# US 11,444,265 B2 · Flexible display device having a multi-thickness function layer

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- Number: US 11,444,265 B2
- Document ID: US11444265B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/989,804
- Filed: 2020-08-10
- Published: 2020-11-26
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2016-03-11
- Assignees: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Soohee Oh; Hyunggyu Park; Seonggeun Won; Hirotsugu Kishimoto
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11444265B2

## CPC

- H10K 77/111: {Flexible substrates}
- H10W 90/00: Package configurations
- G02F 1/133305: {Flexible substrates, e.g. plastics, organic film}
- H10K 59/8731: {multilayered coatings having a repetitive structure, e.g. having multiple organic-inorganic bilayers}
- H10K 59/8794: {Arrangements for heating and cooling}
- H10K 2102/00: Constructional details relating to the organic devices covered by this subclass
- H10K 2102/311: {Flexible OLED}
- Y02E 10/549: Organic PV cells
- H10K: ORGANIC ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES
- H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- G02F: OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

A flexible display device includes a flexible display panel having a bending area to be folded, and including a display substrate, and a thin-film encapsulation layer above the display substrate, a driving portion, and a function layer below the flexible display panel, and including a step portion below which the flexible display panel is electrically connected to the driving portion.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A flexible display device comprising:
a flexible display panel comprising:
a display substrate including:
an active area; and
a non-active area extending outside the active area and including a pad area and a bending area to be folded between the active area and the pad area;
a thin film encapsulation layer on a first surface of the display substrate;
a driving portion; and
a function layer below a second surface opposite to the first surface of the display substrate,
wherein the function layer includes a step portion having a first thickness and a second thickness greater than the first thickness, and
wherein a curvature of the bending area corresponds to the first thickness of the function layer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The flexible display device of claim 1, wherein the function layer comprises:
a first surface facing the flexible display panel;
a second surface opposite to the first surface; and
a side surface connecting the first surface and the second surface,
wherein a thickness of the step portion corresponds to the first thickness that is less than the second thickness of the functional layer in a direction from the second surface to the first surface of the functional layer.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The flexible display device of claim 2, wherein a pad terminal on the flexible display panel is connected to a driving terminal on the driving portion below the step portion.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The flexible display device of claim 3, wherein a portion at which the flexible display panel is connected to the driving portion does not extend beyond the second surface of the function layer.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The flexible display device of claim 3, wherein the driving portion comprises:
a flexible film; and
a driving integrated circuit (IC) located on the flexible film,
wherein the driving terminal is located at an edge of the flexible film and corresponds to the pad terminal.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The flexible display device of claim 3, wherein a portion of the flexible display panel passes by the side surface of the function layer.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The flexible display device of claim 6, wherein the function layer comprises an extension portion extending from the side surface of the function layer, and contacting an inner surface of the flexible display panel at the bending area.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The flexible display device of claim 7, wherein a curvature of an edge of the extension portion corresponds to a curvature of the flexible display panel at the bending area.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The flexible display device of claim 6, wherein a filling material fills a space between the flexible display panel at the bending area and the side surface of the function layer.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The flexible display device of claim 1, further comprising a support layer between the flexible display panel and the function layer.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The flexible display device of claim 10, wherein a Young's modulus of the support layer is 10 MPa or more, and
wherein a thickness of the support layer is about 5 micrometers or less.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The flexible display device of claim 1, wherein the flexible display panel is bent away from the thin film encapsulation layer at the bending area.