Composite structure, flexible screen assembly and foldable terminal

Abstract

This application provides a composite structure including a substrate layer and a functional layer disposed on at least one surface of the substrate layer. The substrate layer includes a first support member and a second support member arranged side by side, and a bendable connector disposed between and connected to the first and second support members. The first and second support members are made of rigid fiber composite material. The functional layer includes one or more of a conductive layer, a thermally conductive layer, and an impact-resistant layer. This composite structure can be used to support flexible screens. The first and second support members are made of rigid fiber composite material, which not only has high strength but is also lightweight. It can provide good rigid support for the flexible screen while achieving product lightweighting, which is beneficial to improving the competitiveness of terminal products. At the same time, the functional layer can endow the composite structure with electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and impact resistance, thereby improving the performance of terminal products. This application also provides a foldable terminal including this composite structure.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of flexible screen technology, and in particular to a composite structure, a flexible screen assembly, and a foldable terminal. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of flexible display technology, flexible screens are increasingly being used in terminal devices. To maintain the flatness and rigidity of the flexible screen in foldable terminals, a metal layer is typically placed under the screen as a supporting structure. The main materials for this metal layer are stainless steel and titanium alloy. Stainless steel is widely used, but its heavy weight hinders the overall weight reduction of foldable terminals. Titanium alloy is relatively lighter, but its cost is much higher than stainless steel, and its rigidity and strength are lower, resulting in a higher risk of bending reliability issues. Therefore, it is not yet widely used. To address the shortcomings of stainless steel or titanium alloy under-screen supporting structures, it is necessary to provide a flexible screen support structure that can simultaneously achieve high structural strength, lightweight design, and low cost. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of this, embodiments of this application provide a composite structure, including a substrate layer and a functional layer. The substrate layer is made of rigid fiber composite material, which not only has high strength but is also lighter and less expensive than metal materials such as stainless steel. The functional layer can endow the composite structure with electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and impact resistance. Using this composite structure to support a flexible screen can provide good rigid support for the flexible screen, while being lightweight and low in cost, and can effectively achieve electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and impact resistance, thereby improving the product competitiveness of foldable terminals.

[0004] Specifically, the first aspect of this application provides a composite structure, which includes a substrate layer and a functional layer disposed on at least one surface of the substrate layer. The substrate layer includes a first support member and a second support member arranged side by side, and a bendable connector disposed between and connected to the first and second support members. The first and second support members are made of rigid fiber composite material. The functional layer includes one or more of a conductive layer, a thermally conductive layer, and an impact-resistant layer. The first and second support members are made of rigid fiber composite material, i.e., fiber-reinforced rigid material, which is not only lightweight but also high-strength. It can provide good rigid support for the flexible screen while achieving significant weight reduction benefits. Moreover, the material cost is low, which is beneficial to improving the product competitiveness of foldable terminals. The functional layer can endow the composite structure with electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and impact resistance, realizing the electrical connection, heat dissipation, and drop resistance functions of the entire flexible display screen and terminal product, meeting the market's demand for multifunctional flexible screen support structures, and further enhancing the market competitiveness of foldable terminal products.

[0005] In this embodiment, the conductive layer comprises a conductive metal; the conductive layer may be a single layer or a multilayer structure. The conductive layer enables effective electrical connection between the composite structure and other components. The conductive layer may be formed on the substrate layer by chemical plating, a combination of chemical plating and electroplating, or laminating metal sheets.

[0006] In this embodiment, the conductive metal includes one or more of copper, silver, gold, nickel, and tin. When the conductive layer is a single-layer structure, it can be formed by one conductive metal, such as a single copper layer or a single nickel layer; or it can be formed by two or more conductive metals, for example, a conductive layer formed by nickel and gold. Specifically, a local area of ​​the conductive layer can be a gold layer, and the remaining areas can be nickel layers. When the conductive layer is a multi-layer structure, the materials of different layers can be the same or different. Each layer can be formed by one conductive metal or by two or more different conductive metals. For example, the conductive layer includes an inner layer and an outer layer, with the inner layer disposed on the substrate layer and the outer layer disposed on the side of the inner layer away from the substrate layer. Specifically, the inner layer can include at least one of gold, silver, and copper, and the outer layer can include at least one of nickel and tin, with the outer layer providing protection for the inner layer. Alternatively, the inner layer can be a nickel layer with a local gold plating layer.

[0007] In this embodiment, the thermally conductive layer includes one or more of the following: thermally conductive silicone sheet, thermally conductive grease, thermally conductive double-sided adhesive tape, and thermally conductive graphite sheet. The presence of the thermally conductive layer enables the composite structure to have good thermal conductivity, thereby providing an effective channel for heat dissipation of the flexible screen and the entire terminal product. The thermally conductive layer can be formed on the substrate layer by adhesive bonding or thermal fusion.

[0008] In this embodiment, the impact-resistant layer comprises one or more of silicone rubber, thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), polyurethane acrylate (PUA), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) soft rubber. The impact-resistant layer enhances the composite structure's and flexible screen's resistance to external impacts, helps maintain the stability of the composite structure, and improves the drop resistance of the final product. The impact-resistant layer can be formed on the substrate layer by adhesive bonding or thermal fusion.

[0009] In this embodiment, the functional layer can be disposed on one side of the substrate layer or on both sides of the substrate layer. The functional layer can completely cover the substrate layer or partially cover it. Partially covering the substrate layer could mean that the functional layer only covers the surfaces of the first and second supports of the substrate layer, without covering the bendable connector. When disposed on both sides of the substrate layer, the material, number of layers, and thickness of the functional layers on both sides can be the same or different. The conductive layer, thermally conductive layer, and impact-resistant layer can be stacked on the substrate layer in any order.

[0010] In this embodiment of the application, the rigid fiber composite material includes at least one fiber layer and a rigid material cured on the fiber layer.

[0011] In this embodiment of the application, the fiber layer includes unidirectional fiber fabric and / or woven fiber fabric. That is, the fiber weaving method of each fiber layer can be unidirectional weaving or multidirectional weaving.

[0012] In this embodiment, the rigid adhesive material includes rigid resin and / or rigid rubber. As a support component supporting the flexible screen body, it needs to have high rigidity; selecting rigid resin and / or rigid rubber can meet this rigidity requirement.

[0013] In this embodiment of the application, the rigid adhesive material includes one or more of epoxy resin, phenolic resin, amino resin, unsaturated polyester, silicone ether resin, polyolefin, polyamide, polyoxymethylene, polycarbonate, polyphenylene ether, and polysulfone.

[0014] In this embodiment of the application, the fiber layer includes one or more of glass fiber, carbon fiber, aramid fiber, alumina fiber, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber, and poly(p-phenylenebenzodioxazole) fiber.

[0015] In this embodiment of the application, the fiber content in the hard rubber fiber composite material is 10%-80% by mass. Increasing the fiber content can improve the strength of the hard rubber fiber composite material.

[0016] In this embodiment of the application, the rigid fiber composite material includes multiple layers of the fiber layers, and the multiple layers of the fiber layers and the rigid material form a composite laminate in which fibers and rigid materials are alternately stacked; or multiple layers of the fiber layers are stacked to form a fiber composite, and the rigid material is cured on the fiber composite.

[0017] In this embodiment, the flexible connector is made of one or more of the following materials: organic flexible material, soft rubber fiber composite material, and flexible metal material. All three materials can achieve the bending performance of the flexible connector to facilitate the folding and unfolding of the flexible screen. Soft rubber fiber composite material and organic flexible material can further achieve weight reduction benefits.

[0018] In this embodiment of the application, the organic flexible material includes one or more of fluororubber, silicone rubber, thermoplastic elastomer, polyvinyl chloride, polyimide, polyethylene terephthalate, cyclic olefin polymer, liquid crystal polymer, and polydimethylsiloxane.

[0019] In this embodiment of the application, the soft rubber fiber composite material includes at least one fiber layer and a soft rubber material cured on the fiber layer; the soft rubber material includes one or more of fluororubber, silicone rubber, and thermoplastic elastomer.

[0020] In this embodiment of the application, the fiber content in the soft rubber fiber composite material is 10%-80% by mass.

[0021] In this embodiment of the application, the soft rubber fiber composite material includes multiple layers of the fiber layer, and the multiple layers of the fiber layer and the soft rubber material form a composite laminate in which fibers and soft rubber are alternately stacked; or multiple layers of the fiber layer are stacked to form a fiber composite, and the soft rubber material is cured on the fiber composite.

[0022] In this embodiment, the bendable metal material includes one or more of stainless steel, titanium alloy, and aluminum alloy. Specifically, to better achieve bendability, it can be porous stainless steel, porous titanium alloy, or porous aluminum alloy.

[0023] In this embodiment of the application, when the bendable connector is a soft fiber composite material, the composite structure includes an integrally woven fiber layer continuously present in the first support, the second support, and the bendable connector. The composite structure may include one or more integrally woven fiber layers.

[0024] In this embodiment, the thickness of the composite structure is 0.1mm-5mm. The specific thickness of the composite structure can be designed according to the material properties and the actual application requirements of the product. The composite structure is generally in the form of a flat plate or sheet.

[0025] In this embodiment of the application, the first support member, the bendable connector, and the second support member are joined together by means of hot pressing, adhesive bonding, welding, or fitting.

[0026] The composite structure provided in the first aspect of this application has the characteristics of high strength, high rigidity, light weight, low cost, and functionality. It also has bendability and can be applied to foldable terminal products. While meeting the requirements of strength and rigidity, it can achieve product lightweighting and functionality, thereby enhancing the competitiveness of foldable terminal products.

[0027] A second aspect of this application provides a terminal including the composite structure described in the first aspect of this application. The composite structure can serve as an under-display support structure for a flexible display screen, or it can serve as other functional components. The terminal includes a flexible display screen and a composite structure disposed beneath the flexible display screen.

[0028] A third aspect of this application provides a flexible screen assembly, including a flexible screen and a flexible screen support structure for supporting the flexible screen. The flexible screen support structure is made of the composite structure described in the first aspect of this application. By using the above-mentioned composite structure as the flexible screen support structure, while meeting the strength, rigidity, and bendability requirements of the flexible screen support structure, product lightweighting and functionality can be achieved, reducing weight by more than 60% compared to stainless steel flexible screen support structures, and at a lower cost.

[0029] This application also provides a foldable terminal, including the flexible screen assembly described in the third aspect of this application. The flexible screen includes a bending area and non-bending areas located on both sides of the bending area. A flexible screen support structure is disposed on the outer surface of the flexible screen. A first support member and a second support member of the flexible screen support structure correspond to the non-bending areas on both sides of the flexible screen, respectively. A bendable connector corresponds to the bending area of ​​the flexible screen. The foldable terminal provided by this application has a high-strength flexible screen support structure, providing sufficient rigid support for the flexible screen. It is also lightweight and low-cost. Furthermore, the flexible screen support structure can realize electrical connection, heat dissipation, and drop resistance functions for the flexible screen and the foldable terminal, enhancing product competitiveness and improving user experience. Attached Figure Description

[0030] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the foldable terminal 10 provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0031] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the flexible screen support structure 30 in one embodiment of this application;

[0032] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the substrate layer 100 in the embodiments of this application;

[0033] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the foldable terminal 10 provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0034] Figure 5 As one embodiment Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the flexible screen support structure 30 along the A-A' direction;

[0035] Figure 6A and Figure 6B As one embodiment Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the flexible screen support structure 30 along the A-A' direction;

[0036] Figure 7 As one embodiment Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the flexible screen support structure 30 along the A-A' direction;

[0037] Figure 8A and Figure 8B As one embodiment Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the flexible screen support structure 30 along the A-A' direction;

[0038] Figure 9 As one embodiment Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the flexible screen support structure 30 along the A-A' direction;

[0039] Figure 10 As one embodiment Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the flexible screen support structure 30 along the A-A' direction;

[0040] Figure 11A , Figure 11B and Figure 11C for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the flexible screen support structure 30 along the A-A' direction;

[0041] Figure 12 As one embodiment Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the flexible screen support structure 30 along the A-A' direction;

[0042] Figure 13 As one embodiment Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the flexible screen support structure 30 along the A-A' direction;

[0043] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a hard fiber composite material in one embodiment of this application;

[0044] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of the multi-directional fiber weaving structure of an embodiment of this application;

[0045] Figure 16 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the hard fiber composite material in another embodiment of this application;

[0046] Figure 17 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the hard fiber composite material in another embodiment of this application;

[0047] Figure 18 This is a schematic diagram illustrating that the fiber layer in an embodiment of this application is composed of multiple layers of fiber braided layers stacked at multiple angles;

[0048] Figure 19 This is a schematic diagram of the flexible screen support structure comprising an integrally woven fiber layer, as described in an embodiment of this application.

[0049] Figure 20 A process flow diagram for preparing the rigid fiber composite material provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0050] Figure 21 A process flow diagram for preparing a rigid fiber composite material according to another embodiment of this application;

[0051] Figures 22A-22E This is a schematic diagram illustrating the connection method between the first support member, made of rigid fiber composite material, and the bendable connector, according to an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0052] The embodiments of this application will now be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0053] See Figure 1 This application provides a foldable terminal 10, which can be a mobile phone, tablet computer, laptop computer, gaming laptop, e-reader, in-vehicle computer, monitor, wearable device, or other terminal product. The foldable terminal 10 includes a flexible screen 20 and a flexible screen support structure 30 attached to the side of the flexible screen 20 facing away from the display surface. The flexible screen 20 includes a bending area 21 and non-bending areas 22 located on both sides of the bending area 21, with the surfaces of the non-bending areas 22 being planar. The flexible screen 20 has a bendable characteristic, allowing it to be bent in the bending area 21, thus enabling folding and unfolding. The flexible screen 20 can be, for example, an active matrix organic light emitting diode (AMOLED) display screen using flexible resin materials such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) as a substrate, or other types or forms of display screens.

[0054] See Figure 2 and Figure 3 The flexible screen support structure 30 provided in this application embodiment is made of a composite structure. The composite structure includes a substrate layer 100 and a functional layer 200 disposed on the substrate layer 100. The substrate layer 100 includes a first support member 101, a bendable connector 103, and a second support member 102 arranged side by side. The bendable connector 103 is disposed between the first support member 101 and the second support member 102, and the opposite sides of the bendable connector 103 are respectively connected to the first support member 101 and the second support member 102. The first support member 101, the bendable connector 103, and the second support member 102 are arranged along a first direction ( Figure 2The first support member 101 and the second support member 102 are arranged side by side in the X direction. The material of the first support member 101 and the second support member 102 includes rigid fiber composite material. Specifically, the first support member 101 and the second support member 102 are flat rigid fiber composite boards. The functional layer 200 includes one or more of a conductive layer, a thermally conductive layer, and an impact-resistant layer. The functional layer 200 can be disposed on one or both surfaces of the substrate layer 100. When the functional layer 200 is disposed on only one surface of the substrate layer 100, the functional layer 200 can be located on the side of the substrate layer 100 closer to the flexible screen 20, or it can be located on the side of the substrate layer 100 away from the flexible screen 20. The functional layer 200 can be formed on the substrate layer 100 by electroplating, chemical plating, bonding, or pressing.

[0055] In this embodiment, the flexible screen support structure 30 can be bonded to the surface of the flexible screen 20 away from the display surface by an adhesive, for supporting the flexible screen 20. That is, the substrate layer 100 or the functional layer 200 can be bonded to the flexible screen 20 by an adhesive, and different areas of the flexible screen support structure 30 can be tightly and firmly bonded to the flexible screen 20 using the same or different adhesives. In this embodiment, the length and width dimensions of the flexible screen support structure 30 (i.e.,...) Figure 2 The dimensions in the X and Y directions are consistent with or substantially consistent with the length and width dimensions of the flexible screen 20.

[0056] See Figure 1 and Figure 4The flexible screen support structure 30 is attached to the side of the flexible screen 20 away from the display surface, and is used to support the flexible screen 20 of the foldable terminal. The first support member 101 and the second support member 102 of the substrate layer 100 correspond to the non-bending area 22 of the flexible screen 20, and the bendable connector 103 corresponds to the bending area 21 of the flexible screen 20. When the foldable terminal 10 is folded, the bending area 21 of the flexible screen 20 and the bendable connector 103 supporting the bending area 21 bend together. When the foldable terminal 10 is unfolded, the bending area 21 of the flexible screen 20, the bendable connector 103 supporting the bending area 21, and the functional layer 200 unfold together. When the angle between the first support member 101 and the second support member 102 is less than 180°, the flexible screen 20 is in a bent state; when the angle between the first support member 101 and the second support member 102 is equal to 180°, the flexible screen 20 is in an unfolded state. The flexible screen support structure 30 supports the flexible screen 20 during folding or unfolding, ensuring its flatness and protecting the non-display surfaces. In the embodiment of this application, the first support member 101 and the second support member 102 in the substrate layer 100 of the flexible screen support structure 30 are made of rigid fiber composite material. This material has high strength and is relatively lightweight compared to metals such as stainless steel, providing good rigid support for the flexible screen while achieving significant weight reduction, thus enhancing the competitiveness of foldable terminals. The functional layer 200 endows the flexible screen support structure 30 with electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and impact resistance, meeting the functional requirements of the flexible screen support structure 30.

[0057] In this embodiment, the functional layer 200 may include one or more of a conductive layer, a thermally conductive layer, and an impact-resistant layer, and may also include functional layers with other functions as needed. That is, the functional layer 200 includes at least one of a conductive layer, a thermally conductive layer, and an impact-resistant layer. The functional layer 200 may include one or more conductive layers. The functional layer 200 may include one or more thermally conductive layers. The functional layer 200 may include one or more impact-resistant layers. The thickness of the functional layer 200 may be 5μm-500μm. The thickness of the functional layer 200, 5μm-500μm, refers to the total thickness of the functional layers on one side of the substrate layer 100. In some embodiments, the thickness of the functional layer 200 may be 10μm-200μm; in some embodiments, the thickness of the functional layer 200 may be 6μm-100μm. The functional layer 200 may be disposed on one side of the substrate layer 100 or on both sides of the substrate layer 100. The functional layer 200 may completely cover the substrate layer 100 or partially cover the substrate layer 100. When the functional layers 200 are disposed on both sides of the substrate layer 100, the material, number of layers, and thickness of the functional layers 200 on both sides can be the same or different. The conductive layer, thermally conductive layer, and impact-resistant layer can be selectively disposed on one or both sides of the substrate layer 100 according to actual needs. The functional layer 200 can include a conductive layer, a thermally conductive layer, an impact-resistant layer, a conductive layer and a thermally conductive layer, a conductive layer and an impact-resistant layer, a thermally conductive layer and an impact-resistant layer, or simultaneously a conductive layer, a thermally conductive layer, and an impact-resistant layer. Optionally, the functional layer 200 can also include functional layers with other functions. The conductive layer, thermally conductive layer, and impact-resistant layer can be stacked on the substrate layer 100 in any order. Optionally, the impact-resistant layer is located on the outermost side, which allows it to be closer to the flexible screen and better protect it. In one embodiment, the functional layer 200 includes a conductive layer, a thermally conductive layer, and an impact-resistant layer sequentially disposed on the substrate layer 100. This stacking order facilitates the manufacturing process and is beneficial to the functional performance of each layer.

[0058] See Figure 5 , Figure 6A and Figure 6B In one embodiment of this application, the functional layer 200 is a single-function layer, meaning that the functional layer 200 includes a conductive layer, a thermally conductive layer, or an impact-resistant layer disposed on one or both sides of the substrate layer 100. For example, in one embodiment, the functional layer 200 includes a conductive layer. In another embodiment, the functional layer 200 includes a thermally conductive layer. In yet another embodiment, the functional layer 200 includes an impact-resistant layer. When functional layers 200 are provided on both sides of the substrate layer 100, the functional layers 200 on both sides can be functional layers with the same function, such as both sides being conductive layers; or they can be functional layers with different functions, such as one side being a conductive layer and the other side being a thermally conductive layer. The functional layer 200 can be as follows: Figure 6A The surface of the substrate layer 100 is completely covered as shown, or it can be as follows: Figure 6B The portion shown covers the surface of the substrate layer 100. Specifically, the functional layer 200 only covers the surfaces of the two side supports 101 and 102, and does not cover the surface of the bendable connector 103.

[0059] See Figure 7 , Figure 8A and Figure 8B In another embodiment of this application, the functional layer 200 is a dual-functional layer, including a first functional layer 201 and a second functional layer 202. The first functional layer 201 and the second functional layer 202 are any two of a conductive layer, a thermally conductive layer, and an impact-resistant layer; that is, the functional layer 200 includes two material layers with different functions. For example, in one embodiment, the functional layer 200 includes a conductive layer and an impact-resistant layer. In another embodiment, the functional layer 200 includes a conductive layer and a thermally conductive layer. In yet another embodiment, the functional layer 200 includes a thermally conductive layer and an impact-resistant layer. The order in which the two functional layers are arranged is not limited. The first functional layer 201 and the second functional layer 202 can completely or partially cover the surface of the substrate layer 100. In some embodiments, such as... Figure 8A As shown, both the first functional layer 201 and the second functional layer 202 completely cover the surface of the substrate layer 100. In some embodiments, such as Figure 8B As shown, the first functional layer 201 only covers the surface of the two side supports and does not cover the surface of the bendable connector; the second functional layer 202 completely covers the substrate layer 100.

[0060] See Figure 9 and Figure 10 In another embodiment of this application, the functional layer 200 is a multifunctional layer, including a first functional layer 201, a second functional layer 202 and a third functional layer 203. The first functional layer 201, the second functional layer 202 and the third functional layer 203 are three functional layers: a conductive layer, a thermally conductive layer and an impact-resistant layer. The order in which the three functional layers are arranged is not limited.

[0061] In other embodiments of this application, when functional layers 200 are provided on both sides of the substrate layer 100, it can be as follows: Figure 11A , Figure 11B and Figure 11C As shown, one side of the substrate layer 100 is a single-function layer, and the other side is a dual-function layer; it can also be as follows: Figure 12 As shown, one side of the substrate layer 100 is a single-function layer, and the other side is a multi-function layer; it can also be as follows: Figure 13 As shown, one side of the substrate layer 100 is a dual-function layer, and the other side is a multi-function layer.

[0062] In this embodiment, the conductive layer includes a conductive metal; the conductive layer can be a single layer or a multi-layer structure. The conductive layer enables the flexible screen support structure 30 to have conductive function, thereby achieving effective electrical connection with other components of the terminal 10, thus compensating for the problem that when the substrate layer 100 is entirely made of non-conductive material, it is impossible to achieve electrical connection with other components of the terminal 10.

[0063] In this embodiment, the conductive metal can be one or more of copper, silver, gold, nickel, and tin. When the conductive layer is a single-layer structure, it can be formed by one conductive metal, such as a single copper layer or a single nickel layer; or it can be formed by two or more conductive metals. For example, the conductive layer can be formed by nickel and gold, with a local area of ​​the conductive layer being a gold layer and the other areas being nickel layers; or the conductive layer can be formed by nickel and copper, with a local area of ​​the conductive layer being a copper layer and the other areas being nickel layers; or all areas of the conductive layer can be copper and nickel. When the conductive layer is a multi-layer structure, the materials of different layers can be the same or different. Each layer can be formed by one conductive metal or by two or more conductive metals. For example, the conductive layer includes an inner layer and an outer layer, with the inner layer disposed on the substrate layer and the outer layer disposed on the side of the inner layer away from the substrate layer. Specifically, the inner layer can include at least one of gold, silver, and copper, and the outer layer can include at least one of nickel and tin, with the outer layer providing protection for the inner layer. Alternatively, the inner layer can be a nickel layer with a local gold plating layer on top of it. The flexible screen support structure 30 has electrical conductivity, which can meet the requirements for electrical connection.

[0064] The conductive layer can be formed on the substrate layer 100 by chemical plating, chemical plating combined with electroplating, or laminating a metal sheet. In one embodiment, the conductive layer is formed on the substrate layer 100 by chemical plating, and the specific process may include:

[0065] (1) Pickling or alkaline washing is performed on both sides of the substrate layer 100 to remove surface oil stains; when the bendable connector area includes non-metallic materials, the bendable connector area of ​​the substrate layer needs to be shielded during the pickling or alkaline washing process; when the bendable connector area is made of metallic materials, the bendable connector area does not need to be shielded.

[0066] (2) Catalysis is then performed to deposit a catalyst layer on the surface of the substrate layer 100; the catalyst may specifically be a palladium-containing catalyst;

[0067] (3) The substrate layer 100 is immersed in the plating solution for chemical plating to form a conductive metal layer. After washing with water and drying, a composite structure with a conductive layer is obtained. When the flexible connector area is shielded, the conductive layer only covers the surface of the two side supports and does not cover the surface of the flexible connector; when the flexible connector is not shielded, the conductive layer covers the entire surface of the substrate layer, that is, it covers the surface of both the flexible connector and the two side supports. During the conductive layer plating process, shielding the flexible connector, which contains non-metallic components, can protect the flexible connector from corrosion and damage.

[0068] In this embodiment, the thermally conductive layer may be one or more of the following: thermally conductive silicone sheet, thermally conductive grease, thermally conductive double-sided tape, and thermally conductive graphite sheet. The thermally conductive layer may be a single-layer or multi-layer structure. The presence of the thermally conductive layer enables the flexible screen support structure 30 to have good thermal conductivity, thereby contributing to heat dissipation for the flexible screen and the entire terminal product. Specifically, the flexible screen support structure 30 has a thermal conductivity function, which can transfer heat generated by the battery and other components inside the terminal to the display screen side, and ultimately dissipate it to the outside of the terminal. The thermally conductive layer may be formed on the substrate layer 100 by adhesive bonding or thermal fusion (hot pressing).

[0069] In this embodiment, the impact-resistant layer can be one or more of silicone rubber, thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), polyurethane acrylate (PUA), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) soft rubber. The impact-resistant layer provides cushioning and can be a single-layer or multi-layer structure. The thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) can include, but is not limited to, one or more of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), thermoplastic polyester elastomer (TPEE), styrene-based thermoplastic elastomers, polyolefin-based thermoplastic elastomers (POE), polyether ester-based thermoplastic elastomers, and polyamide-based thermoplastic elastomers. The impact-resistant layer enables the flexible screen support structure 30 to resist external impacts, which helps protect the display screen and improves the drop resistance of the terminal product. When the impact-resistant layer is only located on one side of the substrate layer 100, the side of the substrate layer facing the display screen provides better protection against drop impacts. The impact-resistant layer can be formed on the substrate layer 100 by adhesive bonding or thermal fusion.

[0070] See Figure 14The rigid fiber composite material 110 of this application includes at least one fiber layer 111 and a rigid adhesive material 112 cured on the fiber layer 111. In the embodiments of this application, the rigid adhesive material 112 includes rigid resin and / or rigid rubber. In this application, there is no special limitation on the specific types of rigid resin and rigid rubber, as long as they can meet the application requirements of electronic devices and provide sufficient rigid support for the flexible screen in conjunction with the fibers. Specifically, the rigid adhesive material 112 includes, but is not limited to, one or more of epoxy resin, phenolic resin, amino resin, unsaturated polyester, silicone ether resin, polyolefin, polyamide, polyoxymethylene, polycarbonate, polyphenylene ether, and polysulfone. It is understood that in order to minimize the overall weight of the flexible screen support structure, a relatively lightweight rigid adhesive material can be selected while meeting the mechanical support requirements. The rigid adhesive material 112 can be impregnated and cured on the fiber layer 111 by solution impregnation or hot melt method combined with hot pressing process.

[0071] In this embodiment, the fibers in the fiber layer 111 are continuous fibers, specifically including but not limited to one or more of glass fiber, carbon fiber, aramid fiber, alumina fiber, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber, and poly(p-phenylenebenzodioxazole) fiber. Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber refers to fiber spun from polyethylene with a molecular weight > 1 million. The fiber layer 111 can be woven from a single type of fiber or from a blend of two or more fibers. Blending allows for the integration of the performance advantages of multiple fibers.

[0072] In this embodiment, the fiber content in the rigid rubber fiber composite material can be 10%-80% by mass. Specifically, the fiber content in the rigid rubber fiber composite material can be, for example, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, or 80%. The fiber content in the rigid rubber fiber composite material can be adjusted according to specific rigid support requirements and the mechanical properties of the selected rigid resin or rigid rubber. Generally, the higher the fiber content, the lighter the overall weight of the rigid rubber fiber composite material, which is more conducive to weight reduction. In some embodiments, considering both rigid support performance and weight reduction requirements, the fiber content in the rigid rubber fiber composite material is 30%-70% by mass.

[0073] In this embodiment, the fiber weaving method of each fiber layer 111 can be unidirectional or multidirectional. That is, the fiber layer 111 can be a unidirectional fiber fabric or a woven fiber fabric. A unidirectional fiber fabric, also known as uniaxial fiber weaving, refers to a textile with a large number of yarns in one direction (usually the warp, but also sometimes the weft) and only a small number of, usually fine, yarns in the other direction, resulting in the fabric's strength being concentrated in one direction. A woven fiber fabric, on the other hand, refers to a textile with multiaxial fiber weaving, having a large number of yarns in multiple directions, resulting in the fabric's strength being distributed across multiple axes. For example, biaxial warp and weft weaving, i.e., 0° / 90° weaving, means that the fiber distribution of the fabric is biaxial, with the angles of the two axes being 0° and 90°, and the included angle between the fibers in the two axes being 90°. Another example is 45° weaving (i.e., +45° / -45°), which means that the fiber distribution of the fabric is biaxial, with the angles of the two axes being +45° and -45°, and the included angle between the fibers in the two axes being 90°.

[0074] In this application embodiment, the specific weaving form of multidirectional fiber weaving is not limited. Specifically, the multidirectional weaving form can be as follows: Figure 15 The plain weave shown in (a) can also be as follows: Figure 15 The twill weave shown in (b) can also be as follows: Figure 15 Satin weave, etc., as shown in (c). Figure 15 The images (a), (b), and (c) all show biaxial weaving at 0° / 90°.

[0075] In this embodiment of the application, the rigid fiber composite material may include only one fiber layer 111, or it may include multiple fiber layers 111 (two or more layers). For example, Figure 14 In the hard fiber composite material, fiber layer 111 is a single layer. Figure 16 and Figure 17In the rigid fiber composite material, the fiber layer 111 consists of three layers. When the fiber layer 111 is a single layer, it is typically a multi-directional woven fiber layer to meet strength requirements. When the fiber layer 111 is multi-layered, to better enhance the mechanical strength of the rigid fiber composite material and improve its strength in all directions, the multi-layered fiber layers 111 can be stacked at different angles (multi-angle). Each fiber layer 111 can be unidirectionally woven or multi-directionally woven. In some embodiments, the multi-layered fiber layers 111 can be multi-layered unidirectional fiber fabrics stacked at different angles, i.e., each fiber layer 111 is a unidirectional fiber fabric. In the embodiments of this application, the stacking direction of the multi-layered fiber layers 111 can be any angle within the range of 0°-90°. Stacking the multi-layered fiber layers at different angles helps to form a multi-directional fiber distribution, creating a fiber network, thereby meeting the mechanical strength requirements of the rigid fiber composite material in different directions and better providing rigid support for the flexible screen. Figure 18 As shown, Figure 18 This is a schematic diagram of four layers of unidirectional fiber fabric stacked at different angles, specifically 0°, +45°, 90°, and -45°. This allows the fibers to be continuously distributed in multiple directions, improving the strength of the rigid fiber composite material in all directions and enhancing its overall mechanical properties. In this application, the 0° direction is... Figure 2 The X direction refers to the direction in which the first support member 101, the bendable connector 103, and the second support member 103 are arranged side by side. In some embodiments, when multiple fiber layers are stacked, to prevent warping, the multiple fiber layers can be stacked symmetrically from the middle to both sides according to the stacking direction. For example, +45° / 0° / 0° / -45°, 0° / 90° / 0° / 0° / 90° / 0°, 0° / +45° / -45° / -45° / +45° / 0°, 0° / 90° / 0° / 90° / 90° / 0°, etc.

[0076] In some embodiments of this application, such as Figure 16 As shown, multiple fiber layers 111 form a composite laminate with alternating layers of fiber and hard adhesive material. The fiber material of each fiber layer 111 can be the same or different. The material of each hard adhesive layer can be the same or different. Due to different manufacturing processes, such as solution impregnation, each fiber layer 111 is typically impregnated with hard adhesive material on both sides. When multiple fibers are stacked, if different fiber layers are impregnated with different hard adhesive materials, the hard adhesive layer in the middle of the laminate may include two different hard adhesive materials. It is more beneficial to form a strong bond when different fiber layers are impregnated with the same hard adhesive material. Other embodiments of this application, such as... Figure 17As shown, the multilayer fiber layers 111 can also be stacked together in contact and then impregnated with a hard adhesive material. That is, the hard adhesive fiber composite material includes a fiber composite 11 formed by stacking multiple fiber layers and a hard adhesive material impregnated and cured on the fiber composite 11.

[0077] In this embodiment, the material of the bendable connector 103 may include one or more of soft fiber composite materials, bendable metal materials, and organic flexible materials. Using the above-mentioned materials, the bendable connector 103 can have good bendability, thereby allowing the first support member 101 and the second support member 102 to be folded or unfolded relative to each other.

[0078] In one embodiment, the bendable connector 103 is a soft fiber composite material, specifically a soft fiber composite board. The two sides of the soft fiber composite board are respectively connected to a first support 101 and a second support 102 composed of a hard fiber composite board. In this case, the substrate layer 100 is a composite board structure of hard fiber composite material-soft fiber composite material-hard fiber composite material. The middle area uses soft fiber composite material to achieve flexible bendability, while the two sides use hard fiber composite material to provide under-screen support for the flexible screen. In this embodiment, the soft fiber composite material includes at least one fiber layer and a soft material impregnated and cured on the fiber layer. In this embodiment, the fiber selection, specific structure of the fiber layer, structure of the soft fiber composite material, and preparation method can all refer to the above description of the hard fiber composite material, and will not be repeated here. The difference between the soft rubber fiber composite material and the hard rubber fiber composite material in this application lies in the combination of soft rubber material and fiber in the soft rubber fiber composite material, and the combination of hard rubber material and fiber in the hard rubber fiber composite material. The soft rubber fiber composite material is flexible and bendable, and can be used as a bendable connector to accommodate the bending of the flexible screen. The hard rubber fiber composite material is rigid and can strongly support the non-bending area of ​​the flexible screen. The soft rubber material may include, but is not limited to, one or more of fluororubber, silicone rubber, and thermoplastic elastomers. Thermoplastic elastomers are artificial rubber or synthetic rubber, and may specifically include, but are not limited to, one or more of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), thermoplastic polyester elastomer (TPEE), styrene-based thermoplastic elastomers, polyolefin-based thermoplastic elastomers (POE), polyether ester-based thermoplastic elastomers, and polyamide-based thermoplastic elastomers.

[0079] In this embodiment, the fiber content in the soft rubber fiber composite material ranges from 10% to 80% by mass. Specifically, the fiber content in the soft rubber fiber composite material can be, for example, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, or 80%. The fiber content in the soft rubber fiber composite material can be adjusted according to specific bending performance requirements, rigidity support requirements, and the properties of the selected soft rubber material. Generally, the higher the fiber content, the greater the overall strength of the soft rubber fiber composite material, the lower its bendability, and the relatively lighter its weight. In some embodiments, considering both bendability, rigidity support performance, and weight reduction requirements, the fiber content in the soft rubber fiber composite material can be 10%-50% by mass.

[0080] In this embodiment, the fiber layers in the first support member 101 and the second support member 102 of the substrate layer 100 and the fiber layers in the bendable connector 103 can be designed to be independent of each other or integrally woven. The materials of the fiber layers can be the same or different; the number of fiber layers can be the same or different; the fiber layer stacking method can be the same or different; and the fiber content can be the same or different. The fiber content in the hard rubber fiber composite material and the soft rubber fiber composite material can be selected according to specific conditions. Generally, the fiber content in the soft rubber fiber composite material is lower than that in the hard rubber fiber composite material.

[0081] In some embodiments of this application, such as Figure 19 As shown, when the bendable connector 103 is a soft fiber composite material, the substrate layer 100 can be an integrally woven fiber layer 111 continuously present in the first support 101, the second support 102, and the bendable connector 103. The flexible screen support structure 30 can include one or more integrally woven fiber layers. Figure 19 The diagram shows two integrally woven fiber layers. The integrally woven fiber layers simplify the manufacturing process and ensure a reliable connection between the first support 101, the second support 102, and the bendable connector 103.

[0082] In the embodiments of this application, when the soft rubber fiber composite material includes multiple fiber layers, it can be a composite laminate in which multiple fiber layers and soft rubber material are alternately stacked; or it can be a fiber composite formed by stacking multiple fiber layers, and the soft rubber material is impregnated and cured on the fiber composite.

[0083] In this embodiment, the bendable connector 103 can be formed by a single layer of woven fiber fabric or by multi-layer unidirectional fiber fabric stacked at multiple angles.

[0084] In this embodiment of the application, the specific preparation method of the substrate layer 100, which has a structural composition of hard fiber composite material-soft fiber composite material-hard fiber composite material, is not limited. For example, it can be prepared by the following two methods:

[0085] Method 1:

[0086] Step 101: Take multiple fiber layers and stack them at multiple angles to form a fiber composite.

[0087] Among them, the multi-layer fiber layer is usually a multi-layer unidirectional fiber fabric, and the overlapping direction of the multi-layer fiber layer can be any angle within the range of 0°-90°.

[0088] Step 102: Using a solvent impregnation method or a hot-melt method, a hard adhesive material is impregnated on both sides of the fiber composite, and a soft adhesive material is impregnated in the middle. After hot pressing, a substrate layer 100 is obtained. The substrate layer 100 prepared in this way includes an integrally woven fiber layer that is continuously present in the first support member 101, the second support member 102, and the bendable connector 103.

[0089] Method 2:

[0090] Step 201: Take the fiber layer and impregnate both sides of the fiber layer with a rigid rubber material using a solvent impregnation method or a hot melt method to form a rigid rubber fiber single-layer prepreg; stack the rigid rubber fiber single-layer prepreg in multiple angles to obtain a rigid rubber fiber laminated prepreg.

[0091] Step 202: Take the fiber layer and impregnate both sides of the fiber layer with a soft rubber material using a solvent impregnation method or a hot-melt method to form a soft rubber fiber single-layer prepreg; stack the soft rubber fiber single-layer prepreg in multiple angles and then hot-press it to obtain a soft rubber fiber composite board; in this step, a single fiber layer of the target thickness can also be directly selected without multi-layer stacking. The fiber layer used for multi-layer stacking is usually a unidirectional fiber fabric, while when a single fiber layer is directly selected, it is usually a woven fiber fabric.

[0092] Step 203: Arrange the rigid fiber laminated prepreg, the soft fiber composite board, and the rigid fiber laminated prepreg side by side, and then heat press them together to obtain the substrate layer 100.

[0093] In this embodiment, the substrate layer 100 is a composite board made of hard rubber fiber composite material, soft rubber fiber composite material, and hard rubber fiber composite material. The substrate layer 100 is a flat plate or sheet structure.

[0094] To achieve better bonding between rigid and soft fiber composite materials at the joints, when arranging the two materials side-by-side, the rigid fiber laminated prepregs on both sides and the soft fiber composite board in the middle can be partially cross-connected. Specifically, the width of the single-layer prepregs in the middle layers of the rigid fiber laminated prepreg can be narrowed, i.e., recessed by a certain width, leaving a fitting space. The soft fiber composite board in the middle is partially fitted into this fitting space, and after pressing, a rigid fiber composite-soft fiber composite-rigid fiber composite board without step gaps is prepared. The rigid fiber laminated prepreg forms a rigid fiber composite board, i.e., a rigid fiber composite material, after hot pressing.

[0095] In other embodiments of this application, a multi-layer soft rubber fiber prepreg may be laminated at multiple angles to obtain a multi-layer soft rubber fiber prepreg. Then, a multi-layer hard rubber fiber prepreg, a multi-layer soft rubber fiber prepreg, and a multi-layer hard rubber fiber prepreg may be arranged side-by-side and hot-pressed to obtain a flexible screen support structure. In other embodiments of this application, a multi-layer hard rubber fiber prepreg may be laminated at multiple angles to obtain a multi-layer hard rubber fiber prepreg. Then, a multi-layer hard rubber fiber composite board may be hot-pressed to obtain a hard rubber fiber composite board. Finally, a multi-layer hard rubber fiber composite board, a multi-layer soft rubber fiber composite board, and a multi-layer hard rubber fiber composite board may be arranged side-by-side and hot-pressed to obtain a flexible screen support structure.

[0096] Figure 20 This is a process flow diagram for preparing rigid fiber composite materials using the solvent impregnation method; Figure 21 This is a process flow diagram for preparing rigid fiber composite materials using the hot melt method.

[0097] In this embodiment of the application, the hard rubber fiber composite material and the soft rubber fiber composite material can be spliced ​​together by the above-mentioned hot pressing method, or they can be spliced ​​together by other methods that can achieve good bonding, such as adhesive bonding, fusion bonding, or laser welding.

[0098] In another embodiment of this application, the bendable connector 103 is a bendable metal connector, and its two sides are respectively connected to the first support member 101 and the second support member 102, which are made of rigid fiber composite board. The bendable metal connector can be made of stainless steel, titanium alloy, aluminum alloy, or other metal materials. The bendable metal connector 103 can be joined to the first support member 101 and the second support member 102 by means of hot pressing, adhesive bonding, welding, or fitting, or it can be connected by a connecting mechanism.

[0099] In this embodiment of the application, the specific preparation method of the substrate layer 100, which has a structural composition of rigid fiber composite material-metal material-rigid fiber composite material, is not limited. For example, it can be prepared by the following method:

[0100] Step 301: Take the fiber layer and impregnate both sides of the fiber layer with a rigid rubber material using a solvent impregnation method or a hot melt method to form a rigid rubber fiber single-layer prepreg; stack the rigid rubber fiber single-layer prepreg in multiple angles to obtain a rigid rubber fiber laminated prepreg.

[0101] Step 302: Take a metal sheet of the target thickness, arrange the hard fiber laminated prepreg, the metal sheet, and the hard fiber laminated prepreg side by side, and then perform hot pressing to obtain the substrate layer 100.

[0102] In this embodiment, the substrate layer 100 is a composite board made of rigid fiber composite material, metal material, and rigid fiber composite material. The substrate layer 100 is a flat plate or sheet structure.

[0103] To ensure a good bond between the rigid fiber composite material and the metal sheet at the joint, when arranging the two materials side-by-side, the rigid fiber laminated prepreg on both sides and the middle metal sheet can be partially cross-connected. Specifically, the width of the single-layer prepreg in the middle layers of the rigid fiber laminated prepreg can be narrowed, i.e., recessed by a certain width, leaving a fitting space. The thickness of both ends of the middle metal sheet is reduced by a certain amount to form fitting parts that match the fitting space (due to the reduced surface forming a stepped surface). The fitting parts are fitted into the fitting space of the rigid fiber laminated prepreg. After hot pressing, a rigid fiber composite material-metal material-rigid fiber composite material composite board without step difference is prepared. The fitting parts at both ends of the metal sheet can be etched to form openings, enhancing the bond between the rigid fiber composite material and the metal sheet. Before hot pressing, the surface of the metal sheet can also be treated with plasma or other methods to improve surface roughness and enhance the bond between the rigid fiber composite material and the metal sheet.

[0104] In this application embodiment, the metal sheet used as a bendable connector is required to have good bendability, and is usually a porous metal sheet with the porous holes extending longitudinally (i.e., in the Y direction).

[0105] In the embodiments of this application, the rigid fiber composite material and the metal material can be spliced ​​and combined using the above-mentioned hot pressing method, or they can be spliced ​​and combined using other methods that can achieve good bonding, such as adhesive bonding, fusion bonding, or laser welding.

[0106] In another embodiment of this application, the bendable connector 103 is an organic flexible material diaphragm. Both sides of the organic flexible material diaphragm are connected to a first support member 101 and a second support member 102, respectively, which are composed of a rigid fiber composite board. Specifically, they can be joined together by hot pressing, gluing, welding, or embedding, or they can be connected by a connecting mechanism. The organic flexible material diaphragm can achieve flexible and bendable functionality. The organic flexible material may include one or more of fluororubber, silicone rubber, thermoplastic elastomers, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyimide (PI), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), cyclic olefin polymer (COP), liquid crystal polymer (LCP), and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Thermoplastic elastomers are artificial rubber or synthetic rubber, and may specifically include one or more of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), thermoplastic polyester elastomer (TPEE), styrene-based thermoplastic elastomers, polyolefin-based thermoplastic elastomers (POE), polyether ester-based thermoplastic elastomers, and polyamide-based thermoplastic elastomers.

[0107] In this embodiment of the application, the specific preparation method of the substrate layer 100, which has a structural composition of rigid fiber composite material-organic flexible material-rigid fiber composite material, is not limited. For example, it can be prepared by the following method:

[0108] Step 301: Take the fiber layer and impregnate both sides of the fiber layer with a rigid rubber material using a solvent impregnation method or a hot melt method to form a rigid rubber fiber single-layer prepreg; stack the rigid rubber fiber single-layer prepreg in multiple angles to obtain a rigid rubber fiber laminated prepreg.

[0109] Step 302: Take an organic flexible material film of the target thickness, arrange the rigid fiber laminated prepreg, the organic flexible material film, and the rigid fiber laminated prepreg side by side, and then perform hot pressing to obtain the substrate layer 100.

[0110] In this embodiment, the substrate layer 100 is a composite board made of rigid fiber composite material, organic flexible material, and rigid fiber composite material. The substrate layer 100 is a flat plate or sheet structure.

[0111] In this embodiment, the structure at the junction of the rigid fiber composite board 101 and the organic flexible material membrane 103 is not limited in terms of the bonding method. It can be as follows: Figure 22A The line combination shown can also be as follows: Figure 22B , Figure 22C , Figure 22D The tooth engagement shown is called mating, or interlocking, and can also be as follows: Figure 22E As shown, a connecting mechanism 104 is used to connect the two, such as a snap-fit ​​connection. The specific shape of the teeth in the toothed connection is not limited; the teeth can be formed on the rigid fiber composite board 101 or on the organic flexible material membrane 103.

[0112] In this embodiment, the thickness of the substrate layer 100 can be approximately 0.1mm-5mm. Specifically, it can be designed according to the actual needs of the foldable terminal; the greater the thickness, the greater the support strength. In some embodiments, the thickness of the substrate layer 100 can be 0.15mm-0.2mm. In other embodiments, the thickness of the substrate layer 100 can be 0.25mm-0.8mm. In still other embodiments, the thickness of the substrate layer 100 can be 1mm-2mm, or 2mm-4mm. A smaller substrate layer 100 is beneficial for weight reduction and also for reducing the overall thickness of the foldable terminal, thus improving the user experience.

[0113] In this embodiment, the thickness of the flexible screen support structure 30 can be 0.1mm-5mm. In some embodiments, the thickness of the flexible screen support structure 30 can be 0.15mm-0.22mm. In other embodiments, the thickness of the flexible screen support structure 30 can be 0.25mm-0.8mm. In still other embodiments, the thickness of the flexible screen support structure 30 can be 1mm-2mm, or 2.5mm-4mm. The total thickness of the flexible screen support structure 30 mainly depends on the sum of the thicknesses of the substrate layer 100 and the functional layer 200.

[0114] In this application, "multiple" means two or more. In this application, "-" indicates a range value, including the endpoint values ​​at both ends. For example, "the thickness of functional layer 200 is 5μm-500μm" means that the thickness of functional layer 200 is between 5μm and 500μm, and includes the endpoint values ​​of 5μm and 500μm.

[0115] The embodiments of this application will be further described below through multiple examples.

[0116] Example 1

[0117] See Figure 6BThe flexible screen support structure 30 of this embodiment includes a substrate layer 100 and conductive layers 200 disposed on both sides of the substrate layer 100. The conductive layers 200 cover the surfaces of the first and second support members of the substrate layer 100, but do not cover the bendable connectors. The substrate layer 100 is made of epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber-polyurethane (TPU) continuous carbon fiber-epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber composite board. Taking a certain model of foldable mobile phone as an example, the design scheme of the flexible screen support structure in this embodiment is as follows: the external dimensions of the flexible screen support structure are 161mm*146mm, the thickness of the substrate layer is 0.15mm, the width of the flexible bendable area (i.e., the bendable connector) is 20mm, and the width of the two side support members is 63mm. The epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber composite board, the polyurethane continuous carbon fiber composite board, and the epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber composite board are arranged side by side and combined together to form the substrate layer. The conductive layer 200 is a nickel layer.

[0118] The fabrication process of the flexible screen support structure in this embodiment is as follows:

[0119] (1) Select a 0.02mm thick carbon fiber unidirectional cloth, impregnate both sides with epoxy resin to obtain a 0.025mm thick single-layer prepreg, and then stack it according to the stacking angle of 0° / 90° / 0° / 0° / 90° / 0° to form an epoxy resin carbon fiber laminated prepreg with a thickness of 0.15mm.

[0120] (2) A 45° woven carbon fiber cloth with a thickness of 0.1 mm and a width of 30 mm is impregnated with TPU to form a 0.15 mm thick TPU continuous carbon fiber composite board.

[0121] (3) Arrange the three materials, namely epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber laminated prepreg, polyurethane continuous carbon fiber composite board and epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber laminated prepreg, in a row. The polyurethane continuous carbon fiber composite board is cross-connected with the epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber laminated prepreg parts on both sides. Heat the hot press to 150°C, with a mold gap of 0.15mm, and press at 150°C for 30min to obtain an epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber-polyurethane (TPU) continuous carbon fiber-epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber composite board with a thickness of 0.15mm.

[0122] (4) Trim the composite board obtained in step (3) and cut it into the required external dimensions to obtain the substrate layer;

[0123] (5) The bendable area of ​​the substrate layer is shielded, and the supporting plates on both sides of the bendable area are pickled to remove surface oil.

[0124] (6) Catalyze the two sides of the support and deposit a layer of palladium-containing catalyst on the surface of the support;

[0125] (7) The substrate layer is immersed in the plating solution for chemical nickel plating for 4-12 hours, and a nickel layer of 5μm-10μm is deposited on the surface of the support. After washing with water and drying, the flexible screen support structure is obtained.

[0126] The flexible screen support structure prepared in this embodiment achieves a weight reduction of more than 75% compared to a flexible screen support structure of the same size made entirely of stainless steel. Furthermore, the flexible screen support structure prepared in this embodiment underwent 200,000 bending tests without cracking. Moreover, during bending, the carbon fiber in the bending area can be stretched and deformed. This is because the bending area is made of 45° woven carbon fiber, allowing deformation during bending and absorbing the displacement difference between the folded and unfolded states. The flexible screen support structure prepared in this embodiment possesses electrical conductivity, meeting electrical connection requirements.

[0127] Example 2

[0128] See Figure 6B The flexible screen support structure 30 of this embodiment includes a substrate layer 100 and conductive layers 200 disposed on both sides of the substrate layer 100. The conductive layers 200 cover the surfaces of the first and second support members of the substrate layer 100, but do not cover the bendable connectors. The substrate layer 100 is made of epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber-TPU continuous carbon fiber-epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber composite board. Taking a certain model of foldable mobile phone as an example, the design scheme of the flexible screen support structure in this embodiment is as follows: the external dimensions of the flexible screen support structure are 161mm*146mm, the thickness of the substrate layer is 0.15mm, the width of the flexible bendable area (i.e., the bendable connector) is 20mm, and the width of the two side support members is 63mm. The epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber composite board, TPU continuous carbon fiber composite board, and epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber composite board are arranged side by side and combined together to form the substrate layer. The conductive layer 200 includes a copper layer and a nickel layer disposed sequentially on the substrate layer 100.

[0129] The fabrication process of the flexible screen support structure in this embodiment is as follows:

[0130] (1) Select a 0.02mm thick carbon fiber unidirectional cloth, impregnate both sides with epoxy resin to obtain a 0.025mm thick single-layer prepreg, and then stack it according to the stacking angle of 0° / 90° / 0° / 0° / 90° / 0° to form an epoxy resin carbon fiber laminated prepreg with a thickness of 0.15mm.

[0131] (2) A 0° / 90° woven carbon fiber cloth with a thickness of 0.1 mm and a width of 30 mm is impregnated with TPU to form a 0.15 mm thick TPU continuous carbon fiber composite board.

[0132] (3) Arrange the three sheets of epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber laminated prepreg, TPU continuous carbon fiber composite board and epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber laminated prepreg in a row, with the polyurethane continuous carbon fiber composite board cross-connected with the epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber laminated prepreg parts on both sides; heat the hot press to 150℃, with a mold gap of 0.15mm, and press at 150℃ for 30min to obtain an epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber-TPU continuous carbon fiber-epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber composite board with a thickness of 0.15mm.

[0133] (4) Trim the composite board obtained in step (3) and cut it into the required external dimensions to obtain the substrate layer;

[0134] (5) The bendable area of ​​the substrate layer is shielded, and the supporting plates on both sides of the bendable area are pickled to remove surface oil.

[0135] (6) Catalyze the two sides of the support and deposit a layer of palladium-containing catalyst on the surface of the support;

[0136] (7) The substrate layer is immersed in the first plating solution for chemical copper plating for 4h-12h, and a copper layer of 5μm-10μm is deposited on the surface of the support. After washing with water, the substrate layer is immersed in the second plating solution for chemical nickel plating for 4h-12h, and a nickel layer of 2μm-10μm is deposited. After washing with water and drying, the flexible screen support structure is obtained.

[0137] The flexible screen support structure prepared in this embodiment achieves a weight reduction of more than 75% compared to a flexible screen support structure of the same size made entirely of stainless steel. Furthermore, the flexible screen support structure prepared in this embodiment underwent 200,000 bending tests without cracking and maintained good flatness after the tests. Compared to Embodiment 1, the bending area of ​​the flexible screen support structure in this embodiment has continuous carbon fibers in the 0° direction, making it relatively less susceptible to absorbing displacement differences during flattening and bending. Compared to Embodiment 1, this embodiment adds a copper layer to the conductive layer. Copper has better conductivity than nickel; therefore, the conductivity of the flexible screen support structure in this embodiment is superior to that in Embodiment 1.

[0138] Example 3

[0139] See Figure 5The flexible screen support structure 30 in this embodiment includes a substrate layer 100 and an impact-resistant layer 200 disposed on one side of the substrate layer 100. The substrate layer 100 is made of epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber-polyimide (PI)-epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber composite board. Taking a certain model of foldable mobile phone as an example, the design scheme of the flexible screen support structure in this embodiment is as follows: the external dimensions of the flexible screen support structure are 161mm*146mm, the thickness of the substrate layer is 0.15mm, the width of the flexible bendable area (i.e., the width of the bendable connector) is 20mm, and the width of the two side support members is 63mm. The epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber composite board, the PI film, and the epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber composite board are arranged side by side and combined together to form the flexible screen support structure. The impact-resistant layer 200 is a TPU film.

[0140] The fabrication process of the flexible screen support structure in this embodiment is as follows:

[0141] (1) Select a 0.03mm thick carbon fiber unidirectional cloth, impregnate both sides with epoxy resin to obtain a 0.05mm thick single-layer prepreg, and then stack it according to the stacking angle of 0° / 90° / 0° to form an epoxy resin carbon fiber laminated prepreg with a thickness of 0.15mm.

[0142] (2) Prepare a PI film with a width of 25mm and a thickness of 0.15mm;

[0143] (3) Arrange the epoxy resin carbon fiber laminated prepreg, PI film, and epoxy resin carbon fiber laminated prepreg side by side, with the PI film and epoxy resin carbon fiber laminated prepreg staggered by 2mm-5mm.

[0144] (4) Heat the hot press to 200℃, with a mold gap of 0.15mm, and press at 200℃ for 20min to obtain an epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber-PI film-epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber composite board with a thickness of 0.15mm.

[0145] (5) Trim the edges of the composite board obtained in step (4) and cut it into the required external dimensions to obtain the substrate layer;

[0146] (6) Coat one side of the substrate layer with a 50μm-150μm thick TPU film;

[0147] (7) After stacking the substrate layer and the TPU film, place them in a hot press, press at 150°C for 30 minutes, and obtain a flexible screen support structure after cooling.

[0148] The flexible screen support structure prepared in this embodiment reduces weight by more than 75% compared to a flexible screen support structure of the same size made entirely of stainless steel. Furthermore, the flexible screen support structure prepared in this embodiment underwent 200,000 bending tests without cracking and maintained good flatness after the tests. Because the bending area of ​​the flexible screen support structure in this embodiment is made of pure PI material without fibers, it has better bendability than soft fiber composite materials, but lacks a fiber network, resulting in slightly weaker support strength. The flexible screen support structure prepared in this embodiment has impact resistance and can effectively protect the flexible screen from drop impacts.

[0149] Example 4

[0150] See Figure 6A The flexible screen support structure 30 in this embodiment includes a substrate layer 100 and heat-conducting layers 200 disposed on both sides of the substrate layer 100. The substrate layer 100 is made of phenolic resin continuous glass fiber-TPU continuous glass fiber-phenolic resin continuous glass fiber composite board. Taking a certain model of foldable mobile phone as an example, the design scheme of the flexible screen support structure in this embodiment is as follows: the external dimensions of the flexible screen support structure are 161mm*146mm, the thickness of the substrate layer is 0.2mm, the width of the flexible bendable area (i.e., the width of the bendable connector) is 20mm, and the width of the side support members is 63mm. The three boards, phenolic resin continuous glass fiber composite board, TPU continuous glass fiber, and phenolic resin continuous glass fiber composite board, are arranged side by side and combined together to form the substrate layer. The heat-conducting layer 200 is made of heat-conducting graphite sheet.

[0151] The fabrication process of the flexible screen support structure in this embodiment is as follows:

[0152] (1) Select a glass fiber unidirectional cloth with a thickness of 0.02 mm, impregnate both sides with phenolic resin to obtain a single layer of prepreg with a thickness of 0.025 mm, and then stack it according to the stacking angle of 0° / 90° / 0° / 90° / 90° / 0° / 90° / 0° to form a phenolic resin glass fiber laminated prepreg with a thickness of 0.2 mm.

[0153] (2) A 45° woven glass fiber cloth with a thickness of 0.15 mm and a width of 30 mm is impregnated with TPU to form a 0.2 mm thick TPU continuous glass fiber composite board.

[0154] (3) Arrange the three boards, namely phenolic resin continuous glass fiber laminated prepreg, polyurethane continuous glass fiber composite board and phenolic resin continuous glass fiber laminated prepreg, side by side, with the polyurethane continuous glass fiber composite board intersecting with the phenolic resin continuous glass fiber laminated prepreg on both sides; heat the hot press to 150°C, with a mold gap of 0.2mm, and press at 150°C for 30min to obtain a phenolic resin continuous glass fiber-TPU continuous glass fiber-phenolic resin continuous glass fiber composite board with a thickness of 0.2mm.

[0155] (4) Trim the edges of the composite board obtained in step (3) and cut it into the required external dimensions; to obtain the substrate layer;

[0156] (5) Using double-sided tape with a thickness of 10μm-20μm, two graphite sheets with a thickness of 30μm-100μm are bonded to both sides of the substrate layer to obtain a flexible screen support structure.

[0157] The flexible screen support structure prepared in this embodiment reduces weight by more than 75% compared to a flexible screen support structure of the same size made entirely of stainless steel. Furthermore, the flexible screen support structure prepared in this embodiment underwent 200,000 bending tests without cracking and maintained good flatness after the tests. The flexible screen support structure prepared in this embodiment also possesses thermal conductivity, which facilitates the transfer of heat generated by the internal battery of the terminal to the flexible screen side.

[0158] Example 5

[0159] See Figure 8B The flexible screen support structure 30 of this embodiment includes a substrate layer 100 and conductive layers 201 and impact-resistant layers 202 disposed on both sides of the substrate layer 100. The substrate layer 100 is made of epoxy resin continuous glass fiber-silicone rubber continuous glass fiber-epoxy resin continuous glass fiber composite board. Taking a certain model of foldable mobile phone as an example, the design scheme of the flexible screen support structure in this embodiment is as follows: the external dimensions of the flexible screen support structure are 161mm*146mm, the thickness of the substrate layer is 0.2mm, the width of the flexible bendable area (i.e., the width of the bendable connector) is 20mm, and the width of the side support members is 63mm. The epoxy resin continuous glass fiber composite board, the silicone rubber continuous glass fiber, and the epoxy resin continuous glass fiber composite board are arranged side by side and combined together to form the substrate layer. The conductive layer 201 is made of nickel and gold. The impact-resistant layer 202 is made of TPU film.

[0160] The fabrication process of the flexible screen support structure in this embodiment is as follows:

[0161] (1) Select a 0.02mm thick glass fiber unidirectional cloth, impregnate both sides with epoxy resin to obtain a 0.025mm thick single-layer prepreg, and then stack it according to the stacking angle of 0° / 90° / 0° / 90° / 90° / 0° / 90° / 0° to form an epoxy resin glass fiber laminated prepreg with a thickness of 0.2mm.

[0162] (2) A 45° woven glass fiber cloth with a thickness of 0.15 mm and a width of 30 mm is impregnated with silicone rubber to form a silicone rubber continuous glass fiber composite board with a thickness of 0.2 mm.

[0163] (3) Arrange the three boards, namely epoxy resin continuous glass fiber laminated prepreg, silicone rubber continuous glass fiber composite board and epoxy resin continuous glass fiber laminated prepreg, side by side, with the silicone rubber continuous glass fiber composite board intersecting with the epoxy resin continuous glass fiber laminated prepreg on both sides; heat the hot press to 150°C, with a mold gap of 0.2mm, and press at 150°C for 30min to obtain an epoxy resin continuous glass fiber-silicone rubber continuous glass fiber-epoxy resin continuous glass fiber composite board with a thickness of 0.2mm.

[0164] (4) Trim the composite board obtained in step (3) and cut it into the required external dimensions to obtain the substrate layer;

[0165] (5) The bendable area of ​​the substrate layer is shielded, and the supporting plates on both sides of the bendable area are pickled to remove surface oil.

[0166] (6) Catalyze the two sides of the support and deposit a layer of palladium-containing catalyst on the surface of the support;

[0167] (7) Immerse the substrate layer in the plating solution for chemical nickel plating for 4-12 hours to deposit a 5-10 μm nickel layer on the surface of the support, wash with water and dry.

[0168] (8) After covering the nickel layer outside the pre-plated gold area, immerse it in the plating solution for chemical gold plating for 2-4 hours, so that a gold layer of 1-2 μm is deposited in the pre-plated gold area. Wash with water, dry, and form a conductive layer.

[0169] (9) A 50μm-150μm thick TPU film is coated on each of the two conductive layers. After stacking, the film is placed in a hot press at a pressing temperature of 150℃ for 30 minutes. After cooling, a flexible screen support structure is obtained.

[0170] The flexible screen support structure prepared in this embodiment reduces weight by more than 75% compared to a flexible screen support structure of the same size made entirely of stainless steel. Furthermore, the flexible screen support structure prepared in this embodiment underwent 200,000 bending tests without cracking and maintained good flatness after the tests. The flexible screen support structure prepared in this embodiment also possesses both electrical conductivity and impact resistance.

[0171] Example 6

[0172] See Figure 8B The flexible screen support structure 30 in this embodiment includes a substrate layer 100 and conductive layers 201 and thermally conductive layers 202 disposed on both sides of the substrate layer 100. The substrate layer 100 is made of phenolic resin continuous glass fiber-silicone rubber continuous glass fiber-phenolic resin continuous glass fiber composite board. Taking a certain model of foldable mobile phone as an example, the design scheme of the flexible screen support structure in this embodiment is as follows: the external dimensions of the flexible screen support structure are 161mm*146mm, the thickness of the substrate layer is 0.2mm, the width of the flexible bendable area (i.e., the width of the bendable connector) is 20mm, and the width of the side support members is 63mm. The three boards—phenolic resin continuous glass fiber composite board, silicone rubber continuous glass fiber, and phenolic resin continuous glass fiber composite board—are arranged side by side and combined together to form the substrate layer. The conductive layer 201 is made of nickel and gold. The thermally conductive layer 202 is made of thermally conductive silicone sheet.

[0173] The fabrication process of the flexible screen support structure in this embodiment is as follows:

[0174] (1) Select a 0.02mm thick glass fiber unidirectional cloth, impregnate both sides with phenolic resin to obtain a 0.025mm thick single-layer prepreg, and then stack it according to the stacking angle of 0° / -45° / +45° / 0° / 0° / +45° / -45° / 0° to form a 0.2mm thick phenolic resin glass fiber laminated prepreg.

[0175] (2) A 45° woven glass fiber cloth with a thickness of 0.15 mm and a width of 30 mm is impregnated with silicone rubber to form a 0.2 mm thick TPU continuous glass fiber composite board.

[0176] (3) Arrange the three boards, namely phenolic resin continuous glass fiber laminated prepreg, silicone rubber continuous glass fiber composite board and phenolic resin continuous glass fiber laminated prepreg, side by side, with the silicone rubber continuous glass fiber composite board intersecting with the phenolic resin continuous glass fiber laminated prepreg on both sides; heat the hot press to 150°C, with a mold gap of 0.2mm, and press at 150°C for 30min to obtain a phenolic resin continuous glass fiber-silicone rubber continuous glass fiber-phenolic resin continuous glass fiber composite board with a thickness of 0.2mm.

[0177] (4) Trim the composite board obtained in step (3) and cut it into the required external dimensions to obtain the substrate layer;

[0178] (5) The bendable area of ​​the substrate layer is shielded, and the supporting plates on both sides of the bendable area are pickled to remove surface oil.

[0179] (6) Catalyze the two sides of the support and deposit a layer of palladium-containing catalyst on the surface of the support;

[0180] (7) Immerse the substrate layer in the plating solution for chemical nickel plating for 4-12 hours to deposit a 5-10 μm nickel layer on the surface of the support, wash with water and dry.

[0181] (8) After covering the nickel layer outside the pre-plated gold area, immerse it in the plating solution for chemical gold plating for 2-4 hours, so that a gold layer of 1-2 μm is deposited in the pre-plated gold area. Wash with water, dry, and form a conductive layer.

[0182] (9) A layer of thermally conductive silicone sheet with a thickness of 30μm-100μm is applied to the conductive layers on both sides. After stacking, the sheets are placed in a hot press at a pressing temperature of 100℃ for 30 minutes. After cooling, a flexible screen support structure is obtained.

[0183] The flexible screen support structure prepared in this embodiment reduces weight by more than 75% compared to a flexible screen support structure of the same size made entirely of stainless steel. Furthermore, the flexible screen support structure prepared in this embodiment underwent 200,000 bending tests without cracking and maintained good flatness after the tests. The flexible screen support structure prepared in this embodiment also possesses both electrical and thermal conductivity.

[0184] Example 7

[0185] See Figure 8A The flexible screen support structure 30 of this embodiment includes a substrate layer 100 and a thermally conductive layer 201 and an impact-resistant layer 202 disposed on both sides of the substrate layer 100. The substrate layer 100 is made of epoxy resin continuous aramid fiber-polyurethane (TPU) continuous aramid fiber-epoxy resin continuous aramid fiber composite board. Taking a certain model of foldable mobile phone as an example, the design scheme of the flexible screen support structure in this embodiment is as follows: the external dimensions of the flexible screen support structure are 161mm*146mm, the thickness of the substrate layer is 0.15mm, the width of the flexible bendable area (i.e., the width of the bendable connector) is 20mm, and the width of the side support members is 63mm. The epoxy resin continuous aramid fiber composite board, the polyurethane continuous aramid fiber composite board, and the epoxy resin continuous aramid fiber composite board are arranged side by side and combined together to form the substrate layer. The thermally conductive layer 201 is made of thermally conductive silicone. The impact-resistant layer 202 is made of TPU film.

[0186] The fabrication process of the flexible screen support structure in this embodiment is as follows:

[0187] (1) Select 0.02mm thick aramid fiber unidirectional fabric, impregnate both sides with epoxy resin to obtain a 0.025mm thick single-layer prepreg, and then stack them according to the stacking angle of 0° / +45° / -45° / -45° / +45° / 0° to form an epoxy resin aramid fiber laminated prepreg with a thickness of 0.15mm.

[0188] (2) A 45° woven aramid fiber cloth with a thickness of 0.1 mm and a width of 30 mm is used to impregnate TPU to form a 0.15 mm thick TPU continuous aramid fiber composite board.

[0189] (3) Arrange the three boards, namely epoxy resin continuous aramid fiber laminated prepreg, polyurethane continuous aramid fiber composite board and epoxy resin continuous aramid fiber laminated prepreg, side by side, with the polyurethane continuous aramid fiber composite board cross-connected with the epoxy resin continuous aramid fiber laminated prepreg parts on both sides; heat the hot press to 150℃, with a mold gap of 0.15mm, and press at 150℃ for 30min to obtain an epoxy resin continuous aramid fiber-polyurethane (TPU) continuous aramid fiber-epoxy resin continuous aramid fiber composite board with a thickness of 0.15mm.

[0190] (4) Trim the composite board obtained in step (3) and cut it into the required external dimensions to obtain the substrate layer;

[0191] (5) Cover the upper and lower sides of the substrate layer with a layer of thermally conductive silicone sheet with a thickness of 30μm-100μm respectively. After stacking, place it in a hot press and press at 100℃ for 30 minutes to form a thermally conductive layer.

[0192] (6) A TPU film with a thickness of 50μm-150μm is applied to the thermal conductive layers on both sides. After stacking, the layers are placed in a hot press at a pressing temperature of 150℃ for 30 minutes. After cooling, a flexible screen support structure is obtained.

[0193] The flexible screen support structure prepared in this embodiment reduces weight by more than 75% compared to a flexible screen support structure of the same size made entirely of stainless steel. Furthermore, the flexible screen support structure prepared in this embodiment underwent 200,000 bending tests without cracking and maintained good flatness after the tests. The flexible screen support structure prepared in this embodiment also possesses both thermal conductivity and impact resistance.

[0194] Example 8

[0195] See Figure 11AThe flexible screen support structure 30 of this embodiment includes a substrate layer 100 and functional layers 200 disposed on both sides of the substrate layer 100. One side of the functional layer 200 includes a conductive layer 201 and an impact-resistant layer 202, while the other side includes a conductive layer. The substrate layer 100 adopts an epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber-stainless steel-epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber composite board as the flexible screen support structure of this embodiment. Taking a certain model of foldable mobile phone as an example, the design scheme of the flexible screen support structure of this embodiment is as follows: the external dimensions of the flexible screen support structure are 161mm*146mm, the thickness is 0.15mm, the width of the flexible bendable area (i.e., the width of the bendable connector) is 20mm, and the width of the two side support members is 63mm. The epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber composite board, the stainless steel sheet, and the epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber composite board are arranged side by side and combined together. The stainless steel sheet is embedded in the epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber composite board structure on both sides to form the substrate layer. The conductive layer is a nickel layer, and the impact-resistant layer is a TPU film.

[0196] The fabrication process of the flexible screen support structure in this embodiment is as follows:

[0197] (1) Select a 0.02mm thick carbon fiber unidirectional fabric, impregnate both sides with epoxy resin to obtain a 0.025mm thick single-layer prepreg, and then stack the single-layer prepreg at an overlap angle of 0° / 90° / 0° / 0° / 90° / 0° to form an epoxy resin carbon fiber laminated prepreg with a thickness of 0.15mm.

[0198] (2) Prepare a porous stainless steel sheet with a width of 30mm and a thickness of 0.15mm. The porous area in the middle (as a flexible and bendable area) is 20mm. The left and right sides are lowered to form a stepped structure with a thickness of 0.05mm and a width of 5mm as the fitting part (holes can be drilled in the fitting part).

[0199] (3) Arrange the epoxy resin carbon fiber laminated prepreg, porous stainless steel sheet, and epoxy resin carbon fiber laminated prepreg in a row, with a 5mm wide bonding area between the porous stainless steel sheet and the epoxy resin carbon fiber laminated prepreg on both sides; heat the hot press to 150℃, with a mold gap of 0.15mm, and press at 150℃ for 30min to obtain an epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber-stainless steel-epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber composite board with a thickness of 0.15mm.

[0200] (4) Trim the composite board obtained in step (3) and cut it into the required external dimensions to obtain the substrate layer;

[0201] (5) Pickling the substrate layer to remove surface oil stains;

[0202] (6) Catalyze both sides of the substrate layer and deposit a palladium-containing catalyst on the surface of the substrate layer;

[0203] (7) Immerse the substrate layer in the plating solution for chemical nickel plating for 4-12 hours to deposit a nickel layer of 5μm-10μm, wash with water, dry, and form a conductive layer.

[0204] (8) A TPU film with a thickness of 50μm-150μm is coated on one side of the conductive layer. After stacking, it is placed in a hot press at a pressing temperature of 150℃ for 30 minutes. After cooling, a flexible screen support structure is obtained.

[0205] The flexible screen support structure prepared in this embodiment reduces weight by more than 62% compared to a flexible screen support structure of the same size made entirely of stainless steel. Furthermore, the flexible screen support structure prepared in this embodiment underwent 200,000 bending tests without cracking and maintained good flatness after the tests. The flexible screen support structure prepared in this embodiment also possesses both electrical conductivity and impact resistance.

[0206] Example 9

[0207] See Figure 10 The flexible screen support structure 30 in this embodiment includes a substrate layer 100 and conductive layers 201, thermally conductive layers 202, and impact-resistant layers 203 disposed on both sides of the substrate layer 100. The substrate layer 100 is made of epoxy resin continuous glass fiber-titanium alloy-epoxy resin continuous glass fiber composite board. Taking a certain model of foldable mobile phone as an example, the design scheme of the flexible screen support structure in this embodiment is as follows: the external dimensions of the flexible screen support structure are 161mm*146mm, the thickness of the substrate layer is 0.15mm, the width of the flexible bendable area (i.e., the width of the bendable connector) is 20mm, and the width of the side support members is 63mm. The epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber composite board, the titanium alloy sheet, and the epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber composite board are arranged side by side and combined together. The titanium alloy sheet is embedded in the epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber composite board structure on both sides to form the substrate layer. The conductive layer is a nickel layer, the thermally conductive layer includes thermally conductive double-sided adhesive, and the impact-resistant layer is made of TPEE film.

[0208] The fabrication process of the flexible screen support structure in this embodiment is as follows:

[0209] (1) Select a 0.02mm thick carbon fiber unidirectional fabric, impregnate both sides with epoxy resin to obtain a 0.025mm thick single-layer prepreg, and then stack the single-layer prepreg at an overlap angle of 0° / 90° / 0° / 0° / 90° / 0° to form an epoxy resin carbon fiber laminated prepreg with a thickness of 0.15mm.

[0210] (2) Prepare a porous titanium alloy sheet with a width of 30mm and a thickness of 0.15mm. The porous area in the middle (as a flexible and bendable area) is 20mm. The left and right sides are flattened to form a stepped structure with a thickness of 0.05mm and a width of 5mm as the fitting part (holes can be drilled in the fitting part).

[0211] (3) Arrange the epoxy resin carbon fiber laminated prepreg, porous titanium alloy sheet, and epoxy resin carbon fiber laminated prepreg in a row, with a 5mm wide bonding area between the porous titanium alloy sheet and the epoxy resin carbon fiber laminated prepreg on both sides; heat the hot press to 150℃, with a mold gap of 0.15mm, and press at 150℃ for 30min to obtain an epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber-titanium alloy-epoxy resin continuous carbon fiber composite board with a thickness of 0.15mm.

[0212] (4) Trim the composite board obtained in step (3) and cut it into the required external dimensions to obtain the substrate layer;

[0213] (5) Pickling the substrate layer to remove surface oil stains;

[0214] (6) Catalyze both sides of the substrate layer and deposit a palladium-containing catalyst on the surface of the substrate layer;

[0215] (7) Immerse the substrate layer in the plating solution for chemical nickel plating for 4-12 hours to deposit a nickel layer of 5μm-10μm, wash with water, dry, and form a conductive layer.

[0216] (8) A layer of conductive double-sided tape with a thickness of 30μm-100μm is bonded to the conductive layers on both sides, and a layer of TPEE film with a thickness of 50μm-150μm is bonded to the other side of the tape to obtain a flexible screen support structure.

[0217] The flexible screen support structure prepared in this embodiment reduces weight by more than 70% compared to a flexible screen support structure of the same size made entirely of stainless steel. Furthermore, the flexible screen support structure prepared in this embodiment underwent 200,000 bending tests without cracking and maintained good flatness after the tests. The flexible screen support structure prepared in this embodiment also possesses electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and impact resistance.

[0218] Example 10

[0219] See Figure 11B The flexible screen support structure 30 of this embodiment includes a substrate layer 100 and functional layers 200 disposed on both sides of the substrate layer 100. One side of the functional layer 200 includes a conductive layer 201 and an impact-resistant layer 202, and the other side of the functional layer 200 includes a thermally conductive layer. The substrate layer 100 is the same as in Embodiment 1, and its size design is the same as in Embodiment 1. The conductive layer is a nickel layer, and the impact-resistant layer is made of TPU film. The thermally conductive layer is made of thermally conductive graphite sheet.

[0220] The fabrication process of the flexible screen support structure in this embodiment is as follows:

[0221] (1) The substrate layer was prepared using the same method as in Example 1;

[0222] (2) The bendable area of ​​the substrate layer is shielded, and the supporting plates on both sides of the bendable area are pickled to remove surface oil.

[0223] (3) Catalyze the two sides of the support and deposit a layer of palladium-containing catalyst on the surface of the support;

[0224] (4) Immerse the substrate layer in the plating solution for chemical nickel plating for 4-12 hours. Deposit a 5-10 μm nickel layer on one side of the substrate layer. Wash with water and dry to form a conductive layer.

[0225] (5) Cover the conductive layer with a TPU film with a thickness of 50μm-150μm, stack them and put them into a hot press, press at 150℃ for 30min to form an impact-resistant layer.

[0226] (6) A 30μm-100μm thick thermally conductive graphite sheet is bonded to the other side of the substrate layer to obtain a flexible screen support structure.

[0227] The flexible screen support structure prepared in this embodiment has electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and impact resistance.

[0228] Example 11

[0229] See Figure 8B The flexible screen support structure 30 of this embodiment includes a substrate layer 100 and functional layers 200 disposed on both sides of the substrate layer 100. One side of the functional layer 200 includes a conductive layer 201 and an impact-resistant layer 202, and the other side of the functional layer 200 includes a conductive layer 201 and a thermally conductive layer 202. The substrate layer 100 is the same as in Embodiment 1, and its size design is the same as in Embodiment 1. The conductive layer is a nickel layer, and the impact-resistant layer is made of TPEE film. The thermally conductive layer is made of thermally conductive double-sided adhesive.

[0230] The fabrication process of the flexible screen support structure in this embodiment is as follows:

[0231] (1) The substrate layer was prepared using the same method as in Example 1;

[0232] (2) The bendable area of ​​the substrate layer is shielded, and the supporting plates on both sides of the bendable area are pickled to remove surface oil.

[0233] (3) Catalyze the two sides of the support and deposit a layer of palladium-containing catalyst on the surface of the support;

[0234] (4) Immerse the substrate layer in the plating solution for chemical nickel plating for 4-12 hours. Deposit a 5μm-10μm nickel layer on both sides of the substrate layer. Wash with water and dry to form a conductive layer.

[0235] (5) A TPEE film with a thickness of 50μm-150μm is coated on the conductive layer on one side of the substrate layer. After stacking, it is placed in a hot press at a pressing temperature of 220℃ for 30 minutes to form a thermally conductive layer.

[0236] (6) A layer of thermally conductive double-sided tape with a thickness of 30μm-100μm is bonded to the conductive layer on the other side of the substrate layer to obtain a flexible screen support structure.

[0237] The flexible screen support structure prepared in this embodiment has electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and impact resistance.

[0238] The flexible screen support structure of this application embodiment uses a composite material of organic materials and fibers as the main material, which significantly reduces weight compared to existing flexible screen support structures made of all-metal materials such as stainless steel, while providing excellent rigid support for the flexible screen. Simultaneously, the bending area can use metal, organic flexible materials, or soft fiber composite materials, thereby ensuring bending reliability while further reducing the overall weight of the support structure. This is beneficial for weight reduction in foldable terminal products, improving product competitiveness and enhancing user experience. Furthermore, the flexible screen support structure of this application embodiment has low manufacturing costs. In addition, the flexible screen support structure of this application embodiment, through the addition of functional layers, also possesses electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and impact resistance functions, meeting the functional requirements of the support structure and improving the performance of the terminal product.

Claims

1. A composite structure, characterized in that, The device includes a substrate layer and a conductive layer disposed on at least one surface of the substrate layer. The substrate layer includes a first support member and a second support member arranged side by side, and a bendable connector disposed between and connected to the first and second support members. The first and second support members are made of a rigid fiber composite material, which includes multiple fiber layers. The conductive layer has a multi-layer structure, including a first layer and a second layer. The first layer includes a first conductive metal, and the second layer includes a second conductive metal. The first and second conductive metals include one or more of copper, silver, gold, nickel, and tin.

2. The composite structure as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The first layer comprises silver, the second layer comprises nickel, the first layer is disposed on the substrate layer, and the second layer is disposed on the side of the first layer away from the substrate layer.

3. The composite structure as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The first layer comprises gold, the second layer comprises nickel, the second layer is disposed on the substrate layer, and the first layer is disposed on the side of the second layer away from the substrate layer.

4. The composite structure according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The conductive layer at least partially covers the surface of the substrate layer.

5. The composite structure according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The conductive layer covers the surfaces of the first support member and the second support member, but does not cover the surface of the bendable connector.

6. The composite structure as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The rigid fiber composite material also includes a rigid adhesive material cured on the multilayer fiber layers.

7. The composite structure according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The multilayer fiber layer includes unidirectional fiber fabric and / or woven fiber fabric.

8. The composite structure as described in claim 7, characterized in that, Each of the multiple fiber layers is a unidirectional fiber fabric.

9. The composite structure as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The multi-layered fiber fabric is a multi-layered unidirectional fiber fabric stacked at different angles.

10. The composite structure as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The hard plastic material includes hard resin and / or hard rubber.

11. The composite structure as described in claim 10, characterized in that, The rigid adhesive material includes one or more of epoxy resin, phenolic resin, amino resin, unsaturated polyester, silicone ether resin, polyolefin, polyamide, polyoxymethylene, polycarbonate, polyphenylene ether, and polysulfone.

12. The composite structure according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, Each fiber layer in the multilayer fiber layer includes one or more of the following: glass fiber, carbon fiber, aramid fiber, alumina fiber, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber, and poly(p-phenylenebenzodioxazole) fiber.

13. The composite structure according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The fiber content in the hard rubber fiber composite material is 10%-80% by mass.

14. The composite structure as described in claim 6, 10, or 11, characterized in that, The multi-layered fiber layers and the hard adhesive material form a composite laminate in which fibers and hard adhesive are alternately stacked; or the multi-layered fiber layers are stacked to form a fiber composite, and the hard adhesive material is cured on the fiber composite.

15. The composite structure according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The bendable connector includes at least one fiber layer; the at least one fiber layer in the first support, the at least one fiber layer in the second support, and the at least one fiber layer in the bendable connector are integrally woven structures.

16. The composite structure according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The thickness of the composite structure is 0.1mm-5mm.

17. A flexible screen assembly, characterized in that, The flexible screen assembly includes a flexible screen and a flexible screen support structure for supporting the flexible screen, wherein the flexible screen support structure includes the composite structure according to any one of claims 1-16.

18. The flexible screen assembly as described in claim 17, characterized in that, The conductive layer of the composite structure is located on the side of the substrate layer of the composite structure away from the flexible screen.

19. A foldable terminal, characterized in that, The foldable terminal includes the flexible screen assembly as described in claim 17 or 18.

20. The foldable terminal as described in claim 19, characterized in that, The flexible screen of the flexible screen assembly includes a bending area and non-bending areas located on both sides of the bending area. The flexible screen support structure of the flexible screen assembly is disposed on the outer surface of the flexible screen. The first support member and the second support member of the flexible screen support structure correspond to the non-bending areas on both sides of the flexible screen, respectively. The bendable connector of the flexible screen support structure corresponds to the bending area of ​​the flexible screen.

21. The foldable terminal as described in claim 19 or 20, characterized in that, The conductive layer of the flexible screen support structure is used to achieve electrical connection between the flexible screen support structure and other components of the foldable terminal.

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