Display module and method for manufacturing the same

Abstract

The present application provides a display module and a method for preparing the display module. The display module has a bending region and includes a stacked support layer, a screen body, and a protective layer. The support layer is located on the backlight side of the screen body, and the protective layer is located on the light-emitting side of the screen body. The support layer located in the bending region is provided with a groove, the notch of the groove facing away from the protective layer, and a thermal expansion film layer is provided in the groove. By providing a groove in the support layer on the backlight side of the screen body and providing the thermal expansion film layer in the groove, the thermal expansion film layer can protect the screen body and ensure normal use of the screen body during bending or curling. At the same time, due to the protective effect of the thermal expansion film layer, the thickness of the protective layer located on the light-emitting side of the screen body can be reduced. Moreover, the thermal expansion film layer is located in the groove provided in the support layer and does not increase the overall thickness of the display module. Therefore, the thickness of the display module can be reduced, which is beneficial for improving the screen-to-body ratio of the display device in which the display module is used and reducing the width of the bezel.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of display technology, and in particular to a display module and a method for preparing the display module. Background Art

[0002] With the development of flexible display technology, flexible displays have become an important part of the display electronics field. Currently, foldable or rollable terminals are mostly considered for use in mobile phones, notebooks, tablets, and in-car applications. Foldable or rollable flexible displays are attracting more and more attention due to their convenient storage and portability.

[0003] In the related art, in order to protect the display screen from damage during bending or curling, a bending protection layer is usually designed on the screen body. To ensure the protective effect, the thickness of the bending protection layer is generally large.

[0004] However, a thicker curved protective layer will increase the thickness of the display, increase the width of the display frame, and reduce the screen-to-body ratio of the display. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In order to solve at least one of the problems mentioned in the background technology, the present application provides a display module and a method for preparing a display module, aiming to solve the technical problem in the related technology that a thicker curved protective layer will increase the thickness of the display screen, increase the border width of the display screen, and reduce the screen-to-body ratio of the display screen.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, in a first aspect, the present application provides a display module having a bending region, wherein the display module comprises a stacked support layer, a screen body, and a protective layer, wherein the support layer is located on a backlight side of the screen body, and the protective layer is located on a light-emitting side of the screen body;

[0007] A groove is provided on the support layer in the bending area, the notch of the groove is away from the protective layer, and a thermal expansion film layer is provided in the groove.

[0008] The present application provides a display module, in which a thermal expansion film layer can protect the screen body and ensure the normal use of the screen body during bending or curling. At the same time, due to the protective effect of the thermal expansion film layer, the thickness of the protective layer located on the light-emitting side of the screen body can be reduced. Moreover, the thermal expansion film layer is located in a groove opened in the support layer and does not increase the overall thickness of the display module. Therefore, the thickness of the display module can be reduced, which is beneficial to improving the screen-to-body ratio of the display device using the display module and reducing the width of the frame.

[0009] In the above display module, optionally, the groove is a blind groove, the thermal expansion film layer is connected to the groove bottom of the groove, and the thermal expansion film layer abuts against the side wall of the groove;

[0010] Preferably, the thermal expansion film layer is made of polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, or thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer;

[0011] Preferably, the Young's modulus of the thermal expansion film layer is in the range of 2*10 9 -3*10 9 Pa.

[0012] In this way, the thermal expansion film layer can be prevented from directly contacting the screen body and damaging the screen structure; the role of the support layer in supporting the screen body can be enhanced; the normal operation of the screen body can be ensured; and stress concentration in the screen body can be reduced to avoid damage to the screen body.

[0013] In the above display module, optionally, the display module further includes an adhesive layer located between the support layer and the thermal expansion film layer, and the thermal expansion film layer is connected to the support layer through the adhesive layer.

[0014] In this way, the thermal expansion film layer and the support layer can be integrated, which can enhance the function of the support layer in supporting the screen body.

[0015] In the above display module, optionally, a plurality of spheres are provided in the adhesive layer, and the plurality of spheres are evenly distributed in the adhesive layer;

[0016] Preferably, the material of the sphere includes at least one of rubber and silicone.

[0017] In this way, glue overflow from the bonding layer can be avoided, thus ensuring the normal operation of the display module.

[0018] In the above display module, optionally, the screen body includes a bending portion located in the bending area, and the orthographic projection of the bending portion on the supporting layer at least covers the groove.

[0019] In this way, better support effect can be provided for the bending part, and at the same time the screen body and the adhesive layer are separated to avoid direct contact between the adhesive layer and the bending part, which may affect the bending part and the screen body, thereby ensuring the normal operation of the screen body.

[0020] In the above display module, optionally, the orthographic projection of the protective layer on the screen body at least covers the bent portion;

[0021] Preferably, the distance between the edge of the protective layer and the corresponding edge of the bent portion is in the range of 0.2-0.4 mm.

[0022] In this way, the bent portion can be protected and prevented from being damaged during the bending or curling process, thereby ensuring the normal operation of the screen.

[0023] In the above-mentioned display module, optionally, in the thickness direction of the display module, the thickness of the thermal expansion film layer is a first dimension, the sum of the thickness of the protective layer, the thickness of the screen body, and the thickness of the support layer without the groove is a second dimension, and the ratio of the first dimension to the second dimension is greater than or equal to 1 / 4 and less than or equal to 1 / 2;

[0024] Preferably, the ratio of the first size to the second size is greater than or equal to 1 / 4 and less than or equal to 1 / 3.

[0025] In this way, the supporting performance of the thermal expansion film layer can be guaranteed, and the bending performance of the thermal expansion film layer can be guaranteed at the same time.

[0026] In the above display module, optionally, in the thickness direction of the display module, the sum of the thickness of the adhesive layer and the thickness of the thermal expansion film layer is greater than or equal to the depth of the groove;

[0027] And / or, in the thickness direction of the display module, the ratio of the depth of the groove to the thickness of the support layer without the groove is greater than or equal to 1 / 2 and less than or equal to 3 / 4.

[0028] In this way, the connection strength and supporting performance between the thermal expansion film layer and the supporting layer can be guaranteed.

[0029] In a second aspect, the present application further provides a method for preparing a display module having a bending region, the method comprising:

[0030] A supporting layer, a screen body, and a protective layer are provided in a stacked manner, wherein the supporting layer is located on the backlight side of the screen body, the protective layer is located on the light-emitting side of the screen body, and a groove is provided on the supporting layer in the bending region, with the notch of the groove facing away from the protective layer;

[0031] A thermal expansion film filling piece is arranged in the groove;

[0032] The display module is heated and bent along the bending area, and the thermal expansion film filling member expands due to the heat to form a thermal expansion film layer.

[0033] The present application provides a method for preparing a display module, which can be used to prepare a display module with a thermal expansion film layer. The thermal expansion film layer can protect the screen body and ensure the normal use of the screen body during bending or curling. At the same time, due to the protective effect of the thermal expansion film layer, the thickness of the protective layer located on the light-emitting side of the screen body can be reduced. The thermal expansion film layer is located in a groove opened in the support layer and does not increase the overall thickness of the display module. Therefore, the thickness of the display module can be reduced, which is beneficial to improving the screen-to-body ratio of the display device using the display module and reducing the width of the frame.

[0034] In the above-mentioned method for preparing the display module, optionally, there is a distance between the sidewall of the thermal expansion film filling piece and the sidewall of the groove, and the range of the distance is 0.1-0.3 mm.

[0035] In this way, it can be ensured that the thermal expansion film layer formed by the thermal expansion film filling member after thermal expansion can abut against the support layer, so as to ensure the supporting performance of the support layer.

[0036] The present application provides a display module and a method for preparing a display device. The display module has a bending region and includes a stacked support layer, a screen body, and a protective layer. The support layer is located on the backlight side of the screen body, and the protective layer is located on the light-emitting side of the screen body. The support layer located in the bending region is provided with a groove, the notch of the groove facing away from the protective layer, and a thermal expansion film layer is provided in the groove. By providing the thermal expansion film layer, the thermal expansion film layer can protect the screen body and ensure the normal use of the screen body during bending or curling. At the same time, due to the protective effect of the thermal expansion film layer, the thickness of the protective layer located on the light-emitting side of the screen body can be reduced. Moreover, the thermal expansion film layer is located in the groove defined in the support layer and does not increase the overall thickness of the display module. Therefore, the thickness of the display module can be reduced, which is beneficial for improving the screen-to-body ratio of the display device in which the display module is used and reducing the width of the bezel.

[0037] The structure of the present application and its other application objectives and beneficial effects will be more clearly understood through the description of the preferred embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present application or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following is a brief introduction to the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative work.

[0039] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a display module provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0040] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the enlarged structure at A in the middle;

[0041] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of the display module provided in an embodiment of the present application before the processing process;

[0042] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of the display module during the processing of the embodiment of the present application;

[0043] Figure 5 yes Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the enlarged structure at B in the middle;

[0044] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of a process for preparing a display module according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0045] Figure 7 Another schematic flow chart of a method for preparing a display module provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0046] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the structure of a display device provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0047] Description of reference numerals:

[0048] 100-display module;

[0049] 101-Bending area;

[0050] 102- non-bending area;

[0051] 110-support layer;

[0052] 120-screen body;

[0053] 130-protective layer;

[0054] 103- backlight side;

[0055] 104-light output side;

[0056] 111-groove;

[0057] 140-thermal expansion film layer;

[0058] 150-adhesive layer;

[0059] 151-Sphere;

[0060] 121- bending portion;

[0061] S1-first distance;

[0062] M1-first size;

[0063] M2-second size;

[0064] N3 - third size;

[0065] M4-fourth size;

[0066] M5-fifth size;

[0067] 160-Raising block;

[0068] 170-circuit board;

[0069] 180-thermal expansion film filling parts;

[0070] 200-heating chamber;

[0071] 300-jigs;

[0072] 400-Display device.

[0073] The above drawings illustrate specific embodiments of the present application, which will be described in more detail below. These drawings and the textual description are not intended to limit the scope of the present application in any way, but rather to illustrate the concepts of the present application to those skilled in the art by reference to specific embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0074] In related art, display modules have a bendable or curlable bending zone. To ensure that the screen in the bending zone can function properly after bending or curling, a bending protection layer is typically provided on the light-emitting side of the screen in the bending zone. Furthermore, to prevent the screen from breaking or tearing, the bending protection layer is generally thicker to better ensure the normal operation of the screen. However, due to the thick bending protection layer, the overall thickness of the display module is relatively large. Consequently, display devices using such display modules have a low screen-to-body ratio and a relatively large bezel.

[0075] Based on the above technical problems, the embodiments of the present application provide a display module and a method for preparing the display module. The display module has a bending area, and the display module includes a stacked support layer, a screen body, and a protective layer. The support layer is located on the backlight side of the screen body, and the protective layer is located on the light-emitting side of the screen body. A groove is provided on the support layer located in the bending area, the notch of the groove faces away from the protective layer, and a thermal expansion film layer is provided in the groove. By providing a groove in the support layer on the backlight side of the screen body and providing a thermal expansion film layer in the groove, the thermal expansion film layer can protect the screen body and ensure the normal use of the screen body during bending or curling. At the same time, due to the protective effect of the thermal expansion film layer, the thickness of the protective layer on the light-emitting side of the screen body can be reduced. The thermal expansion film layer is located in the groove provided in the support layer and does not increase the overall thickness of the display module. Therefore, the thickness of the display module can be reduced, which is beneficial to improving the screen-to-body ratio of the display device using the display module and reducing the width of the frame.

[0076] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the present application clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described in more detail below in conjunction with the drawings in the preferred embodiments of the present application. In the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar parts or parts with the same or similar functions. The described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present application, not all of the embodiments. The embodiments described below with reference to the drawings are exemplary and are intended to be used to explain the present application, and should not be understood as limitations on the present application. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative work are within the scope of protection of this application. The embodiments of the present application are described in detail below in conjunction with the drawings.

[0077] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a display module provided in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the enlarged structure at point A in the middle.

[0078] Refer to the attached Figure 1 , Attachment Figure 2 As shown, in a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a display module 100 having a bending region 101. The display module 100 includes a stacked support layer 110, a screen body 120, and a protective layer 130. The support layer 110 is located on the backlight side 103 of the screen body 120, and the protective layer 130 is located on the light-emitting side 104 of the screen body 120. A groove 111 is provided on the support layer 110 located in the bending region 101, with the notch of the groove 111 facing away from the protective layer 130. A thermal expansion film layer 140 is provided in the groove 111.

[0079] Specifically, the supporting layer 110 is used to support the screen body 120 to ensure the structural stability of the screen body 120; the protective layer 130 is used to protect the screen body 120 to prevent the screen body 120 from being damaged during bending or curling; the display module 100 can have a bending area 101 and a non-bending area 102. During the bending or curling process of the display module 100, only the part of the display module 100 in the bending area 101 is bent or curled, and the part of the display module 100 in the non-bending area 102 remains unchanged.

[0080] It should be understood that the thermal expansion film layer 140 is formed after the display module 100 is processed. Before processing begins, the thermal expansion film filler located in the groove 111 is the unexpanded thermal expansion film layer 140. That is, the thermal expansion film filler has the property of expanding when heated. By increasing the temperature, the thermal expansion film filler is heated and expands, forming the thermal expansion film layer 140. The following description uses the thermal expansion film layer 140 after processing.

[0081] It should be noted that in the display module 100, the positions of the bending region 101 and the non-bending region 102 can be arbitrary. For example, the bending region 101 can separate the non-bending region 102 to form a non-bending region 102-bending region 101-non-bending region 102 structure; the bending region 101 can also be located on one side of the non-bending region 102 to form a non-bending region 102-bending region 101 or bending region 101-non-bending region 102 structure; or the non-bending region 102 can separate the bending region 101 to form a bending region 101-non-bending region 102-bending region 101 structure. The embodiments of the present application do not limit the specific structures of the bending region 101 and the non-bending region 102, nor are they limited to the above examples.

[0082] Furthermore, the positions of the above-mentioned bending area 101 and non-bending area 102 are only based on one direction of the plane of the display module 100. In the display module 100, non-bending areas 102 can be provided on all sides of the bending area 101, which also belongs to the structure of non-bending area 102-bending area 101-non-bending area 102.

[0083] The following description will be made by taking the structure of the non-bending area 102 - bending area 101 - non-bending area 102 in one direction as an example.

[0084] It is understood that the material of the support layer 110 can be SUS301 (301 stainless steel), SUS304 (304 stainless steel), SUS316L (316L stainless steel), amorphous alloy, copper-nickel-tin alloy, titanium alloy, magnesium alloy, polymer, carbon fiber, glass, etc. The embodiment of the present application does not limit the material of the support layer 110, nor is it limited to the above examples.

[0085] It should be noted that the screen body 120 can be a flexible screen body 120 that can be bent or curled. Exemplarily, the screen body 120 can include a substrate, a flexible screen, and a touch layer stacked in sequence, the substrate, the flexible screen, and the touch layer having a specific film thickness, a neutral layer of the display module 100 is provided between the flexible screen and the touch layer, the substrate and the flexible screen are both subjected to compressive stress when the display module 100 is bent or curled, the touch layer is subjected to tensile stress when the display module 100 is bent or curled, and the neutral layer is neither subjected to compressive stress nor tensile stress. Directly reducing the thickness of the protective layer 130 will cause the neutral layer to deviate to the side close to the touch layer, and be subjected to tensile stress when the display module 100 is bent or curled, which can easily cause the neutral layer to break. By forming a groove 111 in the support layer 110 and disposing a thermal expansion film layer 140 in the groove 111 , the position of the neutral layer remains unchanged, ensuring that the neutral layer is neither subjected to compressive stress nor tensile stress, thereby avoiding fracture of the neutral layer and ensuring the normal operation of the display module 100.

[0086] Furthermore, the material of the protective layer 130 can be one or more of aluminum oxide, silicon oxide, silicon nitride, and silicon oxynitride. The embodiment of the present application does not limit the material of the protective layer 130 and is not limited to the above examples.

[0087] As an optional embodiment, the groove 111 is a blind groove, the thermal expansion film layer 140 is connected to the bottom of the groove 111 , and the thermal expansion film layer 140 abuts against the sidewall of the groove 111 .

[0088] It is understandable that the thermal expansion film layer 140 located in the groove 111 can play a role in assisting the supporting layer 110 in supporting the display module 100 , thereby ensuring the normal operation of the display module 100 .

[0089] Furthermore, the groove 111 is a blind groove, and the thermal expansion film layer 140 is located within the groove 111. That is, a portion of the support layer 110 is also included between the thermal expansion film layer 140 and the screen body 120. This prevents the thermal expansion film layer 140 from directly contacting the screen body 120 and damaging the structure of the screen body 120. The thermal expansion film layer 140 abuts the bottom of the groove 111 and the sidewalls of the groove 111. That is, the thermal expansion film layer 140 fills the groove 111 of the support layer 110, so that the thermal expansion film layer 140 and the support layer 110 form an integral whole, which can enhance the support layer 110's ability to support the screen body 120. The groove 111 has side walls and a groove bottom connected to the side walls. The thermal expansion film layer 140 is connected to the groove bottom of the groove 111 and abuts the side walls of the groove 111 to abut the support layer 110. This avoids a gap between the support layer 110 and the thermal expansion film layer 140, which would affect the tightness of the connection between the thermal expansion film layer 140 and the support layer 110, thereby ensuring the normal operation of the screen body 120.

[0090] It is understood that by providing the thermal expansion film layer 140, during the process of thermal expansion forming the thermal expansion film layer 140, the gap between the thermal expansion film layer 140 and the support layer 110 can be filled, thereby improving the tightness of the connection between the thermal expansion film layer 140 and the support layer 110, thereby ensuring the support function of the support layer 110 for the screen body 120 and ensuring the normal operation of the screen body 120. In addition, the thermal expansion film layer 140 is an organic material and contacts the groove 111 of the support layer 110. The support layer 110 supports the screen body 120. During use of the screen body 120, the screen body can transfer stress to the support layer 110, and the support layer 110 transfers stress to the thermal expansion film layer 140, thereby reducing stress concentration in the screen body 120 and preventing damage to the screen body 120.

[0091] As an optional embodiment, the thermal expansion film layer 140 is made of polyethylene (PE) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU).

[0092] It is understandable that the materials for preparing the thermal expansion film layer 140 listed above are only examples, and other materials may also be used.

[0093] As an optional embodiment, the Young's modulus of the thermal expansion film layer 140 is in the range of 2*10 9 -3*10 9 Pa.

[0094] It can be understood that the thermal expansion film layer 140 with a Young's modulus within the above range has a certain tensile property, that is, the thermal expansion film layer 140 can be tightly attached to the support layer 110, avoiding a gap between the support layer 110 and the thermal expansion film layer 140, which affects the tightness of the connection between the thermal expansion film layer 140 and the support layer 110, and can ensure the normal operation of the screen body 120.

[0095] As an optional embodiment, the display module 100 further includes an adhesive layer 150 located between the support layer 110 and the thermal expansion film layer 140. The thermal expansion film layer 140 is connected to the support layer 110 via the adhesive layer 150, so that the thermal expansion film layer 140 and the support layer 110 form a whole, thereby enhancing the function of the support layer 110 in supporting the screen body 120.

[0096] Specifically, the adhesive layer 150 at least covers the thermal expansion film layer 140 to ensure that the side of the thermal expansion film layer 140 close to the bottom of the groove 111 is connected to the support layer 110 through the adhesive layer 150 .

[0097] It should be noted that the adhesive layer 150 may be an optical clear adhesive (OCA) or other types of adhesives. The embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific type of the adhesive layer 150 and is not limited to the above examples.

[0098] As an optional embodiment, a plurality of spheres 151 are provided in the adhesive layer 150, and the spheres 151 are evenly spaced apart in the adhesive layer 150. By providing the spheres 151 in the adhesive layer 150, the spheres 151 can fix the shape of the adhesive layer 150 and prevent adhesive overflow from the adhesive layer 150. At the same time, the surface of the spheres 151 is a smooth curved surface, which is less likely to cause collision with the support layer 110, thereby ensuring the normal operation of the display module 100.

[0099] It can be understood that the number of spheres 151 can be arbitrary. For example, the number of spheres 151 can be two, four, six, or ten. The embodiment of the present application does not limit the number of spheres 151, nor is it limited to the above examples. It can be set accordingly according to the size of the adhesive layer 150.

[0100] As an optional embodiment, the material of the sphere 151 includes at least one of rubber and silicone.

[0101] It is understandable that the material of the sphere 151 can be rubber, silicone, or a mixture of rubber and silicone, that is, the sphere 151 has a small mass and a smoother surface, which will not significantly increase the mass of the display module 100. At the same time, it can avoid possible collision with the support layer 110, thereby ensuring the normal operation of the display module 100.

[0102] As an optional embodiment, the screen body 120 includes a bending portion 121 located in the bending area 101 , and the orthographic projection of the bending portion 121 on the supporting layer 110 at least covers the groove 111 .

[0103] Specifically, the bending portion 121 is a portion of the screen body 120 that can be bent or curled. It is understandable that, during the bending or curling process of the bending portion 121, an arc-shaped trajectory can be formed. By making the orthographic projection of the bending portion 121 on the support layer 110 cover at least the groove 111, and because during the bending or curling process, the bending portion 121 is farther away from the center of the arc-shaped trajectory than the groove 111, the groove 111 can correspond to the bending portion 121, and then the portion of the support layer 110 where the groove 111 is provided corresponds to the bending portion 121, which can provide a better support effect for the bending portion 121, and at the same time separate the screen body 120 and the adhesive layer 150, so as to prevent the adhesive layer 150 from directly contacting the bending portion 121 and affecting the bending portion 121 and the screen body 120, thereby ensuring the normal operation of the screen body 120.

[0104] As an optional implementation manner, the orthographic projection of the protection layer 130 on the screen body 120 at least covers the bent portion 121 .

[0105] Specifically, the positive projection of the protective layer 130 on the screen body 120 can completely cover the bending portion 121, or exceed and cover the bending portion 121, which can protect the bending portion 121 and prevent the bending portion 121 from being damaged during bending or curling, thereby ensuring the normal operation of the screen body 120.

[0106] The following description will be made by taking an example where the orthographic projection of the protection layer 130 on the screen body 120 exceeds and covers the bent portion 121 .

[0107] As an optional embodiment, refer to the attached Figure 1 and attached Figure 2 As shown, the distance between the edge of the protective layer 130 and the edge of the corresponding bending portion 121 is in the range of 0.2-0.4 mm.

[0108] Specifically, the distance between the edge of the protective layer 130 and the edge of the corresponding bending portion 121 is a first distance S1, and the distance range of the first distance S1 is 0.2-0.4 mm. The protective layer 130 can extend beyond the covering bending portion 121 to better protect the bending portion 121. At the same time, the first distance S1 is small and will not affect other components located on the screen body 120, thereby ensuring the normal operation of the screen body 120.

[0109] As an optional embodiment, refer to the attached Figure 1 and attached Figure 2 As shown, in the thickness direction of the display module 100, the thickness of the thermal expansion film layer 140 is a first dimension M1, the sum of the thickness of the protective layer 130, the thickness of the screen body 120, and the thickness of the support layer 110 without the groove 111 is a second dimension M2, and the ratio of the first dimension M1 to the second dimension M2 is greater than or equal to 1 / 4 and less than or equal to 1 / 2.

[0110] Specifically, the thickness of the thermal expansion film layer 140 is a first dimension M1, and the sum of the thicknesses of the protective layer 130, the screen body 120, and the support layer 110 without the groove 111 is a second dimension M2. By setting the ratio of the first dimension M1 to the second dimension M2 to be greater than or equal to 1 / 4, that is, the first dimension M1 is at least 1 / 4 of the second dimension M2, the support performance of the thermal expansion film layer 140 can be guaranteed. By setting the ratio of the first dimension M1 to the second dimension M2 to be less than or equal to 1 / 2, that is, the first dimension M1 is at most 1 / 2 of the second dimension M2, the bending performance of the thermal expansion film layer 140 can be guaranteed. If the ratio of the first dimension M1 to the second dimension M2 is less than 1 / 4, the thickness of the thermal expansion film layer 140 is small and the supporting capacity is weak, and it cannot support the screen body 120; if the ratio of the first dimension M1 to the second dimension M2 is greater than 1 / 2, the thickness of the thermal expansion film layer 140 is too large, and the screen body 120 becomes more difficult to bend or curled, and the preset bending or curling cannot be completed.

[0111] For example, the ratio of the first size M1 to the second size M2 can be 1 / 4, 1 / 3, 2 / 5, 3 / 7, 3 / 8, 7 / 16, 7 / 19, 9 / 27, etc. The embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific ratio between the first size M1 and the second size M2, nor is it limited to the above examples.

[0112] As an optional implementation, the ratio of the first size M1 to the second size M2 is greater than or equal to 1 / 4 and less than or equal to 1 / 3.

[0113] It is understandable that by setting the ratio of the first size M1 to the second size M2 to be greater than or equal to 1 / 4 and less than or equal to 1 / 3, the support performance of the thermal expansion film layer 140 can be guaranteed while ensuring the bending performance of the thermal expansion film layer 140.

[0114] For example, the ratio of the first size M1 to the second size M2 can be 1 / 4, 1 / 3, 2 / 7, 3 / 11, 4 / 15, 7 / 25, 9 / 29, etc. The embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific ratio between the first size M1 and the second size M2, nor is it limited to the above examples.

[0115] As an optional embodiment, refer to the attached Figure 1 and attached Figure 2 As shown, in the thickness direction of the display module 100 , the sum of the thickness of the adhesive layer 150 and the thickness of the thermal expansion film layer 140 is greater than or equal to the depth of the groove 111 .

[0116] Specifically, the sum of the thicknesses of the adhesive layer 150 and the thermal expansion film layer 140 is a third dimension N3, and the depth of the groove 111 is a fourth dimension M4. The third dimension N3 can be greater than or equal to the fourth dimension M4 to ensure the connection strength and support performance between the thermal expansion film layer 140 and the support layer 110. If the third dimension N3 is less than the fourth dimension M4, that is, the thermal expansion film layer 140 is too thin and its support capacity is weak; or if the adhesive layer 150 is too thin and its adhesive performance is weak, the connection strength between the thermal expansion film layer 140 and the support layer 110 cannot be guaranteed, affecting the normal operation of the screen body 120.

[0117] As an optional embodiment, refer to the attached Figure 1 and attached Figure 2 As shown, in the thickness direction of the display module 100 , the ratio of the depth of the groove 111 to the thickness of the support layer 110 without the groove 111 is greater than or equal to 1 / 2 and less than or equal to 3 / 4.

[0118] Specifically, referring to the above description, the depth of the groove 111 is the fourth dimension M4. By dividing the depth of the groove 111 and the thickness of the support layer 110 without the groove 111 into the fifth dimension M5, the ratio range of the fourth dimension M4 and the fifth dimension M5 is set to be greater than or equal to 1 / 2 and less than or equal to 3 / 4, thereby ensuring the support performance of the support layer 110 on the bending portion 121.

[0119] For example, if the ratio of the fourth dimension M4 to the fifth dimension M5 is greater than 3 / 4, that is, the distance between the bottom of the groove 111 and the screen body 120 is small, during the bending or curling of the display module 100, the supporting layer 110 where the bottom of the groove 111 is located is prone to cracking, affecting the normal operation of the screen body 120.

[0120] In another exemplary embodiment, if the ratio of the fourth dimension M4 to the fifth dimension M5 is less than 1 / 2, that is, the distance between the bottom of the groove 111 and the screen body 120 is large, that is, the depth of the groove 111 is small, and the space provided for the thermal expansion film layer 140 is small, which is not conducive to reducing the screen-to-body ratio of the display device used by the display module 100.

[0121] The display module 100 provided in the embodiment of the present application has a bending area 101. The display module 100 includes a stacked support layer 110, a screen body 120 and a protective layer 130. The support layer 110 is located on the backlight side 103 of the screen body 120, and the protective layer 130 is located on the light-emitting side 104 of the screen body 120. A groove 111 is provided on the support layer 110 located in the bending area 101, and the notch of the groove 111 is away from the protective layer 130. A thermal expansion film layer 140 is provided in the groove 111. By opening a groove 111 in the support layer 110 on the backlight side 103 of the screen body 120 and disposing a thermal expansion film layer 140 in the groove 111, the thermal expansion film layer 140 can protect the screen body 120 and ensure the normal use of the screen body 120 during bending or curling; at the same time, due to the protective effect of the thermal expansion film layer 140, the thickness of the protective layer 130 located on the light-emitting side 104 of the screen body 120 can be reduced, and the thermal expansion film layer 140 is located in the groove 111 opened in the support layer 110, and does not increase the overall thickness of the display module 100. Therefore, the thickness of the display module 100 can be reduced, which is beneficial to improving the screen-to-body ratio of the display device using the display module 100 and reducing the width of the frame.

[0122] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of the display module provided in an embodiment of the present application before the processing process; Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of the display module during the processing of the embodiment of the present application Figure 5 yes Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the enlarged structure at B in the middle; Figure 6 A schematic diagram of a process for preparing a display module according to an embodiment of the present application; Figure 7 Another schematic flow chart of a method for preparing a display module provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0123] Refer to the attached Figure 3 -Attached Figure 7 As shown, in a second aspect, the present application further provides a method for preparing a display module 100 , wherein the display module 100 has a bending region 101 , and the preparation method includes:

[0124] S100: providing a stacked support layer, a screen body, and a protective layer, wherein the support layer is located on the backlight side of the screen body, the protective layer is located on the light-emitting side of the screen body, and a groove is provided on the support layer in the bending area, with the notch of the groove facing away from the protective layer.

[0125] Specifically, the display module 100 can also include a raising block 160 and a circuit board 170. The raising block 160 is located on the backlight side 103 of the screen body 120 and is connected to the supporting layer 110 without the groove 111, and is arranged close to the groove 111; the circuit board 170 is located on the light-emitting side 104 of the screen body 120, is electrically connected to the screen body 120, and is spaced apart from the protective layer 130.

[0126] S200: Arranging a thermal expansion film filling member in the groove.

[0127] It is understandable that the thermal expansion film filler 180 can form the thermal expansion film layer 140 as described above, which is not described in detail here.

[0128] S300: heating the display module and bending the display module along the bending area, so that the thermal expansion film filling member expands due to the heat to form a thermal expansion film layer.

[0129] Among them, when the display module 100 is bent along the bending area 101, the thermal expansion film filling member 180 is heated and filled to form the thermal expansion film layer 140 described above, which can protect the screen body 120; during the bending or curling process, the normal use of the screen body 120 can be guaranteed; at the same time, due to the protective effect of the thermal expansion film layer 140, the thickness of the protective layer 130 located on the light-emitting side 104 of the screen body 120 can be reduced. Moreover, the thermal expansion film layer 140 is located in the groove 111 opened in the support layer 110, and does not increase the overall thickness of the display module 100. Therefore, the thickness of the display module 100 can be reduced, which is beneficial to improving the screen-to-body ratio of the display device using the display module 100 and reducing the width of the frame.

[0130] Furthermore, the heating display module 100 includes:

[0131] S310: providing a heating cavity, and placing the display module in the heating cavity.

[0132] S320: Heat the heating chamber to a preset temperature.

[0133] The display module 100 is bent along the bending region 101 and includes:

[0134] S330: Provide a jig and control the jig to adsorb the screen's circuit board.

[0135] S340: bending the display module along the bending area until the support layer on the side where the jig adsorbs the circuit board is connected to the support layer connected to the pad block, and the thermal expansion film filling member expands due to heat to form a thermal expansion film layer.

[0136] As an optional embodiment, refer to the attached Figure 3 and attached Figure 5 As shown, there is a distance between the side wall of the thermal expansion film filling member 180 and the side wall of the groove 111, and the range of the distance is 0.1-0.3 mm.

[0137] Specifically, the distance between the side wall of the thermal expansion film filler 180 and the groove side wall of the groove 111 is a second distance S2, and the range of the second distance is 0.1-0.3 mm, which can ensure that the thermal expansion film layer 140 formed by the thermal expansion film filler 180 after thermal expansion can abut the support layer 110.

[0138] For example, if the second distance is less than 0.1 mm, the distance between the thermal expansion film filler 180 and the support layer 110 is too small. The thermal expansion film filler 180 that expands due to heat will cause excessive pressure on the support layer 110, which may easily damage the structure of the support layer 110 and affect the supporting performance of the support layer 110, thereby failing to ensure the normal use of the screen body 120.

[0139] In another exemplary embodiment, if the second distance is greater than 0.3 mm, the distance between the thermal expansion film filler 180 and the support layer 110 is too large, and the thermal expansion film filler 180 cannot abut the support layer 110 after thermal expansion, that is, the supporting performance of the thermal expansion film layer 140 is insufficient, and the normal use of the screen body 120 cannot be guaranteed.

[0140] The preparation method of the display module 100 provided in the embodiment of the present application can form a display module 100 with a thermal expansion film layer 140 by using the above-mentioned preparation method. The display module 100 includes a stacked support layer 110, a screen body 120 and a protective layer 130. The support layer 110 is located on the backlight side 103 of the screen body 120, and the protective layer 130 is located on the light-emitting side 104 of the screen body 120; the groove 111 is located on the support layer 110 in the bending area 101, and the notch of the groove 111 is away from the protective layer 130. By opening a groove 111 in the support layer 110 on the backlight side 103 of the screen body 120 and disposing a thermal expansion film layer 140 in the groove 111, the thermal expansion film layer 140 can protect the screen body 120 and ensure the normal use of the screen body 120 during bending or curling; at the same time, due to the protective effect of the thermal expansion film layer 140, the thickness of the protective layer 130 located on the light-emitting side 104 of the screen body 120 can be reduced, and the thermal expansion film layer 140 is located in the groove 111 opened in the support layer 110, and does not increase the overall thickness of the display module 100. Therefore, the thickness of the display module 100 can be reduced, which is beneficial to improving the screen-to-body ratio of the display device using the display module 100 and reducing the width of the frame.

[0141] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the structure of a display device provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0142] Thirdly, refer to the attached Figure 8 As shown, an embodiment of the present application further provides a display device 400, comprising a housing (not shown in the figure) and a display module 100 manufactured by the above-mentioned preparation method, wherein the display module 100 is located in the housing.

[0143] It is understandable that the display device 400 can be a personal terminal, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a vehicle-mounted terminal, a camera, a smart wearable display terminal, etc. The embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific form of the display device 400, nor is it limited to the above examples.

[0144] The display device 400 provided in an embodiment of the present application includes a shell and a display module 100 manufactured by the above-mentioned preparation method. The display module 100 includes a stacked support layer 110, a screen body 120 and a protective layer 130. The support layer 110 is located on the backlight side 103 of the screen body 120, and the protective layer 130 is located on the light-emitting side 104 of the screen body 120; a groove 111 is provided on the support layer 110 located in the bending area 101, and the notch of the groove 111 is away from the protective layer 130. A thermal expansion film layer 140 is provided in the groove 111. By opening a groove 111 in the support layer 110 on the backlight side 103 of the screen body 120 and disposing a thermal expansion film layer 140 in the groove 111, the thermal expansion film layer 140 can protect the screen body 120 and ensure the normal use of the screen body 120 during bending or curling; at the same time, due to the protective effect of the thermal expansion film layer 140, the thickness of the protective layer 130 located on the light-emitting side 104 of the screen body 120 can be reduced, and the thermal expansion film layer 140 is located in the groove 111 opened in the support layer 110, and does not increase the overall thickness of the display module 100. Therefore, the thickness of the display module 100 can be reduced, which is beneficial to improving the screen-to-body ratio of the display device using the display module 100 and reducing the width of the frame.

[0145] In the description of the embodiments of this application, it should be understood that, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they may refer to a fixed connection, an indirect connection via an intermediate medium, internal communication between two components, or an interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in this application based on specific circumstances.

[0146] Terms such as "upper," "lower," "front," "back," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer" indicate positions or relationships based on those shown in the accompanying drawings. These terms are intended solely to facilitate the description of this application and simplify the description. They do not indicate or imply that the devices or components referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed, or operate in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limiting this application. In the description of this application, "plurality" means two or more, unless otherwise specifically specified.

[0147] The terms "first," "second," "third," "fourth," and the like in the specification and claims of the present application and in the accompanying drawings are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a particular order or sequential sequence. It should be understood that such terms are interchangeable where appropriate so that the embodiments of the present application described herein can be implemented in an order other than those illustrated or described herein. In addition, the terms "including" and "having," as well as any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions, e.g., a process, method, system, product, or apparatus comprising a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units clearly listed, but may include other steps or units that are not clearly listed or that are inherent to these processes, methods, products, or apparatus.

[0148] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, rather than to limit them. Although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or make equivalent replacements for some or all of the technical features therein. These modifications or replacements do not deviate the essence of the corresponding technical solutions from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application.

Claims

1. A display module, characterized in that: The display module has a bending area, and includes a support layer, a screen body, and a protective layer that are stacked together. The support layer is located on the backlight side of the screen body, and the protective layer is located on the light-emitting side of the screen body. A groove is provided on the support layer located in the bending area, the notch of the groove faces away from the protective layer, and a thermal expansion film layer is provided in the groove. The thermal expansion film layer is formed by thermal expansion of a thermal expansion film filler. Before the thermal expansion film filler expands, there is a gap between the sidewall of the thermal expansion film filler and the sidewall of the groove. The groove is a blind groove, the thermal expansion film layer is connected to the groove bottom of the groove, and the thermal expansion film layer abuts against the side wall of the groove; The display module further includes an adhesive layer located between the support layer and the thermal expansion film layer, and the thermal expansion film layer is connected to the support layer through the adhesive layer; A plurality of spheres are arranged in the adhesive layer, and the plurality of spheres are evenly distributed in the adhesive layer.

2. The display module according to claim 1, wherein: The thermal expansion film layer is made of polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate or thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer.

3. The display module according to claim 1, wherein: The Young's modulus of the thermal expansion film layer is in the range of 2 10 9 -3 10 9 Pa.

4. The display module according to claim 3, wherein: The material of the sphere includes at least one of rubber and silicone.

5. The display module according to claim 3, wherein: The screen body includes a bending portion located in the bending area, and the orthographic projection of the bending portion on the supporting layer at least covers the groove.

6. The display module according to claim 5, wherein: The orthographic projection of the protective layer on the screen body at least covers the bent portion.

7. The display module according to claim 6, wherein: The distance between the edge of the protective layer and the corresponding edge of the bent portion is in the range of 0.2-0.4 mm.

8. The display module according to claim 3, wherein: In the thickness direction of the display module, the thickness of the thermal expansion film layer is a first dimension, the sum of the thickness of the protective layer, the thickness of the screen body, and the thickness of the supporting layer without the groove is a second dimension, and the ratio of the first dimension to the second dimension is greater than or equal to 1 / 4 and less than or equal to 1 / 2.

9. The display module according to claim 8, wherein: The ratio of the first size to the second size is greater than or equal to 1 / 4 and less than or equal to 1 / 3.

10. The display module according to claim 1, wherein: In the thickness direction of the display module, the sum of the thickness of the adhesive layer and the thickness of the thermal expansion film layer is greater than or equal to the depth of the groove; And / or, in the thickness direction of the display module, the ratio of the depth of the groove to the thickness of the support layer without the groove is greater than or equal to 1 / 2 and less than or equal to 3 / 4.

11. A method for preparing a display module, characterized in that: The display module has a bending area, and the preparation method includes: A supporting layer, a screen body, and a protective layer are provided in a stacked manner, wherein the supporting layer is located on the backlight side of the screen body, the protective layer is located on the light-emitting side of the screen body, and a groove is provided on the supporting layer in the bending region, with the notch of the groove facing away from the protective layer; A thermal expansion film filling piece is arranged in the groove, and a distance is provided between the side wall of the thermal expansion film filling piece and the groove side wall of the groove; heating the display module and bending the display module along the bending area, so that the thermal expansion film filling member expands due to the heat to form a thermal expansion film layer; The groove is a blind groove, the thermal expansion film layer is connected to the groove bottom of the groove, and the thermal expansion film layer abuts against the side wall of the groove; The display module further includes an adhesive layer located between the support layer and the thermal expansion film layer, and the thermal expansion film layer is connected to the support layer through the adhesive layer; A plurality of spheres are arranged in the adhesive layer, and the plurality of spheres are evenly distributed in the adhesive layer.

12. The method for preparing a display module according to claim 11, wherein: The range of the spacing is 0.1-0.3 mm.

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