Patent ID: 12253886

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

To make the objective, technical solution and advantages of embodiments of the present disclosure clear, a detailed description of the embodiments of the present disclosure will be given hereinafter in conjunction with the appended drawings. It is to be understood that the described embodiments are some, rather than all, of the embodiments of the disclosure. Based on the embodiments of the present disclosure, all other embodiments that would be readily conceived by one of ordinary skill in the art fall within the scope of the present disclosure.

In describing the present disclosure, It is to be noted that the terms “central”, “upper”, “lower”, “left”, “right”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, “inner”, “outer”, and the like indicate orientations or position relationships based on the orientations or position relationships shown in the figures for the purpose of facilitating and simplifying description of the present disclosure, and such terms do not indicate or imply that the referenced devices or elements must have the particular orientation, be constructed and operated in the particular orientation, and thus such terms should not be construed as limiting the present disclosure. Furthermore, the terms “first”, “second”, and “third” are used for the purpose of illustration only, and are not to be interpreted as indicating or implying relative importance.

FIG.1is a schematic diagram showing a flexible display screen2in the related art, a tail end of the screen tilts up to contact with a housing1.FIG.12is a schematic diagram showing a flexible display screen in a rolled state by sliding and rolling; andFIG.13is a schematic diagram showing a flexible display screen in an unrolled state by sliding and rolling, and in the unrolled state, the flexible display screen is exposed for displaying. Since the flexible display screen2rubs against the housing1, issues such as scratch and the like may arise.

Referring toFIGS.2to11, to address the above issues, the present embodiment provides a flexible display device, including: a housing1, a flexible display screen2, a support member6, and a sliding-roller3. The support member6is located between the flexible display screen and the sliding-roller3, and is configured for driving the flexible display screen2to be rolled up on the sliding-roller3, and the rotatable sliding-roller3is arranged in the housing1, The flexible display device further includes a limiting structure provided between the support member6and the housing1, the limiting structure is configured for maintaining a gap between the flexible display screen2and the housing1.

With the arrangement of the limiting structure, the gap is always maintained between the flexible display screen2and the housing1during the sliding and rolling process, so as to avoid a contact between the flexible display screen2and the housing1, thereby preventing issues such as scratch caused by the contact between the flexible display screen2and the housing1.

As shown inFIGS.2-8, in an exemplary embodiment, the limiting structure includes at least one rigid track4arranged at a side of the support member6away from the flexible display screen2, the rigid track4is wound around the sliding-roller3to be in a U-shaped structure, and two opposite ends411and412of the rigid track4are fixed to the housing1.

In an axial direction of the sliding-roller3, the flexible display screen2has a certain length, and two ends of the flexible display screen2in the axial direction of the sliding-roller3are slidably connected to the housing1, and there is no fixed connection in the middle region, thereby facilitating the sliding and rolling motion. In this case, when the flexible display screen2performs the sliding and rolling motion around the sliding-roller3, and a part of the flexible display screen2slides and rolls below the sliding-roller3(namely, a backlight side of the display region of the flexible display screen2), a tail end of the flexible display screen2will tilt up due to a rebound force, especially in a local area in the axial direction of the sliding-roller3. With the arrangement of the rigid track4, a force (namely, a force perpendicular to a display surface203of the flexible display screen) is applied to the flexible display screen2in a direction parallel to the light outputting direction of the flexible display screen2, so as to prevent the flexible display screen2from being tilted up in a direction facing the housing, so that the flexible display screen can remain flat, and the flexible display screen2is prevented from being contacted with the housing1.

It is to be noted that, the flexible display device includes a fixed portion and a retractable portion, the retractable portion can be stretched out or retracted in with respect to the fixed portion, the sliding-roller3and the rigid track4are located at the retractable portion, the rigid track4is slidable with the sliding of the sliding-roller3, i.e. the rigid track4is retractable in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the sliding-roller3.

In an exemplary embodiment, in a rolling-up direction (referring to the direction X inFIG.2) of the flexible display screen2, the flexible display screen2includes a first end211adjacent to the sliding-roller3, and when the flexible display screen2is in a rolled-up state, an orthographic projection of the first end211onto the rigid track4is located in the rigid track4.

The rigid track4functions as supporting the flexible display screen2, maintaining the flatness of the flexible display screen2, and ensuring a gap between the flexible display screen2and the housing1during the sliding and rolling process. The part of the flexible display screen2which may be easily tilted up includes the first end, and therefore the first end of the flexible display screen2needs to be supported by the rigid track4, an orthographic projection of the first end onto the rigid track4is located in the rigid track4, for example, an end face of the first end is flush with a corresponding end face of the rigid track4, or an end face of the first end is located at a side of the corresponding end face of the rigid track4facing the sliding-roller3, namely, the orthographic projection of the first end onto the rigid track4is located inside the rigid track4.

In an exemplary embodiment, in a direction parallel to the axial direction of the sliding-roller3, at least one rigid track4is arranged at intervals in a middle region of the flexible display screen2.

Since opposite sides of the flexible display screen2are slidingly connected to the housing1in a direction parallel to the axial direction of the sliding-roller3, but the middle region is not supported, the middle region is a region prone to tilting-up, and the provision of the rigid track4in this region can effectively prevent the flexible display screen from tilting up, thereby preventing the flexible display screen2from contacting with the housing1.

The middle region may refer to a region represented by a dotted rectangle inFIG.3, but the disclosure is not limiting thereto. Two opposite sides of the flexible display screen2are slidably connected to the housing1, and it can be considered that a region between the two sides fixed to the housing1is the middle region.

It is to be noted that, the number of the rigid tracks4may be set according to the actual need.

It is to be noted that, when the number of the rigid tracks4is at least two, a distance between two adjacent rigid tracks4may be set according to the actual need.

It is to be noted that, the width of the rigid track4in the direction parallel to the axial direction of the sliding-roller3may be set according to actual needs, and when the number of the rigid track4is at least two, in the direction parallel to the axial direction of the sliding-roller3, the at least two rigid tracks4may have identical widths, or may have different widths, or parts of the tracks may have identical widths.

In an embodiment, the flexible display screen2includes a first region, and the width of the rigid track4is greater than or equal to the width of the first region in the direction parallel to the axial direction of the sliding-roller3, but the disclosure is not limited thereto.

In an exemplary embodiment, in an extending direction of the rigid track4, a plurality of connecting structures5for connecting the rigid track4are provided at intervals on the support member6.

The rigid track4functions as supporting the flexible display screen2, but in order to ensure the supporting performance thereof, the rigid track4may perform sliding only motion (performing a retractable movement in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the sliding-roller3), and cannot perform sliding and rolling motion, while the flexible display screen2needs to perform the sliding and rolling motion around the sliding-roller3, and therefore the connecting structure5functions as connecting the rigid track4with the flexible display screen2, as well as ensuring that the flexible display screen2can perform relative movement with respect to the rigid track4.

Reference is made toFIG.6,FIG.6is a schematic cross-sectional view in a second direction, the second direction is perpendicular to the display surface203of the flexible display screen and perpendicular to the extending direction of the rigid track. In an exemplary embodiment, the connecting structure5includes two L-shaped connecting members arranged opposite to each other in a first direction, the L-shaped connecting member includes a first connecting rod51connected to the support member6and a second connecting rod52perpendicularly connected to the first connecting rod51. The first direction is parallel to the axial direction of the sliding-roller3, an extending direction of the first connecting rod51is parallel to the light outputting direction of the flexible display screen2(namely, the extending direction of the first connecting rod51is perpendicular to the display surface203of the flexible display screen2), an extending direction of the second connecting rod52is parallel to the axial direction of the sliding-roller3:

The rigid track4has a cross section of an H-shape rotated by 90 degrees in the direction parallel to the light outputting direction of the flexible display screen2(namely, in the direction perpendicular to the display surface203of the flexible display screen), and the rigid track4includes a first connecting plate41and a second connecting plate42opposite to each other, and includes a supporting plate43connected between the first connecting plate41and the second connecting plate42, the first connecting plate41is inserted between the two L-shaped connecting members.

Illustratively, a gap is provided between the second connecting rod52and the supporting plate43to ensure that the flexible display screen2can slide relative to the rigid track4.

Illustratively, in a direction perpendicular to the flexible display screen2, the width of the second connecting rod52(in an example where the second connecting rod52is cylindrical, the width is the diameter of the second connecting rod52) is smaller than the length of the supporting plate43, ensuring that the second connecting rod52can move in a space formed by the first connecting plate41, the second connecting plate42and the supporting plate43.

Illustratively, the thickness of the first connecting plate41is smaller than the length of the first connection rod51in the direction perpendicular to the flexible display screen2, thereby reducing the contact area between the flexible display screen2and the rigid track4.

The rigid track4is not limited to the H-shaped structure, and in an embodiment, the rigid track4may be a stripe structure extending through the two L-shaped connecting members in its entirety.

Reference is made toFIG.7,FIG.7is a schematic cross-sectional view in the second direction which is perpendicular to the display surface203of the flexible display screen and perpendicular to the extending direction of the rigid track. In an exemplary embodiment, the connecting structure5includes an inverted T-shaped structure formed by connecting a third connecting rod53to a fourth connecting rod54, one end of the third connecting rod53is connected to the support member6, the other end of the third connecting rod53is connected to a middle part of the fourth connecting rod54, an extending direction of the third connecting rod53is parallel to the light outputting direction of the flexible display screen2(namely, the extending direction of the third connecting rod53is perpendicular to the display surface203of the flexible display screen2), and an extending direction of the fourth connecting rod54is parallel to the extending direction of the sliding-roller3.

The rigid track4is provided with a stripe-shaped recess44extending in the extending direction of the rigid track4, an opening431of the stripe-shaped groove44is provided on a connecting surface of the rigid track4which is adjacent to the support member6, the opening431is a stripe-shaped opening extending in the extending direction of the rigid track4and penetrating through the rigid track4, and the width of the opening431in the extending direction perpendicular to the rigid track4is less than the length of the fourth connecting rod54.

The T-shaped structure extends through the stripe-shaped groove44, and the maximum width of the third connecting rod53is smaller than the width of the opening in the direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the stripe-shaped groove44, ensuring free sliding of the connecting structure5.

In a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the stripe-shaped groove44(and parallel to the direction of the flexible display screen2), the length of the fourth connecting rod54is smaller than the distance between opposite inner walls of the stripe-shaped groove44.

In the direction perpendicular to the flexible display screen2, the maximum width of the fourth connecting rod54is smaller than the depth of the stripe-shaped groove44.

Reference is made toFIG.8,FIG.8is a schematic cross-sectional view in the second direction which is perpendicular to the display surface203of the flexible display screen and perpendicular to the extending direction of the rigid track. In an exemplary embodiment, the connecting structure5includes two fifth connecting rods55arranged opposite to each other and parallel with each other, the fifth connecting rods55are arranged parallel to the light outputting direction of the flexible display screen2(namely, the fifth connecting rods55are arranged perpendicular to the display surface203of the flexible display screen2), and a rotatable connecting shaft56is connected between the two fifth connecting rods55.

The rigid track4extends between the connecting shaft56and the support member6.

The arrangement of the connecting shaft56reduces friction when the flexible display screen2is moving in relative to the rigid track4.

In an exemplary embodiment, in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the sliding-roller3, the support member6includes a plurality of supporting bars61arranged at intervals, an extending direction of the supporting bars61is parallel to the axial direction of the sliding-roller3, and at least part of the supporting bars61are provided with the connecting structure5.

In the embodiment shown inFIGS.4and5(FIG.5is an enlarged view of the region indicated by the dashed rectangle inFIG.4), the connecting structure5is provided on each of the supporting bars61, but the disclosure is not limited thereto.

Illustratively, in the direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the sliding-roller3, the number of the supporting bars between two adjacent connecting structures5may be set according to actual needs, and may be 0, 1 or more than one, and the number of the supporting bars between different two adjacent connecting structures5may be the same in order to make the force is uniformly applied to the rigid track uniformly.

In an exemplary embodiment, the connecting structure5and the supporting bar61are in a one-piece structure. The connecting structure5and the supporting bar are formed in a single manufacturing procedure, thereby simplifying the process.

In an exemplary embodiment, an elongated clamping groove32matching with the supporting bar61is provided on an outer circumference surface of the sliding-roller3, and at least one notch31which is one-to-one correspondence to the rigid track4is arranged on each elongated clamping groove32to receive the rigid track4, referring toFIG.4.

The elongated clamping grooves are one-to-one correspondence to elongated protrusions, so as to drive the flexible display screen2to slide and roll with the sliding-roller3, and the arrangement of the notch31serves the function of avoiding.

In an exemplary embodiment, the support member6is connected to the flexible display screen2by an optical adhesive layer62.

As shown inFIGS.9, in an exemplary embodiment, the limiting structure includes a first magnetic structure and a second magnetic structure with same magnetic polarity, the first magnetic structure is arranged at a side of the support member6away from the flexible display screen2, and the second magnetic structure7is arranged on the housing1.

By the arrangement of the first magnetic structure and the second magnetic structure7, the distance between the flexible display screen2and the housing1can be maintained, thereby avoiding the contact between the flexible display screen2and the housing1by using the repulsive force due to the same magnetic polarity.

In an exemplary embodiment, the support member6is reused as the first magnetic structure.

The support member6may be made of a metal having a predetermined magnetic polarity (the same magnetic polarity as that of the second magnetic structure), so that the structure can be simplified.

Referring toFIGS.10,12and13,FIG.12shows a flexible display device in a rolled-up state, andFIG.13shows a flexible display device in an unrolled state. In an exemplary embodiment, the flexible display screen2includes a display region201and a non-display region202, the non-display region202is wound on the sliding-roller3, the display region20can be stretched out or retracted in when being driven by the sliding-roller3. In the rolled-up state, a part of the display region slides and rolls into the housing1, and in the unrolled state, all of the display region201slides and rolls to a display side for displaying. One side of the support member6away from the flexible display screen2includes a first region corresponding to the display region201, a supporting portion8is provided on the first region, and the supporting portion8is provided with a third magnetic structure81with a magnetic polarity opposite to that of the first magnetic structure.

With the arrangement of the third magnetic structure81and the first magnetic structure, the supporting portion8can be closely attached to the flexible display screen2, thereby ensuring the flatness of the flexible display screen2.

Illustratively, the supporting portion8includes a plurality of sub-supporting portions arranged at intervals, and the plurality of sub-supporting portions are arranged in a comb shape, but the disclosure is not limited thereto.

Reference is made toFIG.11, which shows a structural diagram of the flexible display screen2, the flexible display screen2may include a metal supporting layer21, a flexible spacer layer22, a flexible display layer23, a flexible touch layer24, a polarizer25, and a flexible protective layer26. The flexible spacer layer22is provided on the metal supporting layer21: the flexible display layer23is provided at a side of the flexible spacer layer22away from the metal supporting layer21: the flexible touch control layer24is provided at a side of the flexible display layer23away from the flexible spacer layer22; the flexible touch control layer24is provided at a side of the flexible display layer23away from the flexible spacer layer22; the polarizer25is provided at a side of the flexible touch control layer24away from the flexible display layer23; and the flexible protective layer26is provided at a side of the polarizer25away from the flexible touch control layer24.

In an exemplary embodiment, the flexible protective layer26is made of a transparent polyimide resin.

In an exemplary embodiment, a thickness of the metal supporting layer21may be greater than or equal to 30 μm and be less than or equal to 40 μm, but the disclosure is not limited thereto.

A stripe-shaped supporting layer (namely, the support member6) is provided at a side of the metal supporting layer21away from the flexible spacer layer22, and the stripe-shaped supporting layer and the metal supporting layer21are connected by an optical adhesive layer62.

It is to be understood that the above-described embodiments are merely exemplary embodiments that have been employed to illustrate the principles of the present disclosure, and the disclosure is not limited thereto. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosure, and those modifications and variations fall within the protection scope of the disclosure.