electronic devices

Abstract

This application provides an electronic device. The electronic device includes a flexible display panel, a back panel, and a hinge, with the back panel disposed between the flexible display panel and the hinge. The flexible display panel includes a connected unfolding portion and a bending portion, the bending portion being used for bending the flexible display panel. The back panel has a first blind hole, which is located on one side of the back panel and away from the flexible display panel. The hinge has a slit. Using the surface of the flexible display panel as a reference plane, the projection of the first blind hole onto the reference plane at least partially overlaps with the projection of the slit onto the reference plane. The first blind hole helps prevent display defects such as bright spots, black spots, and dead pixels from appearing on the flexible display panel, thereby improving the lifespan of the electronic device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the technical field of electronic devices. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of display technology, foldable electronic devices have gained increasing acceptance from users. However, with the increase in the number of folds, the flexible display panels of foldable electronic devices are prone to display defects such as bright spots, black spots, and horizontal lines, which can affect the lifespan of the electronic devices. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of this, this application provides an electronic device to solve the problems of display defects or short service life that are common in existing foldable electronic devices.

[0004] In a first aspect, this application provides an electronic device including a flexible display panel, a back panel, and a hinge, with the back panel disposed between the flexible display panel and the hinge. The flexible display panel includes a connected unfolding portion and a bending portion, the bending portion being used for bending the flexible display panel. The back panel has a first blind hole, which is located on one side of the back panel and away from the flexible display panel. The hinge has a slit. Using the surface of the flexible display panel as a reference plane, the projection of the first blind hole on the reference plane at least partially overlaps with the projection of the slit on the reference plane. It should be understood that by providing the first blind hole on the back panel, the bending force of the back panel can be reduced, thereby avoiding display defects such as bright spots, black spots, dead pixels, and horizontal lines on the flexible display panel, thus improving the service life of the electronic device using the back panel. Furthermore, the side of the back panel facing the flexible display panel does not have an opening, thereby improving the compressive strength of the back panel.

[0005] In some designs, the thickness of the backplane can be 30μm to 200μm, and the depth of the first blind via can be less than or equal to 195μm. Based on this, by adjusting the shape and depth of the first blind via, the thickness of the backplane, etc., the bending force of the backplane can be adaptively adjusted to facilitate its application in electronic devices.

[0006] In some designs, the distance between adjacent first blind holes can be 5 μm to 100 μm. Based on this, by adjusting the distance between the first blind holes, the bending force of the backplane can be adaptively adjusted to facilitate its application in electronic devices.

[0007] In some embodiments, along a first direction, the first blind hole includes a first annular region, a first connecting region, and a second annular region connected in sequence, the first direction being the length direction of the electronic device; along a second direction, the dimensions of both the first and second annular regions are larger than the dimension of the first connecting region, the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction. Based on this, the first and second annular regions can release the internal stress of the backplate, and the connecting portion can reduce the overall opening area of ​​the first blind hole, thereby improving the compressive strength resistance of the backplate.

[0008] In some embodiments, the back panel also includes a first through-hole, which is spaced apart from a first blind hole. Using the surface of the flexible display panel as a reference surface, the projection of the first through-hole onto the reference surface is alternated with the projection of the gap onto the reference surface. It should be understood that, based on the cooperation of the first blind hole and the first through-hole, the total opening area of ​​the back panel on the side facing the flexible display panel is smaller, meaning the side of the back panel facing the flexible display panel is relatively flat. Therefore, this can also, to a certain extent, prevent structures such as optical adhesive layers from being squeezed into the back panel, thereby avoiding display defects such as horizontal lines in electronic devices.

[0009] In some methods, the surface of the flexible display panel is used as a reference surface, and the projection of the first through-hole onto the reference surface is located on the bent portion of the flexible display panel. Therefore, the first through-hole is not directly aligned with the gap of the hinge. When the user presses the area of ​​the flexible display panel corresponding to the first through-hole, the hinge can provide a certain supporting force to the flexible display panel, thus preventing display defects such as bright spots, black spots, and dead pixels.

[0010] In some designs, the distance between adjacent first blind vias and first through vias can be 5 μm to 100 μm. Based on this, by adjusting the distance between the first blind vias, the bending force of the backplane can also be adaptively adjusted to facilitate its application in electronic devices.

[0011] In some embodiments, the back panel also has a second blind hole located on one side of the back panel and away from the flexible display panel; with the surface of the flexible display panel as a reference plane, the projection of the second blind hole onto the reference plane is located in the unfolded portion. It should be understood that, based on this second blind hole, the weight of the back panel can be reduced, thereby reducing the overall weight of the electronic device and achieving a lighter electronic device.

[0012] In some designs, the back panel also has a second through-hole along the direction from the flexible display panel to the hinge. The second through-hole has a first aperture and a second aperture, with the first aperture being smaller than the second aperture. This reduces the weight of the back panel, making it more suitable for use in electronic devices.

[0013] In some designs, the first aperture can be less than or equal to 300 μm. It should be understood that the thickness of a typical user's fingernail is 0.3 mm to 0.8 mm, which is generally greater than the first aperture of the second through-hole. Therefore, when a user performs a touch operation, even if the user's fingernail touches the area corresponding to the second through-hole on the flexible display panel, the backplate can still provide a certain degree of support to the flexible display panel to prevent display defects such as bright spots, black spots, and dead pixels.

[0014] Secondly, embodiments of this application also provide another electronic device, including a flexible display panel, a back plate, and a hinge, with the back plate disposed between the flexible display panel and the hinge. The flexible display panel includes a connected unfolded portion and a bent portion, the bent portion being used to allow the flexible display panel to be bent. The back plate has a second through-hole, which is located on one side of the back plate and away from the flexible display panel; along the direction from the flexible display panel to the hinge, the second through-hole has a first aperture and a second aperture, the first aperture being smaller than the second aperture. The hinge has a gap; with the surface of the flexible display panel as a reference plane, the projection of the second through-hole on the reference plane at least partially overlaps with the projection of the gap on the reference plane. It should be understood that the second through-hole can also reduce the local stress when the back plate is bent, thus facilitating the bending of the back plate. Furthermore, because the first aperture of the second through-hole is relatively small, it can, to some extent, prevent structures such as optical adhesive layers from being squeezed into the back plate, thereby improving the compressive strength of the back plate.

[0015] In some designs, the first aperture of the second through-hole can be less than or equal to 300 μm. It should be understood that the thickness of a typical user's fingernail is 0.3 mm to 0.8 mm, which is generally greater than the first aperture of the second through-hole. Therefore, when a user performs a touch operation, even if the user's fingernail touches the area corresponding to the second through-hole on the flexible display panel, the backplate can still provide a certain degree of support to the flexible display panel to prevent display defects such as bright spots, black spots, and dead pixels.

[0016] In some designs, the distance between adjacent second through holes can be 5 μm to 100 μm. Based on this, by adjusting the distance between the second through holes, the bending force of the backplate can be adaptively adjusted, making it suitable for use in electronic devices.

[0017] In some methods, the surface of the flexible display panel is used as a reference surface, and the projection of the second through hole on the reference surface is located on the bending portion to reduce the bending force of the back panel.

[0018] In some methods, the surface of the flexible display panel is used as a reference surface, and the projection of the second through hole on the reference surface is also located on the unfolded part to reduce the weight of the back panel.

[0019] In some embodiments, the back panel also has a second blind hole located on one side of the back panel and away from the flexible display panel; with the surface of the flexible display panel as a reference plane, the projection of the second blind hole onto the reference plane is located on the unfolded portion. Based on this second blind hole, the weight of the back panel can also be reduced, thereby achieving a lighter electronic device.

[0020] In some embodiments, along a first direction, the first through-hole includes a third annular region, a second connecting region, and a fourth annular region connected sequentially, with the first direction being the length direction of the electronic device. Along a second direction, the dimensions of the third and fourth annular regions are both larger than the dimension of the second connecting region, and the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction. Based on this, the third and fourth annular regions can release the internal stress of the backplate, thereby reducing the bending force of the backplate. The second connecting region can reduce the overall opening area of ​​the first through-hole, thus preventing structures such as optical adhesive layers from being squeezed into the backplate to a certain extent, thereby avoiding display defects such as horizontal lines in the electronic device.

[0021] In some designs, the distance between adjacent second through-holes and first through-holes can be 5μm to 100μm. Based on this, by adjusting the distance between the second through-holes and first through-holes, the bending force of the backplate can also be adaptively adjusted for application in electronic devices.

[0022] In some embodiments, the electronic device also includes an optical adhesive layer located between the flexible display panel and the back panel.

[0023] In some embodiments, the cross-sectional shape of the first blind hole includes trapezoidal, inverted trapezoidal, pentagonal, rectangular, I-shaped, cross-shaped, arc-shaped, or freeform surface.

[0024] In some cases, the backsheet is a metal backsheet, a metal matrix composite backsheet, a multilayer metal composite backsheet, or a non-metallic material backsheet.

[0025] Thirdly, this application also provides a method for processing a back plate, the method comprising: locally annealing the arched portion of the back plate at an annealing temperature of 0.5Tb; wherein Tb is the recrystallization temperature of the metal.

[0026] Fourthly, this application also provides a method for processing a backplate, the method comprising: using a stainless steel electrode as the cathode and the backplate as the anode, immersing the backplate in an electrolyte for electrolysis.

[0027] In some methods, the electrolyte includes perchloric acid and acetic acid, with a perchloric acid:acetic acid ratio of 1:15.

[0028] This application provides a first blind hole on the back panel, which ensures the bending performance of the back panel while giving it suitable compression resistance and preventing optical adhesives from being squeezed into the back panel to a certain extent. This avoids display defects such as bright spots, black spots, dead pixels, or horizontal lines on the flexible display panel, thereby improving the bending performance and bending life of electronic devices. Attached Figure Description

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a typical foldable electronic device.

[0030] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a flexible display panel, back panel, and hinge according to an embodiment of this application.

[0031] Figure 3 This is a partial cross-sectional view of an electronic device according to an embodiment of this application.

[0032] Figure 4 This is a partial schematic diagram of a back plate with a first blind hole according to an embodiment of this application.

[0033] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the back panel according to another embodiment of this application.

[0034] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the back panel according to another embodiment of this application.

[0035] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the back panel according to another embodiment of this application.

[0036] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the back panel according to another embodiment of this application.

[0037] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of a flexible display panel, back plate, and hinge according to another embodiment of this application.

[0038] Figure 10 This is a partial cross-sectional view of an electronic device according to another embodiment of this application.

[0039] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of a flexible display panel, back plate, and hinge according to another embodiment of this application.

[0040] Figure 12 This is a partial cross-sectional view of an electronic device according to another embodiment of this application.

[0041] Figure 13 This is a partial schematic diagram of a back plate with a first through hole according to another embodiment of this application.

[0042] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of a flexible display panel, back plate, and hinge according to another embodiment of this application.

[0043] Figure 15 This is a partial cross-sectional view of an electronic device according to another embodiment of this application.

[0044] Figure 16 This is a partial cross-sectional view of an electronic device according to another embodiment of this application.

[0045] Figure 17 for Figure 16 A magnified view of a portion of an electronic device.

[0046] Figure 18 This is a flowchart of a backplate processing method according to an embodiment of this application.

[0047] Figure 19 This is a schematic diagram of a backplate processing method according to another embodiment of this application.

[0048] Figure 20 This is a schematic diagram of a backplate processing method according to another embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0049] The terminology used in the embodiments of this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of this application. As used in the specification and appended claims of this application, the singular expressions “a,” “an,” “the,” “the,” “the,” and “this” are intended to include the plural expressions as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0050] References to "one embodiment" or "some embodiments" as described in this specification mean that at least one embodiment of this application includes a specific feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment. Therefore, the phrases "in one embodiment," "in some embodiments," "in other embodiments," "in still other embodiments," "in some ways," etc., appearing in different parts of this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, but rather mean "one or more, but not all, embodiments," unless otherwise specifically emphasized. The terms "comprising," "including," "having," and variations thereof mean "including but not limited to," unless otherwise specifically emphasized.

[0051] Please refer to Figure 1In a typical foldable electronic device 1000, a flexible display panel 1100, a back plate 1200, and a hinge 1300 are sequentially arranged. The back plate 1200 is located between the flexible display panel 1100 and the hinge 1300. The flexible display panel 1100 may be, for example, an OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) panel, which can bend to a certain extent under external force to achieve multi-angle display of the electronic device 1000. The back plate 1200 can be fixedly connected to the flexible display panel 1100 through a structure such as an OCA (Optically Clear Adhesive) layer 1400 to support and protect the flexible display panel 1100. The hinge 1300 can be located on one side of the back plate 1200 and away from the flexible display panel 1100.

[0052] The pivot 1300 can rotate, and the back plate 1200 and the flexible display panel 1100 on the pivot 1300 rotate synchronously, so that the electronic device 1000 can have unfolded, folded and other states.

[0053] To achieve bending, the flexible display panel 1100 may include a first unfolding portion 1120, a bending portion 1140, and a second unfolding portion 1160, with the bending portion 1140 located between the first unfolding portion 1120 and the second unfolding portion 1160. It should be understood that the bending portion 1140 enables the flexible display panel 1100 to achieve the function of flexible bending.

[0054] In some embodiments, the electronic device 1000 may have an unfolded state and a folded state. Specifically, for an electronic device that bends inward, the unfolded state may refer to a state where the angle between the first unfolded portion 1120 and the second unfolded portion 1160 is greater than or equal to 30°; the folded state may refer to a state where the angle between the first unfolded portion 1120 and the second unfolded portion 1160 is less than 30°. For an electronic device that bends outward, the unfolded state may refer to a state where the angle between the first unfolded portion 1120 and the second unfolded portion 1160 is less than or equal to 330°; the folded state may refer to a state where the angle between the first unfolded portion 1120 and the second unfolded portion 1160 is greater than 330°. It should be understood that for both inward and outward bending electronic devices, the unfolded state may include an angle between the first unfolded portion 1120 and the second unfolded portion 1160 equal to or approximately equal to 180°. It should be understood that, within the permissible error range, the angle values ​​exemplified above may have some deviation and are not necessarily limited to precise angle values.

[0055] For example, when unfolded to 180°, the electronic device 1000 can fold inward, forming an angle of less than 180°, such as 90°, 100°, 110°, or 120°, between the first unfolded portion 1120 and the second unfolded portion 1160 of the flexible display panel 1100. As another example, the electronic device 1000 can fold outward, forming an angle of greater than 180°, such as 270°, 315°, 330°, or 360°, between the first unfolded portion 1120 and the second unfolded portion 1160 of the flexible display panel 1100.

[0056] In other embodiments, the unfolded and folded states of the electronic device 1000 can be adjusted according to actual usage requirements, without limitation. For example, for an inwardly folded electronic device 1000, its unfolded state may refer to an angle between the first unfolded portion 1120 and the second unfolded portion 1160 being greater than or equal to 45°.

[0057] It should be understood that although the terms "first unfolding part," "second unfolding part," etc., are used herein to describe various parts of the flexible display panel, these unfolding parts should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one unfolding part from another. For example, the first unfolding part can be named the second unfolding part, and similarly, the second unfolding part can be named the first unfolding part, without departing from the scope of this application. Both the first unfolding part and the second unfolding part are unfolding parts, but they may not be the same unfolding part, and in some scenarios they may be the same unfolding part.

[0058] As described above, based on the usage characteristics of the bendable flexible display panel 1100 or electronic device 1000, its back plate 1200, while fulfilling the functions of supporting and protecting the flexible display panel 1100, also needs to possess a certain bending force. This bending force refers to the force required for the flexible display panel 1100 to deform. When the back plate 1200 is a single-layer board, such as a single-layer metal back plate 1200, its bending force is generally larger due to the material properties of the back plate 1200. This makes the electronic device 1000 using the back plate 1200 difficult to bend, thus affecting the folding performance and folding life of the electronic device 1000.

[0059] like Figure 1 As an example, in order to give the back panel 1200 a relatively suitable bending force, the back panel 1200 of the electronic device 1000 can have a plurality of through holes 1210 formed in its middle. In terms of position, the plurality of through holes 1210 can be projected onto the flexible display panel 1100 within the bending portion 1140 of the flexible display panel 1100; based on this, the stiffness of the back panel 1200 can be reduced, thereby correspondingly reducing the bending force of the back panel 1200 and meeting the bending requirements of the electronic device 1000.

[0060] However, since the back plate 1200 is positioned between the flexible display panel 1100 and the hinge 1300, this type of through-hole 1210 also results in poor compressive strength resistance of the flexible display panel 1100. It should be understood that in the area corresponding to the through-hole 1210, the flexible display panel 1100 can be connected to the hinge 1300, consequently leading to poor support of the flexible display panel 1100 in that area, and also poor compressive strength resistance of the back plate 1200. There are also some gaps 1310 on the surface of the hinge 1300. When the projection of the through-hole 1210 of the back plate 1200 onto the flexible display panel 1100 at least partially overlaps with the projection of the gap 1310 of the hinge 1300 onto the flexible display panel 1100, the support of the flexible display panel 1100 in the area corresponding to the through-hole 1210 will be even worse. As the number of times the electronic device 1000 is bent increases or the number of times the user clicks on the flexible display panel 1100 increases, the flexible display panel 1100 is more prone to display defects such as bright spots, black spots, and dead pixels, thereby reducing the lifespan of the electronic device 1000.

[0061] For example, when a user taps the flexible display panel 1100 to perform a touch operation, since the area corresponding to the through-hole 1210 and the gap 1310 of the flexible display panel 1100 generally corresponds to the middle of the flexible display panel 1100, the user's fingernail can easily come into contact with this area. Figure 1 As indicated by the arrow, the flexible display panel 1100 in this area directly corresponds to the through hole 1210 and the gap 1310, and it is not well supported. It is foreseeable that as the number of user clicks increases, the user's fingers and nails will squeeze the flexible display panel 1100 in this area more frequently, causing display defects such as bright spots, black spots or dead pixels to appear on the flexible display panel 1100.

[0062] Furthermore, taking the fixed connection between the flexible display panel 1100 and the back panel 1200 via the OCA layer 1400 as an example, as the number of times the electronic device 1000 is folded increases, the OCA layer 1400 may also partially squeeze into the through-hole 1210 of the back panel 1200. Consequently, the flexible display panel 1100 exhibits partial deformation and changes in light and shadow reflection when displaying an image, resulting in display defects such as horizontal lines.

[0063] To address the various problems existing in the aforementioned foldable electronic devices 1000, this application provides an electronic device through the following embodiments. This electronic device modifies the structure of its back panel, enabling it to balance bending performance and compression resistance. This prevents display defects such as bright spots, black spots, dead pixels, and horizontal lines from appearing on the flexible display panel, thereby extending the lifespan of the electronic device using this back panel. Furthermore, the side of the back panel facing the flexible display panel has no openings or a small total area of ​​openings, further improving the compression resistance of the back panel. Based on this, it can, to a certain extent, prevent the OCA layer from being squeezed into the back panel, thus avoiding display defects such as horizontal lines on the flexible display panel and extending the lifespan of the electronic device.

[0064] It should be understood that the electronic devices provided in the various embodiments of this application may be, for example, mobile phones, tablet computers, laptops, or wearable display devices, and there is no limitation thereto.

[0065] In other embodiments, the electronic device may also be, for example, an in-vehicle display. Based on this, the in-vehicle display can be unfolded when display is needed and folded when display is not needed.

[0066] For ease of understanding, the embodiments are mainly illustrated using the example of an electronic device in its unfolded state of 180°. For example... Figure 2 As an example, the width direction of the electronic device 100a is defined as the first direction X, and the length direction of the electronic device 100a is defined as the second direction Y, with the first direction X and the second direction Y being perpendicular.

[0067] For example, for a rectangular electronic device 100a, its width direction or first direction X generally refers to the direction in which the smaller side length extends. However, in some cases, depending on actual needs, the first direction X of the rectangular electronic device 100a can also refer to the direction in which either the larger or smaller side length extends. For example, if electronic device 100a is a wall-mounted device, it does not need to consider portability and has a large panel size. Therefore, the first direction X of this electronic device 100a can be determined according to requirements without restriction.

[0068] Please refer to this simultaneously. Figure 2 and Figure 3In some embodiments, the pivot 130 of the electronic device 100a may include a first support plate 132, a second support plate 134, and a third support plate 136. The first support plate 132 is disposed between the second support plate 134 and the third support plate 136, and both the second support plate 134 and the third support plate 136 are rotatably connected to the first support plate 132. Under the action of external force, the second support plate 134 and the third support plate 136 can rotate relative to the first support plate 132, thereby enabling the electronic device 100a to have a foldable function. It should be understood that in order to achieve rotation, gaps 131 may exist between the first support plate 132 and the second support plate 134, and between the first support plate 132 and the third support plate 136. In addition, gaps 131 may also exist on the surface of the first support plate 132, the second support plate 134, or the third support plate 136.

[0069] In some embodiments, the electronic device 100a may further include a mid-frame 150, which is fixedly or detachably connected to the pivot 130. It should be understood that the mid-frame 150 can support the flexible display panel 110 and can rotate synchronously with the pivot 130.

[0070] Unlike the general electronic device 1000 described above, the electronic device 100a provided in this embodiment has a first blind hole 121 on its back panel 120. This first blind hole 121 is located on one side of the back panel 120 and away from the flexible display panel 110. Taking the surface of the flexible display panel 110 as a reference surface P, the projection of the first blind hole 121 onto the reference surface P at least partially overlaps with the projection of the gap 131 of the pivot 130 onto the reference surface P. The surface of the flexible display panel 110 can refer to either its light-emitting surface or its backlight surface. The light-emitting surface and the backlight surface are two opposite surfaces of the flexible display panel 110, and the light-emitting surface allows light to be emitted to display the corresponding image. For ease of understanding, each embodiment mainly uses the backlight surface of the flexible display panel 110 as the reference surface P for illustration.

[0071] In some embodiments, compared to the back plate 1200 with through holes 1210 described above, the first blind hole 121 is formed on the side of the back plate 120 facing the pivot 130, and does not extend to the side of the back plate 120 facing the flexible display panel 110. It should be understood that, compared to the back plate 1200 with through holes 1210 described above, the back plate 120 with the first blind hole 121 can have greater rigidity to maintain greater bending force and compressive strength.

[0072] In some other embodiments, the surface of the flexible display panel 110 is used as the reference surface P, and the projection of the first blind hole 121 on the reference surface P can cover the projection of the gap 131 of the pivot 130 on the reference surface P; or, the projection of the gap 131 of the pivot 130 on the reference surface P can cover the projection of the first blind hole 121 on the reference surface P.

[0073] Please refer to Figure 3 In some embodiments, the depth d1 of the first blind hole 121 can be less than or equal to 195 μm; the thickness d2 of the back plate 120 can be 30 μm to 200 μm. It should be understood that the thinner the back plate 120, the greater the depth of the first blind hole 121, and the smaller the bending force of the back plate 120; and vice versa. Thus, by adjusting the shape and depth of the first blind hole 121, the thickness of the back plate 120, etc., the bending force of the back plate 120 can be adaptively adjusted to facilitate its application in the electronic device 100a.

[0074] Please refer to Figure 3 In some embodiments, the depth d1 of the first blind hole 121 may be, for example, 10μm, 20μm, 30μm, 40μm, 50μm, 60μm, 70μm, 80μm, 90μm, 100μm, 110μm, 120μm, 130μm, 140μm, 150μm, 160μm, 170μm, 180μm or 190μm.

[0075] Please refer to Figure 3 In some embodiments, the thickness d2 of the backplate 120 may be, for example, 30μm, 40μm, 50μm, 60μm, 70μm, 80μm, 90μm, 100μm, 110μm, 120μm, 130μm, 140μm, 150μm, 160μm, 170μm, 180μm, 190μm, 195μm, or 200μm. The thickness d2 is greater than the depth d1.

[0076] Please refer to Figure 3 In some embodiments, the thickness d3 of the region corresponding to the first blind hole 121 of the back plate 120 can be greater than or equal to 5 μm and less than 200 μm; wherein d1 + d3 = d2. d3 can be, for example, 5 μm, 10 μm, 20 μm, 30 μm, 40 μm, 50 μm, 60 μm, 70 μm, 80 μm, 90 μm, 100 μm, 110 μm, 120 μm, 130 μm, 140 μm, 150 μm, 160 μm, 170 μm, 180 μm, 190 μm, or 195 μm, etc.

[0077] Please refer to Figure 3In some embodiments, the distance e1 between adjacent first blind holes 121 can be 5μm to 100μm. Based on this, by adjusting the distance between the first blind holes, the bending force of the backplate can also be adaptively adjusted to facilitate its application in electronic devices.

[0078] In some embodiments, the distance e1 may be, for example, 5μm, 10μm, 20μm, 30μm, 40μm, 50μm, 60μm, 70μm, 80μm, 90μm or 100μm.

[0079] Please refer to this simultaneously. Figures 2 to 4 In some embodiments, along the first direction X of the back plate 120, the first blind hole 121 may include a first annular region 1211, a first connecting region 1213, and a second annular region 1215 connected in sequence. Along the second direction Y of the back plate 120, the dimensions of the first annular region 1211 and the second annular region 1215 are both larger than the dimension of the first connecting region 1213. Based on this, the first annular region 1211 and the second annular region 1215 can release the internal stress of the back plate 120, and the first connecting region 1213 can reduce the overall opening area of ​​the first blind hole 121, thereby improving the compressive strength resistance of the back plate 120.

[0080] In some embodiments, the first annular region 1211 and the second annular region 1215 have the same shape. For example... Figure 4 As shown in the example, the first annular region 1211 and the second annular region 1215 are both circular, the first connecting region 1213 is rectangular, and the first blind hole 121 is dumbbell-shaped overall.

[0081] In other embodiments, the shapes of the first annular region 1211 and the second annular region 1215 may also be different, and there is no limitation thereto. For example, both the first annular region 1211 and the second annular region 1215 may be circular, and the diameter of the first annular region 1211 may be larger than the diameter of the second annular region 1215, etc.

[0082] In some embodiments, for each gap 131 of the corresponding pivot 130, one, two or more first blind holes 121 may be opened on the back plate 120, without limitation.

[0083] In some other embodiments, the number of first blind holes 121 corresponding to each slit 131 of the rotating shaft 130 is within 15, 20 or 25, and these first blind holes 121 can be arranged sequentially along the first direction X.

[0084] In some embodiments, multiple rows of first blind holes 121 can be formed on the back plate 120 along the second direction Y to give the back plate 120 suitable bending performance and compression resistance.

[0085] like Figure 2 As illustrated, corresponding to a slot 131 in the rotating shaft 130, there are three first blind holes 121, which are spaced apart along the first direction X. Please refer to [reference needed]. Figure 5 In some other embodiments, corresponding to a gap 131 between the pivots 130, the number of first blind holes 121 may also be one, which extends along the first direction X to adaptively reduce the bending force of the back plate 120.

[0086] In some embodiments, the shape of the first blind hole 121 may include at least one of the following shapes: circular, rectangular, elongated, elliptical, etc. Taking the first blind hole 121 as an example... Figure 6 As exemplified, the shape of the first blind hole 121 can be a composite shape of ellipse and rectangle; or, as shown... Figure 7 As exemplified, the shape of the first blind hole 121 can also be a composite shape of an ellipse and a strip, without limitation.

[0087] Please refer to Figure 8 In some other embodiments, the first blind hole 121 may also extend to the edge of the back panel 120; wherein the extension direction of the first blind hole 121 is the same as the first direction X of the electronic device 100a.

[0088] Please refer to this simultaneously. Figure 9 and Figure 10 This application also provides an electronic device 100b, which, relative to the aforementioned electronic device 100a, includes a first support plate 132 comprising a main body 1322 and a rotating part 1324; the rotating part 1324 is located on one side of the main body 1322 and extends in a direction away from the main body 1322. Figure 9 As exemplified, there are two rotating parts 1324, which can be used to realize a rotating connection between structures such as the first support plate 132 and the second support plate 134.

[0089] In some embodiments, corresponding to the rotating portion 1324 of the first support plate 132, the second support plate 134 is provided with a receiving portion 1342, which can accommodate the rotating portion 1324 to facilitate the rotational connection between the first support plate 132 and the second support plate 134.

[0090] It should be understood that, based on the connection relationship between the rotating part 1324 of the first support plate 132 and the receiving part 1342 of the second support plate 134, a gap 131 with a specific orientation will be formed between the first support plate 132 and the second support plate 134. A first blind hole 121 can be opened at the corresponding position on the back plate 120 according to the orientation of this gap 131. For example... Figure 10As an example, with the surface of the flexible display panel 110 as the reference surface P, the projection of the first blind hole 121 on the reference surface P can cover the projection of the rotating part 1324 of the first support plate 132 on the reference surface P.

[0091] In some embodiments, the relationship between the third support plate 136 and the first support plate 132 can be understood analogously to the relationship between the second support plate 134 and the first support plate 132, and will not be elaborated further.

[0092] Please refer to this simultaneously. Figure 11 and Figure 12 This application also provides an electronic device 100c. Compared with the electronic devices (100a, 100b) provided in the above embodiments, the back panel 120 of the electronic device 100c is further provided with a first through hole 122. The first through hole 122 is spaced apart from the first blind hole 121 and corresponds to the bending portion 1140 of the flexible display panel 110 to further reduce the bending force of the back panel 120. Taking the surface of the flexible display panel 110 as a reference surface P, the projection of the first through hole 122 on the reference surface P is spaced apart from the projection of the gap 131 on the reference surface P; in other words, the projection of the pivot 130 on the reference surface P can cover the projection of the first through hole 122 on the reference surface P.

[0093] It should be understood that, compared to the back panel 1200 of a typical electronic device 1000, the total area of ​​the first through hole 122 of the back panel 120 provided in this embodiment is smaller. Therefore, when a user presses the area corresponding to the first through hole 122 of the flexible display panel 110, the pivot 130 can provide a certain supporting force to the flexible display panel 110, thereby preventing display defects such as bright spots, black spots, and dead pixels from appearing on the flexible display panel 110, and thus improving the service life of the electronic device.

[0094] Furthermore, based on the cooperation of the first blind hole 121 and the first through hole 122, the total opening area of ​​the back plate 120 on the side facing the flexible display panel 110 is relatively small, that is, the side of the back plate 120 facing the flexible display panel 110 is relatively flat. Therefore, it can also prevent the OCA layer 140 from being squeezed into the back plate 120 to a certain extent, so as to avoid display defects such as horizontal lines appearing in the electronic device 100c.

[0095] In some embodiments, the shape of the first through hole 122 may be the same as the shape of the first blind hole 121; or, as described above in the shape of the first blind hole 121, the shape of the first through hole 122 may also include at least one of the following shapes: circular, rectangular, elongated, elliptical, etc., without limitation.

[0096] like Figure 13As exemplified, similar to the first blind via 121, the first through-hole 122 may include a third annular region 1221, a second connecting region 1223, and a fourth annular region 1225 connected in sequence. Along the second direction Y of the backplate 120, the dimensions of the third annular region 1221 and the fourth annular region 1225 are both larger than the dimension of the second connecting region 1223. During the bending process of the electronic device 100c, the third annular region 1221 and the fourth annular region 1225 can release the internal stress of the backplate 120, thereby reducing the bending force of the backplate 120. The second connecting region 1223 can reduce the overall opening area of ​​the first through-hole 122, thus preventing the OCA layer 140 from being squeezed into the backplate 120 to a certain extent. This can avoid display defects such as horizontal lines in the electronic device 100c, thereby improving the service life of the electronic device.

[0097] Please refer to this again. Figure 12 In some embodiments, the distance e2 between adjacent first blind holes 121 and first through holes 122 can be 5 μm to 100 μm. Based on this, by adjusting the distance between the first blind holes 121 and the first through holes 122, the bending force of the back plate 120 can also be adaptively adjusted to facilitate its application in electronic devices.

[0098] In some embodiments, the distance e2 may be, for example, 5μm, 10μm, 20μm, 30μm, 40μm, 50μm, 60μm, 70μm, 80μm, 90μm or 100μm.

[0099] Compared to a backplate 1200 with a typical through hole 1210, the backplate 120 with a first blind hole 121 and a first through hole 122 provided in the above embodiment can increase its compressive strength by approximately 3 kgf to 5 kgf (kilogram-force) to better protect the flexible display panel 110 and extend the service life of the electronic device 100c.

[0100] Please refer to this simultaneously. Figure 14 and Figure 15 Since the back panel 120 is relatively thick and may be relatively heavy, a second blind hole 123 can be formed on the back panel 120 in the electronic device 100d provided in this application embodiment. The second blind hole 123 is formed on one side of the back panel 120 and faces the pivot 130. Unlike the first blind hole 121 mentioned above, with the flexible display panel 110 as the reference surface P, the projection of the second blind hole 123 on the reference surface P is located at the unfolded portion (112, 116) of the flexible display panel 110. It should be understood that the weight of the back panel 120 can be reduced by the second blind hole 123, so as to achieve the weight reduction of the electronic device 100c and improve the portability of the electronic device 100c.

[0101] In some embodiments, the shape of the second blind hole 123 may be the same as that of the first blind hole 121. For example, the shape, depth, and other parameters of the second blind hole 123 and the first blind hole 121 are identical.

[0102] In other embodiments, the shape of the second blind hole 123 may include at least one of the following shapes: circular, rectangular, elongated, elliptical, etc., and is not required to be identical to the first blind hole 121; there is no limitation in this regard. It should be understood that the first blind hole 121 and the second blind hole 123 may be designed with different shapes, depths, and cross-sectional shapes to meet the bending, compression resistance, impact reliability, and other requirements of the electronic device 100c.

[0103] Please refer to this simultaneously. Figure 16 and Figure 17 In addition to the electronic devices (100a-100d) in the above embodiments, this application also provides another electronic device 100e, which adjusts the first blind hole 121 into a second through hole 124. Unlike the through hole 1210 of a general back panel 1200, the second through hole 124 has a first aperture w1 and a second aperture w2 along the direction from the flexible display panel 110 to the pivot 130, and the first aperture w1 is smaller than the second aperture w2. Based on this, compared to the first blind hole 121, the second through hole 124 can further reduce the local stress when the back panel 120 is bent, so as to facilitate the bending of the back panel 120.

[0104] From a manufacturing process perspective, the structure of this second through hole 124 can also be understood as having a through hole at the bottom of the first blind hole 121, in order to further reduce the local stress when the back plate 120 is bent. For example, based on the first blind hole 121, further exposure, development, etching, and other operations are performed to form the second through hole 124.

[0105] In some embodiments, the first aperture w1 of the second through hole 124 is less than or equal to 300 μm (i.e. 0.3 mm); the size of the second aperture w2 can be adaptively adjusted according to the bending force, compressive force, etc. of the back plate 120, without limitation.

[0106] In some embodiments, the first aperture w1 of the second through hole 124 may be, for example, 10μm, 20μm, 30μm, 40μm, 50μm, 60μm, 70μm, 80μm, 90μm, 100μm, 120μm, 140μm, 160μm, 180μm, 200μm, 220μm, 240μm, 260μm or 280μm.

[0107] It should be understood that the thickness f1 of a user's fingernail 200 is generally 0.3mm to 0.8mm, which is generally greater than the first aperture w1 of the second through hole 124. Therefore, when a user performs a touch operation, even if the user's fingernail touches the area corresponding to the second through hole 124 of the flexible display panel 110, the back plate 120 can still provide a certain amount of support for the flexible display panel 110 to avoid display defects such as bright spots, black spots, and dead pixels, and to improve the service life of the electronic device 100e.

[0108] In some embodiments, since the first aperture w1 of the second through hole 124 is small, the OCA layer 140 is not easily squeezed into the back panel 120 through the second through hole 124 when the user touches or folds the electronic device 100e, thereby avoiding display defects such as horizontal lines on the electronic device 100e.

[0109] In some embodiments, the surface of the flexible display panel 110 is used as a reference surface P. The projection of the second through hole 124 onto the reference surface P can also be located in the unfolded portion or the bent portion of the flexible display panel 110, thereby reducing the weight of the back plate 120 for easier application in the electronic device 100e. In other embodiments, the second blind hole 123 described above can also be provided in the region of the corresponding unfolded portion (112, 116) of the back plate 120; or, the second through hole 124 and the second blind hole 123 described above can be provided in the region of the corresponding unfolded portion (112, 116) of the back plate 120. Since the local thickness of the back plate 120 is reduced or hollowed out, the weight of the back plate 120 can also be reduced.

[0110] In some embodiments, the backplate 120 can be a metal backplate 120. For example, the metal backplate 120 may include materials such as steel, nickel, titanium, aluminum or copper alloy; or, the metal backplate 120 may include metal matrix composites (e.g., Al-SiC), multilayer metal composites (e.g., Al-Cu or SUS-Al-SUS), etc., without limitation.

[0111] In other embodiments, the backplate 120 may be a non-metallic backplate 120. For example, the non-metallic backplate 120 may include materials such as resin or glass fiber, and there is no limitation thereto.

[0112] In some embodiments, by adjusting the shape or diameter of the blind holes (121, 123) and the shape or diameter of the through holes (122, 124), the compressive and bending forces of the back plate 120 can be adaptively adjusted to meet the bending requirements of the electronic device 100e while ensuring the support and protection of the flexible display panel 110.

[0113] It should be understood that the number and size of blind holes (121, 123) and through holes (122, 124) in the various figures are examples. In actual applications, the number and size of blind holes (121, 123) and through holes (122, 124) can be adjusted according to actual needs, and there are no restrictions on this.

[0114] Please refer to Figure 18 In order to form blind holes (121, 123) and through holes (122, 124) on the backplate 120, embodiments of this application also provide a method for processing the backplate 120, the method including but not limited to the following steps:

[0115] S101: Apply ink layers to both sides of the board.

[0116] It should be understood that the sheet material can be a metal sheet or a non-metal sheet, etc.; the ink layer can be applied by, for example, spraying, screen printing or pad printing, without any restrictions.

[0117] S102: Apply a film layer to both sides of the board.

[0118] The film layer is coated on top of the ink layer and is located away from the substrate. Correspondingly, both sides of the substrate are coated with ink and film layers.

[0119] S103: Expose the substrate to form the first etched pattern on the film layer.

[0120] The board has a film layer on each side, and the first etching patterns of the two film layers are different so that blind holes (121, 123) and through holes (122, 124) can be formed in the subsequent processing of the board.

[0121] S104: Remove the film layer to form a second etched pattern on the ink layer.

[0122] It should be understood that, based on the first etching pattern, a portion of the ink in the ink layer can also be removed, thereby forming a second etching pattern. For the film layer and ink layer located on the same side of the substrate, the corresponding first and second etching patterns are identical.

[0123] S105: Etch the board material and remove the ink layer to form blind holes and through holes on the board material.

[0124] In some embodiments, the sheet material after step S105 has a large size, so it can be cut to form one, two or more back plates 120.

[0125] In some other embodiments, the board material after step S105 has the same dimensions as the back plate 120, and the board material can be used as the back plate 120.

[0126] The electronic devices (100a-100e) described in the above embodiments have a backplate 120 formed from a metal sheet. Since metal sheets are generally formed by rolling, tensile stress exists on the surface of the metal sheet due to this type of process. After the etching process described above, the etched side of the metal sheet releases internal stress, but the side that is not etched or has minimal etching retains significant internal stress. This can result in the final metal backplate 120 having an arched portion 125. This arched portion 125 affects the bending and compression resistance of the backplate 120, making it unsuitable for use in the electronic device 100e.

[0127] Please refer to the following for details. Figure 19 In some embodiments, the above processing method may further include the following steps: locally annealing the arched portion 125 of the back plate at an annealing temperature of 0.5Tb; wherein Tb is the metal recrystallization temperature.

[0128] It should be understood that, based on the above-described step S201, a local heating device can be placed on the arched portion 125 of the back plate 120 for local annealing. This local heating device can be, for example, a zone furnace, thereby effectively releasing the internal stress of the back plate 120 to eliminate the arched portion 125 of the back plate 120.

[0129] Please refer to Figure 20 In some other embodiments, unlike the above-described method of local annealing, the processing method may also include the following steps: using a stainless steel electrode as the cathode and a back plate 120 as the anode, the back plate 120 is placed in an electrolyte for electrolysis; wherein the electrolyte includes perchloric acid and acetic acid, with the ratio of perchloric acid to acetic acid being 1:15.

[0130] Since the arched portion 125 of the backplate 120 has a larger contact area with the electrolyte, the reaction rate is greater than that of other areas of the backplate 120. Therefore, the arched portion 125 of the backplate 120 can be eliminated through reaction.

Claims

1. An electronic device, characterized in that, It includes a flexible display panel, a back plate, and a hinge, wherein the back plate is disposed between the flexible display panel and the hinge; The flexible display panel includes a connected unfolding portion and a bending portion, wherein the bending portion is used to enable the flexible display panel to be bent. The back panel has a first blind hole in the middle, which is located on one side of the back panel and away from the flexible display panel. The rotating shaft includes a first support plate, a second support plate, and a third support plate. The second support plate and the third support plate rotate relative to the first support plate. The rotating shaft has a gap. Using the surface of the flexible display panel as a reference surface, the projection of the first blind hole on the reference surface is located at the unfolded or bent portion of the flexible display panel, and the projection of the first blind hole on the reference surface at least partially overlaps with the projection of the gap on the reference surface. The thickness of the backplate corresponding to the area of ​​the first blind hole is greater than or equal to 5 μm and less than 200 μm.

2. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The thickness of the back plate is 30μm to 200μm, and the depth of the first blind hole is less than or equal to 195μm.

3. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, Along the first direction, the first blind hole includes a first annular region, a first connecting region, and a second annular region connected in sequence, and the first direction is the length direction of the electronic device; along the second direction, the dimensions of the first annular region and the second annular region are both larger than the dimension of the first connecting region, and the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction.

4. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The back panel is also provided with a first through hole, which is spaced apart from the first blind hole; with the surface of the flexible display panel as a reference surface, the projection of the first through hole on the reference surface is spaced apart from the projection of the gap on the reference surface.

5. The electronic device as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that, Using the surface of the flexible display panel as a reference surface, the projection of the first through hole on the reference surface is located on the bent portion of the flexible display panel.

6. The electronic device as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that, The distance between adjacent first blind holes and first through holes is 5μm to 100μm.

7. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The back plate is also provided with a second blind hole, which is located on one side of the back plate and away from the flexible display panel; with the surface of the flexible display panel as a reference surface, the projection of the second blind hole on the reference surface is located in the unfolded part.

8. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The back panel is also provided with a second through hole. Along the direction from the flexible display panel to the pivot, the second through hole has a first aperture and a second aperture, wherein the first aperture is smaller than the second aperture.

9. The electronic device as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that, The first aperture is less than or equal to 300 μm.

10. An electronic device, characterized in that, It includes a flexible display panel, a back plate, and a hinge, wherein the back plate is disposed between the flexible display panel and the hinge; The flexible display panel includes a connected unfolding portion and a bending portion, wherein the bending portion is used to enable the flexible display panel to be bent. The back plate has a second through hole in the middle. The second through hole is opened on one side of the back plate and away from the flexible display panel. Along the direction from the flexible display panel to the pivot, the second through hole has a first aperture and a second aperture. The first aperture is smaller than the second aperture. The first aperture is less than or equal to 300μm. The distance between adjacent second through holes is 5μm to 100μm. The rotating shaft includes a first support plate, a second support plate, and a third support plate. The second support plate and the third support plate rotate relative to the first support plate. The rotating shaft has a gap. Taking the surface of the flexible display panel as a reference surface, the projection of the second through hole on the reference surface is located at the unfolded or bent portion of the flexible display panel. The projection of the second through hole on the reference surface and the projection of the gap on the reference surface at least partially overlap.

11. The electronic device as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that, Using the surface of the flexible display panel as a reference surface, the projection of the second through hole on the reference surface is located on the bent portion.

12. The electronic device as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that, Using the surface of the flexible display panel as a reference surface, the projection of the second through hole onto the reference surface is also located on the unfolded portion.

13. The electronic device as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that, The back plate is also provided with a second blind hole, which is located on one side of the back plate and away from the flexible display panel; with the surface of the flexible display panel as a reference surface, the projection of the second blind hole on the reference surface is located on the unfolded part.

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