Flexible display apparatus

Abstract

Embodiments of the present application provide a flexible display apparatus. The flexible display apparatus comprises a flexible module and a movable module. The flexible module comprises a sliding support portion, and the movable module comprises slide rails. The sliding support portion comprises first support members. The first support members slide within the slide rails in a first direction to achieve sliding connection between the flexible module and the movable module. Friction members are arranged on contact surfaces of the first support members and the slide rails.

Description

Flexible display device

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese patent application number 202311725316.2, filed on December 14, 2023, with invention name “Flexible Display Device”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The present application relates to the field of display technology, and more specifically, to a flexible display device. Background Art

[0003] With the development of display technology, the application fields of display devices are becoming increasingly broad, and people's requirements for the various performance of display screens are also gradually increasing. Flexible displays have the characteristics of bendability and rollability. These features can be used to roll or fold display devices, making it more convenient for people to carry and use display devices. The sliding roll design that combines folding and rolling is more advantageous in terms of appearance and practicality.

[0004] To better realize the scrolling function, in addition to developing flexible materials for the upper layer of the display device, the support components under the display device are also crucial. The support components not only provide flexibility for free movement in the scrolling area, but also provide support for the non-slide area.

[0005] Summary of the Invention

[0006] The embodiments of the present application provide a flexible display device, which can reduce the sliding friction area and friction coefficient between the supporting component and the slide rail, thereby reducing the friction between the flexible module and the movable module.

[0007] The first aspect of the present application provides a flexible display device, comprising: a flexible module and a movable module, the flexible module comprising a sliding support portion, the movable module comprising a slide rail; the sliding support portion comprising a first support member, the first support member sliding along a first direction within the slide rail to achieve a sliding connection between the flexible module and the movable module; wherein a friction member is provided on the contact surface between the first support member and the slide rail.

[0008] In an embodiment of the present application, the flexible module includes a sliding support portion, and the movable module includes a slide rail. The sliding support portion slides within the slide rail to achieve the expansion and folding of the flexible module. More specifically, the sliding support portion includes a first support member, and the first support member slides within the slide rail to achieve a sliding connection between the flexible module and the movable module. When the first support member slides within the slide rail, friction occurs between the first support member and the slide rail. By providing at least one friction member on the contact surface between the first support member and the slide rail, the surface-to-surface friction between the first support member and the slide rail can be converted into point-to-surface friction between the friction member and the first support member or between the friction member and the slide rail. This can reduce the sliding friction area and friction coefficient between the first support member and the slide rail, thereby reducing the sliding friction force between the first support member and the slide rail.

[0009] In a possible implementation manner, the friction member is made of a self-lubricating material.

[0010] In the embodiment of the present application, by making the material of the friction member a self-lubricating material, the friction between the first support member and the slide rail can be effectively reduced.

[0011] In a possible embodiment, the sliding support portion further includes a connecting member and a second supporting member, the connecting member connecting the first supporting member and the second supporting member; in the second direction, a size of the second supporting member is greater than or equal to 0.3 mm, and the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction.

[0012] In an embodiment of the present application, the sliding support portion also includes a connecting member and a second supporting member. The first supporting member is used for sliding connection with the sliding rail to realize the unfolding and rolling up of the flexible module; the connecting member is used to connect the first supporting member and the second supporting member; the second supporting member is a display area supporting member, which plays a supporting role.

[0013] In one possible embodiment, in the third direction, there are multiple friction members, and the spacing between each friction member is 0.1mm-1L; the slide rail has a first end away from the connecting member, and a second end close to the connecting member, and the distance between the friction member and the first end is 0-0.5L; L is the size of the first support member in the third direction, and the third direction is perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction.

[0014] In the embodiment of the present application, by setting the spacing between each of the multiple friction members to 0.1mm-1L, a suitable spacing is provided between each friction member, allowing the multiple friction members to act together on the first support member or the slide rail. Furthermore, by setting the distance between the friction member and the first end of the slide rail to 0-0.5L, that is, the distance between the friction member and the edge of the slide rail to 0-0.5L, the friction member is used to reduce the friction at the primary force-bearing point between the first support member and the slide rail, thereby more effectively reducing the friction between the two.

[0015] In a possible implementation manner, the friction member includes a first friction member and a second friction member; wherein the first friction member is disposed on the first support member, and the second friction member is disposed on the slide rail.

[0016] In the embodiment of the present application, by respectively arranging the first friction member and the second friction member on the first support member and the slide rail, the surface-to-surface friction between the first support member and the slide rail can be converted into point-to-surface friction. Such point-to-surface contact will reduce the friction coefficient of the contact surface between the two when the pressure remains unchanged; in addition, by making the friction member a self-lubricating material, the friction between the flexible module and the movable module can be more effectively reduced.

[0017] In a possible implementation manner, the first friction member and the second friction member are arranged at intervals.

[0018] In the embodiment of the present application, the first friction member is disposed on the first support member, and the second friction member is disposed on the slide rail. This means that when the first support member slides within the slide rail, both the first and second friction members can reduce friction. By spacing the first and second friction members, friction can be reduced while also improving the stability of the sliding support portion.

[0019] In a possible implementation manner, the shape of the friction member includes at least one of an arc, a rectangle, or a trapezoid.

[0020] In the embodiment of the present application, the friction member in an arc shape, a rectangular shape or a trapezoidal shape can play a role in reducing the friction between the flexible module and the movable module.

[0021] In a possible embodiment, when both the first friction member and the second friction member are protrusions, L1+L2>H; wherein L1 is the size of the first friction member in the second direction, L2 is the size of the second friction member in the second direction, and H is the distance between the first support member and the slide rail.

[0022] In the embodiment of the present application, when both the first friction member and the second friction member are protrusions, the first friction member acts on the slide rail during sliding, while the second friction member acts on the first support member during sliding. In the second direction, by ensuring that the sum of the dimensions of the first and second friction members is greater than or equal to the distance between the first support member and the slide rail, the first and second friction members can restrain each other during movement, and the first support member is less likely to derail within the track.

[0023] In a possible implementation manner, L1≠L2.

[0024] In the embodiment of the present application, under the premise of L1+L2>H, L1 is made greater than L2, and during the sliding process, there is only friction between the first friction part and the slide rail; L1 is made greater than L2, and during the sliding process, there is only friction between the first friction part and the slide rail. In the actual process, it can be set as needed to reduce the loss of a certain component.

[0025] In a possible embodiment, when the first friction part is a protrusion and the second friction part is a groove and is arranged opposite to the first friction part, L1>H; wherein, L1 is the size of the first friction part in the second direction, and H is the distance between the first support part and the slide rail.

[0026] In the embodiment of the present application, by providing a first friction member 161 on the first support member and a second friction member 162 on the slide rail, and by providing both the first and second friction members with self-lubricating materials, the surface friction between the first support member and the slide rail is converted into point-to-point friction between the first friction member and the slide rail, and point-to-point friction between the second friction member and the first support member. This reduces the friction coefficient between the contact surfaces, thereby reducing the friction force, while maintaining constant pressure. Furthermore, when the first friction member is a protrusion and the second friction member is a groove disposed opposite the first friction member, the sliding movement of the first support member within the slide rail can be converted into the sliding movement of the first friction member within the second friction member. Thus, when the flexible module is deployed and retracted, the second friction member, acting as a groove, can also serve as a limiter.

[0027] In a possible embodiment, when the second friction member is a protrusion and the first friction member is a groove and is arranged opposite to the second friction member, L2>H; wherein, L2 is the size of the second friction member in the second direction, and H is the distance between the first support member and the slide rail.

[0028] In an embodiment of the present application, when the second friction part is a protrusion and the first friction part is a groove and is arranged opposite to the second friction part, the sliding of the first support part in the slide rail can be converted into the sliding of the second friction part in the first friction part. Therefore, when the flexible module is unfolded and folded, not only can the friction between the flexible module and the movable module be reduced, but the first friction part as a groove can also play a limiting role.

[0029] In a possible embodiment, the first support member is cylindrical, and the circular thickening member is sleeved on the first support member to form the first friction member; wherein the diameter of the first support member is 0.3mm-5mm, and the diameter of the circular thickening member is 0.3mm-6mm.

[0030] In the embodiment of the present application, the first friction member is disposed on the first support member to convert the friction between the first support member and the slide rail into friction between the first friction member and the slide rail. By sleeve-mounting a circular thickened member on the first support member, the circular thickened member can function as a raised first friction member to achieve point-to-surface friction between the first friction member and the slide rail. This implementation is relatively simple and can be widely used in industry.

[0031] In a possible implementation, the second support member includes n second sub-support members, where n≥2, and the n second sub-support members are arranged along the second direction to form the second support member.

[0032] In an embodiment of the present application, without affecting the function of the second support member, multiple second sub-support members are jointly formed into a second support member to play a supporting role, that is, one support member is connected to multiple second sub-support members. This can not only reduce the stress during the movement, but also reduce the number of first support members and reduce the production cost of the sliding support part.

[0033] In a possible implementation manner, the interval between each of the second sub-support members may be equal to 0.1 mm.

[0034] In the embodiment of the present application, in order to reduce stress on the flexible module during sliding and lower production costs, multiple second sub-support members share a single first support member. By ensuring that the spacing between each second sub-support member is greater than or equal to 0.1 mm, collisions between the multiple second sub-support members during sliding can be avoided.

[0035] In one possible embodiment, the flexible module includes multiple rows of sliding support parts arranged along the second direction, each sliding support part includes multiple sliding units arranged along the third direction, and the sliding unit includes the first support member, the connecting member and the second support member; in the second direction, the sliding units are arranged in the middle of the sliding support part at intervals of m rows, and m≤2.

[0036] In the embodiment of the present application, by arranging the sliding units in alternate rows, the number of first support members can be reduced, thereby reducing the production cost of the sliding support portion and the entire flexible display device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the following is a brief introduction to the drawings required for use in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on the drawings without creative work.

[0038] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of a flexible module according to an embodiment of the related art;

[0039] FIG2 is a schematic diagram showing the operation of a flexible display device according to an embodiment of the related art;

[0040] FIG3 is a schematic diagram showing the operation of a flexible display device in a retracted state according to an embodiment of the related art;

[0041] FIG4 is a schematic diagram showing the operation of a flexible display device in an unfolded state according to an embodiment of the related art;

[0042] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of a flexible display device according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0043] FIG6 is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of a flexible display device according to another embodiment of the present application;

[0044] FIG7 is a partial enlarged view of a flexible display device according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0045] FIG8 is a partial enlarged view of a flexible display device according to another embodiment of the present application;

[0046] FIG9 is a partial enlarged view of a flexible display device according to another embodiment of the present application;

[0047] FIG10 is a partial enlarged view of a flexible display device according to another embodiment of the present application;

[0048] FIG11 is a partial enlarged view of a flexible display device according to another embodiment of the present application;

[0049] FIG12 is a schematic structural diagram of a sliding support portion according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0050] FIG13 is a schematic structural diagram of a sliding support portion according to another embodiment of the present application;

[0051] FIG14 is a partial structural diagram of a flexible module according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0052] Reference numerals:

[0053] 11-flexible module, 12-cover plate, 13-polarizer, 14-display component, 15-support component, 151-metal support layer, 152-planar support portion, 16-sliding support portion, 161-first support member, 121-slide rail, 162-friction member, 163-second support member, 164-connecting member, 1621-first friction member / circular thickening member, 1622-second friction member, 1631-second sub-support member;

[0054] X-first direction, Y-second direction, Z-third direction, A-sliding unit, B-compound sliding unit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0055] In order to make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of this application clearer, the implementation methods of this application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0056] The "ranges" disclosed herein are defined in terms of lower and upper limits. A given range is defined by selecting a lower limit and an upper limit, and the selected lower and upper limits define the boundaries of the specific range. Ranges defined in this manner are inclusive of the endpoints and can be combined arbitrarily, meaning that any lower limit can be combined with any upper limit to form a range. For example, if ranges of 60-120 and 80-110 are listed for a particular parameter, it is understood that ranges of 60-110 and 80-120 are also contemplated. Furthermore, if the minimum range values ​​listed are 1 and 2, and if the maximum range values ​​listed are 3, 4, and 5, then the following ranges are all contemplated: 1-3, 1-4, 1-5, 2-3, 2-4, and 2-5. In this application, unless otherwise specified, the numerical range "ab" is an abbreviation for any combination of real numbers between a and b, where a and b are both real numbers. For example, the numerical range "0-5" indicates that all real numbers between "0-5" have been listed herein, and "0-5" is simply an abbreviation for these numerical combinations. In addition, when a parameter is expressed as an integer ≥ 2, it is equivalent to disclosing that the parameter is, for example, an integer of 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, etc.

[0057] Unless otherwise specified, all embodiments and optional embodiments of the present application can be combined with each other to form a new technical solution.

[0058] Unless otherwise specified, all technical features and optional technical features of this application can be combined with each other to form a new technical solution.

[0059] The terms used in the following embodiments are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present application. As used in the specification of this application and the appended claims, the singular expressions "a", "an", "said", "above", "the" and "this" are intended to also include expressions such as "one or more", unless there is a clear contrary indication in the context. It should also be understood that in the following embodiments of the present application, "at least one", "one or more" refer to one, two or more. The term "and / or" is used to describe the association relationship of associated objects, indicating that three relationships can exist; for example, A and / or B can mean: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the previous and subsequent associated objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0060] References to "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "an example," or "some embodiments" in this specification mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in conjunction with that embodiment is included in one or more embodiments of the present application. Thus, phrases such as "in one embodiment," "in some embodiments," "in other embodiments," and "in other embodiments" appearing in various places in this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, but rather mean "one or more but not all embodiments," unless otherwise specifically emphasized. The terms "including," "comprising," "having," and variations thereof mean "including but not limited to," unless otherwise specifically emphasized.

[0061] The flexible display device provided in the embodiment of the present application is described in detail below through specific embodiments and application scenarios with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0062] The flexible display device includes a flexible module, a movable module, and a housing. The housing comprises a fixed housing and a rear housing. The flat surface of the flexible module is bonded to the fixed housing, which provides support. The movable module includes a slide rail, and the flexible module includes a support component positioned below the flexible module. The slide rail and support component are embedded in the flexible module, generating sliding friction with the flexible module to control the expansion and retraction of the flexible module.

[0063] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a flexible module according to an embodiment of the related art. As shown in Figure 1 , the flexible module 11 includes a cover plate 12 , a polarizer 13 , a display component 14 , and a support component 15 . The support component 15 includes a metal support layer 151 , a planar support portion 152 , and a sliding support portion 16 .

[0064] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of the operation of a flexible display device according to an embodiment of the related art. As shown in FIG2 , the sliding support portion 16 includes a first support member 161 , which can control the expansion and contraction of the flexible module 11 when sliding along the first direction X in the slide rail 121 .

[0065] The first direction X is a sliding direction of the first support member 161 .

[0066] FIG3 is a schematic diagram of the flexible display device in the retracted state according to an embodiment of the related art, and FIG4 is a schematic diagram of the flexible display device in the deployed state according to an embodiment of the related art. As shown in FIG3 and FIG4, when the flexible module 11 is retracted, the first support member 161 and the upper wall of the slide rail 121 slide and rub against each other; when the flexible module 11 is deployed, the first support member 161 and the lower wall of the slide rail 121 slide and rub against each other. In short, the flexible module 11 of the prior art will rub against the slide rail during movement, and the accumulated friction over time is very large, which imposes a significant thrust restriction on both the deployment and retraction of the flexible module 11.

[0067] In view of the above problems, an embodiment of the present application provides a flexible display device that can convert the surface friction between the flexible module and the movable part into point friction, thereby reducing the friction coefficient of the contact surface between the two, and thereby reducing the sliding friction force during the folding and unfolding of the flexible module.

[0068] As mentioned above, the flexible display device includes a flexible module 11, which includes a cover plate 12, a polarizer 13, a display component 14, and a support component 15. The support component 15 includes a metal support layer 151, a planar support component 152 and a sliding support part 16, and the sliding support part 16 includes a first support member 161; the movable module includes a slide rail 121.

[0069] In some embodiments, the thickness of the metal support layer 151 and the first support member 161 may be 100 μm to 500 μm, and the thickness of the planar support member 152 may be 200 μm to 1000 μm. The metal support layer 151, the planar support member 152, and the first support member 161 may all be made of high-strength materials such as stainless steel, titanium alloy, or carbon fiber.

[0070] Specifically, the thickness of the metal support member 151 can be 100μm, 150μm, 200μm, 300μm, 500μm or any value within the above range; the thickness of the first support member 161 can be 100μm, 200μm, 300μm, 400μm, 500μm or any value within the above range; the thickness of the planar support member 152 can be 200μm, 500μm, 800μm, 900μm, 1000μm or any value within the above range.

[0071] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a portion of the flexible display device according to one embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figure 5 , the first support member 161 slides within the slide rail 121 along the first direction X to achieve a sliding connection between the flexible module 11 and the movable module. A friction member 162 is provided on the contact surface between the first support member 161 and the slide rail 121.

[0072] It should be understood that the first support member 161 slides within the slide rail 121. Therefore, the contact surface created by the sliding movement between the first support member 161 and the slide rail 121 exists between the first support member 161 and the inner wall of the slide rail 121. Unless otherwise specified, references to the wall of the slide rail 121, the side wall of the slide rail 121, the upper arm of the slide rail 121, the lower wall of the slide rail 121, etc., below refer to the inner wall of the slide rail 121; and references to friction with the slide rail 121 refer to the friction generated with the inner wall of the slide rail 121.

[0073] The flexible module 11 includes a sliding support part 16, and the movable module includes a slide rail 121. The sliding support part 16 slides in the slide rail 121 to realize the expansion and folding of the flexible module 11; more specifically, the sliding support part 16 includes a first support member 161, and the first support member 161 slides in the slide rail 121 to realize the sliding connection between the flexible module 11 and the movable module.

[0074] In the above scheme, when the first support member 161 slides in the slide rail 121, there is friction between the first support member 161 and the slide rail 121. By setting a friction member 162 on the contact surface between the first support member 161 and the slide rail 121, the surface-to-surface friction between the first support member 161 and the slide rail 121 can be converted into point-to-surface friction between the friction member 162 and the first support member 161 or the friction member 161 and the slide rail 121. In this way, while ensuring that the pressure remains unchanged, the friction coefficient of the contact surface can be reduced, thereby reducing the friction force between the flexible module 11 and the movable module.

[0075] In some embodiments, the friction member 162 is made of a self-lubricating material.

[0076] Self-lubricating material refers to a material that can reduce friction loss between two contacting surfaces. When the first support member 161 slides within the slide rail 121, the self-lubricating friction member 162 provided on the contact surface between the two can generate a solid lubricating film, thereby reducing the friction between the first support member 161 and the slide rail 121.

[0077] The friction member 162 can be made of a self-lubricating material known in the industry, such as polyformaldehyde (POM) or polyetheretherketone (PEEK), or other materials, which are not specifically limited in this application. Furthermore, the friction member 162 can be processed by hot pressing, injection molding, or other processing methods, which are also not specifically limited in this application.

[0078] In the above solution, by making the friction member 162 a self-lubricating material, the friction between the first support member 161 and the slide rail 121 can be effectively reduced.

[0079] Figure 6 is a partial structural schematic diagram of a flexible display device according to another embodiment of the present application; in some embodiments, the sliding support portion 16 further includes a connecting member 164 and a second supporting member 163, the connecting member 164 connecting the first supporting member 161 and the second supporting member 163; in the second direction Y, the size of the second supporting member 163 is greater than or equal to 0.3 mm, and the second direction Y is perpendicular to the first direction X.

[0080] As mentioned above, the first direction X is the sliding direction of the first support member 161 in the slide rail 121. The second direction Y is the vertical direction of the sliding support portion 16.

[0081] As shown in Figure 6, the first support member 161, the connecting member 164 and the second support member 163 constitute the sliding support part 16, wherein the first support member 161 is mainly used for sliding connection with the slide rail 121 to realize the unfolding and rolling up of the flexible module 11; the connecting member 164 is used to connect the first support member 161 and the second support member 162; the second support member 163 is a display area support member, which plays a supporting role.

[0082] It should be understood that the dimension of the second support member 163 in the second direction Y must be no less than 0.3 mm, otherwise the second support member 163 cannot play a supporting role.

[0083] Specifically, in the second direction Y, the size of the second support member 163 can be 0.3 mm, 0.35 mm, 0.4 mm, 0.42 mm, 0.5 mm or any value within the above range.

[0084] In some embodiments, in the third direction Z, there are multiple friction members 162, and the spacing between each friction member 162 is 0.1mm-1L; the slide rail 121 has a first end away from the connecting member 164 and a second end close to the connecting member 164, and the distance between the friction member 162 and the first end is 0-0.5L; L is the size of the first support member 161 in the third direction Z, and the third direction Z is perpendicular to the first direction X and the second direction Y.

[0085] As described above, the first direction X is the sliding direction of the sliding support portion 16, the second direction Y is the vertical direction of the sliding support portion 16, and the third direction Z is the horizontal direction of the sliding support portion 16. The first direction X is perpendicular to the plane formed by the second direction Y and the third direction Z, the second direction Y is perpendicular to the plane formed by the first direction X and the third direction Z, and the third direction Z is perpendicular to the plane formed by the first direction X and the second direction Y.

[0086] Please refer to Figure 6. It should be understood that in the third direction Z, the sliding support portion 16 includes a plurality of sliding units A, each of which includes a first support member 161, a connecting member 164 and at least a portion of a second support member 163, and each of which moves within its corresponding slide rail 121.

[0087] The slide rail 121 has two ends, one of which is close to the connector 164 and can also be called the edge of the slide rail 121; the other end is away from the connector 164 and can also be called the inner side of the slide rail 121. The edge and inner side of the slide rail 121 represent the relative positions of each slide rail 121 and the connector 164 in its corresponding sliding unit A.

[0088] It should be understood that the sliding units A can be located at either end of the sliding support portion 16 or in the middle. When located only at both ends, the composition of the sliding support portion 16 is shown in FIG5 . When located at both ends and in the middle, the composition of the sliding support portion 16 is shown in FIG6 . In FIG6 , two sliding units A form a composite sliding unit B, which shares a common connector 164.

[0089] In the above solution, by setting the spacing between each of the multiple friction members 162 to 0.1 mm-1 L, a suitable spacing can be provided between each friction member 162, so that the multiple friction members 162 can act together on the first support member 161 or the slide rail 121. Furthermore, by setting the distance between the friction member 162 and the first end of the slide rail 121 to 0-0.5 L, that is, the distance between the friction member 162 and the edge of the slide rail 121 to 0-0.5 L, the friction member 162 is used to reduce the friction force at the main force-bearing point between the first support member 161 and the slide rail 121, thereby more effectively reducing the friction between the two.

[0090] Specifically, the interval between each friction member 162 can be any value between 0.1 mm and 1 L. The distance between the friction member 162 and the first end of the slide rail 121 can be 0, 0.1 L, 0.2 L, 0.3 L, 0.5 L or any value within the above range.

[0091] It should be understood that there may be only one friction member 162, which may be provided on the slide rail 121 or on the first support member 161. There may also be multiple friction members 162, which may be provided only on the first support member 161, only on the slide rail 121, or partially on the first support member 161 and partially on the slide rail 121.

[0092] 6 , in some embodiments, the friction member 162 includes a first friction member 1621 and a second friction member 1622 ; wherein the first friction member 1621 is disposed on the first support member 161 , and the second friction member 1622 is disposed on the slide rail 121 .

[0093] In the above scheme, by respectively arranging the first friction member 1621 and the second friction member 1622 on the first support member 161 and the slide rail 121, the surface-to-surface friction between the first support member 161 and the slide rail 121 can be converted into point-to-surface friction. Such point-to-surface contact will reduce the friction coefficient of the contact surface between the two when the pressure remains unchanged; in addition, by making the friction member 162 a self-lubricating material, the friction between the flexible module 11 and the movable module can be reduced.

[0094] As previously mentioned, when there are multiple friction members 162, the distance between each friction member 161 is 0.1 mm-1 L. In other words, the distance between a single first friction member 1621 and a single second friction member 1622, the distance between a single first friction member 1621 and a single first friction member 1621, and the distance between a single second friction member 1622 and a single second friction agent 1622 all need to be maintained at 0.1 mm-1 L.

[0095] In some embodiments, the first friction member 1621 and the second friction member 1622 are arranged at intervals.

[0096] The first friction members 1621 and the second friction members 1622 can be arranged in the following manner: first friction member 1621, second friction member 1622, first friction member 1621, second friction member 1622, ...; or they can be arranged in the following manner: first friction member 1621, first friction member 1621, second friction member 1622, first friction member 1621, first friction member 1621, second friction member 1622, .... The specific number of first friction members 1621 and second friction members 1622 spaced apart from each other is not specifically limited in this application.

[0097] In the above solution, the first friction member 1621 is provided on the first support member 161, and the second friction member 1622 is provided on the slide rail 121. That is, when the first support member 161 slides within the slide rail 121, both the first friction member 1621 and the second friction member 1622 can reduce friction. By arranging the first friction member 1621 and the second friction member 1622 at intervals, the stability of the sliding support portion 16 can be improved while reducing friction.

[0098] In some embodiments, the first friction members 1621 and the second friction members 1622 can also be arranged in a unilateral arrangement, that is, all the first friction members 1621 are arranged on the side close to the first end of the slide rail 121, and all the second friction members 1622 are arranged on the side close to the second end of the slide rail 121; or all the first friction members 1621 are arranged on the side close to the second end of the slide rail 121, and all the second friction members 1622 are arranged on the side close to the first end of the slide rail 121, and this application does not limit this.

[0099] In actual application, the number and specific arrangement of the first friction members 1621 and the second friction members 1622 can be actually set in combination with the overlapping length of the slide rail 121 and the first support member 161 .

[0100] In some embodiments, the shape of the at least one friction member 162 includes at least one of an arc, a rectangle, or a trapezoid.

[0101] As shown in FIG. 5 , the friction members 162 are all in an arc shape, but the friction members 162 may also be in other shapes, such as a rectangle or a trapezoid, which is not limited in the present application.

[0102] In the above solution, the friction member 162 in an arc shape, a rectangular shape or a trapezoidal shape can play a role in reducing the friction between the flexible module 11 and the movable module.

[0103] Figure 7 is a partially enlarged view of a flexible display device according to an embodiment of the present application. In some embodiments, when both the first friction member 1621 and the second friction member 1622 are protrusions, L1+L2>H; where L1 is the dimension of the first friction member 1621 in the second direction Y, L2 is the dimension of the second friction member 1622 in the second direction Y, and H is the distance between the first support member 161 and the slide rail 121.

[0104] As shown in FIG7 , the distance H between the first support member 161 and the slide rail 121 in the second direction Y refers to the distance H between the first support member 161 and the side of the slide rail 121 close to it. The distance H does not include the size of the first support member 161 in the second direction Y.

[0105] In the above embodiment, when both first friction member 1621 and second friction member 1622 are protrusions, first friction member 1621 acts on slide rail 121 during sliding, while second friction member 1622 acts on first support member 161 during sliding. In the second direction Y, by ensuring that the sum of the dimensions of first friction member 1621 and second friction member 1622 is greater than or equal to the distance H between first support member 161 and slide rail 121, first friction member 1621 and second friction member 1622 can restrain each other during movement, preventing first support member 161 from derailing within the track.

[0106] Fig. 8 is a partial enlarged view of a flexible display device according to another embodiment of the present application. As shown in Fig. 7 and Fig. 8 , L1≠L2.

[0107] It should be understood that L1≠L2 can mean that L1 is greater than L2 as shown in FIG. 7 , or L2 is greater than L1 as shown in FIG. 8 .

[0108] In the above scheme, under the premise of L1+L2>H, L1 is made greater than L2, and during the sliding process, there is only friction between the first friction member 1621 and the slide rail 121; L2 is made greater than L1, and during the sliding process, there is only friction between the first friction member 1621 and the slide rail 121. In the actual process, it can be set as needed to reduce the loss of a certain component.

[0109] Of course, if wear is not considered, L1 can also be equal to L2.

[0110] Figure 9 is a partially enlarged view of a flexible display device according to yet another embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figure 9 , when first friction member 1621 is a protrusion and second friction member 1622 is a groove and disposed opposite first friction member 1621, L1>H; where L1 is the dimension of first friction member 1621 in second direction Y, and H is the distance between first support member 1621 and slide rail 121.

[0111] The second friction member 1622 is disposed opposite to the first friction member 1621 , so that the first friction member 1621 , which is a projection, moves exactly in the second friction member 1622 , which is a groove.

[0112] In the above solution, by providing the first friction member 161 on the first support member 161 and the second friction member 162 on the slide rail 121, and by both the first friction member 161 and the second friction member 162 being made of self-lubricating materials, the surface friction between the first support member 161 and the slide rail 121 is converted into point-to-point friction between the first friction member 161 and the slide rail 121, and point-to-point friction between the second friction member 162 and the first support member 161. This reduces the friction coefficient between the contact surfaces, thereby reducing the friction force, while maintaining constant pressure. Furthermore, when the first friction member 1621 is a protrusion and the second friction member 1622 is a groove disposed opposite the first friction member 1621, the sliding movement of the first support member 161 within the slide rail 121 can be converted into the sliding movement of the first friction member 1621 within the second friction member 1622. Thus, when the flexible module 11 is deployed and retracted, the second friction member 1622, acting as a groove, can also serve as a limiter.

[0113] Figure 10 is a partially enlarged view of a flexible display device according to another embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figure 10 , in some embodiments, when the second friction member 1622 is a protrusion and the first friction member 1621 is a groove and is disposed opposite the second friction member 1622, L2>H; where L2 is the dimension of the second friction member in the second direction Y, and H is the distance between the first support member 161 and the slide rail 121.

[0114] The second friction member 1622 is disposed opposite to the first friction member 1621 , so that the second friction member 1622 , which is a projection, can move exactly in the first friction member 1621 , which is a groove.

[0115] In the above scheme, when the second friction member 1622 is a protrusion and the first friction member 1621 is a groove and is arranged opposite to the second friction member 1622, the sliding of the first support member 161 in the slide rail 121 can be converted into the sliding of the second friction member 1622 in the first friction member 1621. Therefore, when the flexible module 11 is unfolded and folded, not only can the friction between the flexible module 11 and the movable module be reduced, but the first friction member 1621 as a groove can also play a limiting role.

[0116] Figure 11 is a partially enlarged view of another embodiment of the flexible display device of the present application. As shown in Figure 11, in some embodiments, the first support member 161 is cylindrical, and a circular thickening member sleeve 1621 is provided on the first support member 161 to form a first friction member 1621; wherein the diameter of the first support member 161 is 0.3 mm to 5 mm, and the diameter of the circular thickening member is 0.3 mm to 6 mm.

[0117] Figure 11 is a partial front view of the flexible display device. First support member 161 is cylindrical, meaning that the left side view of first support member 161 is circular. Circular thickening member 1621 is sleeved onto first support member 161. This means that circular thickening member 1621 and first support member 161 are two circles with different radii, sharing the same center, and are therefore concentric. Circular thickening member sleeves 1621 onto first support member 161, meaning that the radius of circular thickening member 1621 must be greater than that of first support member 161. This ensures that circular thickening member 1621 can be positioned on first support member 161.

[0118] It should be understood that, in consideration of tolerances during production, the left side view of the first support member 161 is circular or approximately circular; similarly, the circular thickening member 1621 and the first support member 161 can also be approximately concentric circles. Alternatively, the thickening member and the first support member 161 can be concentric ellipses or other shapes.

[0119] In the above solution, the first friction member 1621 is provided on the first support member 161 to convert the friction between the first support member 161 and the slide rail 121 into friction between the first friction member 1621 and the slide rail 121. By sleeve-mounting the circular thickened member 1621 on the first support member 161, that is, the circular thickened member 1621 can serve as a raised first friction member 1621, thereby achieving point-surface friction between the first friction member 1621 and the slide rail 121. This implementation is relatively simple and can be widely used in industry.

[0120] Specifically, the diameter of the first support member 161 can be 0.3mm, 0.8mm, 1.2mm, 2.6mm, 5mm or any value within the above range; the diameter of the circular thickening member can be 0.31mm, 0.9mm, 2mm, 5mm, 6mm or any value within the above range.

[0121] In some embodiments, the second support member 163 includes n second sub-support members 1631 , where n≧2, and the n second sub-support members 1631 are arranged along the second direction Y to form the second support member 163 .

[0122] FIG12 is a schematic structural diagram of a sliding support portion according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG12 , when n is equal to 2, the second support member 163 includes two second sub-support members 1631 , which are arranged along the second direction Y to form the second support member 163 .

[0123] FIG13 is a schematic structural diagram of a sliding support portion according to another embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG13 , when n is equal to 3, the second support member 163 includes three second sub-support members 1631 , which are arranged along the second direction Y to form the second support member 163 .

[0124] In the above scheme, without affecting the function of the second support member 163, multiple second sub-support members 1631 are jointly formed into a second support member 163 to play a supporting role, that is, one support member 161 is connected to multiple second sub-support members 1631, which can not only reduce the stress during the movement; but also reduce the number of first support members 161 and reduce the production cost of the sliding support part 16.

[0125] It should be understood that the second sub-support member 1631 also plays a supporting role, and its dimension in the second direction Y must also be greater than or equal to 0.3 mm. Specifically, the dimension of the second sub-support member 1631 in the second direction Y can be 0.3 mm, 0.4 mm, 0.45 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.6 mm, or any value within the above range.

[0126] In some embodiments, the interval between each second sub-support member 1631 is greater than or equal to 0.1 mm.

[0127] In the above solution, to reduce stress on the flexible module 11 during sliding and lower production costs, multiple second sub-support members 1631 share one first support member 161. By ensuring that the spacing between each second sub-support member 1631 is greater than 0.1 mm, collisions between the multiple second sub-support members 1631 during sliding can be avoided.

[0128] Specifically, the interval between each second sub-support member 1631 can be 0.1 mm, 0.13 mm, 0.15 mm, 0.18 mm, 0.21 mm or any value within the above range.

[0129] Figure 14 is a partial structural diagram of a flexible module according to one embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figure 14 , in some embodiments, the flexible module includes multiple rows of sliding support portions 16 arranged along a second direction Y. Each sliding support portion 16 includes multiple sliding units A arranged along a third direction Z. Each sliding unit A includes a first support member 161, a connector 164, and a second support member 163. In the second direction Y, the sliding units A are arranged in rows spaced m apart in the middle of the sliding support portion 16, where m ≤ 2.

[0130] As described above, the sliding support portion 16 includes a sliding unit A, which is provided at both ends or in the middle of the sliding support portion 16. It should be understood that the two ends of the sliding support portion 16 refer to the two end points in the third direction Y, and other than these two end points, the rest are referred to as the middle of the sliding support portion 16.

[0131] A sliding unit A is set in the middle of the sliding support part 16, which can be set at intervals of one row or two rows as shown in Figure 14; if the process allows and does not affect the normal use of the flexible module, it can also be set at intervals of multiple rows. This application does not make any special restrictions on this.

[0132] In the above solution, by arranging the sliding units in alternate rows, the number of the first support members 161 can be reduced, thereby reducing the production cost of the sliding support portion 16 and the entire flexible display device.

[0133] It should be noted that the present application is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments. The above-mentioned embodiments are merely examples, and any embodiments having substantially the same structure and effect as the technical concept within the scope of the present application are all included in the technical scope of the present application. In addition, without departing from the scope of the present application, any other embodiments that can be conceived by those skilled in the art and that combine some of the constituent elements in the embodiments are also included in the scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A flexible display device, comprising: A flexible module and a movable module, wherein the flexible module comprises a sliding support portion, and the movable module comprises a slide rail; The sliding support portion comprises a first support member, and the first support member slides in the slide rail along a first direction to achieve a sliding connection between the flexible module and the movable module; Wherein, a friction member is arranged on the contact surface between the first supporting member and the slide rail. 2 . The flexible display device according to claim 1 , wherein the friction member is made of a self-lubricating material.

3. The flexible display device according to claim 1, wherein the sliding support portion further comprises a connecting member and a second supporting member, wherein the connecting member connects the first supporting member and the second supporting member; In a second direction, a size of the second support member is greater than or equal to 0.3 mm, and the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction.

4. The flexible display device according to claim 3, wherein in the third direction, there are a plurality of friction members, and the spacing between each friction member is 0.1 mm-1L; The slide rail has a first end away from the connecting member and a second end close to the connecting member, and the distance between the friction member and the first end is 0-0.5L; The L is a dimension of the first support member in the third direction, and the third direction is perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction.

5. The flexible display device according to claim 4, wherein the friction member comprises a first friction member and a second friction member; in, The first friction member is arranged on the first supporting member, and the second friction member is arranged on the slide rail. 6 . The flexible display device according to claim 5 , wherein the first friction member and the second friction member are arranged at intervals. 7 . The flexible display device according to claim 1 , wherein the friction member has a shape of at least one of an arc, a rectangle, or a trapezoid.

8. The flexible display device according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the first friction member and the second friction member are both protrusions, and L1+L2>H; in, The L1 is the size of the first friction member in the second direction, the L2 is the size of the second friction member in the second direction, and the H is the distance between the first support member and the slide rail. 9 . The flexible display device according to claim 8 , wherein L1 ≠ L2 .

10. The flexible display device according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the first friction member is a protrusion, the second friction member is a groove, and is arranged opposite to the first friction member, and L1>H; in, The L1 is the size of the first friction member in the second direction, and the H is the distance between the first support member and the slide rail.

11. The flexible display device according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the second friction member is a protrusion, the first friction member is a groove, and is arranged opposite to the second friction member, and L2>H; in, The L2 is the size of the second friction member in the second direction, and the H is the distance between the first support member and the slide rail.

12. The flexible display device according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the first support member is cylindrical, and the circular thickening member is sleeved on the first support member to form the first friction member; in, The diameter of the first support member is 0.3 mm-5 mm, and the diameter of the circular thickening member is 0.3 mm-6 mm. 13 . The flexible display device according to claim 5 , wherein the second support member comprises n second sub-support members, where n≥2, and the n second sub-support members are arranged along the second direction to form the second support member. 14 . The flexible display device according to claim 13 , wherein the interval between each of the second sub-support members is greater than or equal to 0.1 mm.

15. The flexible display device according to any one of claims 4 to 6, The flexible module includes a plurality of rows of the sliding support parts arranged along the second direction, each of the sliding support parts includes a plurality of the sliding units arranged along the third direction, and the sliding units include the first support member, the connecting member and the second support member; In the second direction, the sliding units are arranged in m rows at intervals in the middle of the sliding support portion, where m≤2.

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