Flexible display apparatus

Provided is a flexible display apparatus that includes: a flexible display apparatus including: a flexible display panel; a housing including an opening through which the flexible display panel enters and exits the housing; a cylinder disposed within the housing to coil and uncoil the flexible display panel; and a stretcher that selectively extends from the opening to support the flexible display panel, such that the flexible display panel is substantially planar when the flexible display panel is extended outside of the housing.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority from and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2011-0013362, filed on Feb. 15, 2011, which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes as if fully set forth herein.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to a flexible display apparatus.

2. Discussion of the Background

Displays constitute an important part of various electronic devices and have been miniaturized for used in portable electronic devices. However, even the miniaturization of electronic devices has failed to satisfy a variety of demands. Thus, the research and development is of flexible displays that can be rolled or folded is currently being conducted.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure provides a flexible display apparatus that includes a flexible display panel that may be easily rolled and unrolled.

Embodiments of the inventive concept provide a flexible display apparatus including: a flexible display panel; a housing including an opening through which the flexible display panel enters and exits the housing; a cylinder disposed within the housing to coil and uncoil the flexible display panel; and a stretcher that selectively extends from the opening to support the flexible display panel, such that the flexible display panel is substantially planar when the flexible display panel is extended outside of the housing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

In the following description, the technical terms are used only for explaining specific embodiments while not limiting the present invention. The terms of a singular form may include plural forms unless referred to the contrary. The meaning of “comprise” or “comprising” specifies a property, a region, a fixed number, a step, a process, an element and/or a component but does not exclude other properties, regions, fixed numbers, steps, processes, elements and/or components.

FIGS. 1 and 2are perspective views illustrating a flexible display apparatus100, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.FIGS. 3 and 4are side views illustrating the flexible display apparatus100ofFIGS. 1 and 2.FIGS. 5 and 6are detailed perspective views illustrating a stretcher, a bender, and a slider of the flexible display apparatus100ofFIG. 1.

Referring toFIGS. 1 through 6, the flexible display apparatus100includes a stretcher50to stretch a flexible display panel10in a straight line, at an entrance32of a protective cover30. The stretcher50may be extended at the entrance32when the flexible display panel10is unrolled from a cylinder20. When the stretcher50is retracted, the flexible display panel10may be rolled around the cylinder20and disposed within the protective cover30. The flexible display panel10may be unrolled out of the protective cover30. Therefore, the flexible display apparatus100improves the portability and convenience of the flexible display panel10.

The flexible display panel10may be rolled around an outer surface of the cylinder20. The flexible display panel10may include a plastic liquid crystal display panel or an organic electroluminescence display panel. Although not illustrated herein, the flexible display panel10may include a matrix of pixels that include thin film transistors, and a driving circuit to drive the pixels. The flexible display panel10may display a static or dynamic image.

The flexible display panel10may be rolled around the cylinder20, so as to be stored in the protective cover30. According to some embodiments, the cylinder20may be a substantially cylindrical roller. The cylinder20may receive a turning force from a spiral spring24fixed to a shaft22inside the cylinder20. The spiral spring24may be rolled around or unrolled from the shaft22, when the cylinder20rotates. The shaft22may be fixed to a sidewall32of the protective cover30. The spiral spring24and the flexible display panel10may be coiled in the same direction around the shaft22and the cylinder20, respectively. The spiral spring24and the flexible display panel10may be coiled around the shaft22in opposite directions. When the flexible display panel10is coiled around the cylinder20, the spiral spring24may be partially uncoiled from the shaft22. When the flexible display panel10is uncoiled from the cylinder20and extended out of the protective cover30, the spiral spring24may be coiled around the shaft22. Therefore, the spiral spring24may provide a restoring force, by which the flexible display panel10is coiled around the cylinder20and pulled into the protective cover30.

The protective cover30may cover the flexible display panel10when the flexible display panel10is coiled around the cylinder20. The protective cover30may protect the flexible display panel10and may be referred to as a housing. The protective cover30may be generally tubular and includes an entrance (opening)32. The protective cover30may be included in the housing of a personal digital assistant. The flexible display panel10may be inserted into the protective cover30through the entrance32. In addition, the flexible display panel10may be pulled out of the protective cover30through the entrance32, when a user pulls a handle40away from the protective cover30. The handle40may be fixed to an edge of the display panel10. The sidewall32of the protective cover30may secure the shaft22and separate the cylinder20from the shaft22. The cylinder20may be concentric with the shaft22. In addition, the sidewall32may prevent the spiral spring24and the flexible display panel10from deviating laterally with respect to the rotational direction of the cylinder20.

The stretcher50may support the flexible display panel10in a planar fashion, when the flexible display panel10is disposed outside of the protective cover30. The stretcher50may include first, second, third, and fourth sliding brackets52,54,56, and58that extend and retract with respect to the protective cover30. The first to fourth sliding brackets52,54,56, and58may have U-shaped frames that have partially opened upper surfaces and may have gradually increasing diameters. The first to fourth sliding brackets52,54,56, and58may extend or retract sequentially (telescopically).

The first to fourth sliding brackets52,54,56, and58may have first teeth51on the upper surfaces thereof. The first teeth51may engage with second teeth61of the bender60. The first teeth51and the second teeth61may be coupled with each other outside the protective cover30. The first teeth51and the second teeth61may flatly fix the flexible display panel10in a direction horizontal to the stretcher50. In addition, the first teeth51, the second teeth61, and a slider70may form a zipper or a slide fastener.

The bender60may be fixed to at least one edge of the flexible display panel10. The bender60may cover the edge of the flexible display panel10. The flexibility of the bender60may be similar to the flexibility of the flexible display panel10. The bender60may include a plastic bending bar. The bender60may have V-shaped grooves62disposed along a first surface thereof that faces the cylinder20. The second teeth61may be disposed on an opposing second surface of the bender60.

The slider70facilitates the coupling of the bender60and the stretcher50, when the flexible display panel10is extended out of the protective cover30. The slider70may separate the bender60from the stretcher50when the flexible display panel10is inserted into the protective cover30. Upper and lower bodies of the slider70may engage the first and second teeth51and61with each other, by positioning the stretcher50and the bender60firmly together. The slider70may include a wedge74disposed between upper and lower portions of is the slider body72, to separate the first teeth51from the second teeth61. The upper and lower surfaces of the wedge74may converge where the stretcher50and the bender60are coupled with each other. The lower surface of the wedge74may be parallel to the stretcher50, and the upper surface of the wedge74may be inclined.

End caps80may be disposed on opposing sides of the handle40, covering ends of the stretcher50and the bender60. The end caps80may prevent the ends of the stretcher50and the bender60from separating from each other outside the protective cover30. When the flexible display panel10is rolled around the cylinder20, the end cap80may stop the ends of the stretcher50and the bender60at the slider70. Therefore, the end cap80may prevent the flexible display panel10from separating from the handle40.

The stretcher50may support the flexible display panel10, such that the flexible display panel10is flat when extended out of the protective cover30. The stretcher50and the bender60may be coupled with each other outside the protective cover30, and separated from each other inside the protective cover30. The slider70may couple the stretcher50with the bender60and separate the stretcher50from the bender60. In the protective cover30, the flexible display panel10and the bender60may be rolled around the cylinder20. Therefore, the stretcher50and the bender60may facilitate the rolling and unrolling of the flexible display panel10.

According to various embodiments, the stretcher may support the flexible display panel outside the protective cover, when the flexible display panel is unrolled from the cylinder in the protective cover. Therefore, the flexible display apparatus may facilitate the rolling and unrolling of the flexible display panel.