Display panel, display device and manufacturing method of display device
By setting up wiring and non-wiring areas in the bendable area of the display panel, and setting openings in the non-wiring area, the bendable area is divided into multiple separate wiring areas. This solves the problems of wire breakage and poor bending accuracy during the bending process of medium and large-sized display panels, and improves bending yield and uniformity.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Patents(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- YUNGU GUAN TECH CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2022-06-30
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-09
AI Technical Summary
Medium and large-sized display panels are prone to problems such as broken wiring and poor bending accuracy during bending, which affects the narrow bezel design of the display panel.
By dividing the bendable area of the display panel into multiple separate wiring areas, the lateral dimensions of the wiring areas are reduced, bending stress is evenly distributed, and the risk of wiring breakage is reduced.
This improved the bending yield of the display panel, reduced the risk of wiring breakage, and achieved a more uniform bending effect.
Smart Images

Figure CN115101569B_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of display technology, and more particularly to a display panel, a display device, and a method for manufacturing the display device. Background Technology
[0002] With the development of display technology, medium and large-sized display panels have broad application prospects in fields such as automotive, tablets, laptops, and televisions.
[0003] Currently, the bottom bezel of medium and large-sized display panels is prone to problems such as broken wiring and poor bending accuracy during bending, which is not conducive to achieving narrow bezels in display panels. Summary of the Invention
[0004] This invention provides a display panel, a display device, and a method for manufacturing the display device, in order to improve the problem of wiring breakage during the bending process of the lower bezel of the display panel, thereby improving the bending yield.
[0005] According to one aspect of the present invention, a display panel is provided, comprising:
[0006] The substrate includes a body region, a bendable region, and a bonding region. The bendable region is located between the body region and the bonding region. The bendable region includes at least one non-wiring region and at least two wiring regions arranged along a first direction. The non-wiring region is disposed between the wiring regions. The substrate has an opening in the non-wiring region that penetrates the substrate along the thickness direction of the substrate.
[0007] The bendable trace is located in the wiring area of the substrate, and the extension direction of the bendable trace intersects with the first direction;
[0008] The bonding connection is located in the bonding area of the substrate, and the bendable trace can be electrically connected to the bonding connection.
[0009] Optionally, the cross-sectional shape of the opening includes a rectangle or a trapezoid, and the cross-section of the opening is perpendicular to the thickness direction of the substrate.
[0010] Optionally, the size of the opening is greater than or equal to 3 mm and less than or equal to 5 mm in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction of the substrate.
[0011] Optionally, the opening is a closed opening.
[0012] Optionally, the opening is a non-closed opening that extends to the edge of the substrate on the side of the bendable area away from the body area.
[0013] Optionally, the substrate further includes a first fan-out area, a bendable area located between the first fan-out area and the body area, and a bonding connection located on the side of the first fan-out area away from the bendable area;
[0014] The display panel also includes multiple first connecting lines, which are located in the first fan-out area. The bendable wiring is electrically connected to the bonding connection part through the first connecting lines.
[0015] Optionally, when the opening is a closed opening, the first fan-out area includes a first sub-wiring area adjacent to the wiring area and a second sub-wiring area adjacent to the non-wiring area, and at least part of the first connection line passes through the first sub-wiring area and the second sub-wiring area.
[0016] Optionally, the first connecting line is set on a different layer from the bendable wiring;
[0017] Preferably, the bendable trace is provided with a plurality of first through holes arranged along its extension direction, the first through holes penetrating the bendable trace along the thickness direction of the substrate;
[0018] Optionally, the display panel also includes an organic insulating layer located between the bendable traces and the substrate;
[0019] Optionally, the main body area includes a display area and a second fan-out area, the second fan-out area being located between the main body area and the bendable area. The display panel also includes multiple second connecting lines and multiple signal lines, the multiple signal lines being located on the side of the second fan-out area away from the bendable area; the signal lines are located in the second fan-out area via the second connecting lines; the second connecting lines are electrically connected to the bendable wiring.
[0020] Optionally, the display panel further includes an inorganic insulating layer located on the side of the first connecting line and the second connecting line away from the substrate. The inorganic insulating layer has a second through hole in the bendable area. The second through hole penetrates the inorganic insulating layer along the thickness direction of the substrate, and an organic insulating layer fills the second through hole.
[0021] Optionally, the first connecting line and the second connecting line are set on the same layer.
[0022] Optionally, the display panel further includes a driving array layer located on one side of the substrate, the driving array layer including a planarization layer and a plurality of conductive layers disposed in an insulating manner.
[0023] Preferably, the organic insulating layer is located in the planarization layer.
[0024] Optionally, the first connection line is located in one of a plurality of conductive layers.
[0025] According to another aspect of the present invention, a display device is provided, comprising an adhesive and a display panel provided in any embodiment of the present invention;
[0026] The adhesive includes opposing first and second surfaces, and side surfaces connected to the first and second surfaces; the opposing first and second surfaces of the adhesive are respectively bonded to the back surface of the substrate located in the body region and the back surface of the substrate located in the bendable region on the side away from the body region, and the side surface of the adhesive is opposite to the bent substrate located in the bendable region.
[0027] Optionally, the display device also includes a flexible connector bonded to the bonding connection portion.
[0028] Optionally, a driver chip is provided on the flexible connector.
[0029] Optionally, when the opening is a non-closed opening and the substrate also includes a first fan-out area, the side of the multiple first fan-out areas separated by the opening that is away from the body area is connected as one unit by a bonding connection and a flexible connector.
[0030] According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for manufacturing a display device provided in any embodiment of the present invention is provided, the method comprising:
[0031] The back side of the substrate located in the body area is bonded to the first surface of the adhesive;
[0032] By bending once, multiple wiring areas on both sides of the opening are simultaneously bent around the side of the adhesive, and the back of the substrate located on the side of the bendable area away from the body area is bonded to the second surface of the adhesive.
[0033] The technical solution of this invention, by setting a wiring area and a non-wiring area in the bendable area, and the non-wiring area having an opening, allows the non-wiring area to divide the entire bendable area into multiple separate wiring areas, wherein bendable traces are disposed within the wiring areas. The bendable traces are directly or indirectly connected to the bonding connection portion. Compared to the prior art's technical solution of bending the entire bendable area of a solid entity, the technical solution provided in this embodiment, by setting a non-wiring area with an opening and no substrate within it, divides the entire bendable area into at least two wiring areas, thereby reducing the lateral dimension of the wiring area. During bending, this reduces the stress concentration within the wiring area, resulting in uniform stress on the bendable traces, thus reducing the risk of breakage and improving bending yield.
[0034] It should be understood that the description in this section is not intended to identify key or essential features of the embodiments of the present invention, nor is it intended to limit the scope of the invention. Other features of the invention will become readily apparent from the following description. Attached Figure Description
[0035] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.
[0036] Figure 1 This is a top view structural diagram of a display panel provided in an embodiment of the present invention;
[0037] Figure 2 This is a top view schematic diagram of another display panel provided in an embodiment of the present invention;
[0038] Figure 3 This is a top view schematic diagram of another display panel provided in an embodiment of the present invention;
[0039] Figure 4 This is a top view schematic diagram of another display panel provided in an embodiment of the present invention;
[0040] Figure 5 This is a top view schematic diagram of another display panel provided in an embodiment of the present invention;
[0041] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a wiring connection structure provided in an embodiment of the present invention;
[0042] Figure 7 This is a partial cross-sectional structural diagram of a display panel provided in an embodiment of the present invention;
[0043] Figure 8 This is a top view of a display device provided in an embodiment of the present invention;
[0044] Figure 9 This is a top view of another display device provided in an embodiment of the present invention;
[0045] Figure 10 This is a side view of a display device according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0046] Figure 11 A flowchart illustrating a method for manufacturing a display device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation
[0047] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present invention, the technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.
[0048] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this invention are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate so that the embodiments of the invention described herein can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion; for example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that comprises a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units explicitly listed, but may include other steps or units not explicitly listed or inherent to such processes, methods, products, or apparatus.
[0049] As described in the background section, the bottom bezel of medium-to-large-sized display panels is prone to issues such as trace breakage and poor bending precision during bending. Through careful research, the inventors discovered that the reason for these problems lies in the fact that the bottom bezel of display panels typically features a dense array of traces, making its structure more complex than other bezels. In the bendable area, pad bending technology is usually used to bond the driver chip to the terminals of the display panel and bend the terminals to the back of the display panel to achieve a narrow bezel. For medium-to-large-sized display panels, the lateral dimension (width) of the bottom bezel is larger. During the overall bending of the bottom bezel, the metal traces are prone to experiencing different stresses at different locations, resulting in stress concentration in localized areas. This leads to the metal traces being prone to breakage in areas of stress concentration, causing display abnormalities and severely reducing the bending yield.
[0050] To address the aforementioned problems, embodiments of the present invention provide a display panel that reduces the degree of stress concentration during bending and improves the phenomenon of wire breakage by dividing the bendable area of the display panel into sections. Figure 1 This is a top view schematic diagram of a display panel provided in an embodiment of the present invention, with reference to... Figure 1 The display panel provided in this embodiment of the invention includes: a substrate 10, a bendable trace 101, and a bonding connection portion 13.
[0051] The substrate 10 may include a body region CA, a bendable region BA, and a bonding region (not shown in the figure). The bendable region BA is located between the body region CA and the bonding region. The body region CA and the bonding region are located on opposite sides of the bendable region BA. The body region CA may include a display region AA. The bendable region BA includes at least one non-wiring region 12 and at least two wiring regions 11 arranged along a first direction X. The wiring regions 11 and the non-wiring regions 12 are arranged alternately along the first direction X. The first direction X intersects (i.e., is not parallel) the bending direction of the bendable region BA, for example, it may be perpendicular. The non-wiring regions 12 are disposed between the wiring regions 11. The substrate 10 has an opening 121 in the non-wiring region 12 that penetrates the substrate 10 along the thickness direction of the substrate 10.
[0052] The bendable trace 101 is located in the wiring area 11 of the substrate 10. The extension direction of the bendable trace 101 may intersect with the first direction X (i.e., not parallel), for example, it may be perpendicular.
[0053] A bonding connection portion 13 is disposed on the bonding area of the substrate 10. The bonding connection portion 13 may be located on the side of the bendable area BA away from the display area AA, and the bendable trace 101 is electrically connected to the bonding connection portion 13. The bonding connection portion 13 may include a pad (PAD).
[0054] Optionally, a pixel circuit and a light-emitting element (not shown in the figure) are disposed within the display area AA. The pixel circuit is used to drive the light-emitting element on the substrate 10 to emit light, thereby realizing the display function of the display panel. Optionally, along the edge of the display area AA, the substrate 10 may also include a non-display area NA disposed around at least a portion of the display area AA. The non-display area NA includes a border area (e.g., an upper border area, a lower border area XA, and left and right border areas), wherein the bendable area BA may be located in the lower border area XA. Exemplarily, in the bendable area BA, wiring areas 11 and non-wiring areas 12 are distributed along the first direction X. In the Y direction, by bending the bendable area BA, the bonding connection portion 13 can be bent to the back side of the substrate 10. The directions X and Y may be perpendicular.
[0055] In this embodiment, an opening 121 can be formed in the non-wiring area 12 by laser cutting.
[0056] Optionally, the bonding connection 13 can be located at the edge of the lower border area XA, specifically on the substrate 10 and on the side of the bendable area BA away from the display area AA. The bonding connection 13 can be used to bond a driver chip, which provides drive signals to the bendable trace 101 and transmits them to the signal lines of the display area AA and / or the non-display area NA through the bendable trace 101 to realize the corresponding drive function. Here, the bendable trace 101 can be directly connected to the bonding connection 13, or indirectly connected to the bonding connection 13 through a fan-shaped trace, and the bendable trace 101 can extend along the Y direction.
[0057] In this embodiment, a bendable trace 101 is provided in the wiring area 11, while no bendable trace 101 is provided in the non-wiring area 12. An opening 121 penetrating the substrate 10 is provided in the non-wiring area 12. Here, the size of the opening 121 can be the same as the size of the non-wiring area 12. That is, there is no film structure in the non-wiring area 12, thereby dividing the bendable area BA into multiple individual wiring areas 11. Relative to the entire bendable area BA, the size of each wiring area 11 in the X direction is smaller than the size of the entire bendable area BA, and there is no substrate 10 between adjacent wiring areas 11. When the bendable area BA is bent, the bending stress can be distributed more evenly within each individual wiring area 11, reducing stress concentration and also reducing the influence of the substrate 10 on the stress in the wiring area 11. Therefore, the risk of breakage of the bendable trace 101 within the wiring area 11 can be reduced.
[0058] The display panel provided in this embodiment of the invention, by setting a wiring area and a non-wiring area in the bendable area, and the non-wiring area having an opening, and the absence of a substrate in the non-wiring area, can divide the entire bendable area into multiple separate wiring areas, wherein bendable traces are disposed within the wiring areas. The bendable traces are directly or indirectly connected to the bonding connection portion. Compared to the prior art technology that bends the entire bendable area of a solid entity, the technical solution provided in this embodiment, by setting a non-wiring area with an opening, divides the entire bendable area into at least two wiring areas, thereby reducing the lateral dimension of the wiring areas. During the bending process, it can reduce the stress concentration within the wiring areas, making the bent traces bear force evenly, thereby reducing the risk of bent trace breakage and improving the bending yield.
[0059] Figure 2 This is a top view schematic diagram of another display panel provided in an embodiment of the present invention, with reference to... Figure 2 Based on the above technical solution, optionally, the substrate 10 further includes a first fan-out area 14, and a bendable area BA is located between the first fan-out area 14 and the body area CA. The bendable area BA is located between the first fan-out area 14 and the display area AA, and the bonding connection portion 13 is located on the side of the first fan-out area 14 away from the bendable area BA. The bonding connection portion 13 is located on the side of the first fan-out area 14 away from the wiring area 11.
[0060] The first fan-out area 14 is provided with a fan-shaped cable for connecting the bendable cable 101 in the wiring area 11 and the bonding connection part 13.
[0061] Optionally, the body area CA also includes a second fan-out area 15. The second fan-out area 15 is located between the display area AA and the bendable area BA. That is, the non-wiring area 12 is located on the side of the second fan-out area 15 away from the display area AA; the second fan-out area 15 is located between the display area AA and the first fan-out area 14.
[0062] The second fan-out area 15 is also provided with fan-shaped traces to connect the bendable trace 101 and the signal lines of the display area AA and / or the non-display area NA in the main body area CA, so as to realize the transmission of the driving signal provided by the driving chip to the pixel circuit in the display area AA and / or the scanning driving circuit in the non-display area NA and other peripheral circuits.
[0063] Optionally, the opening 121 is a closed opening. That is, the opening 121 may not extend to the edge of the substrate 10. In this embodiment, the bendable area BA formed by the wiring area 11 and the non-wiring area 12 is located between the first fan-out area 14 and the second fan-out area 15. In other words, the substrate 10 is only cut in the bendable area BA to form the opening 121, and the cutting line does not extend to the lower edge of the first fan-out area 14 and the lower edge of the lower frame area XA, so that the wiring area 11, the first fan-out area 14 and the second fan-out area 15 cover the opening 121, thereby allowing the display panel to be bent only once during the bending stage, which helps to reduce the production time of the equipment.
[0064] Furthermore, since the first fan-out area 14 does not have an opening 121, the wiring method within the first fan-out area 14 is more flexible, which is conducive to optimizing the line layout.
[0065] Figure 3 This is a top view schematic diagram of another display panel provided in an embodiment of the present invention, with reference to... Figure 3 Based on the above technical solutions, optionally, the opening 121 is a non-closed opening, extending to the edge of the substrate 10 on the side of the bendable area BA away from the body area CA. The opening 121 extends to the edge of the substrate 10 on the side of the bendable area BA away from the display area AA. In other words, the opening 121 of the non-wiring area 12 can pass through the first fan-out area 14 and extend to the edge of the substrate 10. The first fan-out area 14 can be divided into multiple parts by the opening 121. That is, the substrate 10 corresponding to the non-wiring area 12 in the first fan-out area 14 is penetrated by the opening 121. Figure 2 and Figure 3 The difference is that, Figure 2 The opening 121 in the display panel shown is only in the bendable area BA, while Figure 3 The opening 121 in the display panel extends from the bendable area BA to the first fan-out area 14, so that the substrate 10 at the position of the non-wiring area 12 in the first fan-out area 14 is cut off, thereby dividing the first fan-out area 14 into multiple sub-regions.
[0066] like Figure 3 As shown, relative to the entire bendable area BA, each wiring area 11 can be bent once, thereby bending multiple first fan-out areas 14 and bonding connections 13 to the back side of the substrate 10 through multiple bends. Due to the presence of the opening 121, the size of the wiring area 11 in the X direction is smaller than the size of the entire bendable area BA, which reduces the length of a single bend and thus reduces the concentration of bending stress. Furthermore, the bending process can be performed using equipment suitable for small-sized display panels, eliminating the need for equipment suitable for medium and large-sized display panels, thus reducing equipment costs. On the other hand, since the length of a single bend is reduced, the concentration of bending stress is decreased. Therefore, during bending, the bending radius of the bendable area BA can be reduced, thereby reducing the thickness and width of the lower bezel.
[0067] Figure 4 This is a top view schematic diagram of another display panel provided in an embodiment of the present invention, with reference to... Figure 4 Based on the above technical solutions, optionally, the display panel also includes multiple first connecting lines 102, which are located in the first fan-out area 14. The bendable wiring 101 can be electrically connected to the bonding connection part 13 through the first connecting lines 102.
[0068] Optionally, the display panel also includes multiple second connection lines 103 located in the second fan-out area 15. The second connection lines 103 are electrically connected to the bendable wiring 101.
[0069] Optionally, the display panel also includes multiple signal lines 104. The multiple signal lines 104 may be located in the body area CA. The multiple signal lines 104 may be located on the side of the second fan-out area 15 away from the bendable area BA. Optionally, the body area CA only includes the display area AA, and the signal lines 104 may be located in the display area AA. Optionally, some signal lines 104 may be located in the display area AA, and other signal lines 104 may be located in the non-display area NA within the body area CA. The signal lines 104 are electrically connected to the bendable trace 101 via a second connecting line 103. One end of the bendable trace 101 is connected to the signal line 104 via the second connecting line 103, and the other end is connected to the corresponding bonding connection portion 13 via a first connecting line 102, thereby transmitting the drive signal output by the driver chip to the signal line 104.
[0070] In this embodiment, the signal line 104 can be at least one of the following: a data line, a start signal line connected to the scan drive circuit, a clock signal line, or a power line (only the case of connecting a data line is shown in the figure). The scan drive circuit can be located in the non-display area NA within the body area CA (for example, it can be located on the left and / or right side of the display area AA), for example, it can be located at the left and right edges of the display panel.
[0071] Specifically, with Figure 4 Taking the connection structure shown as an example, the data line extends along the Y direction. The data line is connected to the bendable trace 101 in the wiring area 11 via the second connecting line 103 in the second fan-out area 15. The bendable trace 101 is then connected to the bonding connection part 13 via the first connecting line 102 in the first fan-out area 14. The bonding connection part 13 can be used to bond the driver chip. The data signal output by the driver chip is transmitted to the corresponding data line via the first connecting line 102, the bendable trace 101, and the second connecting line 103.
[0072] Figure 5 This is a top view schematic diagram of another display panel provided in an embodiment of the present invention, with reference to... Figure 5 Based on the above technical solutions, preferably, if the opening 121 is only located in the bendable area BA, that is, the opening 121 is a closed opening, then the position of the first connecting line 102 in the first fan-out area 14 can be flexibly set. For example, the first fan-out area 14 includes a first sub-wiring area (not shown in the figure) adjacent to the wiring area 11, and a second sub-wiring area (not shown in the figure) adjacent to the non-wiring area 12. At least a portion of the first connecting line 102 passes through the first sub-wiring area and the second sub-wiring area. For example, a first connecting line 102 may have a portion of its conductor segment located in the first sub-wiring area of the first fan-out area 14, and another portion of its conductor segment located in the second sub-wiring area. The bonding connection portion 13 does not need to be set in a one-to-one correspondence with the wiring area 11. For example, one bonding connection portion 13 can correspond to two wiring areas 11, thereby reducing the width of the first fan-out area 14 in the X direction and / or reducing the size of the first fan-out area 14 in the Y direction. At least a portion of the first connecting line 102 can be configured as an arc shape or a zig shape, which is beneficial for achieving impedance matching of the line and solves the problem of large impedance differences caused by different lengths of the fan-shaped traces.
[0073] It should be understood that if the opening 121 is a non-closed opening and extends to the first fan-out area 14, then the first fan-out area 14 is also divided into multiple sub-areas. In this case, the bonding connection part 13 needs to be set one-to-one with the wiring area 11, and the size of the first fan-out area 14 in the Y direction will be larger.
[0074] In this embodiment, optionally, the first connecting line 102 and the bendable trace 101 are disposed on different layers so that the bendable trace 101 can be bent without affecting other traces.
[0075] Optionally, the first connecting line 102 and the second connecting line 103 can be located on the same layer. That is, the first connecting line 102 and the second connecting line 103 can be formed by patterning the same conductive layer in the same process, thereby reducing the number of manufacturing steps.
[0076] Optionally, the display panel further includes a driving array layer located on one side of the substrate. The driving array layer includes a planarization layer and multiple conductive layers that are insulatingly disposed. The driving array layer can be used to form multiple thin-film transistors, multiple capacitors, scan lines, data lines, light-emitting control lines, etc., to form the required pixel circuits and scan driving circuits, etc.
[0077] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a wiring connection structure provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 7 This is a partial cross-sectional structural diagram of a display panel provided in an embodiment of the present invention, wherein... Figure 7 for Figure 4 The diagram shows a cross-sectional view of the display panel along the Y direction. (Refer to...) Figure 6 and Figure 7 Optionally, the display panel further includes: a first metal layer M1, a first inorganic insulating layer 70, a second metal layer M2, a first interlayer insulating layer 80, a third metal layer M3, a planarization layer 90, and a fourth metal layer M4, stacked on one side of the substrate and along the thickness direction Z of the substrate 10. The first metal layer M1 is located on one side of the substrate 10; the first inorganic insulating layer 70 is located on the side of the first metal layer M1 away from the substrate 10; the second metal layer M2 is located on the side of the first inorganic insulating layer 70 away from the substrate 10; the first interlayer insulating layer 80 is located on the side of the second metal layer M2 away from the substrate; and the third metal layer M3 is located on the side of the first interlayer insulating layer 80 away from the substrate 10. The first metal layer M1 may include a gate layer 602, the second metal layer M2 may include a capacitor plate, the third metal layer M3 may include a source / drain layer, and the fourth metal layer M4 may include at least one of a power line and a data line. Optionally, the plurality of conductive layers in the driving array layer may include the first metal layer M1, the second metal layer M2, the third metal layer M3, and the fourth metal layer M4.
[0078] Optionally, the substrate 10 can be a flexible substrate, such as a material like polyimide, which facilitates bending. Exemplarily, the substrate 10 may include a first flexible substrate, an inorganic layer, and a second flexible substrate stacked along the Z-direction. The flexible substrate may include a material like polyimide. The inorganic layer may include a material like silicon oxide or silicon nitride.
[0079] A buffer layer 50 may be disposed on the substrate 10 to provide buffer protection and block water and oxygen. An active layer 601 for forming a thin-film transistor 61 is disposed on the side of the buffer layer 50 away from the substrate 10. The active layer 601 includes a source region, a drain region, and a channel region, with the channel region located between the source and drain regions. A gate layer 602 is formed at the location corresponding to the channel region. A gate insulating layer 60 is also disposed between the gate layer 602 and the active layer 601 to isolate the gate layer 602 and the active layer 601. The gate layer 602 is located on the first metal layer M1. A first inorganic insulating layer 70 is disposed on the side of the first metal layer M1 away from the substrate 10 to isolate the upper and lower plates of the capacitor. The upper plate of the capacitor may be located on the second metal layer M2, and the lower plate may be located on the first metal layer M1. The source and drain regions of the active layer 601 are led out to form the source and drain of the thin-film transistor 61. The source and drain can be located in the third metal layer M3. The first interlayer insulating layer 80 is used to insulate the third metal layer M3 and the second metal layer M2. The fourth metal layer M4 can be used to form at least one of the power lines and data lines of the display area AA. The third metal layer M3 and the fourth metal layer M4 are insulated from each other by a planarization layer 90.
[0080] The planarization layer 90 serves to planarize the thin-film transistor 61 after its fabrication, ensuring the flatness of the anode in subsequent processes. The anode can be electrically connected to the source and drain layers through a first via penetrating the planarization layer.
[0081] Optionally, the display panel may also include a pixel defining layer. The pixel defining layer may be located on the side of the anode and planarization layer away from the substrate. The pixel defining layer may have multiple pixel openings that expose the anode.
[0082] Optionally, the display panel may also include a light-emitting layer and a cathode. The light-emitting layer may be located within the pixel openings. The cathode may be located on the side of the light-emitting layer away from the anode. The light-emitting layer may include an organic light-emitting layer.
[0083] Optionally, the bendable trace 101 may be located in one of multiple conductive layers. For example, the bendable trace 101 and the data line can be formed by patterning the same conductive layer in the same process, reducing the number of fabrication steps. The bendable trace 101 is located in the fourth metal layer M4.
[0084] Optionally, the first connection line 102 is located in one of a plurality of conductive layers. For example, the first connection line 102 and the gate layer 602 can be formed by patterning the same conductive layer in the same process, thereby reducing the number of fabrication steps. Optionally, in the bendable region BA, the first connection line 102 is located in the first metal layer M1 or the second metal layer M2. The first connection line 102 may be disposed in the same layer as the gate layer or the upper plate of the capacitor.
[0085] Optionally, the second connection line 103 is located in one of a plurality of conductive layers. For example, the second connection line 103 and the gate layer 602 can be formed by patterning the same conductive layer in the same process, thereby reducing the number of fabrication steps. The second connection line 103 may be located in the first metal layer M1 or the second metal layer M2. The second connection line 103 may be disposed in the same layer as the gate layer or the upper electrode of the capacitor.
[0086] Optionally, the organic insulating layer 91 is located between the bendable trace 101 and the substrate 10, which helps improve bending reliability. Optionally, the organic insulating layer 91 can be located in the planarization layer 90, that is, the same organic layer can be patterned in the same process to form the organic insulating layer 91 in the bendable area and the planarization layer 90 in the display area, which helps reduce the number of manufacturing steps.
[0087] Continue to refer to Figure 7 Optionally, the display panel also includes an inorganic insulating layer 100. The inorganic insulating layer 100 is located on the side of the first connecting line 102 and the second connecting line 103 away from the substrate 10. The inorganic insulating layer 100 has a second through hole in the bendable area BA. The second through hole penetrates the inorganic insulating layer 100 along the thickness direction of the substrate 10, and the organic insulating layer 90 fills the second through hole to remove the inorganic layer in the bendable area BA, which helps to improve the bending reliability.
[0088] Optionally, the inorganic insulating layer 100 may be located in at least one of the first inorganic insulating layer 70 and the second inorganic insulating layer 80. For example, the same inorganic layer can be patterned in the same process to form the inorganic insulating layer 100 located in the first fan-out area 14 and the second fan-out area 15, and the first inorganic insulating layer 70 or the second inorganic insulating layer 80 located in the display area, thereby reducing the number of manufacturing steps. The inorganic insulating layer 100 may have a water and oxygen barrier function to prevent the first connecting line 102 and the second connecting line 103 from being corroded by external water and oxygen.
[0089] Optionally, the bendable trace 101 and the first connecting line 102 are electrically connected via a first adapter 105. The film layer containing the first adapter 105 is located between the film layer containing the bendable trace 101 and the film layer containing the first connecting line 102. The first adapter 105 is connected to the bendable trace 101 and the first connecting line 102 via vias, which can reduce the depth of the vias and help reduce the difficulty of the wiring process.
[0090] Optionally, the bendable trace 101 and the second connecting line 103 are electrically connected via a second adapter 106. The membrane layer containing the second adapter 106 is located between the membrane layer containing the bendable trace 101 and the membrane layer containing the second connecting line 103. The second adapter 106 is connected to the bendable trace 101 and the second connecting line 103 via vias, which can reduce the depth of the vias and help reduce the difficulty of the wiring process.
[0091] Optionally, in the first fan-out region 14, the first connection line 102 and the gate layer 602 are disposed on the same layer, both being routed using the first metal layer M1. They enter the wiring region 11 through vias. In the wiring region 11, the bendable trace 101 is routed using the fourth metal layer M4, and the third metal layer M3 serves as the first transition section 105, connecting one end of the first connection line 102 to the bendable trace 101. The other end of the bendable trace 101 is connected downwards to the third metal layer M3 through a via, and the third metal layer M3 serves as the second transition section 106, entering the second fan-out region 15. In the second fan-out region 15, the third metal layer M3 is connected to the second connection line 103 through a via. The second connection line 102 is routed using the first metal layer M1, and the second connection line 102 then uses the third metal layer M3 as the third transition section to connect to a data line or drive signal line.
[0092] Optional, continue to refer to Figure 6 The bendable trace 101 is provided with a plurality of first through holes 1011 arranged along its extension direction, wherein the first through holes 1011 penetrate the bendable trace 101 along the thickness direction of the substrate 10. In this embodiment, by providing a plurality of first through holes 1011 on the bendable trace 101, the bending stress on the bendable trace 101 can be released, which is beneficial to improving the flexibility of the bendable trace 101. Of course, in other embodiments, the first connecting line 102 and the second connecting line 103 can also be routed on the second metal layer M2, which can reduce the depth of the vias and reduce the difficulty of the wiring process.
[0093] Continue to refer to Figure 4By setting a non-wiring area 12, the bendable area BA can be divided into multiple wiring areas 11. Since the substrate 10 is not present in the non-wiring area 12 with the opening 121, the wiring areas 11 do not contact each other in the X direction. In this embodiment, optionally, the dimension of the non-wiring area 12 (or opening 121) in the direction perpendicular to the thickness direction of the substrate 10 is greater than or equal to 3 mm and less than or equal to 5 mm. For example, the width of the non-wiring area 12 (or opening 121) in the X direction is 3-5 mm to ensure sufficient spacing between adjacent wiring areas 11, preventing the substrate 10 from affecting the stress of the wiring area 11 during bending. Furthermore, using a larger opening helps reduce the difficulty of the drilling process. If the bendable trace 101 is drilled to reduce bending stress concentration, the diameter of the bendable trace 101 is small, so the drilling size is typically 3-5 μm, resulting in a small opening and significantly increasing the process difficulty. In this embodiment, by setting a non-wiring area 12 in the bendable region BA and removing the substrate 10 within the non-wiring area 12, the non-wiring area 12 is free of any film structure, thus preventing bending stress from occurring within it. Furthermore, the wiring areas 11 are spaced apart by openings 121, effectively shortening their lateral dimensions and reducing the concentration of bending stress within them. This ensures more uniform stress distribution on the bent traces 101 within the wiring areas 11, thereby reducing the risk of breakage and improving bending yield.
[0094] In this embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the non-wiring area 12 (or opening 121) along the thickness direction of the substrate 10 can be rectangular or trapezoidal, as long as the substrate 10 within the non-wiring area 12 can be removed. Specifically, the opening 121 can be formed in the non-wiring area 12 by laser cutting before the display panel is bent.
[0095] Optionally, embodiments of the present invention also provide a display device, which includes the display panel provided in any embodiment of the present invention. Therefore, the display device provided in embodiments of the present invention also has the beneficial effects described in any of the above embodiments. Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of a display device provided in an embodiment of the present invention, with reference to... Figure 8 The display device includes the display panel provided in any embodiment of the present invention. Optionally, the display device further includes a flexible connector 21 bonded to the display panel.
[0096] Optionally, a driver chip 22 is disposed on the flexible connector. The driver chip 22 is electrically connected to the bonding connector 13. The lower bezel area XA is bent with the location of the wiring area 11 and the non-wiring area 12 as the bendable area BA, so that the driver chip 22 is located on the back side of the light-emitting side of the display panel. Figure 8The image only schematically shows the location and number of driver chips 22, and is not intended to limit them. In practical applications, the driver chips 22 can be set according to actual needs.
[0097] Figure 9 This is a top view schematic diagram of another display device provided in an embodiment of the present invention, with reference to... Figure 9 Optionally, in this embodiment, when the opening 121 is a non-closed opening, the sides of the plurality of first fan-out areas 14 separated by the opening 121 that are away from the second fan-out area 15 are connected to the flexible connector 21 via the bonding connection portion 13 to form an integral structure. Optionally, the flexible connector 21 can be an integral structure. In this case, the dimension of the flexible connector 21 in the X direction can be set to be relatively long. After bonding is completed, bending is performed, thereby achieving one-time bending of the bendable area BA, which helps to reduce the production time of the equipment. In addition, if the display panel is not bonded to the flexible connector 21 before... Figure 3 Bending multiple wiring areas 11 simultaneously can easily lead to bending mismatch, meaning inconsistent bending conditions at different locations, which can easily result in defects. Optionally, the flexible connector 21 can be a flip-chip film, a flexible circuit board, or an integrated connector of flip-chip film and flexible circuit board, which can be specifically configured according to actual needs.
[0098] certainly, Figure 9 The connection structure shown is also applicable to the case where opening 121 is a closed opening, and will not be described in detail here.
[0099] Figure 10 This is a side view structural diagram of another display device provided in an embodiment of the present invention, specifically a side cross-sectional structural diagram of the display device, wherein... Figure 10 Only the substrate 10 of the display panel is shown; the entire structure of the display panel is not shown. (Reference) Figures 1-10 The display device also includes an adhesive 31, which includes a first surface 301 and a second surface 302 disposed opposite to each other, and a side surface 303 connected to the first surface 301 and the second surface 302. The first surface 301 of the adhesive 31 is bonded to the back side of the substrate 10 located in the body region CA, and the second surface 302 of the adhesive 31 is connected to the back side of the substrate 10 on the side of the bendable region BA away from the body region CA. The side surface 303 of the adhesive 31 is opposite to the bent substrate 10 located in the bendable region BA. Multiple wiring areas 11 in the bendable region BA can be bent around the side surface 303 of the adhesive 31 simultaneously, thereby achieving the bending process of the display panel in one bending, which helps to reduce the production time of the equipment.
[0100] In other embodiments, a filler may be provided between the side 303 of the adhesive 31 and the substrate 10 located in the bendable area BA to provide bending support and fix the bending radius.
[0101] Continue to refer to Figure 10 The display device also includes a polarizer 33, a transparent optical adhesive 35, a cover plate 34, and a protective adhesive 32. The specific connection relationship can be referred to the relevant description in the prior art, and will not be repeated here.
[0102] In this embodiment, the display device can be a mobile phone or any electronic product with display function, including but not limited to the following categories: television, laptop, desktop monitor, tablet computer, digital camera, smart bracelet, smart glasses, vehicle display, medical equipment, industrial control equipment, touch interactive terminal, etc. This embodiment of the invention does not make any special limitation in this regard.
[0103] Optionally, embodiments of the present invention also provide a method for manufacturing a display device. Figure 11 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for manufacturing a display device according to an embodiment of the present invention. This method can be used to manufacture the display device provided in the above embodiment. Based on the above embodiment, refer to... Figure 11 The method includes:
[0104] S110, The back side of the substrate located in the body area is bonded to the first surface of the adhesive.
[0105] S120. By bending once, multiple wiring areas on both sides of the opening are simultaneously bent around the side of the adhesive, and the back of the substrate located on the side of the bendable area away from the body area is bonded to the second surface of the adhesive.
[0106] Optionally, by bending once, part or all of the wiring area 11 can be bent around the side of the adhesive 31 simultaneously, and the back side of the substrate located on the side of the bendable area BA away from the body area can be bonded to the second surface 302 of the adhesive 31. If the opening 121 is not closed, the bending can be performed after the display panel and the flexible connector 21 are bonded. If the opening 121 is closed, the bending can be performed before or after the display panel and the flexible connector 21 are bonded.
[0107] The specific working principle of this manufacturing method can be found in the above embodiments. Figure 10 The relevant description is provided, and it has the same beneficial effects as those described in the above embodiments.
[0108] The method for manufacturing the display device provided in the embodiments of the present invention can be used to manufacture the display device provided in the above embodiments, and has the beneficial effects provided in the above embodiments, which will not be repeated here.
[0109] It should be understood that the various forms of processes shown above can be used, with steps reordered, added, or deleted. For example, the steps described in this invention can be executed in parallel, sequentially, or in different orders, as long as the desired result of the technical solution of this invention can be achieved, and this is not limited herein.
[0110] The specific embodiments described above do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of this invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that various modifications, combinations, sub-combinations, and substitutions can be made according to design requirements and other factors. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this invention should be included within the scope of protection of this invention.
Claims
1. A display panel, characterized in that, include: A substrate, the substrate including a body region, a bendable region and a bonding region, the bendable region being located between the body region and the bonding region, the bendable region including at least one non-wiring region and at least two wiring regions arranged along a first direction, the non-wiring region being disposed between the wiring regions; the substrate having an opening penetrating the substrate along the thickness direction of the substrate in the non-wiring region. A bendable trace is located in the wiring area of the substrate, and the extension direction of the bendable trace intersects with the first direction; A bonding connection portion is disposed in the bonding area of the substrate, and the bendable trace is electrically connected to the bonding connection portion; Wherein, the opening is a closed opening; The substrate further includes a first fan-out area, the bendable area is located between the first fan-out area and the body area, and the bonding connection is located on the side of the first fan-out area away from the bendable area; The first fan-out area is provided with a fan-shaped trace, and the first fan-out area is used to connect the bendable trace in the wiring area and the bonding connection part. The display panel also includes multiple first connection lines, which are located in the first fan-out area; The bendable cable is electrically connected to the bonding connection via the first connecting line.
2. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cross-sectional shape of the opening includes a rectangle or a trapezoid, and the cross-section of the opening is perpendicular to the thickness direction of the substrate.
3. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The size of the opening is greater than or equal to 3 mm and less than or equal to 5 mm in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction of the substrate.
4. The display panel according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, When the opening is a closed opening, the first fan-out area includes a first sub-wiring area adjacent to the wiring area and a second sub-wiring area adjacent to the non-wiring area, and at least a portion of the first connecting line passes through the first sub-wiring area and the second sub-wiring area.
5. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first connecting line is set on a different layer than the flexible wiring.
6. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bendable trace is provided with a plurality of first through holes arranged along its extension direction, and the first through holes penetrate the bendable trace along the thickness direction of the substrate.
7. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The display panel also includes an organic insulating layer located between the flexible traces and the substrate.
8. The display panel according to claim 7, characterized in that, The main body area includes a display area and a second fan-out area, the second fan-out area being located between the display area and the bendable area. The display panel also includes multiple second connecting lines and multiple signal lines, the second connecting lines being located in the second fan-out area; the multiple signal lines being located on the side of the second fan-out area away from the bendable area; the signal lines being electrically connected to the bendable wiring via the second connecting lines.
9. The display panel according to claim 8, characterized in that, The display panel further includes an inorganic insulating layer located on the side of the first connecting line and the second connecting line away from the substrate. The inorganic insulating layer has a second through hole in the bendable area. The second through hole penetrates the inorganic insulating layer along the thickness direction of the substrate, and the organic insulating layer fills the second through hole.
10. The display panel according to claim 8, characterized in that, The first connecting line and the second connecting line are arranged on the same layer.
11. The display panel according to claim 7, characterized in that, The display panel further includes a driving array layer located on one side of the substrate, the driving array layer including a planarization layer and a plurality of conductive layers disposed in an insulating manner.
12. The display panel according to claim 11, characterized in that, The organic insulating layer is located on the planarization layer.
13. The display panel according to claim 11, characterized in that, The first connection line is located in one of the plurality of conductive layers.
14. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The size of the opening in the second direction is equal to the size of the bendable area in the second direction, and the second direction is parallel to the extension direction of the bendable trace.
15. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The size of the opening is the same as the size of the non-wiring area.
16. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, At least a portion of the first connecting line is configured as a bow shape or a Z shape, and / or, one bonding connection corresponds to two wiring areas.
17. A display device, characterized in that, Includes the adhesive and the display panel as described in any one of claims 1-16; The adhesive includes opposing first and second surfaces, and side surfaces connected to the first and second surfaces; the opposing first and second surfaces of the adhesive are respectively bonded to the back surface of the substrate located in the body region and the back surface of the substrate located on the side of the bendable region away from the body region, and the side surface of the adhesive is opposite to the bent substrate located in the bendable region.
18. The display device according to claim 17, characterized in that, The display device further includes a flexible connector bonded to the bonding connection portion.
19. The display device according to claim 18, characterized in that, A driver chip is provided on the flexible connector.
20. A method for manufacturing a display device as described in any one of claims 17-19, characterized in that, include: The back side of the substrate located in the body region is bonded to the first surface of the adhesive; By simultaneously bending multiple wiring areas, the multiple wiring areas on both sides of the opening are simultaneously bent around the side of the adhesive, and the back of the substrate located on the side of the bendable area away from the body area is bonded to the second surface of the adhesive.