# US 12,216,878 B2 · Display device and electronic device having the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,216,878 B2 - Document ID: US12216878B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/204,553 - Filed: 2023-06-01 - Published: 2023-09-28 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2021-06-14 - Assignees: Samsung Display Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Samsung Display Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Bugyoon Yoo; Yunjae Kim; Chang-Kil Lee - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12216878B2 ## CPC - H10K 59/131: Interconnections, e.g. wiring lines or terminals - G06F 1/1641: {the display being formed by a plurality of foldable display components (G06F1/1647 takes precedence)} - G06F 1/1643: {the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads (details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615)} - G06F 1/1652: {the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable} - G06F 1/203: {for portable computers, e.g. for laptops} - G06F 3/0412: {Digitisers structurally integrated in a display} - G06F 3/046: by electromagnetic means - H04M 1/0268: {including a flexible display panel} - H05K 9/0054: {specially adapted for display applications} - H10K 59/65: OLEDs integrated with inorganic image sensors - G06F 2203/04102: Flexible digitiser, i.e. constructional details for allowing the whole digitising part of a device to be flexed or rolled like a sheet of paper - G06F 2203/04106: Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection - G06F 2203/04107: Shielding in digitiser, i.e. guard or shielding arrangements, mostly for capacitive touchscreens, e.g. driven shields, driven grounds - H05K 1/189: characterised by the use of flexible or folded printed circuits - H05K 2201/10128: Display - H05K 2201/10151: Sensor - H10K 59/40: OLEDs integrated with touch screens - H10K 77/111: {Flexible substrates} - H10K 2102/311: {Flexible OLED} - H10K: ORGANIC ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ## Abstract A display device includes a display panel and a lower member disposed under the display panel. The lower member includes a support layer, a digitizer, a flexible circuit board, and a metal layer. The digitizer is disposed under the support layer having an insulating property. The flexible circuit board is connected to the digitizer. The metal layer is disposed under the digitizer, and an opening is defined through the metal layer to correspond to the flexible circuit board. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A foldable display device comprising: a display panel comprising a first non-folding area, a second non-folding area, and a folding area disposed between the first non-folding area and the second non-folding area; and a lower member disposed under the display panel, wherein the lower member comprises: a support layer under the display panel; a digitizer disposed under the support layer, wherein the digitizer has a digitizer opening overlapping the first non-folding area; a metal layer disposed under the digitizer, wherein the metal layer has a first metal opening, through which the digitizer is exposed, and a second metal opening which overlaps the digitizer opening, and wherein the first metal opening is spaced apart from the second metal opening in a plan view. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The foldable display device of claim 1, wherein the lower member further comprises a flexible circuit board electrically connected to the digitizer and disposed under the digitizer. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The foldable display device of claim 1, wherein the lower member further comprises a metal plate disposed under the metal layer, and the metal plate has a plate opening overlaps the second metal opening. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The foldable display device of claim 3, wherein the metal layer has an electrical conductivity greater than an electrical conductivity of the metal plate. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The foldable display device of claim 3, wherein the metal plate has a thickness greater than a thickness of the metal layer and a strength greater than a strength of the metal layer. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The foldable display device of claim 3, wherein the lower member further comprises a heat dissipation layer disposed under the metal plate. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The foldable display device of claim 3, wherein the metal layer has a first cut-away portion, and the metal plate has a second cut-away portion overlapping the first cut-away portion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The foldable display device of claim 7, wherein the lower member further comprises a magnetic field shielding sheet disposed in the first cut-away portion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The foldable display device of claim 8, wherein the magnetic field shielding sheet is attached to the digitizer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The foldable display device of claim 1, wherein the support layer comprises a reinforced fiber composite. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The foldable display device of claim 1, wherein the support layer comprises: a first support portion corresponding to the first non-folding area; a second support portion corresponding to the second non-folding area; and a folding portion disposed between the first support portion and the second support portion, wherein a plurality of openings is defined through the folding portion. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The foldable display device of claim 11, wherein the lower member further comprises: a barrier layer overlapping the folding portion, the first support portion, and the second support portion; a first adhesive layer which attaches the barrier layer to an upper surface of the first support portion and an upper surface of the second support portion; and a second adhesive layer which attaches a lower surface of the first support portion to the digitizer. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The foldable display device of claim 12, wherein the lower member further comprises a cover layer attached to a lower surface of the folding portion and spaced apart from the digitizer. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The foldable display device of claim 12, wherein the first adhesive layer comprises: a first portion attached to the upper surface of the first support portion; and a second portion attached to the upper surface of the second support portion and spaced apart from the first support portion. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The foldable display device of claim 12, wherein the lower member further comprises a panel protective layer disposed between a lower surface of the display panel and the barrier layer. ### Claim 16 A foldable phone comprising: a display panel comprising a first non-folding area, a second non-folding area, and a folding area disposed between the first non-folding area and the second non-folding area; a lower member disposed under the display panel, and a camera module disposed under the lower member; wherein the lower member comprises: a support layer overlapping the first non-folding area; a digitizer disposed under the support layer in the first non-folding area; and a metal layer disposed under the digitizer, wherein the metal layer has a metal opening through the digitizer is exposed, wherein an opening is defined to pass through at least a portion of the lower member, and the opening overlaps the camera module and is spaced apart from the metal opening in a plan view. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The foldable phone of claim 16, wherein the opening passes through the support layer, the digitizer, and the metal layer. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The foldable phone of claim 16, wherein the display panel comprises a sensing area through which an optical signal passes and a display area adjacent to the sensing area, and the opening is aligned with the sensing area. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The foldable phone of claim 18, wherein the display panel comprises: a first pixel disposed in the display area; and a second pixel disposed in the sensing area, and wherein the display area has a resolution higher than a resolution of the sensing area. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The foldable phone of claim 16, wherein the lower member further comprises a flexible circuit board disposed under the metal layer, and the flexible circuit board is electrically connected to the digitizer through the metal opening.