Flexible display module and display equipment

Abstract

The invention relates to a flexible display module and display equipment. The flexible display module comprises a flexible display panel, wherein a display surface, close to a display side, of the flexible display panel comprises a display area and a frame area located on the periphery of the display area; the protection structure covers the edge of the flexible display panel and comprises a first part located on the display surface of the flexible display panel, a second part located on the side face of the flexible display panel and a third part located on the back face, away from the display side, of the flexible display panel, the first part covers the frame area of the flexible display panel, and the second part covers the frame area of the flexible display panel. The flexible display module can be fixed on the display equipment through at least one of the first part, the second part and the third part.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] With the diversified demand for display products, flexible organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display panels have become the next-generation display technology with development prospects because of their bendability and variability, as well as the advantages of self-luminescence, continuously adjustable luminous color, high brightness, low power consumption, light weight, and wide viewing angle.

[0003] In the related art, the flexible OLED display panel can be encapsulated with a glass cover plate or a resin cover plate. As the strength of the flexible OLED display panel increases, it can be unencapsulated to achieve the goal of further thinness and low cost. For the unencapsulated flexible OLED display panel, its edge is easily affected by external force to cause progressive black spots, affecting the display quality. Summary of the invention

[0004] The present application provides a flexible display module and a display device, which are used to solve the problem that the edges of the flexible OLED display panel are easily subjected to external forces and cause progressive black spots, thereby affecting the display quality.

[0005] In a first aspect, a flexible display module is provided, comprising: a flexible display panel, wherein a display surface of the flexible display panel close to a display side includes a display area and a frame area located outside the display area; a protective structure covering an edge of the flexible display panel, the protective structure including a first portion located on the display surface of the flexible display panel, a second portion located on a side surface of the flexible display panel, and a third portion located on a back surface of the flexible display panel away from the display side, wherein the first portion covers the frame area of ​​the flexible display panel, and the flexible display module can be fixed on a display device by at least one of the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion.

[0006] In a second aspect, a display device is provided, comprising: a housing; the above-mentioned flexible display module, wherein the flexible display module is located in the housing, and at least one of the first part, the second part and the third part of the protective structure is fixed to the housing.

[0007] In a third aspect, a method for manufacturing the above-mentioned flexible display module is provided, comprising:

[0008] forming a flexible display panel, wherein a display surface of the flexible display panel close to a display side includes a display area and a frame area located outside the display area;

[0009] A protective structure is formed to cover the edge of a flexible display panel, the protective structure comprising a first portion located on the display surface of the flexible display panel, a second portion located on the side of the flexible display panel, and a third portion located on the back of the flexible display panel away from the display side, wherein the first portion covers the frame area of ​​the flexible display panel, and the flexible display module can be fixed on the display device by at least one of the first portion, the second portion and the third portion. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] In order to more clearly illustrate the specific implementation methods of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings required for use in the specific implementation methods or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some implementation methods of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative work.

[0011] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a flexible display module in some embodiments of the present application;

[0012] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of a display device in some embodiments of the present application;

[0013] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a flexible display module in some embodiments of the present application;

[0014] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the manufacturing process of the protection structure in some embodiments of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0015] The technical solution of the present application will be described clearly and in detail below in conjunction with the drawings of the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the embodiments described below are part of the embodiments of the present application rather than all of the embodiments, and are only used to more clearly illustrate the technical solution of the present application. Therefore, they are only used as examples, and the protection scope of the present application cannot be limited by this. Based on the described embodiments of the present application, all other embodiments that can be obtained by those skilled in the art without creative work belong to the scope of protection of the present application.

[0016] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein shall have the meanings commonly understood by technicians in the technical field of this application; the terms used herein are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit this application; the terms "including" and "having" in the embodiments of this application and any variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions. The terms "first", "second", etc. in the embodiments of this application are only used to distinguish different objects and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number, specific order or primary and secondary relationship of the indicated technical features. In the embodiments of this application, unless otherwise stated, "multiple" means more than two.

[0017] Flexible OLED display panels have the advantages of being bendable, self-luminous, continuously adjustable luminous color, high brightness, low power consumption, light weight, and wide viewing angle. They meet people's increasingly diversified demands for display products and have become a next-generation display technology with development prospects.

[0018] The flexible OLED display panel includes a flexible substrate and a light-emitting device disposed on the flexible substrate. The material of the flexible substrate can be glass, polyimide (PI), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), etc. The light-emitting device is an OLED, which includes a stacked anode, an organic light-emitting layer and a cathode. Under the action of an electric field, the holes generated by the anode and the electrons generated by the cathode migrate to the organic light-emitting layer, and the two are combined to generate energy excitons, thereby exciting the organic light-emitting layer to generate visible light.

[0019] The flexible OLED display panel includes a display area and a non-display area (i.e., a frame area) located outside the display area. The display area includes a plurality of pixel areas distributed in an array, each pixel area includes a plurality of adjacent sub-pixel areas, and OLEDs of different colors can be arranged in the plurality of sub-pixel areas, and the OLEDs of different colors emit light of different colors to achieve color display. The colors of the light emitted by the OLEDs in the plurality of sub-pixel areas may include, but are not limited to, red, green, blue, and may also include yellow, white, and the like.

[0020] It is understandable that OLEDs of the same color may be arranged in multiple sub-pixel regions, for example, white OLEDs. In this case, a color filter may be arranged on the display side of the flexible OLED display panel, and the filtering effect of the color filter may convert the white light emitted by the white OLED into light of different colors, thereby enabling color display. In other words, when the light emitted by the OLEDs in all sub-pixel regions is the same color, color display may also be achieved by arranging a color filter on the display side.

[0021] In the related art, the flexible OLED display panel includes an OLED display substrate and a protective cover plate disposed on the OLED display substrate, the protective cover plate is disposed close to the display side, and the light-emitting device is disposed on the OLED display substrate. As the strength of the flexible OLED display panel increases, it can be realized without encapsulation, that is, without the protective cover plate, to achieve the goal of further thinness and low cost. For the flexible OLED display panel without encapsulation, its edge is easily subjected to external force to cause progressive black spots, affecting the display quality.

[0022] In order to solve the above technical problems, a flexible display module and a display device are provided in the embodiments of the present application. By providing a protective structure covering the edge of the flexible display panel, the edge of the flexible display panel can be protected, the edge strength can be improved, and the problem of progressive black spots easily caused by external forces on the edge can be improved, thereby ensuring the display quality. At the same time, the flexible display module can be fixed on the display device through the protective structure. Since the protective structure extends from the display surface of the display panel through the side to the back, it has high structural strength and reliability, thereby increasing the assembly reliability and facilitating the realization of a narrow frame.

[0023] The display device in the embodiments of the present application may be, but is not limited to, any device with a display function, such as a mobile phone, a laptop computer, a wearable device, a television, etc.

[0024] It can be understood that the flexible display panel in the embodiment of the present application is not limited to the OLED display panel, but can also be other display panels that can achieve flexible display, such as quantum dot electroluminescent display panel and quantum dot photoluminescent display panel.

[0025] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0026] like Figure 1 As shown, according to some embodiments of the present application, a flexible display module is provided, which includes a flexible display panel 100, and the display surface of the flexible display panel 100 close to the display side includes a display area and a frame area (i.e., a non-display area) located outside the display area. After the flexible display module is assembled on a display device, the frame area of ​​the flexible display panel 100 corresponds to the frame of the display device.

[0027] The flexible display module also includes a protective structure 10 covering the edge of the flexible display panel 100, and the protective structure 10 includes a first portion 11 located on the display surface of the flexible display panel 100, a second portion 12 located on the side of the flexible display panel 100, and a third portion 13 located on the back side of the flexible display panel 100 away from the display side. In other words, the protective structure 10 extends from the display surface of the flexible display panel 100 through its side to the back side opposite to the display surface.

[0028] The first portion 11 covers the frame area of ​​the flexible display panel 100 , and the flexible display module can be fixed on the display device through at least one of the first portion 11 , the second portion 12 and the third portion 13 .

[0029] Thus, by providing a protective structure 10 covering the edge of the flexible display panel 100, and the protective structure 10 covers the frame area of ​​the display surface, the edge strength of the flexible display panel 100 can be improved, so that the edge of the flexible display panel 100 can be protected without affecting the normal display, thereby improving the problem of progressive black spots easily caused by external forces on the edge, and ensuring the display quality. At the same time, the flexible display module can be fixed on the display device through the protective structure 10. Since the protective structure 10 extends from the display surface of the flexible display panel 100 through the side to the back, the protective structure 10 can have higher strength and reliability, thereby increasing the assembly reliability and facilitating the realization of a narrow frame.

[0030] The flexible display panel in the embodiment of the present application can be any display panel capable of realizing flexible display, for example, an organic electroluminescent display panel, a quantum dot electroluminescent display panel, or a quantum dot photoluminescent display panel. The specific structure of the flexible display panel will not be described in detail here.

[0031] The flexible display panel in the embodiment of the present application may not include a protective cover plate, that is, only includes a display substrate. The display substrate selects a flexible substrate, such as a glass substrate or a PI substrate. It can be understood that the flexible display panel in the embodiment of the present application may also include a protective cover plate, that is, a protective cover plate is provided on the display side of the display substrate.

[0032] The display surface of the flexible display panel 100 close to the display side may be rectangular, square, oval, circular, etc., or may be an irregular shape. Taking the display surface of the flexible display panel 100 as a rectangle as an example, the widths of the frame areas on the four sides of the display surface may be the same or may not be completely the same. Exemplarily, the widths of the upper frame, the left frame, and the right frame of the display surface may be the same, and the width of the lower frame may be greater than the widths of the other frames, or may be equal to the widths of the other frames. It should be noted that this is only an example, and there is no restriction on the shape of the display surface and the width of the frame. The display surface of a suitable shape and the width of the frame can be selected according to actual application requirements.

[0033] In some embodiments, the flexible display module may further include an optical layer 200 disposed on the display surface of the flexible display panel 100 and a back film 300 disposed on the back of the flexible display panel 100. In a direction perpendicular to the flexible display panel 100, the side of the optical layer 200 may be aligned with the side of the flexible display panel 100. Relative to the side of the flexible display panel 100, the side of the back film 300 may be retracted a certain distance toward the center of the flexible display panel 100. In this case, the first portion 11 of the protective structure 10 is located on the surface of the optical layer 200 close to the display side; the second portion 12 covers the side of the optical layer 200, the side of the flexible display panel 100, and the side of the back film 300; the third portion 13 is located on the surface of the back film 300 away from the display side. Providing the optical layer 200 on the display side can improve the display quality. The optical layer 200 may include a polarizer POL, for example, which can reduce external reflected light and improve the display quality. The back film 300 can be attached to the back surface of the flexible display panel 100 to prevent external impurities from entering the display panel and also to provide support.

[0034] The material of the back film 300 may be, for example, PI or PET, so as not to affect the bendability of the flexible display panel.

[0035] In the embodiment of the present application, the protection structure 10 covering the edge of the flexible display panel 100 can be made of a material with a certain elastic modulus, such as rubber or silicone, so as to provide a buffering effect on external forces and better improve the problem of progressive black spots on the edge caused by external forces.

[0036] According to some embodiments of the present application, the protective structure can be bonded to the display device by means of a frame glue. Since the flexible display panel is light in weight, the connection strength and reliability can be ensured by bonding, and the bonding method is easy to implement without adding a connection structure. The frame glue can be, for example, but not limited to, silicone or polyurethane resin (PU glue).

[0037] In some embodiments, Figure 2 As shown, a frame glue 1002 can be set between the surface of the first part 11 and the display device for bonding, and the flexible display module is bonded to the display device only through the first part 11 of the protective structure 10. It can be understood that the flexible display module can also be bonded to the display device through the second part 12 and / or the third part 13 of the protective structure 10, or can also be bonded to the display device through the first part 11 and the second part 12 of the protective structure 10, or the first part 11 and the third part 13.

[0038] According to some embodiments of the present application, the first part 11 covers the surface of the second part 12 close to the display side, that is, the first part 11 extends outward relative to the edge of the flexible display panel 100, so that the surface area of ​​the first part 11 close to the display side is larger than the area of ​​the frame area. Thus, when the flexible display module is fixed to the display device at least by the first part 11, the connection strength can be increased and the connection reliability can be improved. Taking the protective structure 10 as an example of being bonded to the display device by a frame glue, a frame glue 1002 can be set between the surface of the first part 11 and the display device for bonding. Since the surface of the first part 11 is larger than the area of ​​the frame area, the connection strength can be increased.

[0039] exist Figure 3 In the illustrated example, the unpackaged flexible display module includes a stacked back film (SCF) 300, a flexible display panel (PNL) 100 and an optical layer 200, such as a polarizer (POL), to reduce external reflected light and improve display quality. Among them, ① is the upper frame area of ​​POL and PNL. Taking the 14-inch product as an example, the width of the upper frame area can be within 1.5mm, ② is the retracted area of ​​SCF relative to PNL. Due to the influence of the fitting tolerance, the width of the retracted area of ​​the medium-sized product is ≥0.5mm, and ③ is the effective support area of ​​the upper frame area PNL and POL, which is used for pasting with the display device. Only the effective support area ③ can provide effective pasting (pasting the display area AA will block the display area and affect the display effect), and pasting at the position of the corresponding retracted area ② will cause PNL deformation and cannot provide pasting reliability. Therefore, taking the upper frame as an example, the width of the effective pasting area is ≤1mm. Similarly, the structure of the left and right frames is the same as the upper frame structure, and the width of the effective pasting area is ≤1mm. With the subsequent upgrade of ultra-narrow bezel products, the effective adhesive area of ​​the product (i.e., the effective support area) will continue to shrink. The effective adhesive width of the product frame glue is usually required to be ≥1.5mm, so the product design without a protective cover in the related technology cannot effectively and reliably fix the flexible display module to the display device by sticking the frame glue.

[0040] See also Figure 2 As shown, according to some embodiments of the present application, the protective structure 10 can be pasted on the display device at least through the first part 11, and the effective pasting area of ​​the first part 11 is the entire surface of the first part 11 close to the display side. Therefore, the width of the effective pasting area of ​​the first part 11 can at least correspond to the width of the upper frame area of ​​the POL and the PNL, which is greater than Figure 3In the example shown, the width of the effective support area of ​​PNL and POL. When the first part 11 of the protective structure 10 not only covers the frame area of ​​the display surface, but also extends to the surface of the second part 12 covering the side of the flexible display panel 100, the surface area of ​​the first part 11 can be further increased. Since the entire surface of the first part 11 is the effective bonding area, the width of the effective bonding area of ​​the first part 11 is greater than the width of the upper frame area of ​​POL and PNL. Therefore, relative Figure 3 As shown in the example, the technical solution in the embodiment of the present application can effectively increase the width of the effective pasting area and ensure the reliability of the flexible display panel being pasted to the display device.

[0041] It is understandable that the above is only an example of the pasting assembly method to illustrate that the protection structure can improve the assembly reliability in the embodiment of the present application. For other assembly methods, the protection structure can improve the edge strength of the flexible display panel and the space available for assembly, and can also improve the assembly reliability.

[0042] Taking the display surface of the flexible display panel as a rectangle as an example, the width of the frame area of ​​the flexible display panel in the embodiment of the present application may refer to the extension length of the frame area of ​​one side of the flexible display panel in a direction perpendicular to the side.

[0043] It can be understood that the first part may also only cover the border area, and the first part and the second part are two relatively independent parts.

[0044] The solution in the embodiment of the present application can fix the flexible display module to the display device through the protection structure 10 by providing a protection structure 10 covering the edge of the flexible display panel 100, thereby improving the assembly reliability.

[0045] like Figure 1As shown, according to some embodiments of the present application, at least one edge of the flexible display panel 100 has a bending structure 101, and the bending structure 101 is bent toward the back of the flexible display panel 100 and extends to the back of the flexible display panel 100. The bending structure 101 includes a bending portion 1011 corresponding to the side of the flexible display panel 100 and a plane portion 1012 corresponding to the back of the flexible display panel 100. On the side where the bending structure 101 is located, the side of the flexible display panel 100 is an outer bending surface of the bending portion 1011 away from the center of the flexible display panel 100, the second portion 12 of the protective structure 10 covers the outer bending surface of the bending portion 1011, and the third portion 13 of the protective structure 10 is located on the surface of the plane portion 1012 away from the back of the flexible display panel 100. In this case, the driving circuit (PCB) 105 can be disposed on the back of the flexible display panel 100, and the bending structure 101 can include a circuit area of ​​the flexible display panel 100 and a circuit area where the circuit (IC) 103 is located, and the circuit area can correspond to the back of the flexible display panel 100, so that the circuit 103 can be connected to the driving circuit 105 through the flexible circuit (FPC) 104. By bending the circuit area and the circuit area, it is beneficial to achieve a narrow frame.

[0046] A cushion layer 106 may be provided on the back of the flexible display panel 100 at a position corresponding to the flat portion 1012 of the bending structure 101, so as to facilitate fixing the flat portion 1012 to the back of the flexible display panel 100 through a first adhesive layer (e.g., a PET adhesive layer) 107. The driving circuit 105 may be bonded to the back of the flexible display panel 100 through a second adhesive layer (e.g., an AD adhesive layer) 108.

[0047] In some embodiments, a protective adhesive layer 102 may be disposed on the outer side of the bending structure 101 , and the second portion 12 of the protective structure 10 covers the outer surface of the protective adhesive layer 102 away from the center of the flexible display panel 100 .

[0048] Continue to see Figure 3 As an example, in the lower frame area, ④ is the distance between the bending areas of POL200 and PNL100. Taking a 16-inch product as an example, it is usually ≤1mm. ⑥ is the retracted area of ​​SCF300 relative to the main body of PNL100. The width of the retracted area is 0.5mm. ⑤ is the effective supporting area of ​​PNL100 and POL200, which is less than or equal to 0.5mm.

[0049] See also Figure 2As shown, according to some embodiments of the present application, the protective structure 10 can be pasted on the display device at least through the first part 11, the effective pasting area of ​​the first part 11 is the entire surface of the first part 11 close to the display side, and the width of the effective pasting area of ​​the first part 11 can at least correspond to the width of the upper frame area of ​​the POL and PNL, and is greater than Figure 3 In the example shown, the width of the effective support area of ​​PNL and POL. When the first part 11 of the protective structure 10 not only covers the frame area of ​​the display surface, but also extends to the surface of the second part 12 covering the outer bending surface of the bending portion 1011, the surface area of ​​the first part 11 can be further increased. Since the entire surface of the first part 11 is the effective bonding area, the width of the effective bonding area of ​​the first part 11 is much larger than the width of the upper frame area of ​​POL and PNL. Therefore, relative Figure 3 As an illustrative example, the technical solution in the embodiment of the present application can effectively increase the width of the effective pasting area and ensure the reliability of the flexible display panel 100 being pasted to the display device.

[0050] According to some embodiments of the present application, the protective structure 10 can be manufactured by a dispensing process, that is, the first part 11, the second part 12 and the third part 13 of the protective structure 10 are formed by a dispensing process, so that the first part 11, the second part 12 and the third part 13 can be tightly combined to form an integrated structure with good structural strength and reliability.

[0051] In some embodiments, the first part 11, the second part 12 and the third part 13 of the protective structure 10 can be sequentially formed by multiple dispensing processes. The protective structure 10 is manufactured by multiple dispensing processes, which can simplify the manufacturing process of the protective structure 10, reduce costs, and ensure structural strength, thereby enhancing the protection of the outer edge of the flexible display panel 100, thereby facilitating the formation of an integrated protective structure 10. The specific manufacturing method will be described in detail below.

[0052] For ease of understanding and description, when the same part is made by two dispensing processes, the parts formed by the two dispensing processes are defined as two sub-parts, and the two sub-parts are an integrated structure. When two parts are formed by one dispensing process, such as a part of the first part 11 and a part of the second part 12, the structure formed by one dispensing process is still divided into two parts during description.

[0053] In some embodiments, see Figure 4As shown, the first part 11 of the protective structure 10 includes a first sub-part 111, a second sub-part 112 and a third sub-part 113, wherein the first sub-part 111 and the second sub-part 112 cover the frame area of ​​the display surface of the flexible display panel 100, wherein the first sub-part 111 is located on one side of the frame area close to the center of the flexible display panel 100. And wherein, the first sub-part 111, the second sub-part 112 and the third sub-part 113 are successively made by three dispensing processes, and at least a part of the second part 12 and the third sub-part are an integral structure made by a single dispensing process. In other words, a part of the first part 11 covers the frame area, and another part is located on the surface of the second part 12 close to the display side. Thus, the surface area of ​​the first part 11 can be increased, and when the flexible display module is attached to the display device at least through the surface of the first part 11, the connection reliability can also be improved in the case of a narrow frame or even an extremely narrow frame.

[0054] According to some embodiments of the present application, the surface of the first portion 11 has a plurality of protruding structures and / or a plurality of recessed structures, thereby further increasing the effective surface area of ​​the first portion 11. When the flexible display module is attached to the display device at least through the surface of the first portion 11, the connection reliability and connection strength can be further improved in the case of a narrow frame or even an extremely narrow frame. Figure 1 and Figure 2 In the illustrated example, the surface of the first portion 11 has a plurality of recessed structures 20 .

[0055] It can be understood that the surface of the second part 12 facing away from the side of the flexible display panel 100, and / or the surface of the third part 13 facing away from the back of the flexible display panel 100 can also be set to have multiple protrusion structures and / or multiple recessed structures, so as to further increase the effective area of ​​the surface of the second part 12 and / or the third part 13. When the flexible display module is adhered to the display device at least through the surface of the second part 12 and / or the third part 13, the connection reliability and connection strength can be further improved in the case of a narrow frame or even an extremely narrow frame.

[0056] See also Figure 2 As shown, according to some embodiments of the present application, a display device is further provided, comprising: a housing 1000; the flexible display module in the above embodiment, the flexible display module is located in the housing 1000, and at least one of the first part 11, the second part 12 and the third part 13 of the protective structure 10 is fixed to the housing 1000. By adopting the flexible display module in the embodiment of the present application, the assembly reliability with the housing can be improved, and it is conducive to achieving a narrow frame. In addition, installing the flexible display module in the housing can play a protective role.

[0057] In some embodiments, the housing 1000 includes a mounting frame 1001, the mounting frame 1001 encloses an opening that matches the display area of ​​the flexible display panel 100, and the first portion 11 of the protective structure 10 is connected to the mounting frame 1001. Thus, the frame area of ​​the flexible display panel 100 corresponds to the mounting frame of the housing, and normal display will not be affected.

[0058] In some embodiments, the surface of the first part 11 close to the display side has a plurality of protruding structures and / or a plurality of concave structures, and a sealant 1002 is provided between the surface of the first part 11 and the inner surface of the mounting frame 1001, so that the first part 11 is bonded and connected to the mounting frame 1001. Thus, the uneven surface can increase the surface area of ​​the first part 11, forming an effective bonding area, which is conducive to improving the bonding strength and reliability of the first part 11 and the mounting frame 1001. In addition, the bonding method is simple, and no additional connection structure is required, which is easy to implement.

[0059] Combination Figure 1 As shown, according to some embodiments of the present application, a method for manufacturing the flexible display module in the above embodiment is also provided, including:

[0060] A flexible display panel is formed, wherein a display surface of the flexible display panel 100 close to the display side includes a display area and a frame area located outside the display area;

[0061] A protective structure 10 is formed to cover the edge of the flexible display panel 100, and the protective structure 10 includes a first portion 11 located on the display surface of the flexible display panel 100, a second portion 12 located on the side of the flexible display panel 100, and a third portion 13 located on the back of the flexible display panel 100 away from the display side.

[0062] The first portion 11 covers the frame area of ​​the flexible display panel 100 , and the flexible display module can be fixed on the display device through at least one of the first portion 11 , the second portion 12 and the third portion 13 .

[0063] The step of forming the flexible display panel 100 may include forming a flexible display substrate. Taking a flexible OLED display substrate as an example, the step of forming the flexible display substrate may include: forming a thin film transistor array substrate; forming a pixel defining layer to define a plurality of sub-pixel regions, each sub-pixel region including a thin film transistor; forming an anode and an organic light-emitting layer of the OLED in the sub-pixel region, the anode being electrically connected to the drain electrode of the thin film transistor; forming a cathode on the entire surface; and forming an encapsulation layer.

[0064] The step of forming the flexible display panel 100 may further include forming a protective cover plate on the display side of the flexible display substrate. It is understandable that the flexible display panel 100 may also not include a protective cover plate.

[0065] In some embodiments, forming a protective structure 10 covering the edge of the flexible display panel 100 includes:

[0066] The first portion 11 , the second portion 12 and the third portion 13 are sequentially formed through multiple dispensing processes.

[0067] The protective structure 10 is manufactured by multiple dispensing processes, which can simplify the manufacturing process of the protective structure 10 and reduce costs, and can ensure structural strength and enhance the protection of the outer edge of the flexible display panel 100, thereby facilitating the formation of an integrated protective structure 10.

[0068] In some embodiments, the first portion 11 includes a first sub-portion 111, a second sub-portion 112, and a third sub-portion 113, see Figure 4 As shown, for the frame area on one side, the first part 11, the second part 12 and the third part 13 of the side frame area are sequentially formed by multiple dispensing processes, which may include:

[0069] On one side of the frame region close to the center of the flexible display panel Panel (PNL for short), a first sub-portion 111 is formed by a dispensing process using a dispensing device 2000;

[0070] Tilt the other side of the flexible display panel PNL opposite to the side toward the side where the back side of the flexible display panel PNL is located clockwise at a first preset angle;

[0071] Glue is dispensed on the side of the first sub-portion 111 away from the center of the flexible display panel PNL through a glue dispensing process, and after a preset glue dispensing time, the other side of the flexible display panel PNL is counterclockwise rotated by a first preset angle at a preset angular velocity, and glue is continuously dispensed during the counterclockwise rotation to form a second sub-portion 112, and the first sub-portion 111 and the second sub-portion 112 cover the frame area;

[0072] Rotate the other side of the flexible display panel 100 90 degrees clockwise;

[0073] The third sub-portion 113 is formed on the side of the second sub-portion and at least a portion of the second portion 12 is formed on the side of the flexible display panel 100 by a dispensing process.

[0074] Thus, while each dispensing process forms a partial structure, it provides a load for the next dispensing process, so that the protective structure 10 covering the outer edge of the flexible display panel PNL can be formed through multiple dispensing processes. For example, the pre-formed first sub-portion 111 can form a dam structure, and then after clockwise rotation, the second sub-portion 112 can be dispensed between the side of the first sub-portion 111 and the display surface of the flexible display panel PNL. And because the adhesive has a certain fluidity, uniform coating can be achieved.

[0075] In some embodiments, the first sub-portion 111 and the third sub-portion 113 are made of high-viscosity adhesive with low fluidity to form a dam structure. The second sub-portion 112 can be made of medium-viscosity adhesive with high fluidity to enable uniform coating. It should be noted that high-viscosity adhesive and medium-viscosity adhesive are relative concepts, and a viscose with adaptive fluidity can be selected according to actual needs.

[0076] The first preset angle may be, for example, 30° to 45°, and a suitable angle may be selected according to the actual product. In the counterclockwise rotation process of continuous dispensing, in order to ensure the dispensing quality, it is necessary to rotate slowly.

[0077] In some embodiments, see Figure 4 As shown, the flexible display module includes a flexible display panel PNL, a polarizer POL disposed on the display surface of the flexible display panel PNL, and a back film SCF disposed on the back of the flexible display panel PNL. The side of the polarizer POL is aligned with the side of the flexible display panel PNL, and the side of the back film SCF is retracted relative to the side of the flexible display panel PNL. In this case, in the above embodiment, the third sub-portion 113 of the first portion 11 is formed on the side of the second sub-portion 112 by a dispensing process, and a portion 121 of the second portion is formed on the side of the polarizer POL and the flexible display panel PNL. For the frame area on one side, the first portion 11, the second portion 12, and the third portion 13 of the side frame area are sequentially formed by multiple dispensing processes, and can also include:

[0078] The other side of the flexible display panel PNL is further rotated clockwise by a second preset angle, where the second preset angle may be, for example, 30° to 45°, and a suitable angle may be selected according to the actual product;

[0079] The other part 122 of the second part is formed on the back of the part 121 of the second part away from the display side and the side of the back film SCF by the dispensing process. The other part 122 of the second part can be made of medium-viscosity glue, which has certain fluidity and can achieve uniform coating.

[0080] Continue to rotate the other side of the flexible display panel PNL clockwise until the back side of the flexible display panel PNL faces upward;

[0081] The third portion 13 is formed on the rear surface of the flexible display panel PNL and the rear surface of the other portion 122 of the second portion by a dispensing process.

[0082] After the glue is applied and the glue has not completely solidified, a surface convex-concave pressure head 21 can be used to lightly press the surface of the first part in the frame area to produce a concave-convex texture on the surface of the first part, so that the flexible display module and the display device can obtain better bonding strength when they are bonded together through the frame glue, thereby further improving the assembly reliability.

[0083] At this point, the manufacturing of the protection structure 10 in one side frame area is completed through multiple glue dispensing processes. As for the manufacturing of the protection structure 10 in other side frame areas, it is similar to the above.

[0084] Although the embodiments or examples of the present disclosure have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that the above-mentioned methods, systems and devices are merely exemplary embodiments or examples, and the scope of the present invention is not limited by these embodiments or examples, but only by the claims after authorization and their equivalent scope. Various elements in the embodiments or examples can be omitted or replaced by their equivalent elements. In addition, each step can be performed in an order different from that described in the present disclosure. Further, the various elements in the embodiments or examples can be combined in various ways. It is important that with the evolution of technology, many elements described herein can be replaced by equivalent elements that appear after the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A flexible display module, characterized in that: include: A flexible display panel, wherein a display surface of the flexible display panel close to a display side includes a display area and a frame area located outside the display area; A protective structure covering the edge of the flexible display panel, the protective structure comprising a first portion located on the display surface of the flexible display panel, a second portion located on the side of the flexible display panel, and a third portion located on the back of the flexible display panel away from the display side, The first part covers the frame area of ​​the flexible display panel, and the flexible display module can be fixed on the display device through at least one of the first part, the second part and the third part.

2. The flexible display module according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first portion covers a surface of the second portion close to the display side.

3. The flexible display module according to claim 1, characterized in that: The flexible display module is fixed to the housing of the display device at least through the first part, and the surface of the first part has a plurality of protruding structures and / or a plurality of concave structures.

4. The flexible display module according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: At least one edge of the flexible display panel has a bending structure, and the bending structure is bent toward the back side of the flexible display panel and extends to the back side of the flexible display panel; The bending structure includes a bending portion corresponding to a side surface of the flexible display panel and a flat portion corresponding to a back surface of the flexible display panel; On the side where the bending structure is located, the side surface of the flexible display panel is an outer bending surface of the bending portion facing away from the center of the flexible display panel, the second part of the protective structure covers the outer bending surface of the bending portion, and the third part of the protective structure is located on the surface of the planar portion facing away from the back of the flexible display panel.

5. The flexible display module according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The first part, the second part and the third part are made in sequence through multiple dispensing processes.

6. The flexible display module according to claim 5, characterized in that: The first portion includes a first sub-portion, a second sub-portion and a third sub-portion, the first sub-portion and the second sub-portion cover the frame area, wherein the first sub-portion is located on a side of the frame area close to the center of the flexible display panel; And wherein, the first sub-portion, the second sub-portion and the third sub-portion are manufactured in sequence through three dispensing processes, and at least a portion of the second portion and the third sub-portion are an integral structure manufactured through a single dispensing process.

7. The flexible display module according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: Also includes: An optical layer disposed on the display surface of the flexible display panel, wherein the optical layer is aligned with a side edge of the flexible display panel in a direction perpendicular to the flexible display panel; as well as A back film is disposed on the back of the flexible display panel, wherein the side edge of the back film is retracted toward the center of the flexible display panel by a preset distance relative to the side edge of the flexible display panel; The first part of the protective structure is located on the surface of the optical layer close to the display side; the second part covers the back of the optical layer and the flexible display panel, and the side of the back film; the third part is located on the surface of the back film away from the display side.

8. A display device, characterized in that: include: case; The flexible display module according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the flexible display module is located in the shell, and at least one of the first part, the second part and the third part of the protective structure is fixed to the shell.

9. The display device according to claim 8, characterized in that The housing comprises a mounting frame, the mounting frame encloses an opening matched with a display area of ​​the flexible display panel, and the first part of the protection structure is connected to the mounting frame.

10. The display device according to claim 9, characterized in that The surface of the first part close to the display side has a plurality of protrusions and / or a plurality of recesses. Frame glue is provided between the surface of the first part and the inner surface of the mounting frame so that the first part is bonded and connected to the mounting frame.

11. A method for manufacturing a flexible display module according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: include: forming a flexible display panel, wherein a display surface of the flexible display panel close to a display side includes a display area and a frame area located outside the display area; forming a protective structure covering the edge of the flexible display panel, the protective structure comprising a first portion located on the display surface of the flexible display panel, a second portion located on the side of the flexible display panel, and a third portion located on the back side of the flexible display panel away from the display side, The first part covers the frame area of ​​the flexible display panel, and the flexible display module can be fixed on the display device through at least one of the first part, the second part and the third part.

12. The manufacturing method according to claim 11, characterized in that: The protective structure formed to cover the edge of the flexible display panel includes: The first part, the second part and the third part are formed in sequence through multiple dispensing processes.

13. The manufacturing method according to claim 12, characterized in that: The first portion includes a first sub-portion, a second sub-portion, and a third sub-portion; For the frame area on one side, the first part, the second part and the third part of the side frame area are sequentially formed by multiple dispensing processes, including: On one side of the frame area close to the center of the flexible display panel, forming the first sub-portion by a dispensing process; Tilt the other side of the flexible display panel opposite to the side toward the back side of the flexible display panel at a preset angle clockwise; Dispensing glue on the side of the first sub-portion away from the center of the flexible display panel through a dispensing process, and rotating the other side of the flexible display panel counterclockwise by the preset angle at a preset angular velocity after a preset dispensing time, and continuously dispensing glue during the counterclockwise rotation to form the second sub-portion, wherein the first sub-portion and the second sub-portion cover the frame area; Rotate the other side of the flexible display panel 90° clockwise; The third sub-portion is formed on the side of the second sub-portion by a dispensing process, and at least a part of the second portion is formed on the side of the flexible display panel.

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