KR20190079033A - Foldable display device - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a foldable display device. According to the present invention, the foldable display device comprises: first and second covers; a display panel disposed on the first and second covers; and at least one hinge connecting the first and second covers. The hinge includes a fixing frame, one pair of hinge axes penetrating the fixing frame, one pair of rotation plates fixed to one end of the pair of hinge axes, respectively fixed to first and second covers, and rotated with the first and second covers, and one pair of first magnets, individually coupled to the pair of hinge axes between the fixing frame and the pair of rotation plates and controlling folding angles of the first and second covers due to magnetic force. The foldable display device may permanently implement the holding force.

Description

FOLDABLE DISPLAY DEVICE}

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a foldable display apparatus, and more particularly, to a foldable display apparatus capable of permanently implementing a holding force.

Recently, portable terminals such as a wireless terminal, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), a PMP (Portable Multimedia Player), an electronic notebook, and the like are becoming smaller in size for portability. However, since the user wants to receive various kinds of information such as character information, moving picture, still picture, MP3, game and the like through the screen of the portable terminal, it is required to make the size of the screen of the display unit wide and wide . However, miniaturization of the portable terminal calls for reducing the size of the display screen, so there are limitations in meeting both requirements.

In order to overcome such limitations, in recent years, development of a flexible display device such as a Bendable display device or a Foldable display device has been progressed.

The flexible display device can be realized by a substrate made of a plastic material. The flexible display device can be applied to various fields such as a television, a monitor, as well as a mobile device such as a mobile phone, an e-book, and an electronic newspaper since a portable display can easily carry on folding and realize a large screen when opened.

The inventors of the present invention have invented a structure in which a mechanism as a hinge is used in an area where a display panel is folded to realize a displayable display device among flexible display devices. That is, the inventors of the present invention implemented a holding force by using the frictional force between the parts constituting the hinge to maintain the specific folding angle of the foldable display device during the folding and spreading operation of the foldable display device . However, the inventors of the present invention have recognized that the holding force for maintaining the specific folding angle of the foldable display device is lowered due to the occurrence of wear between parts constituting the hinge due to the continuous folding and spreading operation of the foldable display device Respectively.

The inventors of the present invention invented a new structure of a foldable display device capable of permanently implementing a holding force without deteriorating the holding force even if the display device is continuously used.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a foldable display device capable of realizing a holding force for maintaining a folding angle of a display device through a hinge using a permanent magnet.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a foldable display device having improved durability by enabling a holding force to be permanently implemented by a magnetic force.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a display device capable of reducing the manufacturing cost through a simple hinge structure.

The problems of the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned problems, and other problems not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a display device including a first cover and a second cover, a display panel disposed on the first cover and the second cover, Wherein the hinge comprises a fixed frame, a pair of hinge shafts penetrating the fixed frame, a pair of hinge shafts fixed to one end of the pair of hinge shafts, and fixed to the first cover and the second cover, respectively A pair of rotation plates rotatable together with the first cover and the second cover and a pair of hinge shafts connected between the fixed frame and the pair of rotation plates, And a pair of first magnets for controlling the angle.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a foldable display device including a first cover, a second cover, a first cover and a second cover which form a specific folding angle by an external force, And at least one hinge for fixing the first cover and the second cover at a specific folding angle by magnetic force when the external force is removed.

Thus, there is an effect that the holding force of the display device can be permanently implemented.

The details of other embodiments are included in the detailed description and drawings.

The present invention can realize a holding force for maintaining a specific folding angle of the display device by configuring the hinge using permanent magnets.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention makes it possible to improve the durability of a foldable display device by using the magnetic force of a permanent magnet for realizing a permanent holding force.

The present invention realizes a simple hinge structure using permanent magnets, thereby reducing manufacturing cost of the display device.

The effects according to the present invention are not limited by the contents exemplified above, and more various effects are included in the specification.

1 is a schematic exploded perspective view of a foldable display device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a plan view of a display device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3 is an enlarged view of region A in Fig.
4 is an enlarged view of a hinge of a foldable display device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line V-V 'of FIG.
6A and 6B are perspective views for explaining a first magnet and a second magnet of the display device according to the embodiment of the present invention.
7A is a plan view of a foldable display device according to another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7B is an enlarged view of the area B in FIG. 7A. FIG.
8A is a perspective view of a foldable display device according to another embodiment of the present invention.
8B is an enlarged view of the area C in Fig. 8A.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The advantages and features of the present invention and the manner of achieving them will become apparent with reference to the embodiments described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Is provided to fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art, and the invention is only defined by the scope of the claims.

The shapes, sizes, ratios, angles, numbers, and the like disclosed in the drawings for describing the embodiments of the present invention are illustrative, and thus the present invention is not limited thereto. In the following description, well-known functions or constructions are not described in detail since they would obscure the invention in unnecessary detail. Where the terms "comprises", "having", "done", and the like are used in this specification, other portions may be added unless "only" is used. Unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, including the plural unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

In interpreting the constituent elements, it is construed to include the error range even if there is no separate description.

In the case of a description of the positional relationship, for example, if the positional relationship between two parts is described as 'on', 'on top', 'under', and 'next to' Or " direct " is not used, one or more other portions may be located between the two portions.

It will be understood that when an element or layer is referred to as being on another element or layer, it encompasses the case where it is directly on or intervening another element or intervening another element or element.

Although the first, second, etc. are used to describe various components, these components are not limited by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one component from another. Therefore, the first component mentioned below may be the second component within the technical spirit of the present invention.

Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout the specification.

The sizes and thicknesses of the individual components shown in the figures are shown for convenience of explanation and the present invention is not necessarily limited to the size and thickness of the components shown.

It is to be understood that each of the features of the various embodiments of the present invention may be combined or combined with each other partially or entirely and technically various interlocking and driving is possible as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, It may be possible to cooperate with each other in association.

Various embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a schematic exploded perspective view of a foldable display device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a plan view of a display device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

1 and 2, a display device 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a first cover 110, a second cover 120, a hinge 130, and a display panel 140, . In FIG. 1, the configurations of the display device 100 are briefly shown for the sake of convenience, but various configurations for driving the display device 100 may be further included. In FIG. 2, the display panel 140 is omitted for convenience of explanation.

The first cover 110 and the second cover 120 may be a base member for supporting the display panel 140 and various components of the display device 100. In addition, the first cover 110 and the second cover 120 may accommodate various components for driving the display device 100.

The first cover 110 and the second cover 120 may be disposed on one side and the other side of the foldable display 100 in which folding and spreading are performed. That is, the foldable display device 100 can be folded and expanded based on the boundary area between the first cover 110 and the second cover 120 due to the external force applied by the user.

The first cover 110 and the second cover 120 include a first coupling part 111 and a second coupling part 121 that are coupled to the hinge 130, respectively. The first cover 110 and the second cover 120 may be formed to have the same shape and the first and second fastening portions 111 and 121 may be arranged to be symmetrical with respect to each other.

The hinge 130 connects the first fastening portion 111 of the first cover 110 and the second fastening portion 121 of the second cover 120. At this time, the hinge 130 may be provided in one or more of the cases. 1 and 2, one hinge 130 is shown on one side and one side of the first fastening part 111 and the second fastening part 121, but this is only one embodiment for explaining the present invention , But the present invention is not limited thereto.

Specifically, the pair of hinges 130 can connect one side and the other side of the first coupling part 111 and the second coupling part 121, respectively. The hinge 130 may be disposed at a portion where the foldable display device 100 is folded and expanded, so that the foldable display device 100 can easily be folded and expanded. In addition, the hinge 130 may provide a holding force to maintain the foldable display device 100 in a folded state at a certain angle. At this time, the holding force of the hinge 130 can be provided from the magnetic force by the permanent magnet. The specific structure and function of the hinge 130 will be described later with reference to Figs. 3 to 6B.

The display panel 140 is disposed on one surface of the first cover 110 and the second cover 120. The display panel 140 may be one of various display panels such as an organic light emitting display panel, a liquid crystal display panel, and the like. In addition, the display panel 140 may have flexibility to fold and unfold together with the folding and spreading of the display device 100.

The foldable display device 100 can be folded so that the first cover 110 and the second cover 120 form a specific folding angle. 1 and 2, the first cover 110 and the second cover 120 are completely opened to have an angle of, for example, 180 degrees, It may be folded. In this case, the display panel 140 disposed on the first cover 110 and the second cover 120 may also be folded together with the folding of the first cover 110 and the second cover 120.

That is, the foldable display device 100 may be folded at a certain angle according to the user's intention. Further, the display device 100 of the present invention may be completely folded or unfolded according to the intention of the user. In addition, the display device 100 may be in-folded so that the display panel 140 may be folded or unfolded so as to be positioned inward, or may be out-folded so that the display panel 140 may be folded It may be folded or unfolded to be deployed.

The foldable display device 100 can maintain a specific folding angle by the holding force provided from the hinge 130. [ In other words, the first cover 110 and the second cover 120 can be fixed by the hinge 130 while maintaining a specific folding angle. Accordingly, the display device 100 can be folded at a specific angle according to the user's intention, and can be held in a folded state at a certain angle by the holding force of the hinge.

Hereinafter, the specific structure of the hinge will be described with reference to Figs. 3 to 6B.

3 is an enlarged view of region A in Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of a hinge of a foldable display device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line V-V 'of FIG. 6A and 6B are perspective views for explaining a first magnet and a second magnet of the display device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

3 to 6B, a hinge 130 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a hinge shaft 131, a rotation plate 132, a first magnet 133, a second magnet 134, A spring 135, a spring 136, and a fastening plate 137.

The hinge shaft 131 may serve as a central shaft to which the components constituting the hinge 130 are coupled. The hinge shafts 131 may be provided in pairs to correspond to the first cover 110 and the second cover 120, respectively.

The rotation plates 132 are provided in pairs and are respectively coupled to one ends of the pair of hinge shafts 131. Further, each of the pair of rotation plates 132 may correspond to the first cover 110 and the second cover 120, respectively. That is, the pair of rotation plates 132 includes the plurality of coupling grooves 132a, and the first coupling part 111 of the first cover 110 and the second coupling part 121 of the second cover 120, Respectively. At this time, the pair of rotation plates 132 and the first and second fastening portions 111 and 121 may be fixed by screwing or the like, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In addition, the pair of rotation plates 132 can rotate together with the movement of the first cover 110 and the second cover 120 during the folding or spreading operation of the display device 100.

The first magnets 133 are provided in pairs and are coupled to the pair of hinge shafts 131, respectively. Particularly, the pair of first magnets 133 are joined to a region adjacent to the pair of rotation plates 132 of the hinge shaft 131. Further, the pair of first magnets 133 can be fixed to the pair of rotation plates 132 and rotated together with the pair of rotation plates 132. That is, the pair of first magnets 133 are moved in the direction of the folding or spreading operation of the display device 100 in accordance with the movement of the first cover 110 and the second cover 120, ). ≪ / RTI >

The pair of first magnets 133 may be a cylindrical magnet having a through hole through which the hinge shaft 131 passes. That is, the pair of first magnets 133 may be a cylindrical magnet including upper and lower surfaces facing each other, and an outer surface and an inner surface connecting the upper surface and the lower surface, in which openings corresponding to the through holes are disposed. At this time, the inner surface of the pair of first magnets 133 may correspond to the circumference of the hinge shaft 131.

The pair of first magnets 133 includes a plurality of N poles 133a and a plurality of S poles 133b. A plurality of N poles 133a and a plurality of S poles 133b may be alternately arranged along a direction perpendicular to the hinge axis 131. [ That is, a plurality of N poles 133a and a plurality of S poles 133b may be alternately arranged around the hinge axis 131 along the circumferential direction of the hinge axis 131. [ Therefore, the pair of first magnets 133 can be a cylindrical magnet composed of a plurality of N poles 133a and a plurality of S poles 133b alternately arranged along the circumferential direction of the pair of hinge axes 131 have.

At this time, on the outer surface of the pair of first magnets 133, the length of the boundary between the plurality of N poles 133a and the plurality of S poles 133b is longer than the length of the upper surface of the pair of first magnets 133 Can be equal to the length between the lower surfaces. The sum of the distances between the plurality of N poles 133a and the plurality of S poles 133b is equal to the sum of the distances between the pair of first magnets 133 that are perpendicular to the length between the upper and lower surfaces of the pair of first magnets 133 133). ≪ / RTI >

On the other hand, the upper surface or the lower surface of the pair of first magnets 133 can contact the upper surface or the lower surface of the pair of second magnets 134 to be described later. At this time, the upper surface or the lower surface of the pair of first magnets 133 may have a configuration in which a plurality of N poles 133a and a plurality of S poles 133b are alternately arranged along the circumference of the opening.

The second magnets 134 are provided in pairs and are coupled to the pair of hinge shafts 131, respectively. In particular, a pair of second magnets 134 are coupled to face the pair of first magnets 133 in a region adjacent to the pair of first magnets 133. At this time, the pair of second magnets 134 can be fixed to the fixed frame 135, which will be described later. That is, the pair of second magnets 134 may be fixed to the fixed frame 135 and may not rotate even if the foldable display device 100 is folded or extended.

The pair of second magnets 134 may have the same shape as the pair of first magnets 133. That is, the pair of second magnets 134 may be a cylindrical magnet having a through hole through which the hinge shaft 131 passes. The pair of second magnets 134 may be a cylindrical magnet having a plurality of N poles 134a and S poles 134b arranged alternately along a direction perpendicular to the hinge axis 131. [

The upper surface or the lower surface of the pair of second magnets 134 can be in contact with the upper surface or the lower surface of the pair of first magnets 133. At this time, the upper surface or the lower surface of the pair of second magnets 134 may have a configuration in which a plurality of N poles 134a and a plurality of S poles 134b are alternately arranged along the circumference of the opening.

That is, the pair of first magnets 133 and the pair of second magnets 134 are arranged so that the upper surfaces or the lower surfaces of the pair of first magnets 133 and the pair of second magnets 134 are in contact with each other. At this time, a plurality of N poles 133a and 134a and a plurality of S poles 133b and 134b are formed on the contact surfaces of the pair of first magnets 133 and the pair of second magnets 134, Can be alternately arranged. Therefore, the magnetic force generated by the plurality of N poles 133a and 134a and the plurality of S poles 133b and 134b at the contact surface where the pair of first magnets 133 and the pair of second magnets 134 are in contact with each other, Can occur.

The pair of first magnets 133 and the pair of second magnets 134 can realize the holding force of the hinge 130 by the magnetic force. That is, as shown in FIG. 6A, when the first magnet 133 and the second magnet 134 are disposed so as to face each other with different polarities, attraction may occur. In contrast, as shown in FIG. 6B, when the first magnet 133 and the second magnet 134 are disposed so as to face each other with the same polarity, a repulsive force may be generated.

More specifically, when a user applies a force to fold or unfold the display device 100, a pair of first magnets 133 fixed to the pair of rotation plates 132 is moved in the direction of the first cover 110, And the second cover 120 can be rotated. At this time, the pair of second magnets 134 are fixed to the fixed frame 135 and may not rotate. The plurality of N poles 134a and the plurality of S poles 134b of the fixed pair of second magnets 134 are connected to the plurality of N poles 133a of the pair of first magnets 133, And the plurality of S poles 133b alternately with each other.

At this time, a plurality of N poles 133a of the pair of first magnets 133 and a plurality of S poles 134b of the pair of second magnets 134 are arranged to face each other, or a pair of first When a plurality of S poles 133b of the magnet 133 and a plurality of N poles 134a of the pair of second magnets 134 are arranged to face each other, a pair of first magnets 133 and a pair The attraction force may be generated between the first magnet 134 and the second magnet 134.

Conversely, a plurality of N poles 133a of a pair of first magnets 133 and a plurality of N poles 134a of a pair of second magnets 134 are arranged to face each other, or a pair of first magnets When the plurality of S poles 133b of the pair of first magnets 133 and the plurality of S poles 134b of the pair of second magnets 134 are arranged to face each other, A repulsive force may be generated between the second magnets 134.

On the other hand, the external force applied to the display device 100 by the user may be greater than the attractive force and the repulsive force between the pair of first magnets 133 and the pair of second magnets 134. Accordingly, even if force and repulsive force are generated between the pair of first magnets 133 and the second magnets 134, the user can fold or unfold the display device 100 at a desired angle. However, when a repulsive force is generated between the pair of first magnets 133 and the pair of second magnets 134, the user can not fold or spread the foldable display device 100 due to the pushing force between the magnets The operation can be performed more easily.

When the external force applied to the display device 100 at the folding angle is removed at a specific folding angle, the display device 100 of the present embodiment is configured such that the distance between the pair of first magnets 133 and the pair of second magnets 134 The specific folding angle can be maintained by the magnetic force.

That is, when a force is generated between the pair of first magnets 133 and the pair of second magnets 134, the pair of first magnets 133 stops rotating and the pair of second magnets 134, So that a holding force can be generated. On the contrary, when a repulsive force is generated between the pair of first magnets 133 and the pair of second magnets 134, the pair of first magnets 133 can attract the pair of second magnets 134 and the attracting force As shown in Fig. As a result, the pair of first magnets 133 is fixed to the pair of second magnets 134 by rotation, from which a holding force can be generated.

Specifically, when the pair of first magnets 133 and the second magnets 134 are disposed so as to face each other at different polarities, a pair of first magnets 133 are attracted by a pair of second magnets 134, respectively. As the pair of first magnets 133 stops rotating, rotation of the pair of rotation plates 132 can be stopped. Further, as the rotation of the pair of rotation plates 132 is stopped, the movement of the first cover 110 and the second cover 120 can be stopped. That is, the first cover 110 and the second cover 120 of the display device 100 are folded by a certain folding force between the pair of first magnets 133 and the pair of second magnets 134, And can be fixed at an angle.

Conversely, when the pair of first magnets 133 and the pair of second magnets 134 are disposed so as to face each other with the same polarity, the first magnet 133 can be pushed by the repulsive force. At this time, since the magnets are attracted to each other with different polarities, the pair of first magnets 133 can rotate in the direction in which the attracting force works with the pair of second magnets 134. The pair of first magnets 133 and the pair of second magnets 134 have a configuration in which a plurality of N poles 133a and 134a and a plurality of S poles 133b and 134b are alternately arranged , Attraction can be generated between the pair of first magnets 133 and the pair of second magnets 134 by only a slight rotation of the pair of first magnets 133. [ As a result, the attraction force between the pair of first magnets 133 and the pair of second magnets 134 allows the first cover 110 and the second cover 120 to be fixed with a specific folding angle .

On the other hand, since the pair of first magnets 133 and the pair of second magnets 134 include a plurality of N poles 133a and 134a and a plurality of S poles 133b and 134b, 0.0 > 100 < / RTI > can have various folding angles. That is, the first cover 110 and the second cover 120 may be fixed at angles corresponding to the plurality of N poles 133a and 134a and the plurality of S poles 133b and 134b, respectively. Therefore, by adjusting the number and spacing of the plurality of N poles 133a, 134a and the plurality of S poles 133b, 134b of the pair of first magnets 133 and the pair of second magnets 134, The folding angle of the display device 100 can be controlled.

At this time, even if the intervals between the plurality of N poles 133a and 134a and the plurality of S poles 133b and 134b become narrow, the distance between the pair of first magnets 133 and the pair of second magnets 134 The holding force can be kept uniform. That is, since a pair of first magnets 133 and a pair of second magnets 134 are formed in the same manner, when a force is generated, a pair of first magnets 133 and a pair of second magnets 134, Can be confronted with each other with different polarities. Therefore, attraction force is generated on the entire contact surface between the pair of first magnets 133 and the pair of second magnets 134, so that the holding force can be maintained uniformly.

In addition, the strength of the holding force of the display device 100 can be controlled by adjusting the intensity of the magnetic force of the permanent magnet applied to each of the pair of first magnets 133 and the pair of second magnets 134 .

The fixed frame 135 may be coupled to the pair of hinge shafts 131 and simultaneously fix the pair of second magnets 134. That is, the fixed frame 135 may include a through hole through which a pair of hinge shafts 131 pass through one side and the other side. In addition, the fixed frame 135 may be fixed to the pair of second magnets 134 to prevent rotation of the pair of second magnets 134. The fixed frame 135 may be formed of a metal or plastic material, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

The springs 136 are provided in pairs and are fixed to the pair of hinge shafts 131, respectively. At this time, the pair of springs 136 are disposed on the opposite sides of the pair of first magnets 133 and the pair of second magnets 134 with respect to the fixed frame 135.

At this time, the pair of the springs 136 are compressed by the fixed frame 135 and a fixing plate 131, which will be described later, to have an elastic force. Therefore, the elastic force of the pair of springs 136 causes the pressing frame 135 to be pressurized, whereby the surface friction force between the pair of first magnets 133 and the pair of second magnets 134 Can be provided. By this frictional force, rotation of the first magnet 133 can be prevented when the folding angle of the display device 100 is maintained. That is, the folding angle between the first cover 110 and the second cover 120 can be more firmly maintained by the pair of the springs 136. However, the pair of springs 136 may be omitted in some cases.

The fixed plate 137 is coupled to the other end of the pair of hinge shafts 131. The fixing plate 137 may serve to fix the components constituting the hinge 130. [ That is, the fixing plate 137 is disposed at the other end of the pair of hinge shafts 131 to prevent the components coupled to the hinge shaft 131 from being separated from the hinge shaft 131. Further, the fixing plate 137 can press the pair of the springs 136 to generate an elastic force in the pair of springs 136. In addition, a screw-like structure may be fastened to the opposite side of the spring 136 of the fastening plate 137, so that the fastening plate 137 and the pair of hinge shafts 131 may be more firmly coupled.

In the case of a general hinge, a holding force is implemented by the frictional force between the hinge parts in order to maintain a specific folding angle of the display device. However, there is a disadvantage in that wear occurs between the hinge parts due to frictional force during continuous folding and spreading operation, thereby lowering the holding force and decreasing the durability of the hinge and the foldable display device.

Accordingly, the present invention can implement a holding force for maintaining the folding angle of the display device 100 by applying a permanent magnet to the hinge 130. [0050] That is, by using the magnetic force between the pair of first magnets 133 including the plurality of N poles 133a and 134a and the plurality of S poles 133b and 134b and the pair of second magnets 134, Force can be implemented. Particularly, when a pair of first magnets 133 and a pair of second magnets 134 are disposed so as to face each other with different polarities so that attraction occurs between the first and second magnets 133 and 134, The cover 120 can be fixed at a specific folding angle.

In addition, the present invention can realize a permanent holding force by the magnetic force between the permanent magnets. That is, even if abrasion occurs due to contact between the pair of first magnets 133 and the pair of second magnets 134, the magnetic force can be maintained constantly. Thus, the holding force of the hinge 130 can be maintained permanently. As a result, the deterioration of the holding force can be prevented, so that the durability of the display device 100 can be improved.

Also, since the holding force can be realized using only the first magnet 133 and the second magnet 134, the structure of the hinge 130 can be simplified can do. Therefore, the number of parts of the hinge 130 is reduced, and the formation step is simplified, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost.

Hereinafter, the structure of the hinge of the foldable display device according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 7A and 7B.

7A is a plan view of a foldable display device according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7B is an enlarged view of the area B in FIG. 7A. FIG.

7A and 7B, the hinge 230 according to another embodiment of the present invention includes a hinge shaft 131, a rotation plate 132, a first magnet 133, a fixed frame 235, a spring 136 A fixed plate 137, and a gear 238. Here, the hinge shaft 131, the rotation plate 132, the first magnet 133, the spring 136, and the fixing plate 137 are the same as those of the hinge 130 described above.

The gears 238 are provided as a pair and are respectively coupled to the pair of hinge shafts 131 between the pair of rotation plates 132 and the pair of first magnets 133. The pair of gears 238 are fixed to the pair of rotation plates 132 and can rotate together. That is, the pair of gears 238 rotate together with the pair of rotation plates 132 in accordance with the movement of the first cover 110 and the second cover 120 during the folding or spreading operation of the display device .

A pair of auxiliary gears 238a arranged to mesh with each other are disposed between the pair of gears 238. [ Further, each of the pair of auxiliary gears 238a is disposed so as to mesh with a pair of gears 238 between a pair of gears 238 spaced from each other. In addition, the pair of gears 238 and the pair of auxiliary gears 238a can be protected by the guide rails.

The pair of gears 238 and the pair of auxiliary gears 238a are arranged so as to mesh with each other so that the rotation of the rotation plate 132 and the movement of the first cover 110 and the second cover 120 can be performed more smoothly Lt; / RTI > On the other hand, the pair of gears 238 and the pair of auxiliary gears 238a may be omitted in some cases.

Each of the pair of first magnets 133 is fixed to a pair of gears 238. Thus, each of the pair of first magnets 133 can rotate together with the pair of gears 238. [ That is, the pair of first magnets 133 are moved in the direction of the folding or spreading operation of the display device 100 in accordance with the movement of the first cover 110 and the second cover 120, And a pair of gears 238, as shown in Fig.

The fixed frame 235 is formed of a metal material and is coupled to the pair of hinge shafts 131. At this time, the fixed frame 235 contacts the pair of first magnets 133. Since the fixed frame 235 is formed of metal, a magnetic force can be generated between the fixed frame 235 and the pair of first magnets 133. That is, in the hinge 130 of the previous embodiment, a pair of second magnets 134 are disposed between the fixed frame 135 and the pair of first magnets 133, and the pair of first magnets 133 and A holding force can be realized by the attraction between the pair of second magnets 134. [ However, in the hinge 230 according to another embodiment of the present invention, the second magnet 134 is omitted, and a holding force is realized by the attraction force between the metal fixing frame 235 and the pair of first magnets 133 .

A pair of the springs 136 is disposed on the opposite side of the pair of first magnets 133 with respect to the fixed frame 235. Further, the pair of springs 136 may have an elastic force by the fixed frame 235 and the fixed plate 131. [ A surface friction force can be provided between the fixed frame 235 and the pair of first magnets 133 from the elastic force of the pair of springs 136. [ By this frictional force, rotation of the first magnet 133 can be prevented when the folding angle of the foldable display device is maintained.

The hinge 230 according to another embodiment of the present invention is configured such that when the user folds or unfolds the display device of the foldable display device according to the movement of the first cover 110 and the second cover 120, The pair of gears 238 and the pair of first magnets 133 can rotate together. At this time, the external force exerted by the user may be greater than the attractive force and the surface frictional force between the pair of first magnets 133 and the fixed frame 235. Therefore, the user can fold or unfold the display device at a desired angle.

When the external force applied to the display device is removed at a specific folding angle, the folding angle of the display device of the foldable display device is changed by gravitation force and surface friction between the pair of first magnets 133 and the fixed frame 235 Can be maintained. That is, the pair of first magnets 133 stops rotating due to the attraction force and the surface frictional force, and is fixed to the fixed frame 235, so that a holding force can be generated.

Specifically, a pair of first magnets 133 can be fixed to the fixed frame 235 by attraction force and surface friction force. As the pair of first magnets 133 stops rotating, the rotation of the pair of gears 238 and the pair of rotation plates 132 can be stopped. Further, as the rotation of the pair of rotation plates 132 is stopped, the movement of the first cover 110 and the second cover 120 can be stopped. That is, the first cover 110 and the second cover 120 of the display device are fixed at predetermined folding angles by the attraction force and the surface friction between the pair of first magnets 133 and the fixed frame 235, .

The hinge 230 according to another embodiment of the present invention omits the pair of second magnets 134 as compared with the hinge 130 of the previous embodiment so that the operation of the hinge 230 is simplified . In other words, by implementing the holding force only by the attraction force and the surface friction force between the pair of first magnets 133 and the fixed frame 235, the force acting on the hinge 230 Accuracy can be improved.

The hinge 230 according to another embodiment of the present invention realizes the holding force by the interaction of the pair of first magnets 133 and the metal fixing frame 235, Can be further simplified. Therefore, the manufacturing cost of the hinge 230 can be reduced.

Hereinafter, the structure of the hinge of the foldable display device according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 8A and 8B.

8A is a perspective view of a foldable display device according to another embodiment of the present invention. 8B is an enlarged view of the area C in Fig. 8A.

8A and 8B, a hinge 330 according to another embodiment of the present invention includes a hinge shaft 131, a rotation plate 132, a first magnet 133, a fixed frame 135, A second gear 137, a gear 238 and a third magnet 339. Here, the hinge shaft 131, the rotation plate 132, the first magnet 133, the fixed frame 135, the fixed plate 137, and the gear 238 are the same as those of the hinges 130 and 230 So redundant description is omitted.

A pair of gears 238 are coupled to the pair of hinge shafts 131 between the pair of rotation plates 132 and the pair of first magnets 133. The pair of gears 238 can be fixed to the pair of rotation plates 132 and rotated together with the pair of rotation plates 132. Further, a pair of auxiliary gears 238a arranged to be engaged with each other is disposed between the pair of gears 238. [ The rotation of the rotation plate 132 and the movement of the first cover 110 and the second cover 120 are smoothly performed by disposing the pair of gears 238 and the pair of auxiliary gears 238a in mesh with each other .

A pair of first magnets 133 is disposed between the pair of gears 238 and the fixed frame 135. At this time, the pair of first magnets 133 can be fixed to the fixed frame 135. That is, in the above embodiments, the pair of first magnets 133 are rotated together by the rotation of the rotary plate 132, but in the case of the hinge 330 according to another embodiment of the present invention, 1 magnet 133 can be fixed without rotating.

The pair of first magnets 133 may be a cylindrical magnet having a through hole through which the hinge shaft 131 passes, as described with reference to FIGS. 6A and 6B. In addition, the pair of first magnets 133 includes a plurality of N poles 133a and a plurality of S poles 133b. At this time, a plurality of N poles 133a and a plurality of S poles 133b may be alternately arranged along a direction perpendicular to the hinge axis 131. [

The fixed frame 135 and the fixed plate 136 are fixed to the other end of the pair of hinge shafts 131. The fixed frame 135 and the fixed plate 136 may be disposed adjacent to each other. That is, in the above embodiments, a pair of springs 136 are disposed between the fixed frame 135 and the fixed plate 136, but they may be omitted here. In other words, by configuring the pair of first magnets 133 to be fixed, a pair of springs 136 that provide surface friction to the pair of first magnets 133 can be omitted.

Either one of the stationary frame 135 and the stationary plate 136 may be omitted in some cases. Further, the fixed frame 135 may be formed of a metal or a plastic material, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

The third magnets 339 are disposed so as to be adjacent to the pair of first magnets 133 in a pair. At this time, the pair of third magnets 339 and the pair of first magnets 133 may be arranged so as to be spaced apart from each other or in contact with each other. When the pair of third magnets 339 and the pair of first magnets 133 are separated from each other, the friction between them can be reduced to have high durability. When a pair of third magnets 339 and a pair of first magnets 133 are in contact with each other, the distance between the pair of third magnets 339 becomes closer to increase the magnetic force.

Each of the pair of third magnets 339 is fixed to the first cover 110 and the second cover 120. Each of the pair of third magnets 339 can be fixed to the first fixing part 312 and the second fixing part 322 which are respectively disposed on the rim of the first cover 110 and the second cover 120 have. Accordingly, the pair of third magnets 339 can be moved together with the movement of the first cover 110 and the second cover 120 during the folding or spreading operation of the display device.

The pair of third magnets 339 may be a flat magnet. Further, the pair of third magnets 339 may include N poles 339a and S poles 339b. One of the N poles 339a and the S poles 339b of the pair of third magnets 339 may be arranged to face the pair of first magnets 133. [ Therefore, when one of the N poles 339a and S poles 339b of the pair of third magnets 339 and the plurality of N poles 133a and the plurality of S poles 339b of the pair of first magnets 133, The holding force of the hinge 330 can be realized from the magnetic force generated by any one of the first and second arm portions 133a and 133b. Although the N pole 339a of the pair of third magnets 339 is shown facing the hinge 330, the present invention is not limited thereto.

Attraction may occur when the pair of first magnets 133 and the pair of third magnets 339 are disposed so as to face each other with different polarities. On the contrary, when the pair of first magnets 133 and the pair of third magnets 339 are disposed so as to face each other with the same polarity, a repulsive force may be generated.

The hinge 330 according to another embodiment of the present invention may be configured such that when the user folds or unfolds the display device of the present invention, the first cover 110 and the second cover 120 move, (339) can be moved. At this time, the pair of first magnets 133 are fixed to the fixed frame 135 and may not rotate. One of the N poles 339a and the S poles 339b of the moving pair of third magnets 339 is connected to a plurality of N poles 133a and a plurality And the S-pole 133b of the second electrode 133b.

On the other hand, the external force exerted by the user may be greater than the attractive force and the repulsive force between the pair of first magnets 133 and the pair of third magnets 339. Therefore, even if attractive force and repulsive force are generated between the pair of first magnets 133 and third magnets 339 facing each other, the user can fold or unfold the display device at a desired angle.

When the external force applied to the display device is removed at a certain folding angle, the folding angle of the display device of the foldable display device due to the magnetic force between the pair of first magnets 133 and the pair of third magnets 339 Can be maintained.

Specifically, when the pair of third magnets 339 and the pair of first magnets 133 are arranged so as to face each other with different polarities, the movement of the pair of third magnets 339 is stopped by the attraction force . As the pair of third magnets 339 are fixed by the attraction force, the movement of the first cover 110 and the second cover 120 can be stopped together. That is, by the attractive force between the pair of third magnets 339 and the pair of first magnets 133, the first cover 110 and the second cover 120 of the display device of the foldable display form a specific folding angle Can be fixed.

Conversely, when the pair of third magnets 339 and the pair of first magnets 133 are disposed so as to face to each other with the same polarity, the third magnet 339 can be pushed by the repulsive force. At this time, since the magnets are attracted to each other at different polarities, the pair of third magnets 339 can move in the direction in which attraction is applied to the pair of first magnets 133. Since the pair of first magnets 133 has a configuration in which a plurality of N poles 133a and a plurality of S poles 133b are alternately arranged, only a small movement of the pair of third magnets 339 Attraction can be generated between the pair of first magnets 133 and the pair of third magnets 339. [ As a result, the first cover 110 and the second cover 120 can be fixed with a predetermined folding angle by the attraction force between the pair of third magnets 339 and the pair of first magnets 133.

The hinge 330 according to another embodiment of the present invention can further simplify the structure of the hinge 330 as compared with the hinge 130 and 230 of the previous embodiments. That is, since the surface friction force is not required between the pair of first magnets 133 and the pair of third magnets 339 constituting the hinge 330, the spring 136 can be omitted. Therefore, the manufacturing cost of the hinge 330 can be reduced.

An exemplary embodiment of the present invention can be described as follows.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a display device including a first cover and a second cover, a display panel disposed on the first cover and the second cover, Wherein the hinge comprises a fixed frame, a pair of hinge shafts penetrating the fixed frame, a pair of hinge shafts fixed to one end of the pair of hinge shafts, and fixed to the first cover and the second cover, respectively A pair of rotation plates rotatable together with the first cover and the second cover and a pair of hinge shafts connected between the fixed frame and the pair of rotation plates, And a pair of first magnets for controlling the angle.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the pair of first magnets can rotate together with the pair of rotating plates.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, the apparatus may further include a pair of second magnets fixed to the fixed frame and fixed to the pair of hinge shafts between the fixed frame and the pair of first magnets, respectively.

According to another aspect of the present invention, each of the pair of first magnets and the pair of second magnets includes a plurality of N poles and a plurality of S poles, and a plurality of N poles and a plurality of S poles are disposed on the hinge axis As shown in FIG.

According to another aspect of the present invention, when a pair of first magnets and a pair of second magnets are arranged to face each other with different polarities by rotation of a pair of first magnets, a pair of rotating plates are fixed .

According to another aspect of the present invention, the stationary frame may be formed of a metal material.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a pair of rotating plates can be fixed by the attraction between the pair of first magnets and the fixed frame.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a hinge apparatus comprising: a fixed plate spaced apart from a fixed frame and fixed to the other end of a pair of hinge shafts; And a pair of springs which are respectively coupled to the pair of hinge shafts between the fixed plate and the fixed frame and which provide frictional force to the pair of first magnets by elastic force.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a pair of first magnets may be fixed to the fixed frame.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a magnetic bearing device comprising: a pair of third magnets fixed to a first cover and a second cover, the pair of third magnets being disposed adjacent to a pair of first magnets, .

According to another aspect of the present invention, a pair of first magnets includes a plurality of N poles and a plurality of S poles, and a plurality of N poles and a plurality of S poles are arranged alternately along a direction perpendicular to the hinge axis And the pair of third magnets may include one of an N pole and an S pole in a region facing the pair of first magnets.

According to another aspect of the present invention, when a pair of first magnets and a pair of third magnets are arranged to face each other with different polarities by movement of a pair of third magnets, the first cover and the second The cover can be fixed.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a magnetic bearing device, further comprising a pair of gears coupled to the pair of hinge shafts, respectively, between the pair of first magnets and the pair of rotating plates, .

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a foldable display device including a first cover, a second cover, a first cover and a second cover which form a specific folding angle by an external force, And at least one hinge for fixing the first cover and the second cover at a specific folding angle by magnetic force when the external force is removed.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a hinge includes a fixed frame, a pair of hinge shafts penetrating the fixed frame, a pair of hinge shafts fixed to one end of the pair of hinge shafts and fixed to the first cover and the second cover, A pair of rotary plates rotatable together with the second cover and a pair of hinge shafts disposed between the fixed frame and the pair of rotary plates and stopping the rotation of the pair of rotary plates by the attractive force, And a pair of first magnets that fix the first cover and the second cover at specific folding angles.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a magnetic bearing device, further comprising a pair of second magnets fixed to the fixed frame and fixed to each of the pair of hinge axes between the fixed frame and the pair of first magnets, The rotation of the pair of rotation plates can be stopped by the attraction between the one magnet and the pair of second magnets.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the fixed frame is formed of a metallic material, and rotation of the pair of rotating plates can be stopped by attraction between the pair of first magnets and the fixed frame.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a magnetic bearing device comprising: a pair of third magnets fixed to a first cover and a second cover, the pair of third magnets being disposed adjacent to a pair of first magnets, And movement of the first cover and the second cover can be stopped by attraction between the pair of first magnets and the pair of third magnets.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to those embodiments and various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. . Therefore, the embodiments disclosed in the present invention are intended to illustrate rather than limit the scope of the present invention, and the scope of the technical idea of the present invention is not limited by these embodiments. Therefore, it should be understood that the above-described embodiments are illustrative in all aspects and not restrictive. The scope of protection of the present invention should be construed according to the following claims, and all technical ideas within the scope of equivalents should be construed as falling within the scope of the present invention.

100: Foldable display device
110: first cover
120: second cover
140: Display panel
130, 230, 330: a hinge
131: Hinge shaft
132: rotating plate
133: first magnet
134: Second magnet
133a, 134a, and 339a: N pole
133b, 134b, and 339b: S pole
135, 235: Fixed frame
136: spring
137: Fixing plate
238: Gear
339: Third magnet

Claims (18)

A first cover and a second cover;
A display panel disposed on the first cover and the second cover; And
And at least one hinge connecting the first cover and the second cover,
The hinge includes:
A fixed frame;
A pair of hinge shafts passing through the fixed frame;
A pair of rotary plates fixed to one ends of the pair of hinge shafts and fixed to the first cover and the second cover to rotate together with the first cover and the second cover; And
And a pair of first magnets coupled to the pair of hinge shafts between the fixed frame and the pair of rotating plates and controlling a folding angle of the first cover and the second cover by magnetic force , A folder display device. The method according to claim 1,
And the pair of first magnets rotate together with the pair of rotating plates. 3. The method of claim 2,
And a pair of second magnets fixed to the fixed frame and fixed to the pair of hinge shafts between the fixed frame and the pair of first magnets, respectively. The method of claim 3,
Each of the pair of first magnets and the pair of second magnets includes a plurality of N poles and a plurality of S poles,
And the plurality of N poles and the plurality of S poles are alternately arranged along a direction perpendicular to the hinge axis. 5. The method of claim 4,
Wherein when the pair of first magnets and the pair of second magnets are disposed so as to face different polarities by rotation of the pair of first magnets, Device. 3. The method of claim 2,
Wherein the fixed frame is formed of a metal material. The method according to claim 6,
And the pair of rotation plates are fixed by attraction between the pair of first magnets and the fixed frame. 3. The method of claim 2,
A fixing plate spaced apart from the stationary frame and fixed to the other end of the pair of hinge shafts; And
And a pair of springs which are respectively coupled to the pair of hinge shafts between the fixed plate and the fixed frame and which provide surface friction force to the pair of first magnets by an elastic force. The method according to claim 1,
And the pair of first magnets are fixed to the fixed frame. 10. The method of claim 9,
Further comprising a pair of third magnets fixed to the first cover and the second cover and arranged to be adjacent to the pair of first magnets and move together with the first cover and the second cover, Foldable display device. 11. The method of claim 10,
Wherein the pair of first magnets includes a plurality of N poles and a plurality of S poles, the plurality of N poles and the plurality of S poles are alternately arranged along a direction perpendicular to the hinge axis,
Wherein the pair of third magnets includes one of an N pole and an S pole in a region facing the pair of first magnets. 12. The method of claim 11,
Wherein when the pair of first magnets and the pair of third magnets are arranged to face each other with different polarities by the movement of the pair of third magnets, the first cover and the second cover are fixed, Foldable display device. The method according to claim 1,
Further comprising a pair of gears coupled to said pair of hinge shafts between said pair of first magnets and said pair of rotating plates and rotated together with said pair of rotating plates, . A first cover and a second cover forming a specific folding angle by an external force; And
And at least one hinge connecting the first cover and the second cover and fixing the first cover and the second cover at a specific folding angle by a magnetic force when the external force is removed, Display device. 15. The method of claim 14,
The hinge includes:
A fixed frame;
A pair of hinge shafts passing through the fixed frame;
A pair of rotary plates fixed to one ends of the pair of hinge shafts and fixed to the first cover and the second cover to rotate together with the first cover and the second cover; And
Wherein the first cover and the second cover are coupled to the pair of hinge shafts between the fixed frame and the pair of rotation plates and stop rotation of the pair of rotation plates by gravity, And a pair of first magnets fixed at an angle. 16. The method of claim 15,
Further comprising a pair of second magnets fixed to the fixed frame and fixed to the pair of hinge shafts between the fixed frame and the pair of first magnets,
And rotation of the pair of rotation plates is stopped by attraction between the pair of first magnets and the pair of second magnets. 16. The method of claim 15,
The fixed frame is formed of a metal material,
And rotation of the pair of rotation plates is stopped by attraction between the pair of first magnets and the fixed frame. 16. The method of claim 15,
Further comprising a pair of third magnets fixed to the first cover and the second cover and disposed adjacent to the pair of first magnets and moving together with the first cover and the second cover,
And the movement of the first cover and the second cover is stopped by the attraction between the pair of first magnets and the pair of third magnets.

Images