 492b disposed in the other of the first housing 410 and the second housing 430. For ease of description, the following will be described in detail on the assumption that the first sliding portion 492a is connected to the display panel 420 and disposed in the first housing 410, and the second sliding portion 492b is connected to the support 460 and disposed in the second housing 430.

[0123] The stopper 494 may include a first stopper 494a formed in one of the first housing 410 and the second housing 430. The stopper 494 may include a second stopper 494b formed in the other of the first housing 410 and the second housing 430. In this case, the first stopper 494a and the second stopper 494b may limit the movement or movement distance of the first sliding portion 492a and the second sliding portion 492b, respectively. For ease of explanation, the following will be described in detail on the assumption that the first stopper 494a is formed in the first housing 410 to correspond to the first sliding portion 492a, and the second stopper 494b is formed in the second housing 430 to correspond to the second sliding portion 492b.

[0124] The guide portion 493 may include a first guide portion 493a formed on one of the inner surface of the first housing 410 and the inner surface of the second housing 430. Also, the guide portion 493 may include a second guide portion 493b formed on the other of the inner surface of the first housing 410 and the inner surface of the second housing 430. In this case, the first guide portion 493a and the second guide portion 493b may guide the first sliding portion 492a and the second sliding portion 492b, respectively. For ease of description, the following will be described in detail on the assumption that the first guide portion 493a is formed in the first housing 410 to correspond to the first sliding portion 492a, and the second guide portion 493b is formed in the second housing 430 to correspond to the second sliding portion 492b.

[0125] The operation of the display device 400 will now be described. When the first housing 410 and the second housing 430 are moved away from each other, the display panel 420 may be pulled out of the first housing 410. Also, the support member 460 and the insulating member 470 may be pulled out of the second housing 430. In this case, when the support member 460 is pulled, the support protrusion 431 provided in the second housing 430 may support the support member 460. Also, the insulating member 470 may be formed as a film and may be attached to the surface of the support member 460.

[0126] When the display panel 420 and the support member 460 move as described above, the first sliding portion 492a may move along the first guide portion 493a, and the second sliding portion 492b may move along the second guide portion 493b. When the display panel 420 and the support member 460 are pulled out from the first housing 410 and the second housing 430, respectively, the first stopper 494a and the second stopper 494b may limit the position of the first sliding portion 492a and the position of the second sliding portion 492b, respectively. Therefore, the display panel 420 and the support member 460 may not be pulled out by a predetermined distance or more than a predetermined distance.

[0127] After the display panel 420 is pulled as described above, when the use of the display panel 420 is completed, the display panel 420 and the support member 460 may be inserted into the first housing 410 and the second housing 430, respectively. In this case, when the first housing 410 and the second housing 430 move closer to each other, the first sliding portion 492a and the second sliding portion 492b may move along the first guide portion 493a and the second guide portion 493b, respectively. And, the display panel 420 may receive a force from the second housing 430 to be inserted into the first housing 410, and the support member 460 may receive a force from the first housing 410 to be inserted into the second housing 430.

[0128] The above operation may be continuously performed until the first housing 410 and the second housing 430 reach their initial positions. Therefore, the display device 400 may have a minimized volume when it is not in use, thereby improving portability and operability. Also, the display device 400 may store the display panel 420 by using a simple structure.

[0129] As described above, according to one or more of the above exemplary embodiments, the display device can have a minimized volume, i.e., size, so as to be easy to carry. Specifically, the display device according to the embodiment includes a display panel and its support member that can be retracted into a corresponding housing when not in use, thereby minimizing the overall size of the display device when not in use.

[0130] Exemplary embodiments have been disclosed herein, and although specific terms are employed, these terms are used and interpreted only in a general and descriptive sense, and not for limiting purposes. Unless otherwise specifically indicated, in some cases, as will become apparent to those skilled in the art after filing this application, the features, characteristics, and / or elements described in conjunction with a particular embodiment may be used alone or in combination with the features, characteristics, and / or elements described in conjunction with other embodiments. Accordingly, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A display device, comprising: a first shell; a second shell, separable from the first shell; a first roller, located in the first shell; a display panel located in the first housing and connected to the second housing, the display panel being pulled out of the first housing when the second housing moves away from the first housing, and a portion of the display panel being located between another portion of the display panel and the first roller when the first housing and the second housing contact each other; as well as a support member, located in the second housing and connected to the first housing, the support member supporting the display panel, When the first shell and the second shell are in contact with each other, a portion of the display panel is exposed outside the first shell and the second shell. 2 . The display device according to claim 1 , wherein a size of the first housing is smaller than a size of the second housing.

3. The display device according to claim 1, further comprising: The second roller is located in the second shell, and the support is wound around the second roller. 4 . The display device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the display panel and the support member slides along at least one of an inner surface of the first housing and an inner surface of the second housing. The display device according to claim 1 , wherein the support member is a metal foil.

6. The display device according to claim 1, further comprising: An insulating member is located between the supporting member and the display panel. The display device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the display panel is an organic light emitting display panel. The display device according to claim 1 , wherein the display panel is flexible.

9. The display device according to claim 1, wherein: The display panel is pulled out from the first housing in a first direction, and the support is pulled out from the second housing in a second direction opposite to the first direction. 10 . The display device of claim 1 , wherein the display panel is rolled in a first direction, and the support is rolled in a second direction opposite to the first direction. 11 . The display device of claim 1 , wherein the first housing and the second housing include supporting protrusions that support the portion of the display panel.

12. A display device, comprising: a first shell; a second shell, separable from the first shell; a roller, located in the first shell; as well as a display panel located in the first housing and connected to the second housing, the display panel being pulled out of the first housing when the second housing moves away from the first housing, and a portion of the display panel being located between another portion of the display panel and the roller when the first housing and the second housing contact each other; When the first shell and the second shell are in contact with each other, a portion of the display panel is exposed outside the first shell and the second shell.

Images