Flexible display devices and wearable devices

Abstract

This invention provides a flexible display device and a wearable device. The flexible display device includes multiple flexible display modules, which are sequentially spliced ​​along a first direction. Adjacent flexible display modules share a common side edge, and a groove is provided at a position corresponding to the common side edge. When adjacent flexible display modules rotate relative to the groove, the multiple flexible display modules can form a ring-shaped structure. In this embodiment, by providing multiple flexible display modules with different functions, and by allowing these flexible display modules to be bent into a ring-shaped structure, the device can be directly worn on the user's wrist. Furthermore, deformation does not affect the normal display function of each flexible display module, thereby effectively improving the operating conditions and bending effect of the flexible display device, and enhancing its overall performance.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of display panel design and manufacturing technology, and in particular to a flexible display device and a wearable device. Background Technology

[0002] With the continuous development of display panel manufacturing technology, people have put forward higher requirements for the various performance characteristics of display panels and devices.

[0003] In existing technologies, the prepared display panels and devices are mainly used for flat panel displays, such as common automotive flat panel screens and flat panel displays. However, with the continuous expansion of the uses and functions of display devices, the aforementioned flat panel display devices can no longer meet people's multifunctional needs, such as foldable portable mobile phones. Commonly used flat, inflexible panels cannot realize the function of foldable mobile phones. At the same time, with the emergence of electronic display products such as foldable watches, the application scope of flexible panels has further expanded. However, the flat panel displays prepared in existing technologies cannot be bent, and their bending effect is not ideal during the bending process. They cannot be folded in a specific way according to usage requirements and their size cannot be changed. For example, in foldable watches, this means that existing display panels cannot be well applied to flexible devices in different scenarios, thus reducing the overall performance of the panels and hindering the further development of flexible devices.

[0004] In summary, the flexible display panels prepared in the prior art do not have ideal bending performance when bent, and cannot be well applied to bending performance in different scenarios, thus reducing the overall performance of the flexible display panels. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This invention provides a flexible display device and a wearable device. It effectively addresses the problem that existing flexible display devices, when bent and folded, are not suitable for various bending scenarios and exhibit unsatisfactory bending effects.

[0006] To address the aforementioned technical problems, the present invention provides a flexible display device, comprising:

[0007] A flexible display module, wherein multiple flexible display modules are sequentially spliced ​​along a first direction, and adjacent flexible display modules have a common side, and a groove is provided at a position corresponding to the common side;

[0008] The two adjacent flexible display modules can rotate relative to the groove and enclose each other to form a ring structure.

[0009] According to one embodiment of the present invention, each of the flexible display modules is provided with different functional components;

[0010] The functional components include any one of a camera component, a chip component, a power supply component, a vibration component, and a receiving component.

[0011] According to one embodiment of the present invention, when the flexible display modules are laid flat on a horizontal surface along the first direction, different flexible display modules are located at the same height.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the length direction of the groove is parallel to the side of the corresponding flexible display module, and the groove is symmetrically arranged with respect to the side.

[0013] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the different grooves are all disposed on the same side of the flexible display module.

[0014] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the flexible display device further includes a magnetic component disposed at a corresponding position of the groove. When the flexible display module rotates relative to the groove, the magnetic components attract each other and fix two adjacent flexible display modules.

[0015] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the flexible display module includes a first flexible display module, a second flexible display module connected to the first flexible display module, a third flexible display module connected to the second flexible display module, a fourth flexible display module connected to the third flexible display module, and a fifth flexible display module connected to the fourth flexible display module.

[0016] The grooves between adjacent flexible display modules are identical, and when the flexible display module rotates relative to the groove, the sidewalls of the two different flexible display modules corresponding to the groove fit together.

[0017] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the second flexible display module can be flipped relative to the third flexible display module on the side facing the groove or on the back side of the groove;

[0018] The normals at the centers of different flexible display modules intersect at the same point, and the angle between the normals of two adjacent flexible display modules is 60°.

[0019] According to one embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the flexible display modules is detachable.

[0020] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a wearable device is also provided, the wearable device including the flexible display module provided in the embodiments of the present application.

[0021] The beneficial effects of this invention's embodiments: Compared to the prior art, this invention provides a flexible display device and a wearable device. The flexible display device includes multiple flexible display modules, which are sequentially spliced ​​along a first direction. Adjacent flexible display modules share a common side edge, and a groove is provided at a position corresponding to the common side edge. When adjacent flexible display modules rotate relative to the groove, the multiple flexible display modules can form a ring structure. In this embodiment, by providing multiple flexible display modules with different functions, and by allowing these flexible display modules to be bent into a ring structure, they can be directly worn on the user's wrist. Furthermore, deformation does not affect the normal display function of each flexible display module, thereby effectively improving the operating conditions and bending effect of the flexible display device, and effectively improving the overall performance of the flexible display device. Attached Figure Description

[0022] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the membrane structure of a cover plate provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0024] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the film layer structure corresponding to the assembled display panel provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0025] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the manufacturing process of a cover plate provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0026] Figures 4-5 This is a schematic diagram of the membrane structure corresponding to the cover plate preparation process provided in the embodiments of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0027] The following description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention, provides different implementation methods or examples to realize different structures of the present invention. To simplify the present invention, the components and arrangements of specific examples are described below. Furthermore, the various specific processes and materials provided in the present invention are examples that those skilled in the art will recognize for the application of other processes. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0028] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," and "counterclockwise," etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships, are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are only for the convenience of describing the invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the invention. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated.

[0029] With the continuous development of display panel and device manufacturing technology, people have put forward higher requirements for the performance and display effect of display devices.

[0030] Compared to traditional display panels, flexible and bendable display panels are gaining increasing attention due to their wide range of applications and complex usage scenarios. Furthermore, with the further development of the performance of flexible foldable or bendable panels, their superior properties, such as portability, are also attracting attention, as seen in wearable devices with deformable displays, such as foldable watches. However, the bending effect of the aforementioned bendable display panels prepared in the current technology is not ideal, failing to achieve the required display or folding size, thus hindering the further development of the overall performance of flexible display panels.

[0031] This application provides a flexible display device and a wearable device to improve the bending effect and unsatisfactory performance of existing foldable display panels.

[0032] like Figure 1 As shown, Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the planar structure of a flexible display device provided in an embodiment of this application. The flexible display device includes multiple flexible display modules 10. The multiple flexible display modules 10 are sequentially spliced ​​along a first direction to form a complete flexible display device.

[0033] Specifically, in this embodiment, the first direction is described using the horizontal direction as an example. During splicing, the flexible display modules 10 can be connected sequentially from left to right. In the following embodiment, five flexible display modules are used as an example for explanation.

[0034] In this embodiment, the flexible display module 10 includes a first flexible display module 101, a second flexible display module 102, a third flexible display module 103, a fourth flexible display module 104, and a fifth flexible display module 105. When these flexible display modules are spliced ​​together, the first flexible display module 101 is connected to the second flexible display module 102, the second flexible display module 102 is connected to the third flexible display module 103, the third flexible display module 103 is connected to the fourth flexible display module 104, and the fourth flexible display module 104 is connected to the fifth flexible display module 105.

[0035] like Figure 2 As shown, Figure 2 Provided in the embodiments of this application Figure 1 Side view. Combined with Figure 1 The diagram shows a planar structure in which the five flexible display modules are sequentially assembled. During assembly, each flexible display module 10 can be positioned on the substrate 109 before being assembled.

[0036] See details Figures 1-2 In the structure of this application embodiment, the first flexible display module 101, the second flexible display module 102, the third flexible display module 103, the fourth flexible display module 104 and the fifth flexible display module 105 can be set as modules of the same size. For example, the length and width of each flexible display module can be set to the same size. At the same time, in order to ensure its splicing effect, the thickness of each flexible display module 10 can be set to the same thickness.

[0037] Furthermore, during setup, adjacent flexible display modules 10 have a common side. For example, for the first flexible display module 101 and the second flexible display module 102, the first flexible display module 101 and the second flexible display module 102 have a common side 233, through which the two adjacent flexible display modules are connected.

[0038] Meanwhile, at the corresponding position on the common side 233, a groove 111 is also provided on the flexible display device. The groove 111 is provided along the length direction of each flexible display module 10, for example, the groove 111 extends from the bottom to the corresponding top of each flexible display module 10, forming a corresponding opening. In this embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the groove 111 can be a triangular opening, or a square or polygonal cross-sectional opening structure. Further details are omitted here.

[0039] In this embodiment, the length direction of the groove 111 is parallel to the side of the corresponding flexible display module 10, and the groove 111 can be disposed directly above the common side 233. Optionally, taking the groove 111 between the third flexible display module 103 and the fourth flexible display module 104 as an example, a first side 221 and a second side 222 are respectively provided on both sides of the groove 111. The first side 221 is one side of the third flexible display module 103, and the second side 222 is one side of the fourth flexible display module 104. In this embodiment, the first side 221 and the second side 222 are symmetrically arranged relative to the groove 111.

[0040] Meanwhile, the grooves 111 between different flexible display modules can all be arranged on the same side of the flexible display module, such as all grooves 111 facing the side of the display module that emits light, or, depending on the requirements, different grooves can be arranged facing the side of the display module that emits backlight. Specifically, the orientation of the groove 111 between the second flexible display module 102 and the third flexible display module 103 is opposite to the orientation of the other grooves 111, so that different flexible display modules can be bent in different directions when bent.

[0041] In this embodiment, a groove 111 is provided between two adjacent flexible display modules. Simultaneously, the two adjacent flexible display modules can rotate relative to the corresponding groove 111, such as flipping relative to the groove 111, thereby forming a ring-shaped structure. During the flipping process, the opening direction of the groove 111 allows the flexible display module to bend in the corresponding direction, thereby forming the desired shape and improving its bending effect.

[0042] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when setting the different flexible display modules, each flexible display module can be equipped with different functional components. These functional components may include a camera component, a chip component, a power supply component, a vibration component, and a receiving component. Optionally, a camera component is provided in the first flexible display module 101, a chip component in the second flexible display module 102, and a vibration component in the third flexible display module 103. Simultaneously, a power supply component is provided in the fourth flexible display module 104, and a receiving component is provided in the fifth flexible display module 105. When the flexible display device is bent to form a ring structure, different functions can be realized within each different module.

[0043] Furthermore, the flexible display modules corresponding to different functional components can be connected via hinge structures or spring-loaded structures. Specifically, the aforementioned hinge structures or spring-loaded structures can be installed at corresponding positions between each groove 111, thereby connecting two adjacent flexible display modules together and allowing them to be bent.

[0044] like Figure 3As shown, Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the connection effect of another flexible display module provided in this application embodiment. Specifically, taking the connected first flexible display module 101 and second flexible display module 102 as an example, the flexible display module further includes magnetic components. These magnetic components include a first magnetic component 301 and a second magnetic component 302. The first magnetic component 301 is disposed on one side of the first flexible display module 101, and the second magnetic component 302 is disposed on one side plate of the second flexible display module 102. Both the first magnetic component 301 and the second magnetic component 302 are correspondingly disposed on both sides of the groove 111.

[0045] In this embodiment, the first magnetic component 301 and the second magnetic component 302 have opposite magnetic properties. When the first flexible display module 101 and the second flexible display module 102 bend relative to the groove 111, the first magnetic component 301 moves closer to the second magnetic component 302. As the distance between them decreases, the first magnetic component 301 and the second magnetic component 302 attract each other, generating a fixed attraction force, thereby fixing the first flexible display module 101 and the second flexible display module 102 and effectively improving the bending effect between different flexible display modules. In this embodiment, the first magnetic component 301 and the second magnetic component 302 can be respectively attached to the sides of different flexible display modules.

[0046] Furthermore, the aforementioned magnetic component can also be configured as other snap-fit ​​components. When two different flexible display modules approach each other, the snap-fit ​​components can fix them in place and prevent the flexible display modules from springing back after bending. This improves the bending effect of the flexible display device.

[0047] like Figure 4 As shown, Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the flexible display device provided in this embodiment after it has been fully bent. (Combined with...) Figures 1-2 In the structure described in this application embodiment, after the different flexible display modules are flipped relative to their corresponding grooves, the sides of the two flexible display modules on both sides of the same groove are attached to each other, thereby forming a ring structure.

[0048] In this embodiment of the application, the transition of the groove 111 is provided as a chamfer, wherein the radius of the chamfer is set to be less than 25mm, and optionally 20mm.

[0049] Furthermore, after each of the above flexible display modules is fully bent, an angle will be formed between two adjacent flexible display modules. Ultimately, the first flexible display module 101, the second flexible display module 102, the third flexible display module 103, the fourth flexible display module 104, and the fifth flexible display module 105 form an incompletely closed pentagonal structure.

[0050] In this embodiment, the normals corresponding to the center of each flexible display module intersect at the same center point O. For example, the normal at the center of the first flexible display module 101 and the normal at the center of the second flexible display module 102 both pass through the center point O.

[0051] Meanwhile, there is an included angle α between the normals corresponding to the centers of two adjacent flexible display modules. In this embodiment, the included angle α is set to 60°. Optionally, the included angle α between the normals corresponding to the centers of the first flexible display module 101 and the second flexible display module 102 is also set to 60°.

[0052] Furthermore, the distance from the center point O of the normal of each flexible display module to the surface of each flexible display module is the same, thus forming a regular pentagonal structure.

[0053] In this embodiment, when setting the different flexible display modules, some flexible display modules are detachable. Optionally, the first flexible display module 101 and the fifth flexible display module 105 can be disassembled. For example, the first flexible display module 101 contains a camera component, and the fifth flexible display module 105 contains a receiving component. When the first flexible display module 101 and the fifth flexible display module 105 are disassembled, the camera and receiving functions in the flexible display device disappear, while the corresponding functional components in the second flexible display module 102 to the fourth flexible display module 104 can still function normally. Therefore, in this embodiment, the number of flexible display modules assembled in the flexible display device can be changed according to different usage requirements, thereby changing the size of the flexible display device to adapt to different usage conditions.

[0054] like Figure 5 As shown, Figure 5 This is another structural schematic diagram of the flexible display device provided in the embodiments of this application. (In conjunction with...) Figure 4 In this embodiment of the application, the bending angle between different flexible display modules can be changed according to different usage requirements. In this embodiment of the application, the size of the annular structure formed after multiple flexible display modules are bent is changed by changing the opening size of the groove 111 between adjacent flexible display modules.

[0055] Specifically, compared with Figure 4 The pentagonal ring in the groove 111 reduces the opening radius of the groove. At this time, after the two adjacent flexible display modules bend relative to the groove 111, the bending angle will decrease accordingly, thus forming a ring with a larger radius.

[0056] In this embodiment of the application, in setting Figure 5In the ring structure, the normals corresponding to the centers of two adjacent flexible display modules still intersect at the same point O. Simultaneously, since each flexible display module bends to form a half-unfolded ring structure, an angle α is formed between the normals corresponding to the centers of two adjacent flexible display modules. In this embodiment, the angle α between the normals corresponding to different flexible display modules is different, and the angle α decreases sequentially from the first flexible display module 101 to the fifth flexible display module 105.

[0057] Specifically, the included angle of the normals between the first flexible display module 101 and the second flexible display module 102 is α1, the included angle of the normals between the second flexible display module 102 and the third flexible display module 103 is α2, the included angle of the normals between the third flexible display module 103 and the fourth flexible display module 104 is α3, and the included angle of the normals between the fourth flexible display module 104 and the fifth flexible display module 105 is α4. In this embodiment, α1 > α2 > α3 > α4. This creates a smooth transition structure between the flexible display modules, preventing the rapid curvature change during large curvature deformation of the flexible display device, which could lead to bending stress at the corresponding grooves and cause the flexible display module to crack during bending deformation. This effectively improves the bending performance.

[0058] Furthermore, embodiments of this application also provide a wearable device. See details. Figure 4 The structure allows each flexible display module to bend at a significant curvature, forming a ring-shaped wristwatch. Each flexible display module corresponds to a display screen, and each display screen can have different functions, thereby effectively expanding the application scenarios of wearable devices and improving their bending performance.

[0059] In this embodiment of the application, the flexible display device may also be any functional product or component with display function or large bending performance, such as foldable mobile phone, computer, electronic paper, monitor, etc., and its specific type is not specifically limited.

[0060] In summary, the flexible display device and wearable device provided by the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above. Specific examples have been used to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of the present invention. The description of the above embodiments is only for the purpose of helping to understand the technical solution and core ideas of the present invention. Although the present invention has been disclosed above with preferred embodiments, the above preferred embodiments are not intended to limit the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make various modifications and refinements without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention is based on the scope defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A flexible display device, characterized in that, include: A flexible display module, wherein multiple flexible display modules are sequentially spliced ​​along a first direction, and adjacent flexible display modules have a common side edge, and a groove is provided at the corresponding position of the common side edge; The two adjacent flexible display modules can rotate relative to the groove and form a ring structure; the substrates of the multiple flexible display modules are continuous.

2. The flexible display device according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each of the flexible display modules is equipped with different functional components; The functional components include any one of a camera component, a chip component, a power supply component, a vibration component, and a receiving component.

3. The flexible display device according to claim 2, characterized in that, When the flexible display modules are laid flat on a horizontal surface along the first direction, different flexible display modules are located at the same height.

4. The flexible display device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The length direction of the groove is parallel to the side of the corresponding flexible display module, and the groove is symmetrically arranged with respect to the side.

5. The flexible display device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The different grooves are all located on the same side of the flexible display module.

6. The flexible display device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The flexible display device also includes a magnetic component, which is disposed at the corresponding position of the groove. When the flexible display module rotates relative to the groove, the magnetic components attract each other and fix the two adjacent flexible display modules.

7. The flexible display device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flexible display module includes a first flexible display module, a second flexible display module connected to the first flexible display module, a third flexible display module connected to the second flexible display module, a fourth flexible display module connected to the third flexible display module, and a fifth flexible display module connected to the fourth flexible display module. The grooves between adjacent flexible display modules are identical, and when the flexible display module rotates relative to the groove, the sidewalls of the two different flexible display modules corresponding to the groove fit together.

8. The flexible display device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The second flexible display module can be flipped relative to the third flexible display module on the side facing the groove or on the back side of the groove; The normals at the centers of different flexible display modules intersect at the same point, and the angle between the normals of two adjacent flexible display modules is 60°.

9. The flexible display device according to claim 7, characterized in that, At least one of the flexible display modules is detachable.

10. A wearable device, characterized in that, Includes the flexible display module as described in any one of claims 1-9.

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