# US 12,216,510 B2 · Foldable display device with movable support body > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,216,510 B2 - Document ID: US12216510B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/532,938 - Filed: 2023-12-07 - Published: 2024-03-28 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2020-11-30 - Assignees: LG Display Co., Ltd. - Applicants: LG Display Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Shinsuk Lee; Seungo Jeon; Youngjoon Yun - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12216510B2 ## CPC - G06F 1/1681: {Details related solely to hinges (hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683)} - G06F 1/1624: {with sliding enclosures, e.g. sliding keyboard or display} - G06F 1/1637: {Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing} - G06F 1/1641: {the display being formed by a plurality of foldable display components (G06F1/1647 takes precedence)} - G06F 1/1652: {the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract A foldable display device includes a first casing and a second casing supporting a first area and a second area of a display panel, respectively, a support disposed between the first casing and the second casing, supporting the display panel based on the folding direction of the foldable display device, and including a support body which ascends toward the display panel during the out-folding operation, and descends toward a bottom face of the hinge cover during the in-folding operation. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A foldable display device, comprising: a display panel having a first area, a second area, and a foldable area between the first area and the second area; a first casing supporting the first area of the display panel; a second casing supporting the second area of the display panel and being spaced from the first casing; a support disposed between the first casing and the second casing to support the display panel; and a hinge cover accommodating the support, wherein the support includes a support body that is configured to ascend toward the display panel during an out-folding operation of the foldable display device, and descend toward a bottom face of the hinge cover during an in-folding operation of the foldable display device, wherein the foldable display device further comprises a support plate, the support plate including a foldable portion overlapping the foldable area of the display panel and configured to fold in response to the out-folding operation and in response to the in-folding operation, wherein the foldable portion includes a plurality of holes, wherein the foldable portion of the support plate is not attached to the foldable area of the display panel, and wherein an upper portion of the support body has a greater width than a lower portion of the support body, the upper portion of the support body being configured to contact the support plate, and the lower portion of the support body including a rack gear. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The foldable display device of claim 1, wherein the upper portion of the support body has a top face convexly curved toward the display panel with a fixed curvature. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The foldable display device of claim 2, wherein the support further includes at least two driving gears rotating in engagement with each other to lift up or lower down the support body. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The foldable display device of claim 3, wherein the rack gear meshes with a first gear among the at least two driving gears. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The foldable display device of claim 3, wherein the foldable display device further comprises a hinge connecting the first casing to the second casing, and wherein the hinge includes: a pair of hinge shafts respectively coupled to the first casing and the second casing and; a pair of hinge gears respectively rotatably coupled to the pair of hinge shafts. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The foldable display device of claim 5, wherein the at least two driving gears includes three driving gears, and wherein a third driving gear among the three driving gears farthest from the support body is coupled to a first hinge shaft among the pair of hinge shafts and is configured to rotate via rotation of the first hinge shaft. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The foldable display device of claim 6, wherein a first side wall of the lower portion of the support body is guided by a first driving gear among the three driving gears, and a second opposite side wall of the lower portion of the support body opposite to the first side wall of the lower portion of the support body is guided by a second hinge shaft among the pair of hinge shafts. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The foldable display device of claim 1, wherein the support plate is disposed between the display panel and the first casing, and disposed between the display panel and the second casing, and wherein the support plate further includes at least one non-foldable portion overlapping one of the first area of the display panel and the second area of the display panel. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The foldable display device of claim 8, wherein the at least one non-foldable portion of the support plate is attached to the one of the first area of the display panel and the second area of the display panel. ### Claim 10 A foldable display device, comprising: a display panel having a foldable area; a first casing supporting the display panel; a second casing supporting the display panel and spaced from the first casing; a hinge coupling the first casing to the second casing; a support coupled to the hinge to selectively support the display panel and including a support body configured to ascend toward the display panel during an out-folding operation of the foldable display device, and descend away from the display panel during an in-folding operation of the foldable display; and a support plate including a foldable portion overlapping the foldable area of the display panel and configured to fold in response to the out-folding operation and in response to the in-folding operation, wherein the foldable portion includes a plurality of holes, wherein the foldable portion of the support plate is not attached to the foldable area of the display panel, and wherein an upper portion of the support body has a greater width than a lower portion of the support body, the upper portion of the support body being configured to contact the support plate, and the lower portion of the support body including a rack gear. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The foldable display device of claim 10, wherein the upper portion of the support body has a top face convexly curved toward the display panel with a fixed curvature. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The foldable display device of claim 11, wherein the support further includes: at least two driving gears rotating in engagement with each other to lift up or lower down the support body, and wherein the rack gear is configured to mesh with a first gear among the at least two driving gears. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The foldable display device of claim 12, wherein the hinge includes: a pair of hinge shafts respectively coupled to the first casing and the second casing and; a pair of hinge gears respectively rotatably coupled to the pair of hinge shafts. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The foldable display device of claim 13, wherein the at least two driving gears includes three driving gears, and wherein a third driving gear among the three driving gears farthest from the support body is coupled to a first hinge shaft among the pair of hinge shafts and is configured to rotate via rotation of the first hinge shaft. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The foldable display device of claim 14, wherein a first side wall of the lower portion of the support body is guided by a first driving gear among the three driving gears and a second side wall of the lower portion of the support body opposite to the first side wall of the lower portion of the support body is guided by a second hinge shaft among the pair of hinge shafts. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The foldable display device of claim 10, further comprising: a hinge cover covering the support; and a first pivoting plate disposed between the first casing and the display panel and configured to pivot to support the foldable area of the display panel during the out-folding operation and the in-folding operation, wherein one end of the first pivoting plate is supported by the hinge cover. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The foldable display device of claim 16, further comprising a second pivoting plate disposed between the second casing and the display panel and configured to pivot to support the foldable area of the display panel during the out-folding operation and the in-folding operation, wherein the first pivoting plate is disposed laterally between the support body and the first casing, and wherein the second pivoting plate is disposed laterally between the support body and the second casing.