Flexible support film and flexible display panel

Abstract

This application discloses a flexible support film and a flexible display panel. The flexible support film includes a support frame, which includes at least one support unit. Each support unit includes a central structure and a mesh structure extending outward from the central structure, and the mesh structure is connected to the central structure. Through this method, this application can achieve significant stretching while simultaneously supporting the display panel.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of display technology, specifically relating to a flexible support film and a flexible display panel. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of display technology, stretchable flexible display panels have emerged. Stretchable flexible display panels can be adjusted in size according to display needs, and can minimize the space occupied by the display panel during storage and transportation.

[0003] However, to achieve stretch display, the stress effect must first be overcome. During the manufacturing process of flexible display panels, a support film with a special structure needs to be introduced to support and fix the final display shape of the product. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a flexible support film and a flexible display panel, which can achieve a large stretching function while supporting the display panel.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, one technical solution adopted in this application is: to provide a flexible support membrane, including a support frame, the support frame including: at least one support unit, each support unit including a central structure and a network structure extending outward from the central structure, and the network structure being connected to the central structure.

[0006] Preferably, the network structure includes multiple radial veins, one end of which is connected to the central structure, and the other end extends away from the central structure. At the same time, the multiple radial veins are arranged radially around the central structure.

[0007] Preferably, the network structure includes multiple telescopic veins, at least one of the telescopic veins is connected at one end to the radial vein, and the other end is connected to other telescopic veins to form a network structure.

[0008] Preferably, the telescopic vein includes lateral veins and branch veins; wherein, one end of the lateral vein is connected to the radial vein, and the other end extends in a direction away from the connected radial vein and the central structure; one end of the branch vein is connected to the lateral vein, and the other end extends in a direction away from the connected lateral vein, and at least a portion of the branch vein is connected to other branch veins and / or the lateral vein to form a network structure;

[0009] Preferably, at least one side of at least a portion of the radial veins is connected to the lateral veins;

[0010] Preferably, at least one side of at least a portion of the lateral vein is connected to the branch vein.

[0011] Preferably, when the flexible support membrane is in a non-stretched state, the straight-line distance between the two ends of at least one of the telescopic veins is less than the length of the telescopic vein.

[0012] Preferably, when the flexible support membrane is in a non-stretched state, at least one of the expansion and contraction veins is at least one of the following: a zigzag shape, an arc shape, or a wave shape.

[0013] Preferably, the flexible support membrane further includes a support body, and the support skeleton is embedded in the support body.

[0014] Preferably, the support body includes a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer and a substrate stacked together, and the support skeleton is located in the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer and / or the substrate.

[0015] Preferably, the central structure includes at least two inner and outer ring members, the network structure is connected to the outermost ring member, and a plurality of support members are connected between two adjacent ring members, the plurality of support members being arranged circumferentially along the ring members.

[0016] Preferably, the number of the annular components is at least two, the at least two annular components are concentric rings, and a plurality of support components are connected between two adjacent annular components, and the plurality of support components are arranged along the circumference of the annular components.

[0017] Preferably, the support member is arched, with both ends of the arch connected to one of the ring members and the middle part of the arch connected to another ring member.

[0018] Preferably, at least two of the annular members include a first annular member disposed on the innermost side and a second annular member adjacent to the first annular member, and the support member located between the first annular member and the second annular member is defined as the first support member, wherein the first support member protrudes toward the second annular member.

[0019] Preferably, at least two of the annular members further include a third annular member disposed outside the second annular member and adjacent to the second annular member, and the support member located between the second annular member and the third annular member is defined as the second support member, wherein the second support member protrudes toward the second annular member.

[0020] Preferably, the flexible support membrane includes at least two support units, and adjacent support units are connected to each other to form at least one connection point.

[0021] Preferably, the at least one connection point includes a first connection point, which is located at one end of the radial vein away from the central structure, and the radial veins in two adjacent support units are connected to each other through the first connection point.

[0022] Preferably, the at least one connection point includes a second connection point, which is located at one end of the telescopic pulse away from the radial pulse, and the telescopic pulses in two adjacent support units are connected to each other through the second connection point.

[0023] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, another technical solution adopted in this application is: to provide a flexible display panel, including: a screen body; and a flexible support film as described in any of the above embodiments, which is stacked on one side of the screen body.

[0024] Preferably, the screen body includes a display area and a non-display area, and the orthographic projection of the flexible support film on the screen body is located in the display area.

[0025] Preferably, the flexible display panel further includes a support layer, which is disposed in the same layer as the flexible support film, and the orthographic projection of the support layer on the screen body is located in the non-display area.

[0026] Unlike existing technologies, the advantages of this application are as follows: The flexible support film provided in this application includes at least one support unit in its support framework. Each support unit includes a central structure and a network structure extending outward from the central structure. The central structure, as the core of the entire support unit, provides support points for the network structure. The network structure supports the flexible display panel, and the network structure allows the support unit to have a large range of expansion and contraction performance when subjected to external forces, meeting the deformation requirements of the flexible display panel such as bending, rolling, or stretching. This structure results in high stability of the support unit and reduces the likelihood of breakage. Simultaneously, because the flexible support film can disperse the stress on the flexible display panel during deformation, it can reduce the deformation amplitude of pixels in the flexible display panel, preventing pixel encapsulation failure due to excessive deformation. Attached Figure Description

[0027] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for describing the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. Those skilled in the art can also derive other drawings based on these drawings without inventive work, among which:

[0028] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of one embodiment of the flexible support membrane of this application;

[0029] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the middle support unit;

[0030] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the support unit of this application;

[0031] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the central structure of one embodiment of this application;

[0032] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the central structure of this application;

[0033] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the central structure of this application;

[0034] Figure 7 This is a top view of one embodiment of the flexible support membrane of this application;

[0035] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of the flexible display panel of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0036] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0037] Please see Figure 1 , Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of the flexible support film of this application. The flexible support film 110 can be used in a flexible display panel, and the flexible display panel can be a flexible display panel that is bendable, rollable, or stretchable.

[0038] The flexible support membrane 110 includes a support frame 1, which includes at least one support unit 10. For example, the flexible support membrane 110 includes multiple support units 10, and the multiple support units 10 can be interconnected.

[0039] like Figure 2 As shown, Figure 2 yes Figure 1A schematic diagram of the supporting unit structure is shown. Each supporting unit 10 includes a central structure 13 and a network structure (not shown) extending outward from the central structure 13, and the network structure is connected to the central structure 13. In this embodiment, the central structure 13 is located at the exact center of the supporting unit 10. In other embodiments, the central structure 13 may not be at the exact center and may be offset radially. The network structure supports the flexible display panel, allowing the flexible display panel to be flattened. The network structure also gives the supporting unit 10 a large degree of expansion and contraction performance when subjected to external forces, meeting the deformation requirements of the flexible display panel such as bending, rolling, or stretching. The central structure 13, as the core of the entire supporting unit 10, provides support points for the network structure, improving the stability of the network structure during deformation. The above structure makes the supporting unit 10 highly stable and less prone to breakage. At the same time, since the flexible support film 110 can disperse the stress on the flexible display panel during deformation, it can reduce the deformation amplitude of the pixel units in the flexible display panel and prevent pixel unit encapsulation failure caused by excessive deformation.

[0040] Optionally, continue reading Figure 2 The network structure includes multiple radial veins 11, one end of which is connected to the central structure 13, and the other end extends away from the central structure 13. The multiple radial veins 11 radiate outwards from the central structure 13. Optionally, the network structure includes multiple telescopic veins 12, at least one telescopic vein 12 is connected to the radial veins 11 at one end, and the other end connects to other telescopic veins 12 to form a network structure. The radial veins 11 increase the radial coverage of the support frame 1, providing support for the support unit 10. The telescopic veins 12 provide the support unit 10 with expansion and contraction capabilities. Since the telescopic veins 12 extend outwards from the radial veins 11 to form a network structure, the network veins can support each other during deformation of the support unit 10, increasing the strength of the support unit 10 and preventing breakage. The structure, number, and size of each radial vein 11 can be different or the same; this application does not impose specific limitations.

[0041] Optionally, please continue reading Figure 2The telescopic vein 12 includes lateral veins 121 and branch veins 122. One end of the lateral vein 121 is connected to the radial vein 11, and the other end extends away from the connected radial vein 11 and the central structure 13. One end of the branch vein 122 is connected to the lateral vein 121, and the other end extends away from the connected lateral vein 121. At least some of the branch veins 122 are connected to other branch veins 122 and / or lateral veins 121 to form a mesh structure. Specifically, the telescopic vein 12 includes lateral veins 121 and branch veins 122 arranged in stages. The lateral veins 121 increase the circumferential coverage of the support frame 1, while the branch veins 122 further increase the coverage area of ​​the support frame 1, filling the space between the radial veins 11 and the lateral veins 121, increasing the mesh structure density, and enhancing the supporting force of the support unit 10, so that the support unit 10 has telescopic properties in all directions. The branch veins 122 can be connected to other branch veins 122 or to other lateral veins 121. Optionally, lateral veins 121 are connected to both sides of the radial vein 11, and branch veins 122 are connected to both sides of the lateral veins 121, resulting in a larger coverage of the telescopic vein 12. In other embodiments, lateral veins 121 may be connected to one side of some or all of the radial veins 11, or branch veins 122 may be connected to one side of some or all of the lateral veins 121, or no branch veins 122 may be provided on either side of some or all of the lateral veins 121. The structure, number, and size of the lateral veins 121 and branch veins 122 on each radial vein 11 may be different or the same, and this application does not impose specific limitations. The telescopic veins 122 may also be set in more levels, which can be specifically set according to the actual situation.

[0042] Optionally, when the flexible support membrane 110 is in a non-stretched state, the straight-line distance between the two ends of at least one expansion joint 12 is less than the length of the expansion joint 12. That is, when the flexible support membrane 110 is in a non-stretched state, the expansion joint 12 can be in a non-linear state; when the flexible support membrane 110 changes from a non-stretched state to a stretched state, the expansion joint 12 is gradually straightened from a non-linear state to a straight state. The flexible support membrane 110, while increasing its area, can reduce the stress on the expansion joint 12 during the stretching process, thus reducing the probability of it breaking under stress. Optionally, as... Figure 2 In the illustrated embodiment, when the flexible support membrane 110 is in a non-stretched state, the lateral veins 121 and branch veins 122 are at least one of the following: zigzag, arc, or wavy. For example, the lateral veins 121 are arc-shaped, and some of the branch veins 122 are zigzag-shaped. In other embodiments, the lateral veins 121 may also be wavy or zigzag, and the branch veins 122 may also be arc or wavy.

[0043] It should be noted that the telescopic pulse 12 and the radial pulse 11 have a certain degree of flexibility. When the flexible display panel is bent or twisted, the corresponding telescopic pulse 12 and radial pulse 11 can reduce the stress received during the deformation process by torsion, thereby reducing the probability of it breaking under stress.

[0044] Optionally, see Figure 3 , Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the support unit of this application. In this embodiment, the central structure 13 includes two inner and outer ring members 131 connected to the outermost ring member 131. Multiple support members 132 are connected between adjacent ring members 131, and the multiple support members 132 are arranged circumferentially along the ring member 131. Specifically, in this embodiment, multiple radial veins 11 are evenly distributed circumferentially on the outermost ring member 131, allowing the ring member 131 to be evenly stressed circumferentially, dispersing the stress on the ring member 131, reducing the probability of breakage of the ring member 131, and increasing the stability of the support unit 10. In this embodiment, the ring member 131 is circular, and its structure is relatively stable. In other embodiments, the ring member 131 can also be a square ring or a polygonal ring. Specifically, the material of the ring member 131 can be the same as the material of the network structure, and the ring member 131 can be formed synchronously with the network structure.

[0045] Optionally, see Figure 4 , Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of the central structure of this application. The number of annular members 131 is at least two. For example, in this embodiment, there are two annular members 131 arranged in concentric rings. Multiple support members 132 connect adjacent annular members 131, and the multiple support members 132 are arranged circumferentially along the annular members 131. The support members 132 are used to distribute the stress on the annular members 131, further increasing the stability of the central structure 13. In this embodiment, the support members 132 are linear. In other embodiments, the support members 132 may also be as follows: Figure 5 The wave shape shown can also be an arch structure.

[0046] Optionally, see Figure 6 , Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the central structure 13 of this application, and Figure 6 yes Figure 3A schematic diagram of the central structure 13. In this embodiment, the support member 132 is arched, with both ends of the arch connected to a ring member 131 and the middle of the arch connected to another ring member 131. Optionally, in this embodiment, there are three ring members 131, which include a first ring member 1311, a second ring member 1312, and a third ring member 1313 from the inside out. The support member 132 includes a first support member 1321 disposed between the first ring member 1311 and the second ring member 1312, and a second support member 1322 disposed between the second ring member 1312 and the third ring member 1313. The first support member 1321 protrudes toward the second ring member 1312, and the second support member 1322 protrudes toward the second ring member 1312. The second ring member 1312 is used to achieve point-to-surface contact with the apex of the arched structure to disperse the force on the support member 132. Optionally, the stiffness of the second annular member 1312 is greater than that of the first annular member 1311, the third annular member 1313, and the support member 132 to increase the reliability of the second annular member 1312. The stability of the central structure 13 is further increased by setting multiple layers of annular members 131 and support members 132, and the load-bearing capacity of the support member 132 is enhanced by setting an arched structure. When the mesh structure is stretched, the stress distributed on the central structure 13 increases the tensile strength of the support unit 10 and reduces the probability of the central structure 13 breaking.

[0047] Optionally, please continue reading Figure 1 The flexible support membrane 110 includes at least two support units 10, and adjacent support units 10 are connected to each other through connection points (not shown). Optionally, the connection point includes a first connection point 101, which is located at the end of the radial vein 11 away from the central structure 13, and the radial veins 11 in adjacent support units 10 are connected to each other through the first connection point 101. Optionally, the connection point includes a second connection point 102, which is located at the end of the telescopic vein 12 away from the radial vein 11, and the telescopic veins 12 in adjacent support units 10 are connected to each other through the second connection point 102. Specifically, multiple second connection points 102 can be provided, and they can be located at the ends of the side veins 121 and / or the ends of the branch veins 122. The telescopic veins 12 of adjacent support units 10 form a mesh structure, and the radial veins 11 of adjacent support units 10 are connected as one unit, increasing the overall stability and strength of the flexible support membrane 110 and improving its telescopic performance. In this embodiment, the support unit 10 is hexagonal. In other embodiments, the support unit 10 may also be other shapes, such as rectangle, octagon, etc.

[0048] Optionally, in the flexible support membrane 110, the dimensions of the support units 10 can be exactly the same or partially the same. For example, see [reference needed]. Figure 7For a bendable flexible display panel, the flexible display panel includes a bending area and a non-bending area. The flexible support film 110 includes a first part 11a corresponding to the bending area and a second part 11b corresponding to the non-bending area. The distribution density of the support unit 10 in the first part 11a can be greater than the distribution density of the support unit 10 in the second part 11b to ensure the bending performance of the bending area.

[0049] See Figure 8 , Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of one embodiment of the flexible display panel of this application. The flexible display panel 100 includes a screen body 120 and a flexible support film 110 as described in any of the above embodiments. The flexible support film 110 is stacked and disposed on one side of the screen body 120. Specifically, the screen body 120 may include a light-emitting layer 1210 and a flexible substrate 1220 stacked together. The light-emitting layer 1210 includes a plurality of pixel units 1211, and the flexible support film 110 is disposed on the side of the flexible substrate 1220 opposite to the light-emitting layer 1210. Since the flexible support film 110 can disperse the stress on the flexible display panel 100 during deformation, it can reduce the deformation amplitude of the pixel units 1211 in the flexible display panel 100 and prevent the encapsulation failure of the pixel units 1211 caused by excessive deformation.

[0050] Optionally, please continue reading Figure 8 The screen body includes a display area AA and a non-display area NA. The orthographic projection of the flexible support film 110 onto the screen body 120 is located in the display area AA. The extended area of ​​the flexible support film can be the same as the display area, or it can be slightly smaller or larger than the display area.

[0051] Optionally, such as Figure 8 As shown, the flexible display panel 100 also includes a support layer 130, which is disposed in the same layer as the flexible support film 110, and the orthogonal projection of the support layer 130 on the flexible substrate 1220 is located within the non-display area NA. Since there are many traces in the non-display area NA, in order to protect the traces and prevent short circuits during deformation, the support layer 130 corresponding to the non-display area NA can be a film layer structure with high rigidity. For example, the support layer 130 can be formed by coating polyimide (PI) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

[0052] Optionally, such as Figure 8As shown, the flexible support film 110 also includes a support body 2, in which a support frame 1 is embedded. Optionally, the support body 2 includes a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer 21 and a substrate 22 sequentially stacked along the direction away from the screen body 120, and the support frame 1 may be located in the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer 21 and / or the substrate 22. Specifically, the substrate 22 may be made of materials such as polyimide PI or polyethylene terephthalate PET, and the support frame 1 may be made of materials such as polyimide PI or polyethylene terephthalate PET. The support body 2 is used to ensure the flexibility and stretchability of the flexible support film 110, and the support frame 1 is used to improve the strength of the flexible support film 110 and deforms with the deformation of the flexible support film 110. Optionally, the support frame 1 is located in the neutral layer of the flexible display panel 100 to reduce the stress on the support frame 1 when the flexible display panel 100 is bent. It should be noted that the position of the neutral layer of the flexible display panel 100 in the thickness direction is affected by the material, thickness and thickness uniformity of each film layer, and the specific position of the flexible display panel 100 can be obtained through testing.

[0053] In a specific application scenario, a single support unit 10 has a dimension of 300μm and a thickness of 150μm in the X or Y direction. The expansion and contraction of a single support unit 10 in the X or Y direction is 200μm. When the maximum tensile limit is reached, the thickness of a single support unit 10 becomes 50μm, while the dimension in the X or Y direction can reach 500μm. When the flexible display panel 100 is 150mm*150mm in the X or Y direction, the maximum deformation of this design can reach 200mm*200mm. At this time, the thickness of the flexible support film 110 is 50μm, and large-angle folding is achieved.

[0054] The above are merely embodiments of this application and do not limit the patent scope of this application. Any equivalent structural or procedural transformations made using the content of this application's specification and drawings, or direct or indirect applications in other related technical fields, are similarly included within the patent protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A flexible support membrane, characterized in that, Includes a support frame, the support frame comprising: At least one support unit, each support unit including a central structure and a network structure extending outward from the central structure, wherein the network structure is connected to the central structure; The network structure includes multiple radial veins, one end of which is connected to the central structure and the other end extends away from the central structure. At the same time, the multiple radial veins radiate outward from the central structure. The network structure includes multiple telescopic veins, at least one of the telescopic veins is connected at one end to the radial vein, and the other end is connected to other telescopic veins to form a network structure; The telescopic vein includes lateral veins and branch veins; wherein, one end of the lateral vein is connected to the radial vein, and the other end extends in a direction away from the connected radial vein and the central structure; One end of the branch vein is connected to the lateral vein, and the other end extends away from the connected lateral vein. At least a portion of the branch vein is connected to other branches and / or lateral veins to form a network structure.

2. The flexible support membrane according to claim 1, characterized in that, At least one side of the radial vein is connected to the lateral vein.

3. The flexible support membrane according to claim 1, characterized in that, At least one side of the lateral vein is connected to the branch vein.

4. The flexible support membrane according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the flexible support membrane is in a non-stretched state, the straight-line distance between the two ends of at least one of the telescopic veins is less than the length of the telescopic vein.

5. The flexible support membrane according to claim 4, characterized in that, When the flexible support membrane is in a non-stretched state, at least one of the expansion and contraction veins is at least one of the following: a zigzag shape, an arc shape, or a wave shape.

6. The flexible support membrane according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flexible support membrane also includes a support body, and the support skeleton is embedded in the support body.

7. The flexible support membrane according to claim 6, characterized in that, The support body includes a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer and a substrate stacked together, and the support skeleton is located in the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer and / or the substrate.

8. The flexible support membrane according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The central structure includes at least two inner and outer ring-shaped members, the network structure is connected to the outermost ring-shaped member, and multiple support members are connected between adjacent ring-shaped members, with the multiple support members arranged circumferentially along the ring-shaped members.

9. The flexible support membrane according to claim 8, characterized in that, The support member is arched, with both ends of the arch connected to one of the ring members and the middle part of the arch connected to another ring member.

10. The flexible support membrane according to claim 9, characterized in that, The at least two ring members include a first ring member disposed on the innermost side and a second ring member adjacent to the first ring member, and the support member located between the first ring member and the second ring member is defined as the first support member, wherein the first support member protrudes toward the second ring member.

11. The flexible support membrane according to claim 10, characterized in that, At least two of the annular members further include a third annular member disposed outside the second annular member and adjacent to the second annular member, and the support member located between the second annular member and the third annular member is defined as the second support member, wherein the second support member protrudes toward the second annular member.

12. The flexible support membrane according to claim 1, characterized in that, include: At least two of the support units, and two adjacent support units are connected to each other to form at least one connection point.

13. The flexible support membrane according to claim 12, characterized in that, The at least one connection point includes a first connection point, which is located at one end of the radial vein away from the central structure, and the radial veins in two adjacent support units are connected to each other through the first connection point.

14. The flexible support membrane according to claim 12, characterized in that, The at least one connection point includes a second connection point, which is located at one end of the telescopic pulse away from the radial pulse, and the telescopic pulses in two adjacent support units are connected to each other through the second connection point.

15. A flexible display panel, characterized in that, include: Screen body; The flexible support membrane as described in any one of claims 1-14 is stacked on one side of the screen body.

16. The flexible display panel according to claim 15, characterized in that, The screen includes a display area and a non-display area, and the orthographic projection of the flexible support film on the screen is located in the display area.

17. The flexible display panel according to claim 16, characterized in that, The flexible display panel also includes a support layer, which is disposed in the same layer as the flexible support film, and the orthographic projection of the support layer on the screen body is located in the non-display area.

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