Flexible Display Bottom Plate Grooves for Low-Visibility Folding

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing flexible display devices suffer from a visible opening pattern in the folding area, which deteriorates the appearance quality.

Innovation Solution

A flexible display device with grooves in the bottom plate and nano helix structures in the grooves to disperse folding stress, minimizing pattern visibility.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If an opening pattern is formed in the bottom plate to ensure folding characteristics, then foldability is improved, but the pattern becomes visible to users which deteriorates appearance quality

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovefoldabilityVSAvoidappearance quality

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from a two-dimensional opening pattern to a three-dimensional groove structure with depth. The grooves extend vertically into the bottom plate, creating a volumetric feature that disperses stress in multiple dimensions while presenting a minimal visible profile when viewed from above, thus resolving the contradiction between foldability and appearance quality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The bottom plate incorporates a groove pattern that creates a porous or hollow structural configuration. These grooves form a network of voids within the bottom plate material, allowing stress to distribute through the three-dimensional porous structure during folding, thereby maintaining foldability while the grooves remain visually imperceptible from the exterior

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

2Shape

If the bottom plate structure is modified to improve appearance quality, then visibility of the pattern is reduced, but folding stress relief may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveappearance qualityVSAvoidfolding stress relief

Core Design Contradiction:

ShapeVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The groove structures are nested within the bottom plate thickness, creating hidden internal features. The grooves are positioned and dimensioned so that they extend into the bottom plate but do not penetrate through to the visible surface, effectively nesting the stress-relief functionality within the bulk material where it remains invisible from the outside while still providing folding stress relief

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Data Source

PatentUS12532654B2Flexible display device

Publication Date: 2026.01.20 LG DISPLAY CO LTD

AI summary

The present disclosure relates to a flexible display device, and according to an aspect of the present disclosure, a flexible display device includes a display panel including a folding area and a non-folding area; a back plate which is disposed below the display panel and supports the display panel; and a bottom plate which is disposed below the back plate and includes a plurality of grooves so as to correspond to the folding area, and a plurality of nano helix structures disposed so as to correspond to the plurality of grooves. Therefore, the flexible display device forms a groove pattern in the bottom plate, and includes a nano helix structure in each of the plurality of grooves, to effectively relieve the folding stress and reduce the visibility of the pattern, finally an appearance quality may be improved.