Display panel, transparent cover plate and manufacturing method thereof

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a display panel, a transparent cover plate and a manufacturing method thereof, and relates to the field of display technologies. The transparent cover plate of the present disclosure includes a glass substrate and a flat layer. The glass substrate has a flat area and a bent area located outside the flat area; the glass substrate includes a first surface and a second surface facing away from each other, and a groove recessed toward the second surface is provided in the area of the first surface located in the bent area; the strength of the bent area is less than that of the flat area, and the bent area can be bent toward the side of the flat area. The flat layer covers the first surface and fills the groove. The transparent cover plate of the present disclosure can reduce the risk of fragmentation while realizing the bending function.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of display technologies, and in particular, to a display panel, a transparent cover plate, and a manufacturing method thereof. Background Art

[0002] Currently, bendable display panels are widely used in terminal devices such as mobile phones to obtain various usage forms. Among them, in order to make the display panel bendable, it is necessary to reduce the thickness of the display panel. However, if the thickness is too low, it is likely to break when subjected to an external impact.

[0003] It should be noted that the information disclosed in the above background art section is only used to enhance the understanding of the background of the present disclosure, and therefore may include information that does not constitute the prior art known to those of ordinary skill in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0004] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a display panel, a transparent cover plate, and a manufacturing method thereof, which can reduce the risk of breakage while realizing the bending function.

[0005] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a transparent cover plate is provided, including:

[0006] A glass substrate having a flat area and a bending area located outside the flat area; the glass substrate includes opposite first and second surfaces, and a groove recessed toward the second surface is provided in the area of the first surface located in the bending area; the strength of the bending area is less than that of the flat area, and the bending area can be bent toward the side of the flat area;

[0007] A flat layer covering the first surface and filling the groove.

[0008] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the transparent cover plate further includes:

[0009] A protective layer provided on the surface of the glass substrate facing away from the flat layer; alternatively, the protective layer is provided on the surface of the flat layer facing away from the glass substrate.

[0010] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the protective layer is adhered to the surface of the glass substrate facing away from the flat layer through an adhesive layer; alternatively, the protective layer is adhered to the surface of the flat layer facing away from the glass substrate.

[0011] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the transparent cover plate further includes:

[0012] A light-shielding layer provided on the surface of the protective layer close to the transparent cover plate and located outside the adhesive layer.

[0013] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the transparent cover plate further includes:

[0014] A light-shielding layer disposed on the surface of the second surface facing away from the flat layer; or, the light-shielding layer is disposed on the surface of the flat layer facing away from the transparent cover plate.

[0015] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the material of the flat layer includes at least one of optical glue, polyurethane, polyimide, and acrylic.

[0016] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the distance between the point on the bottom of the groove closest to the second surface and the second surface is 10 μm - 100 μm;

[0017] The distance between the region of the first surface located in the flat region and the second surface is 20 μm - 500 μm.

[0018] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the transparent cover plate further includes:

[0019] A first protective layer disposed on the side of the glass substrate facing away from the flat layer;

[0020] A second protective layer disposed on the side of the flat layer facing away from the glass substrate.

[0021] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the transparent cover plate may further include:

[0022] A glass substrate disposed on the side of the glass substrate facing away from the flat layer, or the glass substrate is disposed on the side of the flat layer facing away from the glass substrate;

[0023] The glass substrate can be bent synchronously with the glass substrate.

[0024] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the number of the glass substrates is multiple, and they are stacked in sequence along the direction away from the glass substrate.

[0025] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the number of the flat regions is two, and they are distributed on both sides of the bending region.

[0026] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the number of both the flat region and the bending region is one.

[0027] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method for manufacturing a transparent cover plate, including:

[0028] Form a glass substrate, the glass substrate having a flat region and a bent region located outside the flat region; the glass substrate includes a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other, and a groove recessed toward the second surface is provided in the region of the first surface located in the bent region;

[0029] Form a first corrosion-resistant layer in the regions of the first surface and the second surface located in the flat region, and the first corrosion-resistant layer exposes the regions of the first surface and the second surface located in the bent region;

[0030] Temper the bent region by an ion exchange process;

[0031] Remove the first corrosion-resistant layer;

[0032] Form a second corrosion-resistant layer in the regions of the first surface and the second surface located in the bent region, and the second corrosion-resistant layer exposes the regions of the first surface and the second surface located in the flat region;

[0033] Temper the flat region by an ion exchange process; the strength of the bent region is less than the strength of the flat region, and the bent region can be bent toward the flat region;

[0034] Remove the second corrosion-resistant layer;

[0035] Form a flat layer covering the first surface and filling the groove.

[0036] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the tempering of the bent region by the ion exchange process includes:

[0037] Place the glass substrate covered with the first corrosion-resistant layer in molten alkali salt for a first duration;

[0038] Take out the glass substrate from the molten alkali salt;

[0039] The tempering of the flat region by the ion exchange process includes:

[0040] Place the glass substrate covered with the second corrosion-resistant layer in the molten alkali salt for a second duration; the second duration is greater than the first duration so that the strength of the bent region is less than the strength of the flat region, and the bent region can be bent toward the flat region;

[0041] Take out the glass substrate from the molten alkali salt.

[0042] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method for manufacturing a transparent cover plate, including:

[0043] Form a glass substrate, the glass substrate having a flat area and a bent area located outside the flat area; the glass substrate includes a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other, and a groove recessed toward the second surface is provided in the area of the first surface located in the bent area;

[0044] Form a first corrosion-resistant layer in the areas of the first surface and the second surface located in the bent area, and the first corrosion-resistant layer exposes the areas of the first surface and the second surface located in the flat area;

[0045] Temper the flat area through an ion exchange process;

[0046] Remove the first corrosion-resistant layer;

[0047] Form a second corrosion-resistant layer in the areas of the first surface and the second surface located in the flat area, and the second corrosion-resistant layer exposes the areas of the first surface and the second surface located in the bent area;

[0048] Temper the bent area through an ion exchange process; the strength of the bent area is less than the strength of the flat area, and the bent area can be bent toward the flat area;

[0049] Remove the second corrosion-resistant layer;

[0050] Form a flat layer covering the first surface and filling the groove.

[0051] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the tempering of the flat area through the ion exchange process includes:

[0052] Place the glass substrate covered with the first corrosion-resistant layer in molten alkali salt for a first period of time;

[0053] Take out the glass substrate from the molten alkali salt;

[0054] The tempering of the bent area through the ion exchange process includes:

[0055] Place the glass substrate covered with the second corrosion-resistant layer in the molten alkali salt for a second period of time; the second period of time is less than the first period of time, so that the strength of the bent area is less than the strength of the flat area, and the bent area can be bent toward the flat area;

[0056] Take out the glass substrate from the molten alkali salt.

[0057] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method for manufacturing a transparent cover plate, including:

[0058] A glass substrate is formed, which has a flat area and a bent area located outside the flat area; the glass substrate includes a first surface and a second surface facing away from each other, and a groove recessed towards the second surface is provided in the area of the first surface located in the bent area;

[0059] Place the glass substrate in molten alkali salt;

[0060] Insert a plurality of electrodes into the molten alkali salt and on the side of the first surface facing away from the second surface; the electrodes include a first electrode and a second electrode, the orthographic projection of the first electrode on the glass substrate is located in the flat area, and the orthographic projection of the second electrode on the glass substrate is located in the bent area;

[0061] Connect the first electrode to the negative pole of a power supply and the second electrode to the positive pole of the power supply for a specified duration;

[0062] Take out the glass substrate and clean it;

[0063] Form a flat layer covering the first surface and filling the groove.

[0064] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the molten alkali salt includes at least one of potassium nitrate and sodium nitrate.

[0065] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a display panel is provided, including:

[0066] A display substrate;

[0067] The transparent cover plate described in any one of the above covers one side of the display substrate.

[0068] In the display panel, transparent cover plate and manufacturing method thereof of the present disclosure, bent areas and flat areas with different thicknesses and strengths can be set in the transparent cover plate. Among them, the bent area is provided with a groove and has a lower strength, which is beneficial for bending, while the flat area outside the bent area has a larger thickness and a higher strength, so it is not easy to break. After covering the display substrate with the transparent cover plate, the display substrate can be protected without affecting the bending function of the display substrate.

[0069] It should be understood that the above general description and subsequent detailed description are only exemplary and explanatory, and cannot limit the present disclosure. Description of the Drawings

[0070] The accompanying drawings herein are incorporated into and constitute a part of this specification, showing embodiments consistent with the present disclosure, and are used together with the specification to explain the principles of the present disclosure. Obviously, the accompanying drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present disclosure, and those of ordinary skill in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without creative efforts.

[0071] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the first embodiment of the foldable transparent cover plate of the present disclosure.

[0072] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the second embodiment of the foldable transparent cover plate of the present disclosure.

[0073] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the third embodiment of the foldable transparent cover plate of the present disclosure.

[0074] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the fourth embodiment of the foldable transparent cover plate of the present disclosure.

[0075] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the fifth embodiment of the foldable transparent cover plate of the present disclosure.

[0076] Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the sixth embodiment of the foldable transparent cover plate of the present disclosure.

[0077] Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the seventh embodiment of the foldable transparent cover plate of the present disclosure.

[0078] Figure 8 Schematic diagram of the first embodiment of the slidable and rollable transparent cover plate of the present disclosure.

[0079] Figure 9 Schematic diagram of the second embodiment of the slidable and rollable transparent cover plate of the present disclosure.

[0080] Figure 10 Schematic diagram of the third embodiment of the slidable and rollable transparent cover plate of the present disclosure.

[0081] Figure 11 Schematic diagram of the fourth embodiment of the slidable and rollable transparent cover plate of the present disclosure.

[0082] Figure 12 Schematic diagram of the principle of sliding and rolling of the slidable and rollable transparent cover plate of the present disclosure.

[0083] Figure 13 Flow chart of an embodiment of the first manufacturing method of the present disclosure.

[0084] Figure 14Schematic diagram of an embodiment of the first manufacturing method of the present disclosure.

[0085] Figure 15 Schematic diagram of another embodiment of the first manufacturing method of the present disclosure.

[0086] Figure 16 Flow chart of an embodiment of the second manufacturing method of the present disclosure.

[0087] Figure 17 Flow chart of an embodiment of the third manufacturing method of the present disclosure.

[0088] Figure 18 Schematic diagram of manufacturing a foldable transparent cover plate by the third manufacturing method of the present disclosure.

[0089] Figure 19 Schematic diagram of manufacturing a slidable and rollable transparent cover plate by the third manufacturing method of the present disclosure.

[0090] Figure 20 Schematic diagram of an embodiment of the display panel of the present disclosure.

[0091] Description of reference numerals:

[0092] 1. Glass substrate; 11. First surface; 12. Second surface; 13. Groove; 101. Flat area; 102. Bending area;

[0093] 2. Flat layer;

[0094] 3. Protective layer;

[0095] 4. Adhesive layer;

[0096] 5. Light-shielding layer;

[0097] 31. First protective layer; 32. Second protective layer;

[0098] A1. Glass substrate;

[0099] 100. Display substrate; 1001. Deformed part; 1002. Non-deformed part; 111. Display area; 112. Peripheral area;

[0100] 01. First anti-corrosion layer; 02. Second anti-corrosion layer;

[0101] 001. Electrolytic cell; 002. Molten alkali salt; 003. Electrode; 0031. First electrode; 0032. Second electrode; 004. Power supply. Detailed implementation manners

[0102] Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the example embodiments can be implemented in various forms and should not be construed as 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 concept of the example embodiments to those skilled in the art. Like reference numerals in the figures denote like or similar structures, and thus their detailed description will be omitted. In addition, the drawings are only schematic illustrations of the present disclosure and are not necessarily drawn to scale.

[0103] The terms "a", "an", "the", "said" and "at least one" are used to indicate the presence of one or more elements / components / etc.; the terms "comprising" and "having" are used to mean an open inclusion and mean that there may be additional elements / components / etc. in addition to the listed elements / components / etc.; the terms "first", "second", "third", etc. are only used as labels and are not a limitation on the quantity of their objects.

[0104] In the related art, a display panel includes a display substrate and a transparent cover plate covering the display substrate. The display substrate can be protected through the transparent cover plate, and the transparent cover plate can include a transparent glass substrate. In a bendable display panel, it is usually necessary to bend (such as fold and curl, etc.) in a specific bending area to form a specific shape. In order to facilitate the bending of the display panel, the thickness of the glass substrate should not be too large to have bendable flexibility, but this will result in a reduction in strength. If it is impacted or scratched by foreign objects, it is prone to breakage. Therefore, in order to improve the strength of the glass substrate, the glass substrate needs to be tempered so as to enhance the strength when the thickness of the glass substrate is relatively low. However, if the bending performance of the bending area is to be ensured, the degree of tempering should not be too high. And the glass substrate is usually a plate-like structure with uniform thickness. After the tempering process, the degree of tempering in the bending area is the same as that in other areas, making it difficult to improve the overall strength of the glass substrate and still difficult to reduce the risk of breakage.

[0105] An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a transparent cover plate for a bendable display panel, such as Figures 1 - 11 shown, the transparent cover plate may include a glass substrate 1 and a flat layer 2, wherein:

[0106] The glass substrate 1 has a flat area 101 and a bending area 102 located outside the flat area 101; the glass substrate 1 includes opposite first surface 11 and second surface 12, and a groove 13 recessed towards the second surface 12 is provided in the area of the first surface 11 located in the bending area 102; the strength of the bending area 102 is less than that of the flat area 101, and the bending area 102 can be bent towards the flat area 101;

[0107] The flat layer 2 covers the first surface 11 and fills the groove 13.

[0108] The transparent cover plate of the present disclosure has a bending area 102 and a flat area 101 with different thicknesses and strengths. The bending area 102 is provided with grooves 13 and has a lower strength, which is conducive to bending. The flat area 101 outside the bending area 102 has a larger thickness and a higher strength, so it is not easily broken. After covering the display substrate 100 with the transparent cover plate, the display substrate 100 can be protected without affecting its bending function.

[0109] The following is a detailed description of the transparent cover plate:

[0110] As Figures 1 - 11 and Figure 20 shown, the transparent cover plate can cover one side of the display substrate 100 and can be bent synchronously with the display substrate 100. The display substrate 100 can be used to display images. Taking the OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) display substrate 100 as an example, it can include a driving backplane and a light-emitting layer located on one side of the driving backplane. The driving backplane can drive the light-emitting layer to emit light to display images. The transparent cover plate can be disposed on the side of the light-emitting layer facing away from the driving backplane, and the light emitted by the light-emitting layer can pass through the transparent cover plate. The display substrate 100 can be divided into a display area 111 and a peripheral area 112 located outside the display area 111. The light-emitting layer is located in the display area 111, and the peripheral area 112 does not emit light.

[0111] As Figures 1 - 11 shown, the transparent cover plate can include a glass substrate 1 and a flat layer 2, where:

[0112] The glass substrate 1 is a transparent plate-like structure, which can have a first surface 11 and a second surface 12 facing away from each other, and the first surface 11 and the second surface 12 can be distributed along the thickness direction. At the same time, the glass substrate 1 can be divided into multiple regions along the extension direction of the first surface 11 and the second surface 12, including the flat area 101 and the bending area 102 located outside the flat area 101. The area of the first surface 11 located in the bending area 102 is provided with grooves 13 recessed toward the second surface 12, so that the thickness of the bending area 102 is smaller than that of the flat area 101. The flat area 101 and the bending area 102 can be distributed along a first direction, and the grooves 13 can extend along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and penetrate. The profile of the cross-section of the grooves 13 along the first direction can be arc-shaped, rectangular, etc., and no special limitation is made here.

[0113] The distance between the point at which the bottom of the groove 13 is closest to the second surface 12 and the second surface 12 may be 10 μm-100 μm, for example, 10 μm, 20 μm, 50 μm, 80 μm, 100 μm, etc. The distance between the point at which the bottom of the groove 13 is closest to the second surface 12 and the second surface 12 is the thickness of the region with the smallest thickness of the bending area 102. The point at which the bottom of the groove 13 is closest to the second surface 12 may be one or more, depending on the shape of the groove 13.

[0114] The distance between the first surface 11 in the flat area 101 and the second surface 12 is the thickness of the flat area 101 , which may be 20 μm-500 μm, for example, 20 μm, 30 μm, 40 μm, 50 μm, 100 μm, 200 μm, 300 μm, 400 μm, 500 μm, etc.

[0115] The strength of the bending area 102 is less than that of the flat area 101, so that the bending area 102 can be bent toward one side of the flat area 101. For example, the bending area 102 can be bent toward the side of the first surface 11 away from the second surface 12, or the second surface 12 can be bent toward the side away from the first surface 11. Thus, by providing the bending area 102 and the flat area 101 with different thicknesses and strengths on the glass substrate 1, the bending function and the protection function can be taken into account. Specifically, the flat area 101 has a higher strength and can play a role without being easily broken. The bending area 102 has a lower strength, which is conducive to increasing flexibility and facilitating bending.

[0116] It should be noted that the aforementioned description about the bending of the bending zone 102 is only a description of the function of the bending zone 102 and does not limit the state of the bending zone 102 , that is, the bending zone 102 can be bent or unfolded to be flush with the flat zone 101 .

[0117] In order to facilitate the formation of the bending area 102 and the flat area 101 with different strengths, the bending area 102 and the flat area 101 can be tempered respectively, and the degree of tempering is different. The specific method will be described in detail in the implementation of the manufacturing method below.

[0118] like Figures 1 - 11 As shown, the flat layer 2 can cover the first surface 11 of the glass substrate 1 and fill the groove 13. The surface of the flat layer 2 facing away from the glass substrate 1 can be a plane to achieve flattening, so as to cover the display substrate 100 with a transparent cover plate, or stack other film layers. The material of the flat layer 2 can include at least one of optical adhesive (OCA), optical transparent resin (OCR), polyurethane resin (PU), polyimide (PI), and acrylic (PMMA). Of course, other transparent materials can also be used.

[0119] like Figures 1 - 7As shown, in some embodiments of the present disclosure, the transparent cover plate can be applied to a foldable display panel, such as Figure 20 As shown, the display substrate 100 of the display panel may include a bendable deformation portion 1001 and non-deformation portions 1002 distributed on both sides of the deformation portion 1001. The two non-deformation portions 1002 can be folded in half due to the bending of the deformation portion 1001 to achieve the folding function. Correspondingly, the number of flat regions 101 of the glass substrate 1 can be two, and they are distributed on both sides of the bending region 102. The two flat regions 101 can correspond to the two non-deformation portions 1002, and the bending region 102 can correspond to the deformation portion 1001, so that the transparent cover plate can be folded along with the display substrate 100, and the bending region 102 can be bent to one side of the flat region 101.

[0120] Such as Figures 8 - 11 As shown, in some other embodiments of the present disclosure, the transparent cover plate can be applied to a rollable display panel. Referring to the foldable display panel above, the rollable display panel may have a deformation portion 1001 and a non-deformation portion 1002. The deformation portion 1001 can be bent towards the non-deformation portion 1002. Correspondingly, the number of the flat region 101 and the bending region 102 is one each. The flat region 101 can correspond to the non-deformation portion 1002, and the bending region 102 can correspond to the deformation portion 1001, so that the transparent cover plate can be folded along with the display substrate 100, and the bending region 102 can be bent to one side of the flat region 101.

[0121] Such as Figure 1 、 Figure 2 And Figure 8 And Figure 9 As shown, in order to prevent the transparent cover plate from cracking, the transparent cover plate further includes a protective layer 3. The glass substrate 1 is protected by covering with the protective layer 3. The material of the protective layer 3 may include at least one of colorless polyimide (CPI), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer rubber (TPU), and acrylic. Of course, other transparent materials can also be used.

[0122] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, such as Figure 2 And Figure 9 As shown, the protective layer 3 can be disposed on the surface of the glass substrate 1 facing away from the flat layer 2. For example, the protective layer 3 can be bonded to the surface of the glass substrate 1 facing away from the flat layer 2 through an adhesive layer 4. The adhesive layer 4 can be a material such as an optical adhesive that can achieve an adhesion function.

[0123] In some other embodiments of the present disclosure, such as Figure 1 And Figure 8 As shown, the protective layer 3 can be disposed on the surface of the flat layer 2 facing away from the glass substrate 1. For example, the protective layer 3 can be bonded to the surface of the flat layer 2 facing away from the glass substrate 1 through an adhesive layer 4. The adhesive layer 4 can be a material such as an optical adhesive that can achieve an adhesion function.

[0124] To shield the non-luminous peripheral region 112 at the edge of the display substrate 100, as Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 8 and Figure 9 shown, in some embodiments of the present disclosure, the transparent cover plate further includes a light-shielding layer 5, which can be disposed on the surface of the protective layer 3 close to the transparent cover plate and outside the adhesive layer 4, that is, the light-shielding layer 5 and the adhesive layer 4 can be disposed on the same surface of the protective layer 3, and the light-shielding layer 5 is located on the periphery of the adhesive layer 4. As Figure 20 shown, after covering the display substrate 100 with the transparent cover plate, in the direction perpendicular to the display substrate 100, the light-shielding layer 5 shields the peripheral region 112 of the display substrate 100. For example, the light-shielding layer 5 can be an annular continuous annular structure and surround the outside of the adhesive layer 4.

[0125] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, as Figure 3 and Figure 10 shown, the display panel may not adopt the protective layer 3 and the adhesive layer 4, and the light-shielding layer 5 can be disposed on the surface of the second surface 12 of the glass substrate 1 away from the flat layer 2, and its function is still to shield the peripheral region 112 of the display substrate 100. Of course, in other embodiments of the present disclosure, as Figure 4 and Figure 11 shown, the light-shielding layer 5 can also be disposed on the surface of the flat layer 2 away from the transparent cover plate, and can also be used to shield the peripheral region 112 of the display substrate 100.

[0126] The material of the above-mentioned light-shielding layer 5 can be black ink, and of course it can also be other light-shielding materials such as black resin, and no special limitation is made here.

[0127] In some other embodiments of the present disclosure, as Figure 5 shown, two protective layers can be provided to prevent the glass substrate 1 from being broken. Specifically, the transparent cover plate further includes a first protective layer 31 and a second protective layer 32, wherein:

[0128] The first protective layer 31 can be disposed on the side of the glass substrate 1 away from the flat layer 2. For example, the first protective layer 31 can be adhered to the surface of the glass substrate 1 away from the flat layer 2 through the first adhesive layer 41.

[0129] The second protective layer 32 is disposed on the side of the flat layer 2 away from the glass substrate 1. For example, the second protective layer 32 can be adhered to the surface of the flat layer 2 away from the glass substrate 1 through the second adhesive layer 42.

[0130] The materials of the first protective layer 31 and the second protective layer 32 may refer to the protective layer 3 in the above text, which will not be repeated here. Moreover, the boundaries of the first protective layer 31 and the second protective layer 32 can both be located outside the boundary of the glass substrate 1, that is, the areas of the first protective layer 31 and the second protective layer 32 are both larger than that of the glass substrate 1. In addition, the light-shielding layer 5 can be disposed on the surface of the first protective layer 31 facing away from the glass substrate 1, or on the surface of the second protective layer 32 facing away from the glass substrate 1.

[0131] Through the above-mentioned first protective layer 31 and second protective layer 32, the glass substrate 1 can be protected from both sides of the glass substrate 1, further reducing the risk of the transparent cover plate being broken.

[0132] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, as Figure 6 shown, the transparent cover plate may further include a glass substrate A1, which can be disposed on the side of the glass substrate 1 facing away from the flat layer 2. The glass substrate A1 can be a plate-like structure the same as the glass substrate 1, and the boundary of the glass substrate A1 can be aligned with the boundary of the glass substrate 1 and can be bent synchronously with the glass substrate 1; that is to say, the glass substrate A1 has a bent area corresponding to the bent area 102 and a flat area corresponding to the flat area 101, but the glass substrate A1 may not be provided with the groove 13 in its bent area, and the strength of the bent area of the glass substrate A1 can be less than or equal to the strength of its flat area. Of course, a groove can also be provided at the position of the glass substrate A1 corresponding to the groove 13 to improve flexibility. For example, if the glass substrate A1 is provided with a groove, the groove can be disposed on the surface of the glass substrate A1 facing the glass substrate 1, or on the surface of the glass substrate A1 facing away from the glass substrate 1, which is not specifically limited here.

[0133] In some other embodiments of the present disclosure, as Figure 7 shown, the above-mentioned glass substrate A1 can be disposed on the side of the flat layer 2 facing away from the glass substrate 1 and can be bent synchronously with the glass substrate 1.

[0134] Furthermore, as Figure 6 and Figure 7 shown, the number of the above-mentioned glass substrates A1 can be multiple, such as two, three, four, five, etc. Multiple glass substrates A1 can be stacked in sequence in the direction away from the glass substrate 1, so that the transparent cover plate has multiple layers of glass (a glass substrate 1 or a glass substrate A1 can be regarded as a layer of glass). Adjacent two layers of glass can be bonded through an adhesive layer. Grooves corresponding to the groove 13 can be provided in a part or all of the glass substrates A1, and of course, no groove can be provided in each glass substrate A1.

[0135] Further, for the structure of the multi-layer glass described above, it can be combined with the aforementioned first protective layer 31 and second protective layer 32, that is, both the glass substrate 1 and the glass base A1 can be located between the first protective layer 31 and the second protective layer 32.

[0136] It should be noted that the above implementation Figures 5 - 7 is described for the foldable transparent cover plate, but does not limit that the relevant technical features of the above first protective layer 31, second protective layer 32 and glass base A1 can only be applied to the foldable transparent cover plate. Those skilled in the art can know that it can also be applied to the slidable and rollable transparent cover plate, which will not be elaborated herein.

[0137] As Figure 12 shown, Figure 12 shows the principle of sliding and rolling of the slidable and rollable transparent cover plate. It can be seen that the bending area 102 bends towards one side of the transparent substrate, and the bending area 102 can be translated along the direction parallel to the flat area 101 to achieve the sliding and rolling function, so that the bending area 102 forms a U-shaped structure.

[0138] In order to manufacture the transparent cover plate of any of the above embodiments, the present disclosure provides a variety of manufacturing methods, which will be described below:

[0139] The first manufacturing method

[0140] As Figures 13 - 15 shown, the first manufacturing method may include steps S110 - S180, where:

[0141] Step S110: Form a glass substrate, the glass substrate having a flat area and a bending area located outside the flat area; the glass substrate includes opposite first and second surfaces, and a groove recessed towards the second surface is provided in the area of the first surface located in the bending area;

[0142] Step S120: Form a first corrosion-resistant layer in the areas of the first and second surfaces located in the flat area, and the first corrosion-resistant layer exposes the areas of the first and second surfaces located in the bending area;

[0143] Step S130: Temper the bending area through an ion exchange process;

[0144] Step S140: Remove the first corrosion-resistant layer;

[0145] Step S150: Form a second corrosion-resistant layer in the areas of the first and second surfaces located in the bending area, and the second corrosion-resistant layer exposes the areas of the first and second surfaces located in the flat area;

[0146] Step S160: Temper the flat area through an ion exchange process; the strength of the bent area is less than that of the flat area, and the bent area can be bent towards one side of the flat area.

[0147] Step S170: Remove the second anti-corrosion layer.

[0148] Step S180: Form a flat layer covering the first surface and filling the groove.

[0149] The following is an explanation of each step of the above manufacturing method:

[0150] As Figure 14 and Figure 15 shown, in step S110, the structure of the glass substrate 1 has been described in detail in the above embodiments of the transparent cover plate, and will not be elaborated here.

[0151] As Figure 14 and Figure 15 shown, in step S120, the first anti-corrosion layer 01 is used to protect the flat area 101 during the tempering process in step S130, ensuring that only the bent area 102 is tempered.

[0152] As Figure 14 and Figure 15 shown, in some embodiments of the present disclosure, if molten alkali salt is used for tempering in step S130, the first anti-corrosion layer 01 is a material resistant to molten salt corrosion, so that it does not dissolve in the alkali salt. The specific material of the first anti-corrosion layer 01 can be determined according to the components of the molten alkali salt. For example, if the above molten alkali salt includes at least one of potassium nitrate and sodium nitrate, the first anti-corrosion layer 01 that does not dissolve in potassium nitrate, sodium nitrate or a mixture of the two in the molten state (at 350°C - 400°C) is required to prevent potassium ions and sodium ions from undergoing ion exchange with the glass substrate 1 of the flat area 101.

[0153] The first anti-corrosion layer 01 can be a salt-proof film, and processes such as roller rolling or vacuum laminating can be used to bond the salt-proof film to the first surface 11 and the second surface 12. Alternatively, the first anti-corrosion layer 01 can also be salt-proof ink, and the first anti-corrosion layer 01 can be directly formed on the first surface 11 and the second surface 12 through processes such as screen printing, pad printing, and photolithography. No special limitation is imposed on its process here.

[0154] It should be noted that before forming the first anti-corrosion layer 01, the glass substrate 1 can be cleaned first to remove the attached impurities.

[0155] As Figure 14 and Figure 15As shown, in step S130, a chemical method can be adopted to perform ion exchange between the bending area 102 of the transparent substrate and the molten alkali salt, so as to form a compressive stress on the first surface 11 and the second surface 12 of the bending area 102, and form a tensile stress inside the bending area 102, thereby improving the strength of the bending area 102. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, step S130 may include:

[0156] Place the glass substrate 1 covered with the first anti-corrosion layer 01 in the molten alkali salt for a first duration. The molten alkali salt may include at least one of potassium nitrate and sodium nitrate, so that sodium ions or potassium ions perform ion exchange with the bending area 102 to improve the strength of the bending area 102. The first duration is not specifically limited here, and it is related to factors such as the concentration of the molten alkali salt and the thickness of the glass substrate 1.

[0157] Take out the glass substrate 1 from the molten alkali salt.

[0158] As Figure 14 and Figure 15 shown, in step S140, the process of removing the first anti-corrosion layer 01 depends on its specific material. For example, if the first anti-corrosion layer 01 is a salt-proof film adhered to the glass substrate 1, its viscosity can be removed by ultraviolet light irradiation, so that the first anti-corrosion layer 01 can be peeled off.

[0159] As Figure 14 and Figure 15 shown, in step S150, the material and process of the second anti-corrosion can refer to the above-mentioned first anti-corrosion layer 01, which will not be elaborated here. Through the second anti-corrosion layer 02, the tempered bending area 102 can be protected, while the flat area 101 is exposed, ensuring that only the flat area 101 is tempered in step S160.

[0160] As Figure 14 and Figure 15 shown, in step S160, a chemical method can be adopted to perform ion exchange between the bending area 102 of the transparent substrate and the molten alkali salt, so as to form a compressive stress on the first surface 11 and the second surface 12 of the bending area 102, and form a tensile stress inside the bending area 102, thereby improving the strength of the flat area 101. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, step S160 may include:

[0161] Place the glass substrate 1 covered with the second anti-corrosion layer 02 in the molten alkali salt for a second duration; the second duration is greater than the first duration, so that the strength of the bending area 102 is less than the strength of the flat area 101, and the bending area 102 can bend towards the side of the flat area 101;

[0162] Take out the glass substrate 1 from the molten alkali salt.

[0163] As Figure 14 andFigure 15 As shown, the process of tempering the flat area 101 can refer to the process of tempering the bent area 102, which will not be elaborated here. The difference lies in that in order to make the strength of the bent area 102 less than that of the flat area 101, the tempering degree of the flat area 101 can be higher than that of the bent area 102 by making the second duration less than the first duration.

[0164] As Figure 14 and Figure 15 shown, in step S170, the process of removing the second anti-corrosion layer 02 depends on its specific material. For example, if the second anti-corrosion layer 02 is a salt-proof film adhered to the glass substrate 1, its viscosity can be removed by ultraviolet light irradiation, so that the second anti-corrosion layer 02 can be peeled off.

[0165] As Figures 1 - 11 shown, in step S180, the structure and material of the flat layer 2 can refer to the implementation manner of the transparent cover plate above, which will not be elaborated here.

[0166] Of course, in some implementation manners of the present disclosure, steps of forming a protective layer 3 and a light-shielding layer 5 may also be included. The specific structure, material, and lamination relationship can refer to the implementation manner of the transparent cover plate above, which will not be elaborated here.

[0167] The second manufacturing method

[0168] As Figure 16 shown, the second manufacturing method may include steps S210 - S280, where:

[0169] Step S210, form a glass substrate, the glass substrate has a flat area and a bent area located outside the flat area; the glass substrate includes opposite first and second surfaces, and a groove recessed toward the second surface is provided in the area of the first surface located in the bent area;

[0170] Step S220, form a first anti-corrosion layer in the areas of the first and second surfaces located in the bent area, and the first anti-corrosion layer exposes the areas of the first and second surfaces located in the flat area;

[0171] Step S230, temper the flat area through an ion exchange process;

[0172] Step S240, remove the first anti-corrosion layer;

[0173] Step S250, form a first anti-corrosion layer in the areas of the first and second surfaces located in the flat area, and the second anti-corrosion layer exposes the areas of the first and second surfaces located in the bent area;

[0174] Step S260: Temper the bent area through an ion exchange process; the strength of the bent area is less than that of the flat area, and the bent area can be bent towards one side of the flat area;

[0175] Step S270: Remove the second anti-corrosion layer;

[0176] Step S280: Form a flat layer covering the first surface and filling the groove.

[0177] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, step S230 may include:

[0178] Place the glass substrate covered with the first anti-corrosion layer in molten alkali salt for a first duration;

[0179] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, take out the glass substrate from the molten alkali salt;

[0180] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, step S260 may include:

[0181] Place the glass substrate covered with the second anti-corrosion layer in the molten alkali salt for a second duration; the second duration is less than the first duration, so that the strength of the bent area is less than that of the flat area, and the bent area can be bent towards one side of the flat area;

[0182] Take out the glass substrate from the molten alkali salt.

[0183] The process adopted by the above second manufacturing method is similar to that of the first manufacturing method. The difference lies in the order of the tempering process. That is, in the second manufacturing method, the bent area 102 is first protected by the first anti-corrosion layer 01, and the flat area 101 is tempered; then the flat area 101 is protected by the second anti-corrosion layer 02, and the bent area 102 is tempered. For the specific ion exchange process and the materials of the film layer, reference can be made to the embodiments of the first manufacturing method, which will not be elaborated here.

[0184] The third manufacturing method

[0185] As Figures 17 - 19 shown, a transparent cover plate can be manufactured through the principle of an electrolytic cell. The third manufacturing method may include steps S310 - S360, where:

[0186] Step S310: Form a glass substrate, the glass substrate has a flat area and a bent area located outside the flat area; the glass substrate includes opposite first and second surfaces, and a groove recessed towards the second surface is provided in the area of the first surface located in the bent area;

[0187] Step S320: Place the glass substrate in molten alkali salt;

[0188] Step S330: Insert a plurality of electrodes into the molten alkali salt and on the side where the first surface faces away from the second surface; the electrodes include a first electrode and a second electrode. The orthographic projection of the first electrode on the glass substrate is located within the flat area, and the orthographic projection of the second electrode on the glass substrate is located within the bent area;

[0189] Step S340: Connect the first electrode to the negative pole of a power source and connect the second electrode to the positive pole of the power source for a specified duration;

[0190] Step S350: Take out the glass substrate and perform cleaning;

[0191] Step S360: Form a flat layer covering the first surface and filling the groove.

[0192] The following is a detailed description of the third manufacturing method:

[0193] As Figure 18 and Figure 19 shown, in step S310, the structure of the glass substrate 1 has been described in detail in the above embodiments of the transparent cover plate and will not be elaborated here.

[0194] As Figure 18 and Figure 19 shown, in step S320, an electrolytic cell 001 containing molten alkali salt 002 can be provided, and the glass substrate 1 is placed in the electrolytic cell 001 so that it is immersed in the molten alkali salt 002. The molten alkali salt 002 can be an alkali salt that can undergo ion exchange with the glass substrate 1. For example, the molten alkali salt 002 can include at least one of potassium nitrate and sodium nitrate. To ensure that both the first surface 11 and the second surface 12 of the glass substrate 1 can undergo ion exchange, a certain distance can be maintained between the glass substrate 1 and the bottom or side wall of the electrolytic cell 001.

[0195] As Figure 18 and Figure 19As shown, in step S330, the electrode 003 can be an electrode rod, which can be columnar. The material of the electrode 003 can be graphite or other conductive materials. The number of the electrodes 003 can be multiple, and at least includes a first electrode 0031 and a second electrode 0032. Each electrode can be partially inserted into the liquid level of the molten alkali salt 002 in a direction perpendicular to the glass substrate 1, and the first electrode 0031 can correspond to the flat area 101, and the second electrode 0032 can correspond to the bent area 102. However, each electrode 003 does not contact the glass substrate 1, so that the orthographic projection of the first electrode 0031 on the glass substrate 1 is located within the flat area 101, and the orthographic projection of the second electrode 0032 on the glass substrate 1 is located within the bent area 102.

[0196] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, as Figure 18 shown, the glass substrate 1 has two flat areas 101 and one bent area 102. Then, the number of the first electrodes 0031 is two, and they respectively correspond to the two flat areas 101; the number of the first electrodes 0031 is one, and it corresponds to the bent area 102.

[0197] In some other embodiments of the present disclosure, as Figure 19 shown, the glass substrate 1 has one flat area 101 and one bent area 102. Then, the number of both the first electrode 0031 and the second electrode 0032 is one. The first electrode 0031 corresponds to the flat area 101, and the second electrode 0032 corresponds to the bent area 102.

[0198] As Figure 18 and Figure 19 shown, in step S340, each electrode 003 can be connected to a power source 004. The power source 004 can be a DC power source 004, which can include one battery or multiple batteries. Of course, it can also be other devices that can provide direct current, as long as the negative pole of the power source 004 is connected to the first electrode 0031 and the positive pole is connected to the second electrode 0032. The first electrode 0031 can be conducted with the negative pole of the power source 004, and the second electrode 0032 can be conducted with the positive pole of the power source 004. At the same time, the conduction time with the power source 004 can be a specified time, and the specific time is not specially limited here. In addition, the above electrolysis process can be carried out at a temperature of 350°C - 400°C.

[0199] As Figure 18 and Figure 19As shown, taking the molten alkali salt 002 as potassium nitrate, the potassium ion concentration near the first electrode 0031 is high, the concentration gradient of potassium ions in the molten alkali salt 002 and the glass substrate 1 is large, and the ion exchange rate is fast, so that the flat area 101 corresponding to the first electrode 0031 can obtain a greater surface compressive stress and stress layer depth within a specified time. At the same time, the potassium ion concentration near the second electrode 0032 is relatively low, the concentration gradient of potassium ions in the molten alkali salt 002 and the glass substrate 1 is relatively small, and the ion exchange rate is relatively slow, so that the bending area 102 corresponding to the second electrode 0032 can obtain a surface compressive stress and stress layer depth smaller than that of the flat area 101 within a specified time. Thus, the glass substrate 1 can be tempered by the electrolytic cell principle, but the strength of the bending area 102 is lower than that of the flat area 101.

[0200] As Figure 18 and Figure 19 shown, in step S350, the glass substrate 1 is taken out and cleaned.

[0201] After tempering, the glass substrate 1 can be taken out from the molten alkali salt 002, and the first surface 11 and the second surface 12 are cleaned.

[0202] As Figures 1 - 11 shown, in step S360, the structure and material of the flat layer 2 can refer to the implementation manner of the transparent cover plate above, which will not be elaborated here.

[0203] In addition, of course, in some implementation manners of the present disclosure, steps of forming a protective layer 3 and a light-shielding layer 5 may also be included. The specific structure, material, and lamination relationship can refer to the implementation manner of the transparent cover plate above, which will not be elaborated here.

[0204] It should be noted that although the steps of various manufacturing methods in the present disclosure are described in a specific order in the drawings, this does not require or imply that these steps must be executed in this specific order, or that all the steps shown must be executed to achieve the desired result. Additionally or alternatively, some steps may be omitted, multiple steps may be combined into one step for execution, and / or one step may be decomposed into multiple steps for execution, etc.

[0205] The implementation manner of the present disclosure also provides a display panel, which may include a display substrate 100 and a transparent cover plate, wherein:

[0206] The display substrate 100 is used to display images. Taking the OLED display substrate as an example, it may include a driving backplane and a light-emitting layer located on one side of the driving backplane. The driving backplane has a driving circuit, and the light-emitting layer includes a plurality of light-emitting devices, which can be driven by the driving circuit to emit light to display images. The display substrate 100 may also include a packaging layer and a polarizing layer. The packaging layer covers the light-emitting layer, and the polarizing layer is provided on the side of the packaging layer facing away from the driving backplane. Of course, the display substrate may also include other film layers, which will not be elaborated here as long as it can display images.

[0207] The display substrate 100 is a flexible display substrate, which can be bent at a specific position to realize the folding or sliding and rolling of the display panel. For example, the display substrate 100 has a bendable deformation part 1001 and a non-deformation part 1002 located outside the deformation part 1001. The deformation part 1001 can be bent, while the non-deformation part 1002 remains flat. For a foldable display panel, the display substrate 100 may have one deformation part 1001 and two non-deformation parts 1002 located on both sides of the deformation part 1001, and the two non-deformation parts 1002 can be unfolded or opposed. For a slidable and rollable display panel, it may have one deformation part 1001 and one non-deformation part 1002.

[0208] The transparent cover plate is the transparent cover plate in any of the above embodiments, and its specific structure will not be elaborated here. The transparent cover plate can cover one side of the display substrate 100. For example, the transparent cover plate can cover the side of the polarizing layer facing away from the driving backplane.

[0209] As Figure 20 shown, in some embodiments of the present disclosure, the transparent cover plate has a protective layer 3 and an adhesive layer 4, and the protective layer 3 can be located on the side of the glass substrate 1 facing away from the display substrate 100.

[0210] In some other embodiments of the present disclosure, the transparent cover plate has no protective layer 3 and adhesive layer 4, then the glass substrate 1 can be located on the side of the flat layer 2 close to or facing away from the display substrate 100.

[0211] The display substrate 100 has a display area 111 and a peripheral area 112 located outside the display area 111. Both the deformation part 1001 and the non-deformation part 1002 are at least partially located in the display area 111. The light-shielding layer 5 can correspond to the peripheral area 112 to shield the peripheral area 112.

[0212] The bending area 102 of the transparent cover plate corresponds to the deformation part 1001 of the display substrate 100, so that the bending area 102 and the deformation part 1001 can be bent towards the flat area 101 to realize the deformation of the display panel.

[0213] Other embodiments of the present disclosure will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the present disclosure that follow the general principles of the present disclosure and include known common general knowledge or conventional technical means in the technical field not disclosed in the present disclosure. The specification and examples are only to be considered as exemplary, and the true scope and spirit of the present disclosure are pointed out by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A transparent cover plate, It is characterized in that include: A glass substrate having a flat region and a bending region outside the flat region; the glass substrate comprises a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other, a region of the first surface located in the bending region is provided with a groove sunken toward the second surface; the strength of the bending region is less than that of the flat region, and the bending region can be bent toward one side of the flat region; a planar layer, covering the first surface and filling the groove; A glass substrate is arranged on a side of the glass substrate away from the flat layer, or the glass substrate is arranged on a side of the flat layer away from the glass substrate; the glass substrate has a bending area corresponding to the bending area of ​​the glass substrate and a flat area corresponding to the flat area of ​​the glass substrate, but the strength of the bending area of ​​the glass substrate is less than or equal to the strength of its flat area; the glass substrate can be bent synchronously with the glass substrate.

2. The transparent cover plate according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The transparent cover plate also includes: The protective layer is disposed on a surface of the glass substrate away from the flat layer; or the protective layer is disposed on a surface of the flat layer away from the glass substrate.

3. The transparent cover plate according to claim 2, It is characterized in that The protective layer is bonded to the surface of the glass substrate away from the flat layer through an adhesive layer; or, the protective layer is bonded to the surface of the flat layer away from the glass substrate.

4. The transparent cover plate according to claim 3, It is characterized in that The transparent cover plate further comprises: The light shielding layer is arranged on the surface of the protection layer close to the transparent cover plate and is located outside the adhesive layer.

5. The transparent cover plate according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The transparent cover plate further comprises: The light shielding layer is disposed on a surface of the second surface away from the flat layer; or the light shielding layer is disposed on a surface of the flat layer away from the transparent cover plate.

6. The transparent cover plate according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The material of the flat layer includes at least one of optical adhesive, polyurethane, polyimide and acrylic.

7. The transparent cover plate according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The distance between the bottom of the groove and the second surface at the point closest to the second surface is 10 μm-100 μm; The distance between the area of ​​the first surface located in the flattened region and the second surface is 20 μm-500 μm.

8. The transparent cover plate according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The transparent cover plate also includes: A first protective layer, disposed on a side of the glass substrate away from the flat layer; The second protection layer is arranged on a side of the flat layer away from the glass substrate.

9. The transparent cover plate according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The number of the glass substrates is plural, and the glass substrates are stacked and distributed in sequence along a direction away from the glass substrate.

10. The transparent cover plate according to any one of claims 1 to 9, It is characterized in that The number of the flattening areas is two and they are distributed on both sides of the bending area.

11. The transparent cover plate according to any one of claims 1 to 9, It is characterized in that The number of the flattening area and the number of the bending area are both one.

12. A manufacturing method of a transparent cover plate, characterized in that, comprising: forming a glass substrate, the glass substrate having a flat area and a bent area located outside the flat area; the glass substrate includes opposite first and second surfaces, and a groove recessed toward the second surface is provided in the area of the first surface located in the bent area; placing the glass substrate in molten alkali salt; inserting a plurality of electrodes into the molten alkali salt and located on the side of the first surface facing away from the second surface; the electrodes include a first electrode and a second electrode, the orthographic projection of the first electrode on the glass substrate is located in the flat area, and the orthographic projection of the second electrode on the glass substrate is located in the bent area; connecting the first electrode to the negative pole of a power source and connecting the second electrode to the positive pole of the power source for a specified duration; taking out the glass substrate and cleaning it; forming a flat layer covering the first surface and filling the groove.

13. The manufacturing method according to claim 12, wherein the molten alkali salt comprises at least one of potassium nitrate and sodium nitrate.

14. A display panel, characterized in that, comprising: a display substrate; the transparent cover plate according to any one of claims 1-11, covering one side of the display substrate.

Images