A display panel, its manufacturing method, and a display device.

Abstract

This invention discloses a display panel including a bending region through which the display panel is bent. The display panel includes: a first substrate; a plurality of light-emitting units located on one side of the first substrate, with at least one light-emitting unit located in the bending region; and a plurality of protective structures, each protective structure located at least in the bending region, on the side of the light-emitting unit away from the first substrate, and along a direction perpendicular to the plane of the first substrate, one protective structure covers at least one light-emitting unit. The elastic modulus of the protective structure is greater than that of the first substrate. The protective structure has greater rigidity, making it less prone to bending at the location of the light-emitting unit covered by the protected structure, reducing bending stress, preventing the light-emitting unit from failing due to stress, and improving the reliability of the display panel.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] Embodiments of the present application relate to the technical field of display, and in particular, to a display panel, a preparation method thereof and a display device. BACKGROUND

[0002] With the continuous development of display technology, the demand of consumers for display panels is more and more diversified. Flexible display panels are favored by consumers because of their bendability and portability. However, in the bending process of the flexible display panel, the light emitting device located in the bending area is prone to cracks or peeling due to the influence of bending stress, resulting in failure of the light emitting device and reducing the reliability of the display panel. SUMMARY

[0003] Embodiments of the present application provide a display panel, a preparation method thereof and a display device to solve the problem that the light emitting device is prone to cracks or peeling due to the influence of bending stress, resulting in failure of the light emitting device.

[0004] In a first aspect, embodiments of the present application provide a display panel, the display panel comprising a bending area, the display panel being bent through the bending area; the display panel comprising:

[0005] a first substrate;

[0006] a plurality of light emitting units located on one side of the first substrate, and at least one of the light emitting units being located in the bending area;

[0007] a plurality of protection structures, the protection structures being located in the bending area, the protection structures being located on a side of the light emitting units away from the first substrate, and one of the protection structures covering at least one of the light emitting units in a direction perpendicular to a plane in which the first substrate is located;

[0008] an elastic modulus of the protection structure being greater than an elastic modulus of the first substrate.

[0009] In a second aspect, embodiments of the present application provide a display device comprising the display panel of the first aspect.

[0010] In a third aspect, embodiments of the present application provide a preparation method of a display panel, the method being used to prepare the display panel of the first aspect, the display panel comprising a bending area, the display panel being bent through the bending area, the preparation method comprising:

[0011] providing a first substrate and a plurality of protection structures;

[0012] providing a plurality of light emitting units, and adhering at least one of the light emitting units to a side of the protection structure facing the first substrate;

[0013] bind the light emitting unit adhered on the protection structure on the first substrate;

[0014] connect the protection structure on the side of the first substrate facing the light emitting unit, the light emitting unit is located between the protection structure and the first substrate, and the protection structure is located at least in the bending area.

[0015] The display panel provided by the embodiment of the present application sets the protection structure at least in the bending area, and the elastic modulus of the protection structure is greater than the elastic modulus of the first substrate, so that the protection structure has greater rigidity, the position where the light emitting unit covered by the protection structure is not easy to bend, the bending stress can be reduced, the light emitting unit is prevented from being invalid due to cracks or peeling caused by stress, and the reliability of the display panel is improved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0016] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application or the prior art, the drawings needed to be used in the embodiments or the prior art description will be briefly introduced. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are some specific embodiments of the present application, and for those skilled in the art, the basic concepts of device structure, driving method and manufacturing method disclosed and prompted by various embodiments of the present application can be extended and extended to other structures and drawings, and it is needless to say that these should be within the scope of the claims of the present application.

[0017] Figure 1 is a top view schematic diagram of a display panel provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0018] Figure 2 is Figure 1 is a sectional view along the section line AA' in FIG. 1;

[0019] Figure 3 is a structural schematic diagram of a display panel in a bending state provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0020] Figure 4 is a structural schematic diagram of a light emitting unit provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0021] Figure 5 is Figure 1 is another sectional view along the section line AA' in FIG. 1;

[0022] Figure 6 is Figure 1 is still another sectional view along the section line AA' in FIG. 1;

[0023] Figure 7 is a top view schematic diagram of another display panel provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0024] Figure 8 is a top view of yet another display panel provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0025] Figure 9 is Figure 1 is another sectional view of the display panel along section line AA' in

[0026] Figure 10 is Figure 1 is a sectional view of the display panel along section line BB' in

[0027] Figure 11 is Figure 1 is another sectional view of the display panel along section line BB' in

[0028] Figure 12 is a top view of still another display panel provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0029] Figure 13 is a top view of a display panel provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0030] Figure 14 is Figure 1 is yet another sectional view of the display panel along section line BB' in

[0031] Figure 15 is a top view of another display panel provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0032] Figure 16 is a top view of yet another display panel provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0033] Figure 17 is Figure 16 is a sectional view of the display panel along section line CC' in

[0034] Figure 18 is Figure 16 is another sectional view of the display panel along section line CC' in

[0035] Figure 19 is a top view of still another display panel provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0036] Figure 20 is Figure 19 is a sectional view of the display panel along section line DD' in

[0037] Figure 21 is a top view of a display panel provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0038] Figure 22 is Figure 1 is still another sectional view of the display panel along section line BB' in

[0039] Figure 23 is a top view of another display panel provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0040] Figure 24 is a structural schematic diagram of a display device provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0041] Figure 25 is a flowchart of a method for manufacturing a display panel provided by an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0042] To make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present application clearer, the technical solutions of the present application will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some of the embodiments of the present application, but not all the embodiments. Based on the basic concepts disclosed and suggested in the embodiments of the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art belong to the scope of protection of the present application.

[0043] The display panel provided by an embodiment of the present application comprises a bending area, and the display panel is bent through the bending area. The display panel comprises: a first substrate; a plurality of light emitting units located on one side of the first substrate, and at least one light emitting unit is located in the bending area; and a plurality of protection structures located at least in the bending area, the protection structures are located on a side of the light emitting units away from the first substrate, and one protection structure covers at least one light emitting unit in a direction perpendicular to a plane where the first substrate is located. The elastic modulus of the protection structure is greater than the elastic modulus of the first substrate.

[0044] The display panel provided by an embodiment of the present application is provided with the protection structure at least in the bending area, and the elastic modulus of the protection structure is greater than the elastic modulus of the first substrate, so that the protection structure has greater rigidity, the position where the light emitting unit covered by the protection structure is less likely to bend, the bending stress can be reduced, the light emitting unit can be prevented from being invalid due to cracks or peeling caused by stress, and the reliability of the display panel can be improved.

[0045] The above is the core idea of the present application. The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present application.

[0046] Figure 1 is a top view of another display panel provided by an embodiment of the present application, Figure 2 is Figure 1 is a sectional view along the section line AA' in FIG. 1, Figure 3 is a structural schematic diagram of a display panel in a bending state provided by an embodiment of the present application, referring to Figures 1 to 3The display panel 10 provided in this embodiment of the invention includes a bending region B, through which the display panel 10 is bent; the display panel 10 includes: a first substrate 100; a plurality of light-emitting units 200 located on one side of the first substrate 100, and at least one light-emitting unit 100 located in the bending region B; a plurality of protective structures 300, the protective structures 300 being located at least in the bending region B, the protective structures 300 being located on the side of the light-emitting unit 200 away from the first substrate 100, and along a direction perpendicular to the plane of the first substrate 100, one protective structure 300 covers at least one light-emitting unit 200; the elastic modulus of the protective structure 300 is greater than the elastic modulus of the first substrate 100.

[0047] For example, refer to Figures 1 to 3 The display panel 10 provided in this embodiment of the invention includes a first substrate 100, a plurality of light-emitting units 200, and a plurality of protective structures 300. The first substrate 100 may be an array substrate, including a driving circuit to drive the light-emitting units 200 to emit light. The first substrate 100 may also be a flexible substrate, using flexible materials such as polyimide. The display panel 10 includes a bending region B and a non-bending region NB. The display panel 10 is bent about the bending axis 11 of the bending region B, and the bending direction is... Figure 1 The X direction shown is perpendicular to the bending axis 11. When the display panel 10 is bent, the light-emitting unit 200 located in the bending area B is susceptible to bending stress, resulting in cracks or peeling, which can cause the light-emitting unit 200 to fail and affect the reliability of the display panel 10. To solve the above problem, this embodiment of the invention provides at least a protective structure 300 in the bending area B to protect the light-emitting unit 200 and prevent it from failing. Specifically, the protective structure 300 is located on the side of the light-emitting unit 200 away from the first substrate 100, and covers the light-emitting unit 200 along a direction perpendicular to the plane of the first substrate 100. The elastic modulus is an indicator of how easily a material undergoes elastic deformation. The greater the elastic modulus of a material, the greater the stress required to cause a certain elastic deformation, meaning the material has greater stiffness and, under a certain stress, the smaller the elastic deformation. By setting the protective structure 300 to have a larger elastic modulus, that is, the elastic modulus of the protective structure 300 is greater than that of the first substrate 100, the protective structure 300 has greater rigidity, so that the light-emitting unit 200 covered by the protective structure 300 is less likely to be bent, reducing the bending stress at that location, and thus preventing the light-emitting unit 200 from failing due to stress cracking or peeling.

[0048] It should be noted that a protective structure 300 can cover one or more light-emitting units 200, see reference. Figure 1 and Figure 2Exemplarily, one protection structure 300 covers one or three light emitting units 200. In addition, the meaning that the protection structure 300 is located at least at the bending area B means that, in addition to arranging the protection structure 300 at the bending area B, the protection structure 300 can also be arranged at the non-bending area NB of the display panel 10. The non-bending area NB of the display panel 10 is not necessarily flat, and can have a curved portion. The light emitting unit 200 located at the curved portion can also be easily peeled off and cause failure due to the existence of the curvature. Therefore, the protection structure 300 can also be arranged at the non-bending area NB. The person skilled in the art can arrange the specific position of the protection structure 300 according to the actual situation, and the embodiment of the present application does not limit this. In addition, since the bending area B and the non-bending area NB have different requirements for flexibility, the discrete protection structure 300 can be arranged at the bending area B, and the continuous protection structure 300 can be arranged at the non-bending area NB. For details, refer to Figure 1 .

[0049] It can be understood that, Figure 1 Only the positional relationship between the bending area B and the non-bending area NB of the display panel 10 is exemplarily shown, which is not limited. The person skilled in the art can design the specific position according to the actual requirement. If the entire display panel 10 can be bent, the bending area B is the entire display panel 10.

[0050] The display panel provided by the embodiment of the present application has the following advantages. At least the protection structure is arranged at the bending area, and the elastic modulus of the protection structure is greater than the elastic modulus of the first substrate. Therefore, the protection structure has greater rigidity, so that the position where the light emitting unit covered by the protection structure is not easy to bend, the bending stress can be reduced, the light emitting unit is prevented from being invalid due to the crack caused by the stress, and the reliability of the display panel is improved.

[0051] For reference Figure 2 Optionally, the light emitting unit 200 comprises: a first electrode 210, a second electrode 230 and a light emitting layer 220; the first electrode 210 and the second electrode 230 of the light emitting unit 200 are located at the side of the light emitting layer 220 facing the first substrate 100, and the protection structure 300 is located at the side of the light emitting layer 220 away from the first electrode 210 and the second electrode 230.

[0052] In this embodiment, the light-emitting unit 200 can be configured with a same-side electrode structure. Specifically, the light-emitting unit 200 includes a first electrode 210, a light-emitting layer 220, and a second electrode 230, with both the first electrode 210 and the second electrode 230 located on the side of the light-emitting layer 220 facing the first substrate 100. The first electrode 210 and the second electrode 230 can be electrically connected to the first substrate 100 through a conductive bonding layer 110, and the light-emitting unit 200 emits light under the drive of the driving circuit in the first substrate 100. Configuring the light-emitting unit 200 with a same-side electrode structure facilitates the fabrication of the protective structure 300, simplifies the process flow, and reduces costs. The first electrode 210 is the anode, and the second electrode 230 is the cathode, or vice versa.

[0053] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a light-emitting unit provided in an embodiment of the present invention, such as... Figure 4 As shown, based on the above embodiments, optionally, the light-emitting unit 200 can be a miniature light-emitting diode; the light-emitting layer 220 includes a first type semiconductor layer 221, an active layer 222, and a second type semiconductor layer 223 stacked sequentially; the first electrode 210 is located on the side of the first type semiconductor layer 221 facing the active layer 222, and the second electrode 230 is located on the side of the second type semiconductor layer 223 away from the active layer 222.

[0054] In this embodiment, the light-emitting unit 200 can be a micro light-emitting diode (Micro LED). Micro LEDs are micrometers in size. Display panels using Micro LEDs feature independent pixel control, independent light emission control, high brightness, low power consumption, ultra-high resolution, and high color saturation, making them a hot topic in future display technology development. For example, refer to... Figure 3The micro light emitting diode includes a first electrode 210, a light emitting layer 220, and a second electrode 230. The light emitting layer 220 includes a first-type semiconductor layer 221, an active layer 222, and a second-type semiconductor layer 223 which are sequentially stacked. The first electrode 210 and the second electrode 230 are located on a side of the light emitting layer 220 facing the first substrate 100. Specifically, the first electrode 210 and the second electrode 230 are manufactured by etching the first-type semiconductor layer 221 and the active layer 222 to expose part of the first-type semiconductor layer 221, manufacturing the first electrode 210 on a surface of the exposed first-type semiconductor layer 221 facing the active layer 222, and manufacturing the second electrode 230 on a side of the second-type semiconductor layer 223 facing away from the active layer 222, to finally form a micro light emitting diode with a same-side electrode structure. The materials of the first-type semiconductor layer 221, the active layer 222, and the second-type semiconductor layer 223 are not limited, and a person skilled in the art can select corresponding materials according to the light emitting color of the light emitting unit 200.

[0055] In the prior art Micro LED display technology, Micro LEDs are thermally bonded to an array substrate through massive transfer to form a display device. Since the Micro LEDs are connected to the array substrate through thermal bonding, the bonding position is prone to peeling during the bending process, resulting in failure of the light emitting unit. The display panel provided in the embodiments of the present application is provided with a protection structure in at least the bending area, and the elastic modulus of the protection structure is greater than that of the first substrate, so that the protection structure has greater rigidity, so that the position where the light emitting unit covered by the protection structure is not prone to bending, the bending stress can be reduced, and the light emitting unit can be prevented from being cracked and failing due to stress; at the same time, the light emitting unit can also be prevented from being peeled off from the first substrate due to bending, and the reliability of the display panel is improved.

[0056] Reference Figure 2 Optionally, the protection structure 300 includes a first protection part 310 and a second protection part 320. The first protection part 310 extends in a direction parallel to the plane in which the first substrate 100 is located, and the second protection part 320 extends in a direction perpendicular to the plane in which the first substrate 100 is located. The first protection part 310 is located on a side of the light emitting unit 200 away from the first substrate 100, and the second protection part 320 is located between adjacent light emitting units 200 in a direction parallel to the plane in which the first substrate 100 is located. The second protection part 320 includes a bottom end facing the first substrate 100 and a top end facing away from the first substrate 100. The top end of the second protection part 320 is connected to the first protection part 310, and the bottom end of the second protection part 320 is connected to the first substrate 100.

[0057] The protection structure 300 is composed of a first protection part 310 and a second protection part 320, the first protection part 310 covers the light emitting unit 200 in the direction perpendicular to the plane where the first substrate 100 is located, and the first protection part 310 is connected with the first substrate 100 through the second protection part 320 to define the position of the protection structure 300 and realize the fixed connection of the protection structure 300.

[0058] Figure 5 is Figure 1 is another sectional view along the section line AA' in FIG. 8, referring to Figure 2 and Figure 5 It should be noted that the embodiment of the present application does not limit the connection mode of the second protection part 320 with the first substrate 100, and the person skilled in the art can select and set according to the actual situation, for example, referring to Figure 2 The second protection part 310 of the protection structure 300 can be connected with the first substrate 100 by means of gluing or heating and pressing; referring to Figure 5 The groove can also be arranged on the side surface of the first substrate 100 close to the light emitting unit 200, and the bottom end of the second protection part 310 is located in the groove, so as to realize the connection and fixation of the second protection part 320 with the first substrate 100. On the one hand, the second protection part 320 can be embedded in the groove, and the groove can be used to limit the position of the protection structure 300 and increase the bonding force between the protection structure 300 and the first substrate 100. On the other hand, the flexibility of the first substrate 100 can also be increased. In addition, the first protection part 310 and the second protection part 320 can be formed in the same process, that is, integrally formed, or can be separately manufactured and then connected and formed.

[0059] Figure 6 is Figure 1 is another sectional view along the section line AA' in FIG. 8, referring to Figure 6 As shown in FIG. 9, on the basis of the above-mentioned embodiment, the protection structure 300 can further include a third protection part 340; the third protection part 340 extends in the direction parallel to the plane where the first substrate 100 is located, and is located on the side surface of the first substrate 100 close to the light emitting unit 200; one end of the third protection part 340 is connected with the second protection part 320. The protection structure 300 can be connected with the first substrate 100 through the bottom end of the second protection part 320 and the third protection part 340, and the third protection part 340 can increase the contact area between the protection structure 300 and the first substrate 100, so as to further increase the bonding force between the protection structure 300 and the first substrate 100.

[0060] Figure 7 is another plan view of the display panel provided by the embodiment of the present application, referring to Figure 2 and Figure 7Optionally, in the same protection structure 300, the second protection part 320 is arranged around the first protection part 310.

[0061] By arranging the second protection part 320 around the first protection part 310 in the same protection structure 300, the protection structure 300 can completely cover the light emitting unit 200, and the protection structure 300 can be reused as an encapsulation layer of the display panel, so as to block the erosion of the external water and oxygen to the light emitting unit 200 covered inside the protection structure 300, and play the role of encapsulation and sealing.

[0062] It should be noted that, Figure 7 It is only exemplarily shown that the vertical projection of the second protection part 320 on the first substrate 100 is rectangular, but not limited thereto, and the vertical projection of the second protection part 320 on the first substrate 100 can also be any shape such as circular or elliptical.

[0063] Figure 8 is another top view schematic diagram of a display panel provided by an embodiment of the present application, which is referred to Figure 2 and Figure 8 Optionally, in the same protection structure 300, the second protection part 320 is located on the opposite sides of the first protection part 310, and the second protection part 320 is arranged along the bending direction X of the bending area B.

[0064] In the embodiment, the second protection part 320 can be a separate plate-shaped structure, and along the bending direction X of the bending area B, only two second protection parts 320 can be arranged on the opposite sides of the first protection part 310, so as to prevent the position where the light emitting unit 200 covered by the protection structure 300 is not easy to bend when the display panel 10 is bent, and prevent the light emitting unit 200 from being invalid due to bending stress; at the same time, the protection structure 300 can be simplified, and the cost can be reduced. Wherein, the bending direction X refers to the direction perpendicular to the bending axis 11 of the bending area B.

[0065] It should be noted that, for the convenience of showing the specific structure of the second protection part 320, Figure 7 and Figure 8 only the second protection part 320 is shown in the figure, and the first protection part 310 is not shown.

[0066] Figure 9 is Figure 1 is another sectional view along the section line AA' in Figure 10 is Figure 1 is a sectional view along the section line BB' in Figure 9 and Figure 10Optionally, the protection structure 300 further comprises a limiting part 330; the limiting part 330 is located on the side of the first protection part 310 close to the light emitting unit 200 and is connected with the first protection part 310; in the same protection structure 300, the vertical projection of the light emitting unit 200 on the first substrate 100 is located between the vertical projections of two adjacent limiting parts 330 on the first substrate 100.

[0067] The protection structure 300 can further comprise a limiting part 330; by arranging the limiting part 330 between two adjacent light emitting units 200 in the same protection structure 300, the position of the light emitting unit 200 can be limited, so as to prevent the light emitting unit 200 from being dislocated during the bending process.

[0068] It should be noted that the present embodiment does not limit the corresponding relationship between the limiting part 330 and the light emitting unit 200 and the number of the limiting part 330; for example, referring to Figure 9 one limiting part 330 can be arranged between two adjacent light emitting units 200, that is, one limiting part 330 corresponds to two light emitting units 200; referring to Figure 10 one limiting part 330 can also be arranged on each of the opposite sides of the light emitting unit 200, that is, one limiting part 330 corresponds to one light emitting unit 200; the number of the limiting part 330 can be arranged according to the number of the light emitting unit 200 and the corresponding relationship. In addition, the limiting part 330 can be formed in the same process as the first protection part 310 and the second protection part 320 using the same material, or can be separately manufactured and then connected.

[0069] Figure 11 is Figure 1 another cross-sectional view along the section line BB' in Figure 11 Optionally, the limiting part 330 comprises a first limiting part 331 and a second limiting part 332; the first limiting part 331 extends in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the first substrate 100, and the second limiting part 332 extends in a direction parallel to the plane of the first substrate 100; the top end of the first limiting part 331 is connected with the first protection part 310; in the same protection structure 300, the bottom ends of two adjacent first limiting parts 331 located between two adjacent light emitting units 200 are connected through the second limiting part 332.

[0070] For example, referring to Figure 11 In the present embodiment, the limiting part 330 is composed of the first limiting part 331 and the second limiting part 332; in the same protection structure 300, the two first limiting parts 331 arranged between two adjacent light emitting units 200 are connected through the second limiting part 332; the first limiting part 331 and the second limiting part 332 can limit the position of the light emitting unit 200, so as to prevent the light emitting unit 200 from being dislocated and invalid during the bending process.

[0071] Figure 12 is a top view of still another display panel provided by an embodiment of the present application, referring to Figure 10 and Figure 12 Optionally, the vertical projection of the limiting portion 330 on the first substrate 100 surrounds the vertical projection of the light emitting unit 200 on the first substrate 100.

[0072] In the embodiment, the limiting portion 330 can be arranged around the light emitting unit 200 to sufficiently limit the position of the light emitting unit 200 from all directions, further improving the reliability of the display panel 10. Figure 12 It is only exemplarily shown that the vertical projection of the limiting portion 330 on the first substrate 100 is rectangular, but not limited, in other embodiments, the vertical projection of the limiting portion 330 on the first substrate 100 can be any shape such as circular.

[0073] Figure 13 is a top view of still another display panel provided by an embodiment of the present application, referring to Figure 10 and Figure 13 Optionally, the vertical projection of the limiting portion 330 on the first substrate 100 is located on opposite sides of the vertical projection of the light emitting unit 200 on the first substrate 100, and the limiting portion 330 is arranged along the bending direction X of the bending area B.

[0074] In the embodiment, the limiting portion 330 can be a discrete plate structure, and along the bending direction X of the bending area B, the limiting portion 330 can be arranged only on opposite sides of the light emitting unit 200 to limit the position of the light emitting unit 200, and simplify the structure and reduce the cost. Wherein, the bending direction X refers to the direction perpendicular to the bending axis 11 of the bending area B.

[0075] It should be noted that, in order to conveniently show the specific structure of the limiting portion 330, Figure 12 and Figure 13 only the limiting portion 330 and the second protection portion 320 are shown, and the first protection portion 310 is not shown.

[0076] Figure 13 is Figure 1 another sectional view along the section line BB' in Figure 13 Optionally, the light emitting unit 200 includes a light emitting layer 220; along the direction perpendicular to the plane where the first substrate 100 is located, the distance between the end face of the limiting portion 330 facing the first substrate 100 and the first substrate 100 is h1, and the distance between the end face of the light emitting layer 220 facing the first substrate 100 and the first substrate 100 is h2, h1≤h2.

[0077] By setting the limiting portion 330 to have a vertical distance h1 from the first substrate 100 that is greater than or equal to a vertical distance h2 of the light-emitting layer 220 from the first substrate 100, color mixing of adjacent light-emitting units 200 can be prevented, light crosstalk can be reduced, and the display effect of the display panel 10 can be improved.

[0078] With reference to the foregoing Figure 13 On the basis of the foregoing embodiments, optionally, the protection structure 300 further includes a reflective material 350, and the reflective material 350 is located at least on a side of the limiting portion 330 close to the light-emitting unit 200.

[0079] The reflective material 350 is arranged on the side of the limiting portion 330 close to the light-emitting unit 200, so that the lateral light emitted by the light-emitting unit 200 can be reflected to the light-emitting surface of the display panel 10, the light-emitting efficiency of the light-emitting unit 200 is improved, and at the same time, the light can be prevented from being transmitted laterally to the adjacent light-emitting unit 200, so that the color mixing effect is further reduced. In addition, the limiting portion 330 itself can also be made of a reflective material to further reduce the color mixing effect.

[0080] Figure 15 is a top view of another display panel provided by an embodiment of the present application, as Figure 15 shown, optionally, the bending area B includes at least a first bending area B1 and a second bending area B2, when the display panel 10 is in a bending state, the curvature of the first bending area B1 is greater than the curvature of the second bending area B2; the number of light-emitting units 200 covered by a single protection structure 300 located in the first bending area B1 is n1, the number of light-emitting units 200 covered by a single protection structure 300 located in the second bending area B2 is n2, and n1>n2.

[0081] Exemplarily, with reference to Figure 15 , the bending area B of the display panel 10 includes three bending areas with different curvatures, i.e., the first bending area B1, the second bending area B2, and the third bending area B3, wherein the curvature of the first bending area B1 is greater than the curvature of the second bending area B2, and the curvature of the third bending area B3 is greater than the curvature of the first bending area B1. Correspondingly, the number of light-emitting units 200 covered by a single protection structure 300 in the first bending area B1 (the number is 6) is greater than the number of light-emitting units 200 covered by a single protection structure 300 in the second bending area B2 (the number is 3), and the number of light-emitting units 200 covered by a single protection structure 300 in the third bending area B3 (the number is 9) is greater than the number of light-emitting units 200 covered by a single protection structure 300 in the first bending area B1 (the number is 6).

[0082] The curvature can reflect the bending degree of the curve. The greater the curvature, the greater the bending degree. The bending stress generated during bending is greater in a high-curvature area than in a low-curvature area. Therefore, the light emitting unit 200 located in the high-curvature area is more likely to crack and / or peel off from the first substrate 100 due to the bending stress, resulting in failure. The number of light emitting units 200 corresponding to the coverage of a single protection structure 300 in a bending area with a greater curvature is greater than the number of light emitting units 200 corresponding to the coverage of a single protection structure 300 in a bending area with a smaller curvature. The rigidity of different curvature areas can be adjusted, the bending stress can be reduced accordingly, the light emitting unit 200 can be prevented from failing due to stress, and the reliability of the display panel 10 can be improved.

[0083] It should be noted that the number and position of the bending areas with different curvatures in the bending area B are not limited in the embodiments of the present application. The person skilled in the art can design them according to actual needs, as long as the number of light emitting units 200 corresponding to the coverage of a single protection structure 300 in the high-curvature area of the bending area B is greater than the number of light emitting units 200 corresponding to the coverage of a single protection structure 300 in the low-curvature area.

[0084] Figure 16 is a top view of another display panel provided by the embodiments of the present application, Figure 17 is Figure 16 is a sectional view along the section line CC' in the Figure 18 is Figure 16 is another sectional view along the section line CC' in the Figures 16 to 18 Optionally, the light emitting unit 200 includes a blue light emitting unit and a green light emitting unit 203; the protection structure 300 includes a first protection structure 301 and a second protection structure 302, the second protection structure 302 includes a red quantum dot layer 303, the red quantum dot layer 303 is embedded in the first protection part 310 of the second protection structure 302, or the red quantum dot layer 303 is located on the side of the first protection part 310 of the second protection structure 302 away from the first substrate 100; the blue light emitting unit includes a first blue light emitting unit 201 and a second blue light emitting unit 202, the vertical projection of the red quantum dot layer 303 on the first substrate 100 covers the vertical projection of the second blue light emitting unit 202 on the first substrate 100; the first protection structure 301 covers the first blue light emitting unit 201 and / or the green light emitting unit 203, and the second protection structure 302 covers the second blue light emitting unit 202.

[0085] Generally, the red light emitting unit has a lower light emitting efficiency than the blue light emitting unit and the green light emitting unit, and in order to improve the display effect of the display panel 10, different protection structures 300 can be used. Specifically, the protection structure 300 includes a first protection structure 301 and a second protection structure 302, and the first protection structure 301 and the second protection structure 302 both include a first protection part 310 and a second protection part 320, and the difference is that the second protection structure 302 further includes a red quantum dot layer 303, which can be embedded in the inside of the first protection part 310 of the second protection structure 302 (see Figure 17 ) or located on the side of the first protection part 310 away from the first substrate 100 (see Figure 18 ), so that the red quantum dot layer 303 is insulated from the corresponding light emitting unit 200.

[0086] The light emitting unit 200 includes a first blue light emitting unit 201, a second blue light emitting unit 202, and a green light emitting unit 203, and along the direction perpendicular to the plane where the first substrate 100 is located, the second protection structure 302 provided with the red quantum dot layer 303 covers the second blue light emitting unit 202, the second blue light emitting unit 202 excites the red quantum dot layer 303 to emit red light, and the first protection structure 301 covers the first blue light emitting unit 201 and / or the green light emitting unit 203, and the first blue light emitting unit 201 and the green light emitting unit 203 emit blue light and green light respectively, so as to realize color display. By providing the red quantum dot layer 303 in the second protection structure 300, the second blue light emitting unit 202 is used to excite the red quantum dot layer 303, and high-efficiency red light can be obtained, thereby improving the display effect of the display panel 10.

[0087] Optionally, the material of the protection structure 300 includes silicon dioxide or polycarbonate.

[0088] The protection structure 300 has a certain rigidity, which can be rigid glass including silicon dioxide or polycarbonate, and any material with an elastic modulus greater than that of the first substrate 100 and transparent can be used as the material of the protection structure 300.

[0089] Figure 19 is a top view schematic diagram of still another display panel provided by an embodiment of the present application, Figure 20 is Figure 19 a sectional view along the section line DD' in Figure 19 and Figure 20 Optionally, the display panel 10 further includes a buffer layer 400, and the buffer layer 400 is located on the side of the protection structure 300 away from the first substrate 100, and the elastic modulus of the buffer layer 400 is less than that of the protection structure 300.

[0090] In the embodiment, the buffer layer 400 made of an organic material or the like can be arranged on the side of the protection structure 300 away from the first substrate 100. Since the elastic modulus of the buffer layer 400 is less than that of the protection structure 300, the stiffness of the buffer layer 400 is less than that of the protection structure 300, so that the bending stress can be buffered, and the bending function of the bending area B is realized.

[0091] Figure 21 is a top view of a display panel provided by an embodiment of the present application, Figure 22 is Figure 1 is another cross-sectional view of the display panel along the section line BB', with reference to Figure 21 and Figure 22 Optionally, the display panel 10 further comprises a patterned rigid layer 500, which is arranged on the bending area B and on the side of the first substrate 100 away from the light emitting unit 200. The patterned rigid layer 500 comprises an opening area 510 and a non-opening area 520 surrounding the opening area 510, and the vertical projection of the non-opening area 520 on the first substrate 100 covers the vertical projection of the light emitting unit 200 on the first substrate 100.

[0092] To further improve the stiffness of the area where the light emitting unit 200 is located in the bending area B of the display panel 10, the patterned rigid layer 500 can also be arranged on the side of the first substrate 100 away from the light emitting unit 200. Specifically, the patterned rigid layer 500 is in a mesh structure, i.e., comprises the opening area 510 and the non-opening area 520, and the light emitting unit 200 is located at a position corresponding to the non-opening area 520. Since the elastic modulus of the patterned rigid layer 500 is greater than that of the first substrate 100, the patterned rigid layer 500 has greater stiffness, so that the light emitting unit 200 located at the position corresponding to the non-opening area 520 of the patterned rigid layer 500 is not prone to bending, the bending stress can be reduced, and the light emitting unit 200 can be prevented from being invalid due to cracks or easy peeling caused by stress, so that the reliability of the display panel 10 can be further improved. The patterned rigid layer 500 can be a steel sheet or a transparent rigid material such as glass, and the specific form is not limited.

[0093] Figure 23 is a top view of another display panel provided by an embodiment of the present application, with reference to Figure 23Optionally, the first substrate includes a display area AA, the display area AA includes a first display area AA1 and a second display area AA2, a pixel density of the second display area AA2 is less than a pixel density of the first display area AA1, or a pixel area of the second display area AA2 is less than a pixel area of the same color in the first display area AA1, and the second display area AA2 is multiplexed as a sensor reserved area; and the opening area 510 includes a first opening 511 and a second opening 512, the first opening 511 is located in the first display area AA1, the second opening 512 is located in the second display area AA2, and an area of the second opening 512 is greater than an area of the first opening 511.

[0094] The pixel density or the pixel area of the second display area AA2 is smaller than that of the first display area AA1, and the second display area AA2 has better light transmittance, so that the second display area AA2 can be multiplexed as a sensor reserved area to set a light sensing element such as a camera and a fingerprint identification. The patterned rigid layer 500 can have different opening sizes, specifically, the area of the second opening 512 in the second display area AA2 is greater than the area of the first opening 511 in the first display area AA1, so that the second display area AA2 has a larger opening area than the first display area AA1, which can improve the opening rate of the second display area AA2 and improve the light transmittance thereof.

[0095] It should be noted that, Figure 21 and Figure 23 are top view schematic diagrams from the perspective of the backlight surface of the display panel 10, and the shape, position and number of the opening area 510 in the patterned rigid layer 500 are not limited to Figure 21 and Figure 23 as shown.

[0096] Based on the same inventive concept, the embodiment of the present application also provides a display device, Figure 24 is a structural schematic diagram of a display device provided by the embodiment of the present application, as Figure 24 shown, the display device includes the display panel 10 provided by any embodiment of the present application. Since the display device includes any of the above display panels 10, the display device has corresponding functions and advantages.

[0097] The embodiment of the present application also provides a preparation method of a display panel, which is used for preparing any of the above display panels, the display panel includes a bending area, and the display panel is bent through the bending area, for example, Figure 25 is a flow chart of a preparation method of a display panel provided by the embodiment of the present application, as Figure 25 shown, the preparation method includes:

[0098] S110, providing a first substrate and a plurality of protection structures.

[0099] The first substrate can include a flexible substrate to enable the display panel to bend at the bending area. The protection structure has an elastic modulus greater than that of the first substrate, and has greater rigidity. The protection structure can be a rigid glass or a transparent rigid material such as polycarbonate.

[0100] In S120, a plurality of light emitting units are provided, and at least one light emitting unit is adhered to a side of the protection structure facing the first substrate.

[0101] The light emitting unit can be a Micro LED, a Mini LED, or the like. Before the light emitting unit is transferred to the first substrate, the light emitting unit can be adhered to the inside of the protection structure, i.e., the side of the protection structure facing the first substrate, by means of glue or the like. This enables the light emitting unit to correspond to the protection structure, and can eliminate the need for alignment of the light emitting unit and the protection structure after the light emitting unit is bonded to the first substrate, thereby simplifying the process flow. One protection structure can cover one light emitting unit or a plurality of light emitting units. The number of light emitting units covered by one protection structure can be designed according to actual needs, and the number of times of transferring the light emitting unit can be reduced and the transfer efficiency can be improved by reasonably setting the number of light emitting units covered by one protection structure.

[0102] In S130, the light emitting unit adhered to the protection structure is bonded to the first substrate.

[0103] A connection electrode can be provided on the first substrate to enable the light emitting unit to be electrically connected to the first substrate via the electrode of the light emitting unit and the connection electrode. The light emitting unit can be bonded and connected to the first substrate by means of heating and pressing, for example, to complete the transfer of the light emitting unit.

[0104] In S140, the protection structure is connected to a side of the first substrate facing the light emitting unit, the light emitting unit is located between the protection structure and the first substrate, and the protection structure is located at least in the bending area.

[0105] The protection structure is connected and fixed to the first substrate, and the light emitting unit located at least in the bending area is protected inside the protection structure. When the display panel is bent, the protection structure having greater rigidity can prevent the position of the light emitting unit covered by the protection structure from being bent, thereby preventing the light emitting unit from failing due to bending stress. In addition, by reasonably setting the specific structure of the protection structure, the protection structure can be reused as an encapsulation layer of the display panel to play a role of encapsulation and sealing, thereby further improving the reliability of the display panel.

[0106] The preparation method of the display panel provided by the embodiment of the present application sets the protection structure at least in the bending area, and the elastic modulus of the protection structure is greater than that of the first substrate, so that the protection structure has greater rigidity, so that the position where the light emitting unit covered by the protection structure is not easy to bend, the bending stress can be reduced, the light emitting unit is prevented from being invalid due to cracks or peeling caused by stress, and the reliability of the display panel is improved. Before the light emitting unit is bonded with the first substrate, the light emitting unit is first adhered to the side of the protection structure facing the first substrate, so that the transfer and alignment process of the light emitting unit and the protection structure can be realized at the same time, and the process flow is simplified.

[0107] On the basis of the above-mentioned embodiments, optionally, S140, connecting the protection structure on the side of the first substrate facing the light emitting unit, comprising: binding the protection structure on the side of the first substrate facing the light emitting unit by heating and pressing; or, using adhesive to adhere the protection structure on the side of the first substrate facing the light emitting unit. According to the specific material type of the protection structure, different ways can be selected to connect and fix the protection structure with the first substrate, and the specific connection mode is not limited to heating and pressing and adhesive bonding, but can also be other ways, and the embodiments of the present application do not limit this.

[0108] It should be noted that each of the embodiments in the specification adopts a progressive manner for description, and each embodiment focuses on the difference from other embodiments, and the same and similar parts between the embodiments can be referred to.

[0109] Note that the above are only the preferred embodiments of the present application and the technical principles applied. Those skilled in the art will understand that the present application is not limited to the specific embodiments described herein, and those skilled in the art can make various obvious changes, re-adjustments, mutual combinations and substitutions without departing from the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, although the present application has been described in more detail through the above embodiments, the present application is not limited to the above embodiments, and can include more other equivalent embodiments without departing from the concept of the present application, and the scope of the present application is determined by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A display panel, characterized by, The display panel comprises a bending area, and the display panel is bent through the bending area; the display panel comprises: a first substrate; a plurality of light emitting units located on one side of the first substrate, and at least one of the light emitting units is located in the bending area; a plurality of protection structures located at least in the bending area, the protection structures are located on a side of the light emitting units away from the first substrate, and one of the protection structures covers at least one of the light emitting units in a direction perpendicular to the plane where the first substrate is located; the elastic modulus of the protection structure is greater than the elastic modulus of the first substrate; wherein the display panel further comprises a non-bending area, discrete protection structures are arranged in the bending area, and continuous protection structures are arranged in the non-bending area.

2. The display panel of claim 1, wherein, The light emitting unit comprises: a first electrode, a second electrode and a light emitting layer; The first electrode and the second electrode of the light emitting unit are located on a side of the light emitting layer facing the first substrate, and the protection structure is located on a side of the light emitting layer away from the first electrode and the second electrode.

3. The display panel of claim 1, wherein, The protection structure comprises: a first protection part and a second protection part; The first protection part extends in a direction parallel to the plane where the first substrate is located, and the second protection part extends in a direction perpendicular to the plane where the first substrate is located; The first protection part is located on a side of the light emitting unit away from the first substrate, and the second protection part is located between adjacent light emitting units in a direction parallel to the plane where the first substrate is located; The second protection part comprises a bottom end facing the first substrate and a top end away from the first substrate, the top end of the second protection part is connected to the first protection part, and the bottom end of the second protection part is connected to the first substrate.

4. The display panel of claim 3, wherein, In the same protection structure, the second protection part is arranged around the first protection part.

5. The display panel of claim 3, wherein, In the same protection structure, the second protection part is located on opposite sides of the first protection part, and the second protection part is arranged in the bending direction of the bending area.

6. The display panel of claim 3, wherein, The protection structure further comprises a limiting part; The limiting part is located on a side of the first protection part close to the light emitting unit, and is connected to the first protection part, and in the same protection structure, the vertical projection of the light emitting unit on the first substrate is located between the vertical projections of adjacent two limiting parts on the first substrate.

7. The display panel of claim 6, wherein, The limiting part comprises a first limiting part and a second limiting part; The first limiting part extends in a direction perpendicular to the plane where the first substrate is located, and the second limiting part extends in a direction parallel to the plane where the first substrate is located; The top end of the first limiting part is connected to the first protection part, and in the same protection structure, the bottom ends of adjacent two first limiting parts located between adjacent two light emitting units are connected through the second limiting part.

8. The display panel of claim 6, wherein, The vertical projection of the limiting part on the first substrate surrounds the vertical projection of the light emitting unit on the first substrate.

9. The display panel of claim 6, wherein, The limiting portion is located on opposite sides of the vertical projection of the light-emitting unit on the vertical projection of the first substrate, and the limiting portion is arranged along the bending direction of the bending area.

10. The display panel of claim 6, wherein, The light-emitting unit comprises a light-emitting layer. In a direction perpendicular to the plane where the first substrate is located, the distance between the end face of the limiting portion facing the first substrate and the first substrate is h1, and the distance between the end face of the light-emitting layer facing the first substrate and the first substrate is h2, h1≤h2.

11. The display panel of claim 6, wherein, The protection structure further comprises a reflective material, which is located at least on one side of the limiting portion close to the light-emitting unit.

12. The display panel of claim 1, wherein, The bending area comprises at least a first bending area and a second bending area, and when the display panel is in a bent state, the curvature of the first bending area is greater than the curvature of the second bending area. The number of light-emitting units covered by a single protection structure located in the first bending area is n1, and the number of light-emitting units covered by a single protection structure located in the second bending area is n2, n1>n2.

13. The display panel of claim 3, wherein, The light-emitting unit comprises a blue light-emitting unit and a green light-emitting unit. The protection structure comprises a first protection structure and a second protection structure, the second protection structure comprises a red quantum dot layer, the red quantum dot layer is embedded in the first protection sub-portion of the second protection structure, or the red quantum dot layer is located on the side of the first protection sub-portion of the second protection structure away from the first substrate. The blue light-emitting unit comprises a first blue light-emitting unit and a second blue light-emitting unit, the red quantum dot layer covers the vertical projection of the second blue light-emitting unit on the vertical projection of the first substrate, the first protection structure covers the first blue light-emitting unit and / or the green light-emitting unit, and the second protection structure covers the second blue light-emitting unit.

14. The display panel of claim 1, wherein, The material of the protection structure comprises silicon dioxide or polycarbonate.

15. The display panel of claim 1, wherein, Further comprising: A buffer layer is located on the side of the protection structure away from the first substrate, and the elastic modulus of the buffer layer is less than the elastic modulus of the protection structure.

16. The display panel of claim 1, wherein, Further comprising: A patterned rigid layer is located on the bending area and on the side of the first substrate away from the light-emitting unit. The patterned rigid layer comprises an opening area and a non-opening area surrounding the opening area, and the vertical projection of the non-opening area on the first substrate covers the vertical projection of the light-emitting unit on the first substrate.

17. The display panel of claim 16, wherein, The first substrate comprises a display area, and the display area comprises a first display area and a second display area, the pixel density of the second display area is less than the pixel density of the first display area, or the pixel area of the same color in the second display area is less than the pixel area of the same color in the first display area, and the second display area is multiplexed as a sensor reserved area. The opening area comprises a first opening and a second opening, the first opening is located in the first display area, and the second opening is located in the second display area, and the area of the second opening is greater than the area of the first opening.

18. A display device comprising: The display panel comprises any one of claims 1-17.

19. A method for manufacturing a display panel, characterized by, A method for manufacturing a display panel as claimed in any one of claims 1-17, the display panel comprising a bending region and a non-bending region, the display panel being bent through the bending region, the method comprising: providing a first substrate and a plurality of protection structures; providing a plurality of light emitting units, at least one of the light emitting units being adhered to a side of the protection structure facing the first substrate; binding the light emitting units adhered to the protection structure to the first substrate; connecting the protection structure to a side of the first substrate facing the light emitting units, the light emitting units being located between the protection structure and the first substrate, the protection structure being located at least in the bending region; wherein discrete protection structures are provided in the bending region and continuous protection structures are provided in the non-bending region.

20. The method of producing a display panel according to claim 19, wherein The connecting of the protection structure to the side of the first substrate facing the light emitting units comprises: binding the protection structure to the side of the first substrate facing the light emitting units by means of heating and pressure; or adhering the protection structure to the side of the first substrate facing the light emitting units using adhesive glue.

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