Flexible display panel, preparation method thereof, display device and spliced display device

Abstract

The application discloses a flexible display panel, a manufacturing method thereof, a display device and a spliced display device, and relates to the technical field of display, and can reduce the frame width of the flexible display panel. The flexible display panel has a display area and a peripheral area located at the periphery of the display area, wherein the peripheral area comprises at least one bending area and a folding area located at the side of each bending area away from the display area. The flexible display panel comprises a flexible substrate and a frame circuit arranged on the flexible substrate and located at the peripheral area, at least a part of the frame circuit is located at the folding area; the part of the flexible display panel located at the folding area is configured to be folded in the direction away from the display side of the flexible display panel through the part located at the bending area.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the technical field of display, and in particular, to a flexible display panel, a manufacturing method thereof, a display device and a tiled display device. BACKGROUND

[0002] The flexible display panel is also called a rollable display panel, which is a display device made of flexible material and capable of bending and deforming.

[0003] The mainstream flexible OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) display panel currently comprises a flexible substrate, a thin film transistor layer, an OLED device layer and a thin film encapsulation layer, etc., wherein the material of the flexible substrate is, for example, polyimide (PI). SUMMARY

[0004] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a flexible display panel, a manufacturing method thereof, a display device and a tiled display device, which can reduce the frame width of the flexible display panel, so as to make the flexible display panel meet the industry development trend of narrow frame.

[0005] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, embodiments of the present disclosure adopt the following technical solutions:

[0006] In one aspect, a display panel is provided, having a display area and a peripheral area located at the periphery of the display area, wherein the peripheral area comprises at least one bending area and a folding area located at the side of each bending area away from the display area. The flexible display panel comprises a flexible substrate and a frame circuit provided on the flexible substrate and located in the peripheral area, at least a part of the frame circuit being located in the folding area; the part of the flexible display panel located in the folding area is configured to be folded towards the direction away from the display side of the flexible display panel through the part located in the bending area.

[0007] In some embodiments, the frame circuit comprises at least a cathode signal line, at least a part of the cathode signal line being located in the folding area.

[0008] In some embodiments, the frame circuit further comprises a plurality of signal lines and at least one circuit group provided on the flexible substrate; wherein one circuit group comprises at least one gate drive circuit located in the folding area, the at least one gate drive circuit being configured to connect the plurality of signal lines.

[0009] In some embodiments, in the case where the frame circuit comprises a cathode signal line, the circuit group is located at the side of the cathode signal line close to the bending area.

[0010] In some embodiments, the plurality of signal lines comprises a plurality of gate lines and a plurality of light-emitting control signal lines.

[0011] The circuit group comprises a first gate drive circuit and a second gate drive circuit arranged side by side along a first direction, the first gate drive circuit is configured to connect a plurality of gate lines, and the second gate drive circuit is configured to connect a plurality of light-emitting control signal lines; wherein the first direction is the extension direction of the gate lines.

[0012] In some embodiments, the plurality of signal lines further comprises a plurality of first reset signal lines, and the circuit group further comprises a third gate drive circuit arranged side by side with the first gate drive circuit and the second gate drive circuit along the first direction, the third gate drive circuit is configured to connect a plurality of the first reset signal lines.

[0013] In some embodiments, the plurality of signal lines further comprises a plurality of second reset signal lines, and the circuit group further comprises a fourth gate drive circuit arranged side by side with the first gate drive circuit and the second gate drive circuit along the first direction, the fourth gate drive circuit is configured to connect a plurality of second reset signal lines.

[0014] In some embodiments, the cathode signal line is arranged around the display area; or the display area is rectangular, and the cathode signal line is arranged around three sides of the display area.

[0015] In some embodiments, the width of the bending area is 1.0mm-1.5mm, and in the case that the bezel circuit comprises a cathode signal line, the width of the cathode signal line ranges from 2.0mm to 3.5mm.

[0016] In some embodiments, at least one signal line in the plurality of signal lines is located in the part of the bending area, which comprises a plurality of holes arranged at intervals.

[0017] In some embodiments, the plurality of holes comprises at least two rows of holes distributed along the first direction, and the orthogonal projection of any two holes in different rows on the flexible substrate does not overlap.

[0018] In some embodiments, the outer contour line of the part of at least one signal line in the bending area comprises a connected arc and / or a connected broken line.

[0019] In some embodiments, the flexible display panel further comprises a plurality of insulating layers arranged on the flexible substrate, the material of the insulating layers is inorganic material, at least one insulating layer in the plurality of insulating layers is provided with at least one groove located in the bending area, and the at least one groove is filled with organic material.

[0020] In some embodiments, the plurality of recesses extend along a thickness direction of the flexible substrate, are distributed along a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction of the flexible substrate, and a projection of the plurality of recesses on the flexible substrate does not overlap.

[0021] In some embodiments, the flexible display panel further comprises at least one planar layer disposed on a side of the insulating layer away from the flexible substrate, the at least one planar layer covering the recesses.

[0022] In another aspect, a display device is provided. The display device comprises the flexible display panel according to any one of the above embodiments.

[0023] In yet another aspect, a tiled display device is provided. The tiled display device comprises a plurality of flexible display panels according to any one of the above embodiments, at least one of the flexible display panels of two adjacent flexible display panels is provided with a bending area and a folding area on a side close to the other flexible display panel, and the folding area is located on a non-display side of the flexible display panel.

[0024] In yet another aspect, a method for manufacturing a flexible display panel is provided. The flexible display panel has a display area and a peripheral area located on a periphery of the display area, wherein the peripheral area comprises at least one bending area and a folding area located on a side of each bending area away from the display area.

[0025] The method for manufacturing the flexible display panel comprises:

[0026] forming a plurality of insulating layers on the flexible substrate, the material of the insulating layers being inorganic material.

[0027] removing at least one insulating layer of the plurality of insulating layers located in the bending area to form a recess.

[0028] filling the recess with organic material.

[0029] manufacturing a bezel circuit on the flexible substrate, at least a part of the bezel circuit being located in the folding area.

[0030] In some embodiments, manufacturing the bezel circuit on the flexible substrate comprises manufacturing a cathode signal line on the flexible substrate, at least a part of the cathode signal line being located in the folding area.

[0031] In some embodiments, the manufacturing the border circuit on the flexible substrate further comprises: manufacturing a plurality of signal lines and at least one circuit group on the flexible substrate; wherein one circuit group comprises at least one gate drive circuit located at the folding area, and the at least one gate drive circuit is configured to connect the plurality of signal lines, and the plurality of signal lines are formed synchronously with the gate layer of the thin film transistor in the gate drive circuit.

[0032] In some embodiments, the manufacturing the cathode signal line on the flexible substrate comprises: manufacturing the cathode signal line on the side of the circuit group away from the display area.

[0033] The present disclosure provides a flexible display panel and a manufacturing method thereof, a display device and a tiled display device. The flexible display panel comprises at least one bending area and a folding area located on the side of each bending area away from the display area. At least part of the border circuit is located in the folding area, and the part of the flexible display panel located in the folding area is configured to be folded towards the direction away from the display side of the flexible display panel by the part located in the bending area. Therefore, at least part of the border circuit can be folded to the non-display side of the flexible display panel. In the present disclosure, the bending area and the folding area are included in the peripheral area, so that the part of the flexible display panel located in the bending area can be bent, and the part of the flexible display panel located in the folding area can be folded to the non-display side of the flexible display panel. After the part of the flexible display panel located in the folding area is folded to the non-display side of the flexible display panel, the width of the border of the flexible display panel can be reduced, so that the flexible display panel meets the industry development trend of narrow border, and when a plurality of flexible display panels are tiled to form a tiled display device, the width of the non-display area between the two display areas of two adjacent flexible display panels is small, so that seamless tiling effect between the plurality of flexible display panels can be achieved, and the display effect of the tiled display device is improved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0034] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the present disclosure, the following will briefly introduce the drawings needed to be used in some embodiments of the present disclosure. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only the drawings of some embodiments of the present disclosure, and other drawings can also be obtained by those skilled in the art according to these drawings. In addition, the drawings in the following description can be regarded as schematic diagrams, and are not limited to the actual size of the product, the actual flow of the method, the actual timing of the signal, etc. involved in the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0035] FIG. 1A A top view structural diagram of a tiled display device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0036] FIG. 1B A bottom view structural diagram of a tiled display device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0037] FIG. 1C FIG. 1 is a sectional view in the direction of A-A' of a flexible display panel according to some embodiments of the present disclosure; FIG. 1B

[0038] FIG. 2A - FIG. 2E FIG. 2 is a structural diagram of a flexible display panel according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0039] FIG. 3 FIG. 3 is a structural diagram of a flexible display panel according to some embodiments of the related art;

[0040] FIG. 4A - FIG. 4C FIG. 4 is a structural diagram of a flexible display panel according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0041] FIG. 4D FIG. 5 is a structural diagram of a circuit group according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0042] FIG. 4E FIG. 6 is a structural diagram of a first gate driving circuit according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0043] FIG. 5A FIG. 7 is a structural diagram of a flexible display panel according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0044] FIG. 5B FIG. 8 is a structural diagram of a flexible display panel according to some embodiments of the present disclosure; FIG. 5C

[0045] FIG. 9 is a structural diagram of a pixel driving circuit according to some embodiments of the present disclosure; FIG. 6

[0046] FIG. 10 is a structural diagram of a portion of at least one signal line located in a bending area according to some embodiments of the present disclosure; FIG. 7A - FIG. 7D

[0047] FIG. 11 is a structural diagram of a flexible display panel according to some embodiments of the present disclosure; FIG. 8A - FIG. 8D

[0048] FIG. 12 is a structural diagram of a flexible display panel according to some embodiments of the present disclosure; FIG. 9A

[0049] FIG. 13 is a structural diagram of a thin film transistor according to some embodiments of the present disclosure; FIG. 9B

[0050] FIG. 14 is a flowchart of a method of manufacturing a flexible display panel according to some embodiments of the present disclosure; FIG. 10

[0051] FIG. 15 is a flowchart of a method of manufacturing a flexible display panel according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;​FIG. 11A - FIG. 11D A preparation process diagram of a flexible display panel is provided according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0052] The technical solutions in some embodiments of the present disclosure will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some of the embodiments of the present disclosure, but not all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments provided by the present disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art belong to the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

[0053] Unless otherwise required by context, the term "comprise" and other forms of the term "comprise", such as "comprises" and "comprising", are used in the sense of "including, but not limited to", and permit the inclusion of additional elements without departing from the scope of the concept disclosed. In the description of the specification, the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "exemplary embodiments", "example", "specific example" or "some examples" are intended to indicate that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics associated with that embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present disclosure. The illustrative representation of the above terms does not necessarily mean the same embodiment or example. In addition, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described can be included in any one or more embodiments or examples in any appropriate manner.

[0054] Hereinafter, the terms "first", "second" are only used for description purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, the features defined with "first", "second" can explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, unless otherwise stated, the meaning of "a plurality of" is two or more.

[0055] In describing some embodiments, it will be understood that the terms "coupled" and "connected," along with derivatives thereof, can be used to describe either an electrical or a physical connection. In some embodiments, "connected" can be used to indicate that two or more elements are in direct physical or electrical contact. In some embodiments, "coupled" can be used to indicate that two or more elements are in either physical or electrical contact, whether or not directly. The embodiments disclosed herein are not necessarily limited in terms of the manner in which the various elements are coupled.

[0056] "at least one of A, B, and C" has the same meaning as "at least one of A, B, or C" and includes the following combinations: only A, only B, only C, A and B, A and C, B and C, and A and B and C.

[0057] "A and / or B" includes the following combinations: A alone, B alone, and A and B together.

[0058] As used herein, the term "if' can, depending on the context, optionally be interpreted as meaning "when," or "in response to a determination," or "in response to a detection." Similarly, depending on the context, the phrase "if it is determined" or "if [a stated condition or event] is detected" can be interpreted as meaning "upon a determination," or "in response to a determination," or "upon detecting [the stated condition or event]," or "in response to detecting [the stated condition or event]."

[0059] The use of "adapted to" or "configured to," as used herein, means open and inclusive language that does not exclude additional devices or steps not explicitly described.

[0060] Additionally, the use of "based on" means open and inclusive, as the process, step, calculation, or other action based on a stated condition or value can in fact be based on additional condition or values beyond those stated.

[0061] Exemplary embodiments are described herein with reference to cross-sectional and / or plan view illustrations that are schematic and for purposes of illustration only. Variations from the shapes of the illustrations as a result, for example, of manufacturing techniques and / or tolerances, are to be expected. Thus, exemplary embodiments should not be construed as limited to the particular shapes of the regions illustrated herein but are to include deviations in shapes that result, for example, from manufacturing. For example, an etched region illustrated as a rectangle will typically have rounded or curved features. Thus, the regions illustrated in the figures are schematic and their shapes are not intended to illustrate the precise shape of a region that would be formed by a fabrication technique and are not intended to limit the scope of exemplary embodiments.

[0062] Reference is made to FIG. 1A - FIG. 1C As shown, the disclosure provides a tiled display device, which includes a plurality of display devices tiled together, such as OLED display devices. Each display device includes a flexible display panel 1, wherein at least one of the two adjacent flexible display panels 1 is provided with a bending area 110 and a folding area 120 on a side close to the other flexible display panel 1, and the folding area 120 is located on a non-display side of the flexible display panel 1. The part of the flexible display panel 1 located at the folding area 120 is configured to be folded towards a direction away from the display side of the flexible display panel 1 by the part located at the bending area 110. The display side of the flexible display panel 1 is a side of the flexible display panel 1 on which a picture can be displayed, and the non-display side is opposite to the display side in the thickness direction of the flexible display panel 1; the display side of the flexible display panel 1 can also be referred to as the front side of the flexible display panel 1, and the non-display side can also be referred to as the back side of the flexible display panel 1.

[0063] Reference is made to FIG. 1B As shown, the two adjacent flexible display panels 1 are in close contact, and at least one of the two adjacent flexible display panels 1 is provided with a bending area 110 and a folding area 120 on a side close to the other flexible display panel 1, including: both of the two adjacent flexible display panels 1 include the bending area 110 and the folding area 120, and any one of the two adjacent flexible display panels 1 includes the bending area 110 and the folding area 120. Reference is made to FIG. 1B and FIG. 1CThe portion of the flexible display panel 1 located in the folding area 120 can be folded to the non-display side of the flexible display panel 1 through the portion located in the bending area 110, thereby making the bezel of the flexible display panel 1 narrower. Since the bezel belongs to the non-display area, the narrower the bezel of the flexible display panel 1, the smaller the sum of the two adjacent bezels of two adjacent flexible display panels 1. This makes the width of the non-display area between the display areas 10 of two adjacent flexible display panels 1 (equal to the sum of the two adjacent bezels of two adjacent flexible display panels 1) smaller. As a result, the continuity of the images displayed by the two flexible display panels 1 in the splicing display device is better, and the display effect of the splicing display device is better.

[0064] refer to FIG. 2A - FIG. 2E As shown, the flexible display panel 1 has a display area 10 and a peripheral area 11 located around the display area 10. The peripheral area 11 includes at least one bending area 110 and a folding area 120 located on the side of each bending area 110 away from the display area 10, that is, the bending area 110 and the folding area 120 correspond one-to-one.

[0065] refer to FIG. 2A As shown, the flexible display panel 1 includes a pair of bending areas 110 and folding areas 120, and the bending areas 110 and folding areas 120 are arranged side by side along a first direction, wherein the first direction is, for example, the length direction of the flexible display panel 1. (Reference) FIG. 2B As shown, the flexible display panel 1 includes two pairs of bending areas 110 and folding areas 120, and one pair of bending areas 110 and folding areas 120 and the other pair of bending areas 110 and folding areas 120 are located on opposite sides of the length direction of the flexible display panel 1. (Reference) FIG. 2C and FIG. 2D As shown, the flexible display panel 1 includes three pairs of bending areas 110 and folding areas 120. The display area 10 of the flexible display panel 1 is rectangular, and the three pairs of bending areas 110 and folding areas 120 are located on three sides outside the display area 10. (Reference) FIG. 2E As shown, the flexible display panel 1 includes four pairs of bending areas 110 and folding areas 120. The display area 10 of the flexible display panel 1 is rectangular, and a pair of bending areas 110 and folding areas 120 are provided in the peripheral area 11 surrounding the display area 10.

[0066] The flexible display panel 1 includes: a flexible substrate and a bezel circuit 13 disposed on the flexible substrate and located in the peripheral area 11, at least a portion of the bezel circuit 13 being located in the folding area 120.

[0067] The bezel circuit 13 is located in the peripheral area and is disposed on the display side of the flexible display panel 1. The bezel circuit is configured to provide driving signals to the flexible display panel 1, such as cathode signals, scanning signals, etc.

[0068] On this basis, in some embodiments, referring to FIG. 2A - FIG. 2D As shown in FIG. 1, the bezel circuit 13 at least includes a cathode signal line 130, at least a part of the cathode signal line 130 is located in the folding area 120, and the cathode signal line 130 can provide a cathode signal.

[0069] For example, referring to FIG. 2A - FIG. 2C As shown in FIG. 2, a part of the cathode signal line 130 is located in the folding area 120; referring to FIG. 2D and FIG. 2E As shown in FIG. 3, the entire cathode signal line 130 is located in the folding area 120. The specific structure of the cathode signal line 130 is related to the size of the flexible display panel 1. When the flexible display panel 1 is a small-size display panel 1 such as a mobile phone screen, the structure of the cathode signal line 130 is, for example, as shown in FIG. 2; when the flexible display panel 1 is a medium-to-large-size display panel 1 such as a television, the structure of the cathode signal line 130 is, for example, as shown in FIG. 3. For example, the medium-to-large-size display panel 1 is, for example, a 12.3-inch display panel 1. FIG. 2D FIG. 2A - FIG. 2C FIG. 2E As shown in FIG. 3, the entire cathode signal line 130 is located in the folding area 120. The specific structure of the cathode signal line 130 is related to the size of the flexible display panel 1. When the flexible display panel 1 is a small-size display panel 1 such as a mobile phone screen, the structure of the cathode signal line 130 is, for example, as shown in FIG. 2; when the flexible display panel 1 is a medium-to-large-size display panel 1 such as a television, the structure of the cathode signal line 130 is, for example, as shown in FIG. 3. For example, the medium-to-large-size display panel 1 is, for example, a 12.3-inch display panel 1.

[0070] For example, referring to FIG. 3 As shown in FIG. 4, the related-art flexible display panel 1' has a display area 10' and a peripheral area 11', and the peripheral area 11' is arranged around the display area 10'. In the peripheral area 11' in the related art, for example, a cathode signal line 130' and a gate drive circuit 140' are arranged. Due to the large load of the flexible display panel 1', in order to ensure the display effect, it is necessary to ensure that the line width of the cathode signal line 130' cannot be too small, but when the line width of the cathode signal line 130' is large, the width of the peripheral area 11' of the flexible display panel 1' is also large, and the larger the width of the peripheral area 11', the larger the frame width of the flexible display panel 1'. When the frame width of the flexible display panel 1' is large, on the one hand, it does not conform to the industry trend of the development of flexible display panels 1' toward narrow frames, and on the other hand, when a plurality of flexible display panels 1' are spliced together to form a spliced display device, the width of the non-display area between the two display areas 10' of the two adjacent flexible display panels 1' is large, thereby failing to achieve the seamless splicing effect between the plurality of flexible display panels 1', and the display effect of the spliced display device is poor.

[0071] ​​This disclosure provides a display device and a flexible display panel 1, wherein the peripheral region 11 of the flexible display panel 1 includes at least one bending region 110 and a folding region 120 located on the side of each bending region 110 away from the display region 10. At least a portion of the bezel circuitry 13 is located in the folding region 120, and the portion of the flexible display panel 1 located in the folding region 120 is configured to fold in a direction away from the display side of the flexible display panel 1 via the portion located in the bending region 110. Therefore, at least a portion of the bezel circuitry 13 can be folded to the non-display side of the flexible display panel 1. The peripheral area 11 in this disclosure includes a bending area 110 and a folding area 120, so that the portion of the flexible display panel 1 located in the bending area 110 can be bent, and the portion located in the folding area 120 can be folded to the non-display side of the flexible display panel 1. After the portion of the flexible display panel 1 located in the folding area 120 is folded to the non-display side of the flexible display panel 1, the bezel width of the flexible display panel 1 can be reduced, so that the flexible display panel 1 conforms to the industry trend of narrow bezels. When multiple flexible display panels 1 are spliced ​​together to form a splicing display device, the width of the non-display area between the two display areas 10 of two adjacent flexible display panels 1 is small, so that the effect of seamless splicing between multiple flexible display panels 1 can be achieved, and the display effect of the splicing display device can be improved.

[0072] In some embodiments, reference FIG. 4A - FIG. 4C As shown, the frame circuit 13 further includes multiple signal lines 150 and at least one circuit group 140. One circuit group 140 includes at least one gate drive circuit located in the folded region 120, and the at least one gate drive circuit is configured to connect to the multiple signal lines 150.

[0073] refer to FIG. 4D and FIG. 4E As shown, circuit group 140 includes a gate drive circuit, such as a first gate drive circuit 1401; the first gate drive circuit 1401 includes a plurality of cascaded shift registers 1401'.

[0074] The flexible display panel 1 also includes multiple sub-pixels, each of which is equipped with a pixel driving circuit. The output of each stage shift register 1401' in the first gate driving circuit 1401 is used to electrically connect with the pixel driving circuit in the same row of sub-pixels, providing a gate driving signal to the pixel driving circuit. The gate driving signal is a type of scan signal.

[0075] refer to FIG. 4E As shown, in n (n is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2) cascaded shift registers 1401', the second output signal terminal Out2 of the first-stage shift register is electrically connected to the input signal terminal Input of the second-stage shift register.

[0076] The second output signal terminal Out2 of the n-th shift register is electrically connected to the reset signal terminal Rst of the n-1-th shift register.

[0077] The second output signal terminal Out2 of the shift register other than the first shift register and the n-th shift register is electrically connected to the reset signal terminal Rst of the previous shift register and the input signal terminal Input of the next shift register.

[0078] The input signal terminal of the first shift register receives a start signal STVP, and the first output signal terminal Out1 of each shift register 1401' is electrically connected to the pixel driving circuit.

[0079] Since the circuit group 140 is located in the folding area 120 and the circuit group 140 includes at least one gate driving circuit, the present disclosure can fold the at least one gate driving circuit to the non-display side of the flexible display panel 1, thereby reducing the frame width of the flexible display panel 1.

[0080] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 4A and FIG. 4C The circuit group 140 is located on the side of the cathode signal line 130 close to the bending area 110. In this structure, the area of the cathode signal line 130 as a whole is large, and the cathode signal line 130 is used to be electrically connected to the cathode layer in the flexible display panel 1 to provide an electrical signal to the cathode layer; therefore, the larger the area of the cathode signal line 130 is, the smaller the total impedance between the cathode signal line 130 and the cathode layer is, and the smaller the voltage drop when the electrical signal is transmitted from the cathode signal line 130 to the cathode layer is, thereby facilitating the reduction of the power consumption of the flexible display panel 1.

[0081] For example, the cathode signal line 130 provides a cathode signal of -3V to the cathode layer 112.

[0082] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 5A The plurality of signal lines 150 include a plurality of gate lines 1501 and a plurality of light-emitting control signal lines 1502.

[0083] The circuit group 140 includes a first gate driving circuit 1401 and a second gate driving circuit 1402 arranged side by side along a first direction. The first gate driving circuit 1401 is configured to connect the plurality of gate lines 1501; the second gate driving circuit 1402 is configured to connect the plurality of light-emitting control signal lines 1502. The first direction is the extension direction of the gate line 1501, and is also the length direction of the flexible display panel 1; the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction, that is, the distribution direction of the gate line, and is also the width direction of the flexible display panel 1.

[0084] The first gate drive circuit 1401 is configured to connect the plurality of gate lines 1501, and is configured to provide a gate drive signal Gate to the plurality of gate lines 1501. The second gate drive circuit 1402 is configured to connect the plurality of light-emitting control signal lines 1502, and is configured to provide a light-emitting control signal EM to the plurality of light-emitting control signal lines 1502. The light-emitting control signal EM belongs to another type of scanning signal.

[0085] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 1A, the plurality of signal lines 150 further include a plurality of first reset signal lines 1503, and the circuit group 140 further includes a third gate drive circuit 1403 disposed alongside the first gate drive circuit 1401 and the second gate drive circuit 1402 in the first direction. The third gate drive circuit 1403 is configured to connect the plurality of first reset signal lines 1503. The third gate drive circuit 1403 is configured to provide a first reset signal Rst1 to the plurality of first reset signal lines 1503. The first reset signal Rst1 belongs to another type of scanning signal. FIG. 5B In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 1A, the plurality of signal lines 150 further include a plurality of second reset signal lines 1504, and the circuit group 140 further includes a fourth gate drive circuit 1404 disposed alongside the first gate drive circuit 1401 and the second gate drive circuit 1402 in the first direction. The fourth gate drive circuit 1404 is configured to connect the plurality of second reset signal lines 1504. The fourth gate drive circuit 1404 is configured to provide a second reset signal Rst2 to the plurality of second reset signal lines 1504. The second reset signal Rst2 belongs to another type of scanning signal.

[0086] FIG. 5C The second gate drive circuit 1402, the third gate drive circuit 1403, and the fourth gate drive circuit 1404 each include a plurality of cascaded shift registers. The plurality of cascaded shift registers can have the same cascaded structure as the plurality of shift registers 1401' in the first gate drive circuit 1401.

[0087] As shown in FIG. 1A, when the circuit group 140 includes the first gate drive circuit 1401, the second gate drive circuit 1402, the third gate drive circuit 1403, and the fourth gate drive circuit 1404, the four gate drive circuits are disposed alongside each other in the extension direction of the gate lines 1501.

[0088] As shown in FIG. 1A, when the circuit group 140 includes the first gate drive circuit 1401, the second gate drive circuit 1402, the third gate drive circuit 1403, and the fourth gate drive circuit 1404, the four gate drive circuits are disposed alongside each other in the extension direction of the gate lines 1501. FIG. 5C

[0089] ​​The pixel driving circuit in the same row of subpixels is electrically connected with the gate line 1501, the light-emitting control signal line 1502, the first reset signal line 1503, and the second reset signal line 1504. Among them, the gate line 1501 is used to provide the pixel driving circuit 2 with a gate driving signal Gate, the light-emitting control signal line 1502 is used to provide the pixel driving circuit 2 with a light-emitting control signal EM, the first reset signal line 1503 is used to provide the pixel driving circuit 2 with a first reset signal Rst1, and the second reset signal line 1504 is used to provide the pixel driving circuit 2 with a second reset signal Rst2.

[0090] Therefore, the present disclosure provides a pixel driving circuit that can receive the above-mentioned gate driving signal Gate, light-emitting control signal EM, first reset signal Rst1, and second reset signal Rst2. Referring to FIG. 6 As shown in the figure, the pixel driving circuit 2 includes a data writing sub-circuit 20, a driving sub-circuit 21, a light-emitting control sub-circuit 22, and a reset sub-circuit 23.

[0091] The data writing sub-circuit 20 is electrically connected with the gate driving signal terminal Gate, the data signal terminal Data, the driving sub-circuit 21, and the node N. The data writing sub-circuit 20 is configured to write the data signal provided by the data signal terminal Data into the node N under the control of the gate driving signal terminal Gate.

[0092] The driving sub-circuit 21 is electrically connected with the node N, the power voltage signal terminal VDD, the light-emitting control sub-circuit 22, and the light-emitting device D. The driving sub-circuit 21 is configured to output a driving signal to the light-emitting device D under the control of the node N, the power voltage signal terminal VDD, and the light-emitting control sub-circuit 22, so as to make the light-emitting device D emit light.

[0093] The light-emitting control sub-circuit 22 is electrically connected with the power voltage signal terminal VDD and the light-emitting control signal terminal EM. The light-emitting control sub-circuit 22 is configured to make the power voltage signal terminal VDD electrically connected with the driving sub-circuit 21, and make the driving sub-circuit 21 electrically connected with the anode of the light-emitting device D under the control of the light-emitting control signal terminal EM.

[0094] The reset sub-circuit 23 is electrically connected with the node N, the first reset signal terminal Rst1, the second reset signal terminal Rst2, the anode of the light-emitting device D, and the initial signal terminal Vint. The reset sub-circuit 23 is configured to transmit an initial signal provided by the initial signal terminal Vint to the node N to reset the node N under the control of the first reset signal terminal Rst1, and transmit the initial signal provided by the initial signal terminal Vint to the anode of the light-emitting device D to reset the anode of the light-emitting device D under the control of the second reset signal terminal Rst2.

[0095] Referring to FIG. 6As shown in the figure, the pixel driving circuit 2 is, for example, a 7T1C type pixel driving circuit 2. The data writing sub-circuit 20 includes a second transistor T2 and a fourth transistor T4. The gate of the second transistor T2 is electrically connected to the gate driving signal terminal Gate, the first electrode of the second transistor T2 is electrically connected to the driving sub-circuit 21, and the second electrode of the second transistor T2 is electrically connected to the node N. The gate of the fourth transistor T4 is electrically connected to the gate driving signal terminal Gate, the first electrode of the fourth transistor T4 is electrically connected to the data signal terminal Data, and the second electrode of the fourth transistor T4 is electrically connected to the driving sub-circuit 21.

[0096] The driving sub-circuit 21 includes a third transistor T3 and a capacitor C. The gate of the third transistor T3 is electrically connected to the node N, the first electrode of the third transistor T3 is electrically connected to the light emitting control sub-circuit 22, and the second electrode of the third transistor T3 is electrically connected to the anode of the light emitting device D. The third transistor T3 is a driving transistor. One end of the capacitor C is electrically connected to the power voltage signal terminal VDD, and the other end is electrically connected to the node N.

[0097] The light emitting control sub-circuit 22 includes a fifth transistor T5 and a sixth transistor T6. The gate of the fifth transistor T5 is electrically connected to the light emitting control signal terminal EM, the first electrode of the fifth transistor T5 is electrically connected to the power voltage signal terminal VDD, and the second electrode of the fifth transistor T5 is electrically connected to the first electrode of the third transistor T3. The gate of the sixth transistor T6 is electrically connected to the light emitting control signal terminal EM, the first electrode of the sixth transistor T6 is electrically connected to the second electrode of the third transistor T3, and the second electrode of the sixth transistor T6 is electrically connected to the anode of the light emitting device D.

[0098] The reset sub-circuit 23 includes a first transistor T1 and a seventh transistor T7. The gate of the first transistor T1 is electrically connected to the first reset signal terminal Rst1, the first electrode of the first transistor T1 is electrically connected to the initial signal terminal Vint, and the second electrode of the first transistor T1 is electrically connected to the node N. The gate of the seventh transistor T7 is electrically connected to the second reset signal terminal Rst2, the first electrode of the seventh transistor T7 is electrically connected to the initial signal terminal Vint, and the second electrode of the seventh transistor T7 is electrically connected to the anode of the light emitting device D.

[0099] The cathode of the light emitting device D is electrically connected to the first voltage terminal VSS, the first voltage terminal VSS is electrically connected to the cathode layer 112 in the flexible display panel 1, and the cathode layer 112 is electrically connected to the cathode signal line 130. That is, without considering the attenuation of the electrical signal, the size of the electrical signal received by the cathode of the light emitting device D is equal to the size of the electrical signal provided by the cathode signal line 130.

[0100] The working process of the pixel driving circuit 2 is as follows:

[0101] In the reset stage, under the control of the first reset signal end Rst1 and the second reset signal end Rst2, the first transistor T1 and the seventh transistor T7 are turned on, and the initial signal provided by the initial signal end Vint is transmitted to the node N and the anode of the light emitting device D, so as to reset the node N and the anode of the light emitting device D.

[0102] In the data writing stage, under the control of the gate driving signal end Gate, the fourth transistor T4 and the second transistor T2 are turned on, and the sum of the data signal provided by the data signal end Data and the threshold voltage of the third transistor T3 is written to the node N, and the capacitor C is charged.

[0103] In the light emitting stage, under the control of the light emitting control signal end EM, the fifth transistor T5 and the sixth transistor T6 are turned on. The capacitor C starts to discharge, under the control of the node N, the third transistor T3 is turned on, and under the control of the gate voltage of the third transistor T3 and the power voltage signal provided by the power voltage signal end VDD, the third transistor T3 outputs a driving signal, for example, a current signal, to the light emitting device D, so as to drive the light emitting device D to emit light.

[0104] As can be understood by those skilled in the art, the size of the driving signal is related to the size of the gate voltage and the source voltage of the third transistor T3, and in the present disclosure, the source of the third transistor T3 receives the power voltage signal when the fifth transistor T5 is turned on, so that the third transistor T3 outputs the driving signal under the control of the gate voltage and the power voltage signal.

[0105] For example, the first pole of any one of the first transistor T1 to the seventh transistor T7 is, for example, the source, and the second pole is, for example, the drain.

[0106] For example, the first transistor T1 to the seventh transistor T7 are, for example, all P-type transistors or N-type transistors, and in the present disclosure, the first transistor T1 to the seventh transistor T7 are taken as P-type transistors as an example for description.

[0107] It should be noted that in the present disclosure, VDD, EM, Gate, Data, Rst1, Rst2, Vint and VSS mean the corresponding signal end, and also can mean the signal provided by the signal end. For example, Gate means the gate driving signal end Gate, and also can mean the gate driving signal provided by the gate driving signal end Gate.

[0108] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 2A - FIG. 2C As shown in the figure, the cathode signal line 130 is arranged around the display area 10.

[0109] Referring to FIG. 2CAs shown, although the portions of the cathode signal line 130 located on three sides of the display area 10 are not connected together, for the display area 10, the cathode signal line 130 is arranged on any side outside the display area 10, thus the cathode signal line 130 can be regarded as surrounding the display area 10, and in this structure, the portions of the cathode signal line 130 are not connected together, which is to facilitate the bending of the portion of the flexible display panel 1 located in the bending area 110.

[0110] In some embodiments, the cathode signal line 130 is arranged on three sides of the display area 10. FIG. 2D As shown, the display area 10 is rectangular, and the cathode signal line 130 is arranged on three sides of the display area 10.

[0111] The arrangement of the cathode signal line 130 can be set according to the specific structure of the flexible display panel 1 to adapt to flexible display panels 1 of different sizes.

[0112] In some embodiments, the width of the bending area 110 is 1.0mm-1.5mm, and the width of the cathode signal line 130 ranges from 2.0mm to 3.5mm.

[0113] For example, the width of the bending area 110 is 1340μm.

[0114] When the flexible display panel 1 located in the bending area 110 is bent, it is bent along the center line of the bending area 110, thus the half of the width of the bending area 110 can be referred to as the bending radius. For example, the bending radius is equal to 600μm.

[0115] In some embodiments, the distance between the side of the display area 10 close to the bending area 110 and the center line of the bending area 110 is, for example, 500μm. In this structure, the bending radius of the bending area 110 is less than or equal to 500μm, thus the edge of the display area can be prevented from being warped.

[0116] In some embodiments, the widths of the cathode signal line 130 located on different sides of the display area 10 are different. For example, the widths of the portions of the cathode signal line 130 located on opposite sides of the display area 10 and distributed along the first direction are the same, and the widths of the portions of the cathode signal line 130 located on opposite sides of the display area 10 and distributed along the second direction are different and greater than the widths of the portions of the cathode signal line 130 distributed along the first direction.

[0117] For example, the cathode signal line 130 is arranged on three sides of the display area 10. FIG. 2EAs shown, the width of the cathode signal line 130 located on the left and right sides of the flexible display panel 1 is the same, the width of the cathode signal line 130 located on the upper and lower sides is different, and is greater than the width of the cathode signal line 130 located on the left and right sides of the flexible display panel 1. For example, the width of the cathode signal line 130 located on the upper side of the flexible display panel 1 is greater than the width of the cathode signal line 130 located on the lower side of the flexible display panel 1, and the width of the cathode signal line 130 located on the lower side of the flexible display panel 1 is greater than the width of the cathode signal line 130 located on the left and right sides of the flexible display panel 1.

[0118] Since the width of the cathode signal line 130 is set as large as possible, the width of the cathode signal line 130 located at different positions can be set according to the position of the cathode signal line 130, so as to reasonably utilize the position in the peripheral area 11 of the flexible display panel 1.

[0119] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 7A As shown, the part of the at least one signal line 150 located in the bending area 110 includes a plurality of holes 1500 arranged at intervals. The hole 1500 can be a through hole or a blind hole. The material of the signal line 150 is, for example, metal, such as silver (Ag), aluminum (Al), etc.

[0120] Since the signal line 150 located in the bending area 110 needs to be bent, although the signal line 150 made of metal material has a certain ductility, in order to avoid the signal line 150 from being broken due to stress when being bent, affecting the signal transmission of the signal line 150, a plurality of holes 1500 are arranged on the signal line 150 to release the stress of the signal line 150 when being bent.

[0121] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 7B As shown, the plurality of holes 1500 includes at least two rows of holes 1500 distributed along the first direction, and the orthographic projection of any two holes 1500 located in different rows on the flexible substrate does not overlap. On the one hand, the orthographic projection of any two holes 1500 located in different rows on the flexible substrate does not overlap, which can release the stress of the signal line 150 when being bent. On the other hand, the upper and lower rows of holes 1500 are arranged in a staggered manner in the width direction (second direction) of the signal line 150, which can ensure the strength of the signal line 150 in the width direction, and further avoid cracks in the signal line 150 when being bent.

[0122] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 7C and FIG. 7D As shown, the outer contour line of the part of the at least one signal line 150 located in the bending area 110 includes connected arc and / or polyline.

[0123] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 7CAs shown in the figure, the outer contour line 150' of the portion of the signal line 150 located in the bending area 110 comprises a plurality of connected circular arcs, and the portion of the signal line 150 can be regarded as a plurality of circular patterns superimposed, and each circular pattern is provided with a hole 1500 in the shape of a rounded rectangle, and the orthographic projection of the holes 1500 located in different rows on the flexible substrate does not overlap.

[0124] With reference to FIG. 7D As shown in the figure, the outer contour line 150' of the portion of the signal line 150 located in the bending area 110 comprises a plurality of connected arcs and lines, and the arcs and lines are arranged at intervals; meanwhile, the portion of the signal line 150 can be regarded as a plurality of water-drop-like patterns superimposed, and each water-drop-like pattern is provided with an elliptical hole 1500, and the orthographic projection of the holes 1500 located in different rows on the flexible substrate does not overlap.

[0125] The portions of the above two kinds of signal lines 150 located in the bending area 110 have special structures, and through simulation mechanical experiments, the signal lines 150 with the structures have the best stress release effect when being bent, and the probability of cracks of the signal lines 150 is the lowest.

[0126] In some embodiments, with reference to FIG. 8A - FIG. 8D As shown in the figure, the flexible display panel 1 further comprises a plurality of insulating layers 114 arranged on the flexible substrate 16, the material of the insulating layers 114 is inorganic material, at least one insulating layer 114 in the plurality of insulating layers 114 is provided with at least one groove 1140 located in the bending area 110, and the at least one groove 1140 is filled with an organic material 1140'.

[0127] With reference to FIG. 8A And FIG. 8B As shown in the figure, the thickness of the groove 1140 is less than or equal to the thickness of the insulating layer 114.

[0128] The insulating layer 114 is arranged between the cathode signal line 130 and the flexible substrate 16, and the inorganic material in the insulating layer 114 is at least one of silicon oxide and silicon nitride. The organic material 1140' filled in the groove 1140 is at least one of polyimide and OC (Over Coat, photosensitive protective material).

[0129] Since the organic material has a certain ductility, and the inorganic material does not have ductility, it is necessary to form the groove 1140 on the insulating layer 114 corresponding to the bending area 110, and then fill the organic material 1140' in the groove 1140, so that the portion of the insulating layer 114 located in the bending area 110 can be bent.

[0130] For example, with reference to FIG. 8AAs shown, the flexible substrate 16 is provided with two layers of insulating layers 114, one of which is a first insulating layer 1141 and the other is a second insulating layer 1142, and the thickness of the second insulating layer 1142 is greater than that of the first insulating layer 1141. A groove 1140 is provided in the region of the second insulating layer 1142 corresponding to the bending area 110, the groove 1140 does not penetrate the second insulating layer 1142 and is filled with an organic material 1140'.

[0131] It should be noted that although the groove 1140 does not penetrate the second insulating layer 1142 and no groove 1140 is provided on the first insulating layer 1141, the overall thickness of the insulating layer 114 (including the first insulating layer 1141 and the part of the second insulating layer 1142 under the groove 1140) under the groove 1140 is still thin, which can still enable the bending area 110 to bend.

[0132] For example, the thickness of the first insulating layer 1141 is, for example, 1-5 μm. The first insulating layer 1141 is, for example, a buffer layer.

[0133] For another example, referring to FIG. 8B As shown, the flexible substrate 16 is provided with two layers of insulating layers 114, and a groove 1140 is provided in the region of the first insulating layer 1141 and the second insulating layer 1142 corresponding to the bending area 110, the groove 1140 penetrates the first insulating layer 1141 and the second insulating layer 1142 and is filled with an organic material 1140'.

[0134] When the bending area 110 includes a groove 1140, the amount of the organic material 1140' that can be filled in the groove 1140 is greater, the flexibility of the part of the flexible display panel 1 located in the bending area 110 is better, which facilitates the folding of the part of the flexible display panel 1 located in the bending area 110, and the groove 1140 is relatively simple to manufacture.

[0135] In other embodiments, referring to FIG. 8C As shown, the groove 1140 is a plurality of grooves 1140, the plurality of grooves 1140 extends along the thickness direction of the flexible substrate 16 and is distributed along a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction of the flexible substrate 16, and the orthographic projection of the plurality of grooves 1140 on the flexible substrate 16 does not overlap. The direction perpendicular to the thickness direction of the flexible substrate 16 is the length direction of the flexible substrate 16.

[0136] For example, referring to FIG. 8C As shown, the insulating layer 114 is provided with a plurality of spaced grooves 1140, each groove 1140 penetrates the first insulating layer 1141 and the second insulating layer 1142 at the same time, the plurality of grooves 1140 are all located in the bending area 110, and each groove 1140 is filled with an organic material 1140'.

[0137] When the plurality of grooves 1140 are distributed at intervals, the part of the flexible display panel 1 located in the bending area 110 still has a certain ductility, and thus the part of the flexible display panel 1 located in the bending area 110 can be bent and the strength of the part of the flexible display panel 1 located in the bending area 110 can be ensured to be high.

[0138] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 1, the flexible display panel 1 further comprises at least one planar layer 1100 disposed on the side of the insulating layer 114 away from the flexible substrate 16, and the at least one planar layer 1100 covers the grooves 1140. FIG. 8D

[0139] The planar layer 1100 fills part of the groove 1140, and thus the material in the groove 1140 comprises the organic material 1140' and the material of the planar layer 1100. In some embodiments, the organic material 1140' in the groove 1140 and located on the side of the material of the planar layer 1100 close to the flexible substrate 16 is polyimide, and the material of the planar layer 1100 is an OC material, and thus two kinds of organic materials are filled in the groove 1140.

[0140] When the at least one planar layer 1100 covers the groove 1140, it can be avoided that the side of the groove 1140 away from the flexible substrate 16 is not filled when the organic material 1140' is filled in the groove 1140.

[0141] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 1, along the thickness direction of the flexible substrate 16, the flexible display panel 1 comprises, in sequence, a barrier layer 17, a buffer layer 18, a first gate insulating layer 191, a second gate insulating layer 193, and an interlayer insulating layer 195, and each of the layers belongs to the insulating layer 114. FIG. 9A

[0142] The barrier layer 17, the buffer layer 18, the first gate insulating layer 191, the second gate insulating layer 193, and the interlayer insulating layer 195 cover the display area 10 and the peripheral area 11.

[0143] The first gate insulating layer 191, the second gate insulating layer 193, and the interlayer insulating layer 195 are thin film transistor layers, and the thin film transistor is disposed on the buffer layer 18.

[0144] For example, referring to FIG. 1, the flexible display panel 1 further comprises a plurality of grooves 1140 disposed on the side of the insulating layer 114 away from the flexible substrate 16, and the plurality of grooves 1140 are filled with an organic material 1140'. FIG. 9B ​​As shown, the present disclosure provides a thin film transistor 19, along the thickness direction of the flexible substrate 16, the thin film transistor 19 includes an active layer 190, a first gate insulating layer 191, a gate 192, a second gate insulating layer 193, a conductive layer 194, an interlayer insulating layer 195, and a source-drain electrode 196 (SD layer), the source-drain electrode 196 and the active layer 190 are in contact. The material of the active layer 190 may, for example, be one of a-si (amorphous silicon), p-si (polysilicon), an organic semiconductor, an oxide semiconductor material, etc.; the oxide semiconductor material may, for example, be one of IGZO (Indium gallium zinc oxide), InNdO (Indium neodymium oxide). The barrier layer 17 and the buffer layer 18 are used to isolate the H particles and O particles in the flexible substrate 16 from affecting the active layer 190 in the thin film transistor 19.

[0145] For example, the thickness of the barrier layer 17 is, for example, 1000A.

[0146] For example, referring to FIG. 9A When the groove 1140 does not penetrate the entire insulating layer 114, for example, part of the barrier layer 17 is etched to form the groove 1140, and the remaining part has a thickness of, for example, 1000A. The remaining part of the barrier layer 17 in the bending area 110 can avoid damage to the flexible substrate 16 caused by improper operation process.

[0147] For example, referring to FIG. 9B The material of the gate 192 and the conductive layer 194 is, for example, a conductive metal, which may, for example, be aluminum.

[0148] For example, the material of the source-drain electrode 196 is a conductive metal material, which may, for example, be silver, aluminum, copper (Cu).

[0149] It should be noted that FIG. 9B The two parts of the active layer 190 in FIG. 9B The schematic in

[0150] The thin film transistor 19 in the pixel driving circuit 2 located in the display area 10 and the thin film transistor 19 in the first gate driving circuit 1401, the second gate driving circuit 1402, the third gate driving circuit 1403, and the fourth gate driving circuit 1404 in the circuit group 140 located in the bending area 120 are simultaneously prepared.

[0151] For example, referring to FIG. 9AThe first planar layer 1101, the second planar layer 1102 and the pixel defining layer 113 are arranged on the interlayer insulating layer 195, wherein the first planar layer 1101 and the second planar layer 1102 cover the display area 10, the bending area 110 and part of the folding area 120, and the pixel defining layer 113 comprises a plurality of hollow areas (not shown in the figure) for filling the light emitting material. FIG. 9A The first planar layer 1101 and the second planar layer 1102 are made of organic materials, for example, OC materials.

[0152] The first planar layer 1101 and the second planar layer 1102 are made of organic materials, for example, OC materials.

[0153] The pixel defining layer 113 is made of organic materials, for example, photosensitive polyimide.

[0154] In the folding area 120, the cathode signal line 130 is arranged on the interlayer insulating layer 195, and the anode layer 111 comprising a plurality of anode patterns is arranged on the cathode signal line 130, and the cathode layer 112 is arranged on the anode layer 111, and the cathode signal line 130 and the cathode layer 112 are electrically connected together through the anode patterns in the anode layer 111.

[0155] The anode layer 111 is made of ITO (Indium tin oxide), and the cathode layer 112 is made of conductive metal, for example, silver.

[0156] In the preparation of the cathode signal line 130, the cathode signal line 130 can be made of the same material as the gate 192 or the conductive layer 194 in the thin film transistor 19, or can be made of the same material as the source / drain 196, FIG. 9A The cathode signal line 130 is made of the same material as the source / drain 196.

[0157] It should be noted that the first planar layer 1101, the second planar layer 1102 and the pixel defining layer 113 are made of organic materials, and therefore have ductility; and the cathode layer 112 is made of silver, which also has ductility, so that the recess 1140 does not need to be arranged on the first planar layer 1101, the second planar layer 1102, the pixel defining layer 113 and the cathode layer.

[0158] Since the material of the insulating layers 114 such as the barrier layer 17, the buffer layer 18, the first gate insulating layer 191, the second gate insulating layer 193, and the interlayer insulating layer 195 is generally silicon oxide or silicon nitride, the insulating layers 114 do not have ductility, and thus the portions of the insulating layers 114 located in the bending area 110 need to be removed to form the groove 1140, and then the groove 1140 is filled with the organic material 1140' so that the portion of the flexible display panel 1 located in the bending area 110 can be bent.

[0159] Referring to FIG. 10 The present disclosure also provides a method for manufacturing the flexible display panel 1, which comprises:

[0160] S1, referring to FIG. 11A In the method, the multilayer insulating layers 114 are formed on the flexible substrate 16, and the material of the insulating layers 114 is inorganic material.

[0161] For example, the material of the insulating layers 114 is one of silicon oxide and silicon nitride.

[0162] For example, the insulating layers 114 are formed by magnetron sputtering.

[0163] S2, referring to FIG. 11B and FIG. 11C In the method, the portions of at least one of the insulating layers 114 located in the bending area 110 are removed to form the groove 1140.

[0164] The groove 1140 is formed on the insulating layers 114 by a mask plate and a patterning process. The patterning process includes, for example, photoresist coating, exposure, development, and etching.

[0165] S3, referring to FIG. 11D In the method, the groove 1140 is filled with the organic material 1140'.

[0166] For example, the groove 1140 is filled with polyimide.

[0167] S4, referring to FIG. 8A In the method, the bezel circuit 13 is manufactured on the flexible substrate 16, and at least a portion of the bezel circuit 13 is located in the folding area 120.

[0168] For example, manufacturing the bezel circuit 13 on the flexible substrate 16 comprises manufacturing the cathode signal line 130 on the flexible substrate 16, and at least a portion of the cathode signal line 130 is located in the folding area 120.

[0169] For example, the cathode signal line 130 and the conductive layer 194 in the thin film transistor 19 are formed of the same material.

[0170] The manufacturing method of the flexible display panel 1 provided by the present disclosure includes the following steps: manufacturing a groove 1140 on the insulating layer 114, and filling the groove 1140 with a ductile organic material 1140'. Thus, the part of the flexible display panel 1 located at the bending area 110 can be bent, and the part of the flexible display panel 1 located at the folding area 120 can be folded to the non-display side of the flexible display panel 1, so as to reduce the frame width of the flexible display panel 1.

[0171] In some embodiments, referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the manufacturing of the frame circuit 13 on the flexible substrate 16 further includes the following steps: manufacturing a plurality of signal lines 150 and at least one circuit group 140 on the flexible substrate 16. The circuit group 140 includes at least one gate drive circuit located at the folding area 120, and the gate drive circuit is configured to connect the plurality of signal lines 150, and the plurality of signal lines 150 are formed synchronously with the gate 192 or the conductive layer 194 in the thin film transistor 19 in the gate drive circuit. FIG. 4C FIG. 4D In some embodiments, referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the manufacturing of the frame circuit 13 on the flexible substrate 16 further includes the following steps: manufacturing a plurality of signal lines 150 and at least one circuit group 140 on the flexible substrate 16. The circuit group 140 includes at least one gate drive circuit located at the folding area 120, and the gate drive circuit is configured to connect the plurality of signal lines 150, and the plurality of signal lines 150 are formed synchronously with the gate 192 or the conductive layer 194 in the thin film transistor 19 in the gate drive circuit.

[0172] The plurality of signal lines 150 can be formed synchronously with the gate 192 in the thin film transistor 19, or can be formed synchronously with the conductive layer 194, for example, configured to form a capacitor, a connection electrode, etc. in the gate drive circuit.

[0173] In some embodiments, referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the manufacturing of the frame circuit 13 on the flexible substrate 16 further includes the following steps: manufacturing a plurality of signal lines 150 and at least one circuit group 140 on the flexible substrate 16. The circuit group 140 includes at least one gate drive circuit located at the folding area 120, and the gate drive circuit is configured to connect the plurality of signal lines 150, and the plurality of signal lines 150 are formed synchronously with the gate 192 or the conductive layer 194 in the thin film transistor 19 in the gate drive circuit.

[0174] In some embodiments, referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the manufacturing of the frame circuit 13 on the flexible substrate 16 further includes the following steps: manufacturing a plurality of signal lines 150 and at least one circuit group 140 on the flexible substrate 16. The circuit group 140 includes at least one gate drive circuit located at the folding area 120, and the gate drive circuit is configured to connect the plurality of signal lines 150, and the plurality of signal lines 150 are formed synchronously with the gate 192 or the conductive layer 194 in the thin film transistor 19 in the gate drive circuit. FIG. 4A FIG. 4C In some embodiments, referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the manufacturing of the frame circuit 13 on the flexible substrate 16 further includes the following steps: manufacturing a plurality of signal lines 150 and at least one circuit group 140 on the flexible substrate 16. The circuit group 140 includes at least one gate drive circuit located at the folding area 120, and the gate drive circuit is configured to connect the plurality of signal lines 150, and the plurality of signal lines 150 are formed synchronously with the gate 192 or the conductive layer 194 in the thin film transistor 19 in the gate drive circuit.

[0175] The above merely provides a specific implementation of the present disclosure, but the protection scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can make modifications or replacements within the technical scope disclosed by the present disclosure, which shall be covered by the protection scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the protection scope of the present disclosure shall be subject to the protection scope of the claims.​​

Claims

1. A flexible display panel, characterized in that, It has a display area and a peripheral area around the display area, wherein the peripheral area includes at least one bend area and a folding area located on the side of each bend area away from the display area; The flexible display panel includes: a flexible substrate and a frame circuit disposed on the flexible substrate and located in the peripheral area, at least a portion of the frame circuit being located in the folding area; the portion of the flexible display panel located in the folding area is configured to fold in a direction away from the display side of the flexible display panel through the portion located in the bending area. The frame circuit includes multiple signal lines and at least one circuit group; the circuit group is located in the folding area, and a portion of the multiple signal lines is located in the bending area of ​​the folding area where the circuit group is located, on the side closer to the display area. At least one of the multiple signal lines includes a portion of the signal line located in the bending area that includes multiple holes spaced apart. The multiple holes include at least two rows of holes distributed along a first direction, and any two holes in different rows are staggered in a second direction. Furthermore, the outer contour of the portion of at least one of the multiple signal lines located in the bending area includes multiple connected arcs and broken lines, and the arcs and broken lines are spaced apart. Wherein, the first direction is the extension direction of the plurality of signal lines; the second direction is the width direction of the signal lines.

2. The flexible display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The frame circuit includes at least a cathode signal line, and at least a portion of the cathode signal line is located in the folded area.

3. The flexible display panel according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, A circuit group includes at least one gate drive circuit located in the folding region, the at least one gate drive circuit being configured to connect multiple signal lines.

4. The flexible display panel according to claim 2, characterized in that, The circuit group is located on the side of the cathode signal line near the bend area.

5. The flexible display panel according to claim 3, characterized in that, The multiple signal lines include multiple gate lines and multiple light emission control signal lines; The circuit group includes a first gate driving circuit and a second gate driving circuit arranged side by side along the first direction. The first gate driving circuit is configured to connect multiple gate lines, and the second gate driving circuit is configured to connect multiple light emission control signal lines.

6. The flexible display panel according to claim 5, characterized in that, The plurality of signal lines further includes a plurality of first reset signal lines, and the circuit group further includes a third gate driving circuit, which is arranged side-by-side with the first gate driving circuit and the second gate driving circuit along a first direction. The third gate driving circuit is configured to connect the plurality of first reset signal lines; and / or, The plurality of signal lines also include a plurality of second reset signal lines, and the circuit group also includes a fourth gate drive circuit, which is arranged side by side with the first gate drive circuit and the second gate drive circuit along a first direction, and the fourth gate drive circuit is configured to connect to the plurality of second reset signal lines.

7. The flexible display panel according to claim 2, characterized in that, The cathode signal line is arranged around the display area; or... The display area is rectangular, and the cathode signal lines are arranged around three sides of the display area.

8. The flexible display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The width of the bending area is 1.0mm to 1.5mm; When the frame circuit includes a cathode signal line, the width of the cathode signal line ranges from 2.0 mm to 3.5 mm.

9. The flexible display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: A multilayer insulating layer is disposed on the flexible substrate. The insulating layer is made of an inorganic material. At least one of the multilayer insulating layers has at least one groove located in the bending region. The at least one groove is filled with an organic material.

10. The flexible display panel according to claim 9, characterized in that, The grooves are multiple, extending along the thickness direction of the flexible substrate and distributed in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction of the flexible substrate, and the orthographic projections of the multiple grooves on the flexible substrate do not overlap.

11. The flexible display panel according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that, Also includes: At least one planar layer is disposed on the side of the insulating layer away from the flexible substrate, the at least one planar layer covering the groove.

12. A display device, characterized in that, The flexible display panel includes any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the folding area in the flexible display panel is located on the non-display side of the flexible display panel.

13. A splicing display device, characterized in that, The invention includes a flexible display panel as described in any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein at least one of two adjacent flexible display panels has a bending area and a folding area on the side of the flexible display panel closest to the other flexible display panel, and the folding area is located on the non-display side of the flexible display panel.

14. A method for manufacturing a flexible display panel, the flexible display panel having a display area and a peripheral area located around the display area, wherein, The peripheral area includes at least one bending area and a folding area located on the side of each bending area away from the display area; characterized in that the method for manufacturing the flexible display panel includes: Multiple insulating layers are formed on a flexible substrate, wherein the insulating layers are made of inorganic materials; At least one layer of insulation in the multilayer insulation is removed from the portion located in the bending area to form a groove; Fill the groove with organic material; A border circuit is fabricated on the flexible substrate, at least a portion of which is located in the folded area; Fabricating a border circuit on the flexible substrate includes: fabricating multiple signal lines and at least one circuit group on the flexible substrate; the circuit group is located in the folding area, and a portion of the multiple signal lines is located in the bending area of ​​the folding area where the circuit group is located, on the side closer to the display area; At least one of the multiple signal lines includes a portion of the signal line located in the bending area that includes multiple holes spaced apart. The multiple holes include at least two rows of holes distributed along a first direction, and any two holes in different rows are staggered in a second direction. Furthermore, the outer contour of the portion of at least one of the multiple signal lines located in the bending area includes multiple connected arcs and broken lines, and the arcs and broken lines are spaced apart. The first direction is the extension direction of the plurality of signal lines; the second direction is the width direction of the signal lines.

15. The method for preparing a flexible display panel according to claim 14, characterized in that, Fabricating the border circuit on the flexible substrate further includes: A cathode signal line is fabricated on the flexible substrate, with at least a portion of the cathode signal line located in the folded region.

16. The method for preparing a flexible display panel according to claim 15, characterized in that, Fabricating the border circuit on the flexible substrate further includes: A circuit group includes at least one gate driving circuit located in the folding region, the at least one gate driving circuit being configured to connect multiple signal lines that are formed synchronously with the gate layer of the thin-film transistor in the gate driving circuit.

17. The method for preparing a flexible display panel according to claim 16, characterized in that, Fabricating cathode signal lines on the flexible substrate includes: fabricating the cathode signal lines on the side of the circuit group away from the display area.

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