Display device and display apparatus

Abstract

Disclosed is a display device including: a display panel disposed on a lower surface of a cover member; the cover member is arranged on the lower surface of the display panel, the buffer plate is arranged on the lower surface of the display panel, the buffer plate comprises a relief layer and a metal foam layer with a porous structure, and the buffer plate comprises a main body and at least one protrusion connected with the cover member.

Description

[0001] This case is a divisional application, and its parent case is an application with an application date of December 6, 2021, application number 202111477076.X, and invention name “Display device and display equipment”. Technical Field

[0002] The present disclosure relates to a display device and a display apparatus, and more particularly, to a display device and a display apparatus capable of suppressing a greenish defect and improving heat dissipation performance and a shock absorption function while reducing a frame area. Background Art

[0003] Display devices are implemented in many forms such as TVs, monitors, smartphones, tablets, laptops, and wearable devices.

[0004] Generally, a display device includes a display area for displaying a picture and a non-display area outside the display area.

[0005] In addition to the display panel, the display device also requires various additional components such as a driving integrated circuit or a circuit board to display pictures.

[0006] Additional components may be disposed in the non-display region, or various connection components such as a flexible circuit board for connecting additional components to each other may be disposed in the non-display region.

[0007] In a display device, the non-display area is also called the frame area. When the frame area is wide, the user's sight may be scattered. However, when the frame area is narrow, the user's sight can be focused on the screen in the display area, which increases the user's sense of immersion.

[0008] In other words, when the border area is narrowed, the overall size of the display device can be reduced while increasing the user's sense of immersion. Therefore, users' demand for display devices that can reduce the border area as much as possible is increasing. Summary of the invention

[0009] In the display device, not only the pads of the display panel can be set on the lower surface of the display panel, but also various additional components such as a driving integrated circuit and a circuit board can be set on the lower surface of the display panel to ensure that the display area is as large as possible and ensure the minimum border area.

[0010] In this case, various additional components may be mounted on or connected to the connection component such as a flexible circuit board, and may be disposed on the lower surface of the display panel.

[0011] For example, a flexible circuit board connected to one distal end of the display panel may be bent in a direction from the bezel area to the lower surface of the display panel.

[0012] Alternatively, when one distal end of the display panel is bent toward the lower surface of the display panel, various additional components may be disposed on the lower surface of the display panel.

[0013] In this case, when the curvature radius of the bending increases, the flexible circuit board or the display panel can be bent more stably and easily. However, as the curvature radius of the bending increases, the frame area increases, and the overall width of the display device increases.

[0014] A buffer plate for heat dissipation and shock absorption may be disposed on the lower surface of the display panel.

[0015] In one embodiment, the buffer plate has a laminated structure in which multiple layers having various functions (e.g., a heat dissipation layer having a heat dissipation function, a buffer layer capable of shock absorption, an adhesive layer for bonding the heat dissipation layer and the buffer layer to each other, etc.) are stacked layer by layer.

[0016] In this case, when the thickness of each of the heat dissipation layer and the buffer layer increases, the heat dissipation function and the shock absorption function can be enhanced. However, as the thickness thereof increases, the overall thickness of the display device increases, resulting in an increase in the frame area.

[0017] In addition, when the thickness of each of the heat dissipation layer and the buffer layer is thin to reduce the overall thickness of the display device, the heat dissipation function and the shock absorption function may be deteriorated.

[0018] In addition, the heat dissipation layer and the buffer layer having different functions may be made of different materials suitable for their functions. In this regard, layer separation or adhesion degradation may occur between the layers made of different materials.

[0019] Specifically, in order to fix the layers, a separate adhesive layer must be added between the layers, which may result in an increase in thickness, a limitation in the selection of adhesive layer types for materials to be bonded, and an increase in device cost.

[0020] Furthermore, since the buffer plate is formed in a multi-layer structure, variation in the shape of the buffer plate may be limited.

[0021] When static electricity is generated in the display device, the display device may be damaged by the static electricity.

[0022] For example, when external charges flow into the cover member of the display device and the charges do not flow out of the display device, the charges flow into the display panel, thereby causing a greenish defect of green spots to appear on the screen of the display panel.

[0023] Therefore, it is necessary to reduce the greenish defect by causing the charges that have flowed into the cover member to flow out of the display device so that the charges do not flow into the display panel.

[0024] Therefore, the inventors of the present disclosure have invented a display device and a display apparatus which can suppress the defect of greenish bias while reducing the bezel area and can improve the heat dissipation performance and the shock absorption function.

[0025] An object to be achieved according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is to provide a display device and a display apparatus capable of causing charges flowing into a cover member to flow out of the display device, thereby suppressing a defect of greenish bias.

[0026] An object to be achieved according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is to provide a display device and a display apparatus capable of reducing charges flowing into a display panel in a process of outflowing charges through a charge outflow path.

[0027] An object to be achieved according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is to provide a display device and a display apparatus which can simplify a process of causing charges flowing into a cover member to flow out of the display device and can reduce occurrence of defects in a charge outflow path.

[0028] An objective to be achieved according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is to provide a display device and a display apparatus capable of improving heat dissipation performance and shock absorption function while reducing a frame area.

[0029] An objective to be achieved according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is to provide a display device and a display apparatus capable of improving an electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding function while reducing a frame area.

[0030] An object to be achieved according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is to provide a display device and a display apparatus capable of minimizing layer separation or adhesiveness degradation between layers constituting a buffer plate.

[0031] An object to be achieved according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is to provide a display device and a display apparatus including a buffer plate having a high degree of freedom in shape change.

[0032] The objectives to be achieved according to the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to the above objectives. Those skilled in the art can clearly understand other objectives not mentioned based on the following description.

[0033] A display device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a cover member, a display panel disposed on a lower surface of the cover member, and a buffer plate disposed on a lower surface of the display panel, wherein the buffer plate includes metal foam.

[0034] In this case, the buffer plate includes a main body and at least one protrusion protruding from and extending along at least one edge portion of the main body, wherein the protrusion contacts the cover member.

[0035] The protrusion contacts an edge region of a lower surface of the cover member but does not contact a side surface of the display panel.

[0036] Furthermore, the protrusion is bent from the main body toward the lower surface of the cover member and has an inclined portion.

[0037] The device fixing member (or first connection member) is disposed between the cover member and the display panel. The device fixing member and the protrusion are both in contact with the lower surface of the cover member, while the protrusion is spaced apart from the device fixing member by a predetermined distance.

[0038] The body of the buffer plate and the protrusion are integral with each other.

[0039] The display panel includes a front portion, a bent portion, and a pad portion extending from the bent portion and disposed below a lower surface of the front portion, wherein the protrusion is not disposed at an edge portion of the buffer plate adjacent to the bent portion.

[0040] The buffer plate includes an embossing layer and metal foam disposed on a lower surface of the embossing layer, wherein the metal foam has a porous metal structure having a plurality of pores therein.

[0041] A display apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a cover member, a display device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure coupled to a lower surface of the cover member, and a frame provided at a lower surface of the display device to support the cover member.

[0042] According to the present disclosure, an integrated buffer plate including at least one protrusion protruding from and extending along the edge of a main body is located on the lower surface of the display panel, and the protrusion contacts the cover member, so that the greenish defect can be suppressed by allowing the charge flowing into the cover member to flow out of the display panel through the buffer plate.

[0043] Furthermore, according to the present disclosure, the protrusion of the buffer plate may be bent to have an inclined portion so that the protrusion does not contact the side surface of the display panel and may contact the cover member, thereby reducing charges flowing into the display panel when the charges flow out through the charge outflow path.

[0044] Furthermore, according to the present disclosure, the buffer plate itself can be used as a charge outflow path without adding a separate process or component, so that the process of charge outflow can be simplified, material cost can be reduced, and defects in the charge outflow path can be reduced.

[0045] In addition, the buffer plate according to the present disclosure includes metal foam having heat dissipation function and buffering function. Therefore, the buffer plate can have both effective heat dissipation function and effective buffering function by using only metal foam without a separate heat dissipation layer or a separate buffering layer.

[0046] Specifically, even when the metal foam is very thin, the metal foam has a very good heat dissipation function and a very good buffering function. Therefore, the total thickness of the buffer plate can be greatly reduced, so that the frame area can be reduced.

[0047] Furthermore, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure, the thermal conductivity and EMI shielding performance of the metal foam may be improved while reducing the bezel area.

[0048] In addition, the buffer plate according to the present disclosure can realize the heat dissipation function and the buffering function using only metal foam, so there is no need to stack separate layers made of different materials having the heat dissipation function and the buffering function, respectively, thereby minimizing layer separation or adhesion degradation.

[0049] Furthermore, since there is no need to add a separate adhesive layer for fixing each layer, an increase in thickness due to the adhesive layer or an increase in device manufacturing cost due to adding various layers does not occur.

[0050] Furthermore, since the buffer plate according to the present disclosure includes the metal foam having a high degree of freedom in changing the shape, the shape of the buffer plate may be freely and easily changed according to the design change of the display device.

[0051] The effects of the present disclosure are not limited to the above-mentioned effects, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art through the following description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0052] Figure 1A and Figure 1B An upper surface and a lower surface of a display device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure are respectively shown.

[0053] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of a display device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, taken along the II′ direction.

[0054] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a display device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, taken along a II-II′ direction.

[0055] FIG. 4A to FIG. 4C They are respectively plan views of a buffer plate according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0056] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of a charge outflow path formed using a conductive solution according to a comparative example.

[0057] FIG. 6A to FIG. 6D Shows the coating according to Figure 5 Process diagram of conductive solution.

[0058] Figures 7 to 16 yes Figure 2 1 and 2 are enlarged cross-sectional views of regions A of the present disclosure, and are respectively enlarged cross-sectional views of buffer plates according to first to tenth embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0059] Fig.17A and Fig. 17B are comparative cross-sectional views of laminated structures of buffer panels according to a comparative example and an embodiment of the present disclosure, respectively. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0060] The advantages and features of the present disclosure and the methods for achieving these advantages and features will become apparent with reference to the embodiments described in detail below and the accompanying drawings. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but can be implemented in various different forms. Therefore, these embodiments are only set forth to complete the present disclosure and fully inform the technical personnel of the technical field to which the present disclosure belongs.

[0061] The shapes, sizes, ratios, angles, quantities, etc. disclosed in the drawings for describing the embodiments of the present disclosure are exemplary, and the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In this article, the same reference numerals refer to the same elements. In addition, in order to simplify the description, the description and details of known steps and elements are omitted. In addition, in the following detailed description of the present disclosure, many specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the present disclosure. However, it should be understood that the present disclosure can be practiced without these specific details. In other cases, known methods, processes, components and circuits are not described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the present disclosure.

[0062] The terms used herein are only used for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms "one" and "an" are intended to also include plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should be further understood that when the terms "including" and "comprising" are used in this specification, it is explained that there are the features, wholes, operations, elements and / or components described, but it is not excluded that there are or add one or more other features, wholes, operations, elements, components and / or parts thereof. As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more related listed items. When a statement such as "at least one" is before a series of elements, the series of elements can be modified as a whole, and a single element in the series of elements cannot be modified. In the interpretation of numerical values, even if there is no clear description, errors or tolerances therein can also occur.

[0063] Furthermore, it should be understood that when a first element or layer is referred to as being "on" a second element or layer, the first element may be directly disposed on the second element, or may be indirectly disposed on the second element with a third element or layer disposed between the first and second elements or layers. It should be understood that when an element or layer is referred to as being "connected to" or "coupled to" another element or layer, it may be directly on the other element or layer, directly connected to or coupled to the other element or layer, or one or more intervening elements or layers may be present. Furthermore, it should be understood that when an element or layer is referred to as being "between" two elements or layers, it may be the only element or layer between the two elements or layers, or one or more intervening elements or layers may also be present.

[0064] In the description of a temporal relationship, for example, a temporal precedence relationship between two events such as "after," "following," "before," etc., unless it is indicated as "directly after," "directly following," or "directly before," another event may occur between the two events.

[0065] It should be understood that although the terms "first", "second", "third", etc. can be used in this article to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and / or parts, these elements, components, regions, layers and / or parts should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or part from another element, component, region, layer or part. Therefore, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, the first element, component, region, layer or part described below can be referred to as the second element, component, region, layer or part.

[0066] The features of various embodiments of the present disclosure may be partially or completely combined with each other, and may be technically related to or interoperable with each other. The embodiments may be implemented independently of each other, and may be implemented together in an associated relationship.

[0067] Hereinafter, various configurations of a display device and a display apparatus that can improve heat dissipation performance and a shock absorption function while reducing a bezel area will be described in detail.

[0068] Figure 1A The upper surface of the display device 1 where the display area AA is located is briefly shown. Figure 1B The lower surface of the display device 1 is schematically shown.

[0069] Here, the direction toward the upper surface and upward is referred to as the Z-axis direction, and the direction toward the lower surface and downward is referred to as the -Z-axis direction.

[0070] The display apparatus 1 includes a cover member 20 , a display device 10 coupled to a lower surface of the cover member 20 , and a frame 30 in which the display device 10 is disposed.

[0071] The cover member 20 may be provided to cover the upper surface of the display device 10 , and thus may protect the display device 10 from external impact.

[0072] The edge of the cover member 20 may have an arc shape in which the edge is bent toward a lower surface on which the display device 10 is disposed.

[0073] In this case, the cover member 20 may cover at least a partial area of ​​the side surface of the display device 10 disposed on the lower surface thereof, thereby protecting not only the upper surface but also the side surface of the display device 10 from external impact.

[0074] The cover member 20 includes a display area AA displaying a picture, and thus may be made of a transparent material such as encapsulation glass to display the picture. For example, the cover member 20 may be made of a transparent plastic material, a glass material, or a reinforced glass material.

[0075] The frame 30 may be configured to accommodate the display device 10 .

[0076] The frame 30 serves as a housing defining a lower surface of an outermost portion of the display device 1 , and may be made of various materials such as plastic, metal, or glass.

[0077] In this case, the frame 30 may serve as a housing defining the outermost portion of the display apparatus 1. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0078] For example, the frame 30 may function as a middle frame serving as a housing forming a lower surface of the display device 10 , and an additional housing may exist on the lower surface of the frame 30 .

[0079] In addition, the upper surface of the cover member 20 may be divided into a display area AA and a non-display area NAA as an area other than the display area AA. The non-display area NAA may be formed along an edge of the display area AA and may be defined as a bezel area BZA.

[0080] The display device 10 may have a bent portion BNP coupled to the lower surface of the cover member 20. The bent portion BNP may be provided in the bezel area BZA under the cover member 20 in the -Y axis direction.

[0081] In order to reduce the bezel area BZA under the cover member 20 , it is appropriate to reduce the curvature radius of the bent portion BNP.

[0082] The curvature radius of the bent portion BNP is proportional to the total thickness of the display device 10 and the display apparatus 1. Therefore, as the total thickness increases, the curvature radius of the bent portion BNP increases. When the total thickness decreases, the curvature radius of the bent portion BNP decreases.

[0083] Therefore, in order not to increase the size of the bezel area BZA, it is desirable to prevent the total thickness of the display device 10 and the display apparatus 1 from increasing.

[0084] In the following, reference will be made to Figure 2 and Figure 3 The display device 10 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure is described in detail.

[0085] The display device 10 is coupled to a lower surface of the cover member 20 .

[0086] refer to Figure 2 The display device 10 includes a display panel 100 (the display panel 100 includes a front portion FP, a bending portion BNP, and a pad portion extending from the bending portion BNP and disposed below a lower surface of the front portion FP), a buffer plate 300 disposed between the front FP and the pad portion PAD, and a curved panel fixing member (or a second connecting member) 400 that fixes the pad portion PAD to the buffer plate 300.

[0087] Specifically, under the front FP of the display panel 100, the first back plate (or first board) 210, the buffer plate 300, the curved panel fixing member 400, the second back plate (or second board) 220 and the pad part PAD may be sequentially stacked in this order.

[0088] refer to Figure 3 The display device 10 includes a display panel 100 , and may further include various layers such as a functional film layer 140 , a first back plate 210 , and a buffer plate 300 .

[0089] First, the display device 10 (specifically, the device fixing member (or first connection member) 150 ) that fixes the display panel 100 to the cover member 20 is provided on the lower surface of the cover member 20 .

[0090] Since the device fixing member 150 may be disposed to overlap the display area AA, the device fixing member 150 may be implemented as a transparent adhesive member. For example, the device fixing member 150 may be made of a material such as OCA (optically clear adhesive), OCR (optically clear resin), or PSA (pressure sensitive adhesive), or may include a material such as OCA (optically clear adhesive), OCR (optically clear resin), or PSA (pressure sensitive adhesive).

[0091] The functional film 140 may be additionally disposed between the device fixing member 150 and the display panel 100. The functional film 140 may have a structure in which one or more functional layers are stacked layer by layer, but is not particularly limited.

[0092] In one example, the functional film 140 may include an anti-reflection layer such as a polarizing film that prevents reflection of external light to improve outdoor visibility and contrast of an image displayed on the display panel 100 .

[0093] In addition, in one example, the functional film 140 may further include a barrier layer for preventing moisture or oxygen from intruding. The barrier layer may be made of a material having low moisture permeability such as a polymer material.

[0094] The display panel 100 may include a display substrate 110 , a pixel array 120 disposed on the display substrate 110 , and an encapsulation part 130 disposed to cover the pixel array 120 .

[0095] The display substrate 110 may be used as a base substrate of the display panel 100. The display substrate 110 may be made of a flexible plastic material, and thus may be used as a flexible display substrate.

[0096] In one example, the display substrate may be made of polyimide which is a plastic material having flexibility, or may be made of a thin glass material having flexibility.

[0097] The pixel array 120 may correspond to a region for displaying an image to the upper surface of the cover member 20 , and thus may correspond to the display area AA.

[0098] Therefore, a region in the cover member 20 corresponding to the pixel array 120 may be the display area AA, and a region outside the display area AA may be the bezel area BZA.

[0099] The pixel array 120 may be implemented using various elements for displaying images and may not be particularly limited.

[0100] The pixel array 120 may include a plurality of pixels disposed in a pixel area defined by signal lines on the display substrate 110, and may display an image according to signals supplied to the signal lines. The signal lines may include gate lines, data lines, and pixel driving power lines.

[0101] Each of the plurality of pixels may include a driving thin film transistor in a pixel region, an anode electrically connected to the driving thin film transistor, a light emitting element layer formed on the anode, and a cathode electrically connected to the light emitting element layer.

[0102] The driving thin film transistor may include a gate, a semiconductor layer, a source, a drain, etc. The semiconductor layer of the thin film transistor may include silicon such as amorphous silicon, polysilicon, or low temperature polysilicon, or may include oxide such as IGZO (Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide).

[0103] The anode electrode may be disposed in each pixel in a manner corresponding to an opening area defined according to a pattern shape of the pixel, and may be electrically connected to the driving thin film transistor.

[0104] In one example, the light emitting element layer may include an organic light emitting element formed on an anode. The organic light emitting element may be implemented so that different pixels emit light of the same color (eg, white light), or may be implemented so that different pixels emit light of different colors (eg, red, green, and blue light).

[0105] In another example, the light emitting element layer may include a micro light emitting diode element electrically connected to each of the anode and the cathode. The micro light emitting diode element refers to a light emitting diode implemented in the form of an integrated circuit (IC) or a chip, and may include a first terminal electrically connected to the anode and a second terminal electrically connected to the cathode.

[0106] The cathode may be commonly connected to the light emitting elements of the light emitting element layer provided in each pixel region.

[0107] The encapsulation part 130 is formed on the display substrate 110 to cover the pixel array 120 so as to prevent oxygen, moisture or foreign matter from intruding into the light emitting element layer of the pixel array 120. In one example, the encapsulation part 130 may be formed in a multilayer structure in which organic material layers and inorganic material layers are alternately stacked layer by layer.

[0108] The display panel 100 may be divided into a front portion FP, a bending portion BNP, and a pad portion PAD.

[0109] The front portion FP of the display panel 100 constitutes a surface of a display screen. The pad portion PAD extends from the bent portion BNP toward the lower side of the front portion FP, and is thus disposed below the front portion FP.

[0110] Specifically, when the display panel 100 is bent, the pixel array 120 and the encapsulation part 130 constitute the front FP, so the pixel array 120 and the encapsulation part 130 are not bent, and a partial area of ​​the display substrate 110 corresponding to the pad part PAD is bent from the bending part BNP toward the lower surface of the front FP.

[0111] The first back plate 210 may be disposed under the front FP of the display panel 100 .

[0112] The first back plate 210 is disposed under the display substrate 110 to enhance the rigidity of the display substrate 110 while maintaining a portion of the display substrate 110 constituting the front FP in a flat state.

[0113] Since the first back plate 210 is formed to have a certain strength and a certain thickness to enhance the rigidity of the display substrate 110 , the first back plate 120 may not be formed in a portion of the display panel 100 constituting the bent portion BNP.

[0114] In one example, the second back plate 220 is disposed on an upper surface of a pad portion PAD of the display panel 100 , and the pad portion PAD extends from the bent portion BNP of the display panel 100 and is disposed under a lower surface of the front portion FP.

[0115] Before the display panel 100 is bent, the second back plate 220 is located under the display substrate 110 and is spaced apart from the first back plate 210 .

[0116] Specifically, the second back plate 220 is disposed under the pad portion PAD of the display panel 100 .

[0117] The second back plate 220 is disposed under the display substrate 110 to enhance the rigidity of the display substrate 110 while maintaining a portion of the display substrate 110 constituting the pad portion PAD in a flat state.

[0118] Since the second back plate 220 is formed to have a certain strength and a certain thickness to enhance the rigidity of the display substrate 110 , the second back plate 120 may not be formed in a portion of the display panel 100 corresponding to the bending portion BNP.

[0119] After the display panel 100 is bent, the second back plate 220 is located on the upper surface of the pad portion PAD of the display panel 100 and is disposed between the front portion FP and the pad portion PAD.

[0120] In other words, when the display panel 100 is bent, the second back plate 220 is located under the front portion FP of the display panel 100 and is located on the upper surface of the pad portion PAD of the display panel 100 .

[0121] The buffer plate 300 may be disposed under the first back plate 210 .

[0122] The buffer plate 300 includes an embossing layer 310 and a metal foam 320. Specifically, the metal foam 320 having a predetermined thickness is stacked on one surface of the embossing layer 310.

[0123] refer to Figure 2 Based on the arrangement of the display device 10 , the metal foam 320 is disposed on the lower surface of the relief layer 310 .

[0124] In the following, reference will be made to Figure 3 The buffer plate 300 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure is described in detail.

[0125] First, the relief layer 310 may refer to a layer that is in direct contact with the first back plate 210 to fix the buffer plate 300 to the first back plate 210, and thus may be used as an adhesive layer containing an adhesive component. In this case, the surface of the relief layer 310 may be formed with a plurality of relief patterns. For example, the surface of the relief layer 310 that is in contact with the first back plate 210 may include a plurality of relief patterns. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0126] The relief layer 310 may be made of or may include a material such as OCA (Optically Clear Adhesive), OCR (Optically Clear Resin), or PSA (Pressure Sensitive Adhesive).

[0127] Specifically, the relief layer 310 may include a base substrate 311 , and a first adhesive layer 311 a and a second adhesive layer 311 b disposed on two opposite surfaces of the base substrate 311 , respectively.

[0128] In this case, the second adhesive layer 311 b may contact the metal foam 320 to bond and fix the metal foam 320 to the relief layer 310 .

[0129] The first adhesive layer 311a of the relief layer 310 may have a plurality of relief patterns 313e, for example, an uneven structure. That is, an upper surface of the first adhesive layer 311a of the relief layer 310 may include a plurality of relief patterns 313e.

[0130] The upper surface of the first adhesive layer 311a of the relief layer 310 may serve as a surface in contact with the first back plate 210. The first adhesive layer 311a has the relief pattern 313e, thereby preventing bubbles from being generated between the first back plate 210 and the buffer plate 300, so that a degassing process for removing bubbles may be omitted.

[0131] The base substrate 311 of the relief layer 310 may serve to maintain the shape of the relief layer 310 , and may be made of a material such as PET.

[0132] In order to have an effective anti-bubble effect, the relief layer 310 preferably has a thickness of at least 40 μm.

[0133] The metal foam 320 is disposed on one surface of the relief layer 310 .

[0134] The metal foam 320 may refer to a porous metal structure including metal as a main component, and the metal foam 320 may have a plurality of pores 321 therein.

[0135] That is, the metal foam 320 may refer to a porous metal structure having a plurality of pores 321 therein.

[0136] As an example, the metal foam 320 may be formed using the following manufacturing method. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0137] The metal foam 320 may be formed by sintering a metal foam precursor containing metal powder.

[0138] The metal foam precursor refers to a structure before a process of forming the metal foam 320 such as a sintering process is performed.

[0139] For example, the metal foam precursor may be formed using a slurry containing metal powder, a dispersant, and a binder.

[0140] The metal powder may be implemented as a mixed metal powder or alloy powder of at least two selected from the group consisting of copper powder, nickel powder, iron powder, SUS powder, molybdenum powder, silver powder, platinum powder, gold powder, aluminum powder, chromium powder, indium powder, tin powder, magnesium powder, phosphorus powder, zinc powder, and manganese powder. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0141] In one example, alcohol may be used as a dispersant. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0142] In this case, the alcohol may include a monohydric alcohol having 1 to 20 carbon atoms (e.g., methanol, ethanol, propanol, pentanol, octanol, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, pentanol, 2-methoxyethanol, 2-ethoxyethanol, 2-butoxyethanol, glycerol, texanol, or terpineol), or a dihydric alcohol having 1 to 20 carbon atoms (e.g., ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, hexylene glycol, octanol, or pentanediol), or a polyhydric alcohol other than a dihydric alcohol. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0143] The type of the binder is not particularly limited and may be appropriately selected according to the type of the metal component or the dispersant used in the preparation of the slurry.

[0144] For example, the binder may include an alkyl cellulose having an alkyl group of 1 to 8 carbon atoms (e.g., methyl cellulose or ethyl cellulose), a polyalkylene carbonate having an alkylene unit of 1 to 8 carbon atoms (e.g., polypropylene carbonate or polyethylene carbonate), or a polyvinyl alcohol-based binder (e.g., polyvinyl alcohol or polyvinyl acetate). However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0145] After producing the slurry containing the above-mentioned metal powder, dispersant, and binder, the slurry may be injected into a frame having a predetermined shape or coated on a substrate, thereby forming a metal foam precursor.

[0146] The metal foam precursor thus formed may be transformed into the metal foam 320 through a sintering process.

[0147] In this case, the conditions of the sintering process are not particularly limited as long as the process is performed at a temperature and for a duration that allows the solvent contained in the slurry to be removed in a desired amount.

[0148] In one example, the sintering temperature may be in the range of about 50° C. to 250° C. and the sintering duration may be predetermined. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0149] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, after a metal foam precursor is formed on the relief layer 310 , a sintering process may be performed to form the metal foam 320 , thereby forming the buffer plate 300 including the relief layer 310 and the metal foam 320 .

[0150] Alternatively, after forming the metal foam 320 separated from the relief layer 310, the relief layer 310 and the metal foam 320 may be combined with each other to form the buffer plate 300 including the relief layer 310 and the metal foam 320. Therefore, the manufacturing method of the buffer plate 300 is not particularly limited.

[0151] Using this manufacturing process, it is possible to form Figure 7 The buffer plate 300 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0152] In the buffer plate 300 including the relief layer 310 and the metal foam 320 , the metal foam 320 , which is a metal structure having a plurality of holes 321 therein, may have both a heat dissipation function and a buffering function.

[0153] The metal foam 320 is made of a metal having high thermal conductivity, so that the metal foam 320 itself exhibits an excellent heat dissipation function. Since the metal foam has a metal structure having a plurality of pores 321 therein, the metal foam can also achieve an excellent buffering function.

[0154] Specifically, since the metal foam 320 has a metal structure having a plurality of pores 321 therein, the total surface area thereof may be increased, and thus, the metal foam 320 itself may achieve an excellent heat dissipation function.

[0155] Therefore, the buffer plate 300 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure can simultaneously have an effective heat dissipation function and an effective buffering function using only the metal foam 320 without a heat dissipation layer for the heat dissipation function and a buffer layer for the buffering function as separate layers.

[0156] In this regard, refer to Fig.17A and Fig. 17B , Fig.17A A comparative example of a buffer sheet 300 having a four-layer laminated structure is shown. Fig. 17B A cross-sectional view of a buffer panel 300 having a double-layer laminate structure including a metal foam 320 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0157] like Fig.17A As shown, the buffer plate according to the comparative example has a four-layer structure laminated by sequentially stacking a buffer layer, a base layer, and a heat dissipation layer on the relief layer.

[0158] The embossing layer may include a base substrate made of PET, and a first adhesive layer PSA and a second adhesive layer PSA respectively located at two opposite surfaces of the base substrate, wherein the second adhesive layer may be implemented as an embossing adhesive layer Embo PSA.

[0159] In this case, the base substrate of the relief layer may have a thickness of about 12 μm, and each of the first adhesive layer and the second adhesive layer may have a thickness of about 24 μm.

[0160] A buffer layer as a foam pad portion may be formed on the relief layer to impart a buffer function to the buffer plate.

[0161] In this case, the buffer layer should have a thickness of at least 100 μm in order to provide a minimum effective buffering function using only the foam pad.

[0162] The heat dissipation layer is formed on the buffer layer, and a base layer must be added between the buffer layer and the heat dissipation layer.

[0163] The heat dissipation layer is directly bonded to the buffer layer. In this case, when the buffer plate is bent in the bending area of ​​the display device, after a period of time, the buffer layer and the heat dissipation layer, which are made of different materials from each other, are not completely bonded to each other and are separated from each other.

[0164] Therefore, a base layer may be added between the buffer layer and the heat dissipation layer to minimize separation between the buffer layer and the heat dissipation layer and to achieve flexibility in a bending area.

[0165] The base layer may be formed by providing an adhesive layer PSA on a flexible base made of polyimide (PI).

[0166] In this case, in order for the base layer to achieve minimally effective separation suppression and support functions, the base made of polyimide should have a thickness of at least 25 μm, and the thickness of the adhesive layer PSA included in the base layer should be at least 15 μm.

[0167] The heat dissipation layer is disposed on the base layer to impart a heat dissipation function to the buffer plate 300 .

[0168] The heat dissipation layer may be formed by providing an adhesive layer PSA on a metal layer made of a material having good thermal conductivity, such as copper.

[0169] In this case, in order for the heat dissipation layer to achieve a minimum effective heat dissipation function, the metal layer must have a thickness of at least 18 μm, and the thickness of the adhesive layer PSA included in the heat dissipation layer should be at least 12 μm.

[0170] In other words, the buffer plate according to the comparative example may have a four-layer laminated structure, that is, layers having separate functions must be stacked layer by layer to provide heat dissipation and buffering functions. Therefore, the number of process steps may increase, resulting in an increase in the manufacturing cost of the device.

[0171] Specifically, the layers having different functions are made of different materials. Therefore, an additional adhesive layer must be provided between the layers to allow the layers to adhere to each other. Therefore, the total thickness of the buffer plate may be further increased.

[0172] On the contrary, Fig. 17B As shown, the buffer plate 300 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure can achieve an effective heat dissipation function and an effective buffering function using only a double-layer laminated structure in which the metal foam 320 and the relief layer 310 are stacked on each other.

[0173] That is, since the buffer plate 300 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure can use only the metal foam 320 to achieve the heat dissipation function and the buffering function, there is no need to stack separate layers made of different materials with the heat dissipation function and the buffering function layer by layer, so that the separation between the layers and the deterioration of the adhesion between the layers can be minimized.

[0174] In addition, there is no need to add a separate adhesive layer to fix the layers to each other. Therefore, there is no increase in the manufacturing cost of the device due to an increase in thickness caused by the adhesive layer or an increase in the addition of various layers.

[0175] In this case, the thickness of the metal foam 320 may be in the range of 20 μm to 200 μm, and the thickness of the buffer plate 300 may be in the range of 80 μm to 260 μm.

[0176] Specifically, even when the metal foam 320 of the buffer plate 300 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure has a minimum thickness of 20 μm, the metal foam 320 may have a heat dissipation function and a buffering function. Therefore, the overall thickness of the buffer plate 300 may be reduced.

[0177] The minimum and maximum thicknesses of each of the metal foam 320 and the buffer plate 300 may be appropriately selected according to a shape variation of the display device 10 .

[0178] As described above, the buffer plate 300 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure includes the metal foam 320 having a high degree of freedom in shape variation. Therefore, the shape of the buffer plate 300 can be freely and easily changed according to the design variation of the display device 10.

[0179] That is, the metal foam 320 can have a very excellent heat dissipation function and a very excellent buffering function only with a small thickness, so that the total thickness of the buffer plate 300 can be greatly reduced, thereby reducing the frame area.

[0180] In the following, reference will be made to Figure 3 as well as FIG. 4A to FIG. 4C The buffer plate 300 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure which can suppress the greenish defect of the display device 10 and the display apparatus 1 is described in detail.

[0181] The buffer plate 300 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a body 323 and at least one protrusion 325 extending along at least one edge portion of the body 323 and protruding from the edge portion.

[0182] The protrusion 325 of the buffer plate 300 is in contact with the cover member 20 .

[0183] In one example, if Figure 4A As shown, the buffer plate 300 may have four edge portions, for example, a first edge portion 323 a , a second edge portion 323 b , a third edge portion 323 c , and a fourth edge portion 323 d .

[0184] However, the number of edge parts is not limited thereto and may vary according to the shape of the buffer plate 300 .

[0185] The first edge portion 323 a may be disposed above the display device 10 , the second edge portion 323 b and the fourth edge portion 323 d may be disposed on the left and right sides of the display device 10 , respectively, and the third edge portion 323 c may be disposed below the display device 10 .

[0186] like Figure 4A In the illustrated embodiment, one protrusion 325 protrudes from the first edge portion 323a of the body 323 of the buffer plate 300, and two protrusions protrude from each of the second edge portion 323b and the fourth edge portion 323d thereof.

[0187] A portion of the display device 10 adjacent to the first edge portion 323 a may have at least one through hole 900 defined therein, and components such as a camera module or various sensor modules may be inserted into the at least one through hole 900 .

[0188] Since the component must be inserted in the through hole 900 , the protrusion 325 of the buffer plate 300 may be formed not to cover the through hole 900 .

[0189] Therefore, the protrusion 325 on the first edge portion 323 a may be formed in a pattern that does not overlap with the through hole 900 , and thus may not interfere with the through hole 900 .

[0190] Each protrusion 325 on the second edge portion 323b may have a predetermined length. The protrusions 325 on the second edge portion 323b may be spaced apart from each other. Each protrusion 325 on the fourth edge portion 323d may have a predetermined length. The protrusions 325 on the fourth edge portion 323d may be spaced apart from each other.

[0191] In this case, the protrusion 325 on each of the second edge portion 323 b and the fourth edge portion 323 d may be formed in a pattern that does not interfere with other components in the display device 10 and the display apparatus 1 .

[0192] Therefore, the number and length of the protrusions 325 formed on one edge portion are not particularly limited and may vary according to design choices of the display device 10 and the display apparatus 1 .

[0193] For example, as in Figure 4B In the embodiment shown, the length of each of the protrusions 325 on the first edge portion 323a, the second edge portion 323b, and the fourth edge portion 323d of the buffer plate 300 may be less than Figure 4A The length of each of the protrusions 325 of the buffer plate 300 is .

[0194] In addition, according to Figure 4C In the embodiment of FIG. 5 , three protrusions 325 may protrude from each of the second edge portion 323 b and the fourth edge portion 323 d of the body 323 of the buffer plate 300 .

[0195] In this case, according to Figure 4C The length of each of the protrusions 325 of the buffer plate 300 may be less than Figure 4A The length of each of the protrusions 325 of the buffer plate 300 is .

[0196] That is, as long as the protrusions 325 of the buffer plate 300 contact the cover member 20 and transfer charges generated on the cover member 20 to the buffer plate 300 through the protrusions 325 , the number, shape, and length of the protrusions 325 are not particularly limited.

[0197] As described above, the protrusion 325 of the buffer plate 300 may be formed along at least one edge portion. At least one protrusion 325 may be formed on each edge portion.

[0198] However, the protrusion 325 may not be formed on the third edge portion 323 c of the buffer plate 300 adjacent to the lower end of the display device 10 .

[0199] As mentioned above, Figure 2 As shown, the display panel 100 may include a front portion FP, a bending portion BNP, and a pad portion PAD extending from the bending portion BNP and disposed under a lower surface.

[0200] In addition, the buffer plate 300 disposed under the lower surface of the front portion FP of the display panel 100 may be disposed between the front portion FP of the display panel 100 and the pad portion PAD.

[0201] In this case, due to the presence of the bent portion BNP of the display panel 100 , an edge portion of the buffer plate 300 adjacent to the bent portion BNP may be prevented from directly contacting the cover member 20 .

[0202] Therefore, the protrusion 325 may not be formed on the third edge portion 323 c of the buffer sheet 300 adjacent to the bent portion BNP of the display panel 100 among the edge portions of the buffer sheet 300 .

[0203] The protrusion 325 of the buffer plate 300 may come into contact with the lower surface of the cover member 20 .

[0204] Specifically, the protrusion 325 of the buffer plate 300 may come into contact with the edge area BA of the lower surface of the cover member 20 .

[0205] The edge area BA of the cover member 20 may correspond to the non-display area NAA of the cover member 20 except for the display area AA of the cover member 20 corresponding to the display area AA of the display panel 100 .

[0206] The non-display area NAA may be formed along the circumference of the display area AA.

[0207] Therefore, the edge area BA of the cover member 20 may be included in the non-display area NAA, and may be formed along the circumference of the display area AA.

[0208] Specifically, the edge area BA of the cover member 20 may correspond to the non-display area NAA from the distal end of the cover member 20 to a boundary line between the non-display area NAA and the display area AA.

[0209] The protrusion 325 of the buffer plate 300 may directly contact the edge area BA of the lower surface of the cover member 20 , so that charges flowing into the cover member 20 may flow out of the display device through the buffer plate 300 .

[0210] The buffer plate 300 may be connected to a ground.

[0211] Therefore, charges introduced into the buffer plate 300 from the cover member 20 may flow through the protrusion 325 of the buffer plate 300 and flow out of the display device 10 through the ground portion.

[0212] The protrusion 325 of the buffer plate 300 may be formed to be bent from the body 323 toward the lower surface of the cover member 20 .

[0213] In this case, the protrusion 325 of the buffer plate 300 may have a Figure 3 The inclined portion shown.

[0214] Therefore, the protrusion 325 of the buffer plate 300 may not directly contact the first back plate 210 , the display panel 100 , and the functional film 140 on the front surface of the buffer plate 300 .

[0215] Therefore, the device fixing member 150 and the protrusion 325 may be in contact with the lower surface of the cover member 20 , while the protrusion 325 may be spaced apart from the device fixing member 150 by a predetermined distance.

[0216] That is, the distal end of the protrusion 325 of the buffer plate 300 contacting the cover member 20 may be coplanar with the device fixing member 150 provided at the lower surface of the cover member 20 , while the protrusion 325 may be spaced apart from the device fixing member 150 by a predetermined distance.

[0217] The protrusion 325 of the buffer plate 300 having such a structure may not contact the side surface of the display panel 100 .

[0218] The protrusion 325 of the buffer plate 300 may be in contact with the cover member 20 , and thus may serve as a charge outflow path for transferring charges flowing into the cover member 20 to the body 323 of the buffer plate 300 .

[0219] If the protrusion 325 of the buffer plate 300 contacts the side surface of the display panel 100 , a charge outflow path contacts the display panel 100 , and some charges flowing through the protrusion 325 may be introduced into the display panel 100 .

[0220] However, as in the embodiment of the present disclosure, the protrusion 325 of the buffer plate 300 serving as the charge outflow path of the cover member 20 may be bent from the body 323 to have an inclined portion so that the protrusion does not contact the side surface of the display panel 100. Therefore, the process of causing the charge to flow out of the display device through the charge outflow path can significantly reduce the flow of charge into the display panel 100.

[0221] In addition, the body 323 and the protrusion 325 of the buffer plate 300 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may not be implemented as separate components that may be connected to each other, but may be integrally formed with each other.

[0222] Specifically, since the metal foam 320 of the buffer plate 300 serves as the body 323 and the protrusion 325 , the body 323 and the protrusion 325 may be integrally formed as one metal foam 320 .

[0223] That is, in the buffer plate 300 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the integrated metal foam 320 is used as the body 323 and the protrusion 325. Therefore, the charge outflow path can be effectively formed by simply changing the shape of the metal foam 320 of the buffer plate 300 without adding additional processes or additional components.

[0224] Therefore, since the buffer plate 300 itself serves as a charge outflow path, a process for making the charges outflow can be simplified, and material cost can be reduced.

[0225] Furthermore, since the charge outflow path is formed only by changing the shape of the metal foam 320 of the buffer plate 300 , defects that may occur when the charge outflow path is formed using a separate process may be suppressed.

[0226] Figure 5 A comparative example in which the charge outflow path is formed by applying a conductive solution to the cover member 20 is shown.

[0227] like Figure 5 As shown, in the display device 10 according to the comparative example, the buffer plate 300 provided on the lower surface of the display panel 100 does not directly contact the cover member 20 .

[0228] In this case, the buffer plate 300 and the cover member 20 must be electrically connected to each other in order for the charges flowing into the cover member 20 to flow out of the display device.

[0229] Therefore, a charge outflow path through the buffer sheet 300 may be formed by coating the conductive solution 700 on the area between the buffer sheet 300 and the edge area BA of the cover member 20 and on the edge area BA of the cover member 20 .

[0230] That is, even in the case of using the conductive solution 700 , a charge outflow path capable of causing charges introduced into the cover member 20 to flow out of the display device through the buffer plate 300 can be formed.

[0231] However, when the charge outflow path is formed using the conductive solution 700, a separate process of applying the conductive solution 700 must be added in a manner separate from the process of forming the buffer plate 300. Therefore, the process may be cumbersome.

[0232] FIG. 6A to FIG. 6D Shows the coating according to Figure 5 FIG. 7 is a process diagram of a conductive solution 700 of a comparative example.

[0233] First, if Fig. 6A As shown, in the display device 10 , the display panel 100 is disposed on the lower surface of the cover member 20 , and the buffer plate 300 and the buffer plate protection film 360 are disposed on the lower surface of the display panel 100 .

[0234] In addition, a protection cover 800 covering the flexible circuit board 500 of the display device 10 is formed at a lower end portion of the display device 10 .

[0235] In this case, at least a partial area of ​​the flexible circuit board 500 may be covered by the protective cover 800 , and the remaining area not being covered may extend beyond one edge portion of the cover member 20 .

[0236] In this case, in order to form a charge outflow path for outflowing charges from the cover member 20 to the buffer plate 300, the conductive solution 700 must be formed on the edge area BA of the cover member 20. However, due to the presence of the flexible circuit board 500, it is difficult to directly apply the conductive solution 700.

[0237] Therefore, if Figure 6B As shown, one end of the flexible circuit board 500 extending beyond the edge portion of the cover member 20 is bent toward the inside of the cover member 20 and fixed to the lower surface of the buffer plate protection film 360 using a flexible circuit board fixing tape 510 .

[0238] When the end of the flexible circuit board 500 extending beyond the edge of the cover member 20 is bent toward the inside of the cover member 20 and its end is fixed to the lower surface of the buffer plate protective film 360 using the flexible circuit board fixing tape 510, it can be ensured that the conductive solution 700 can be applied to electrically connect the edge area BA of the cover member 20 to the buffer plate 300.

[0239] Therefore, if Figure 6B As shown, applying the conductive solution 700 to the upper surface and two opposite edge areas BA of the cover member 20 can form a Figure 5 The charge outflow channel is shown.

[0240] Next, if Figure 6C As shown, additional protective films such as a first protective film 810 a and a second protective film 810 b may be attached to the display device 10 to cover an exposed surface thereof, and the additional protective films may protect the surface of the display device 10 when the display device 10 is moved.

[0241] In this case, the protective film may not be attached to the region corresponding to the flexible circuit board 500 and the flexible circuit board fixing tape 510 .

[0242] Next, if Fig.6D As shown, the flexible circuit board fixing tape 510 is removed, and then the flexible circuit board 500 is straightened to return to its original state.

[0243] Thus, when the charge outflow channel is formed using the conductive solution 700, an additional process such as bending and straightening the flexible circuit board 500 to apply the conductive solution 700 is necessarily required. Therefore, the process cost may increase due to the low process efficiency.

[0244] However, with respect to the buffer plate 300 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the charge outflow channel can be formed by simply changing the shape of the buffer plate 300 without any additional process or components. Therefore, since the efficiency of the process is improved due to the significant process reduction, the process cost can be reduced.

[0245] In addition, if Figure 5 As shown, when the charge outflow channel is made of the conductive solution 700 , the charge outflow channel is in direct contact with the side surface of the display panel 100 , so that some charges introduced into the cover member 20 can flow into the display panel 100 .

[0246] When a portion of the charges entering the cover member 20 flows into the display panel 100 , a greenish defect may occur even in the case where the charge outflow channel is formed.

[0247] However, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the protrusion 325 of the buffer plate 300 is bent to have an inclined portion so as not to contact the side surface of the display panel 100 and then contact the cover member 20, and the process of causing the charge to flow out through the charge outflow path can minimize the flow of charge into the display panel 100.

[0248] Therefore, according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the defect of green shift can be further suppressed compared with the comparative example in which the charge outflow path is formed.

[0249] Furthermore, as in the comparative example, when the conductive solution 700 is applied to form the charge outflow path, additional material costs may be incurred. Furthermore, when the solution is applied in a non-uniform manner, defects may occur in the charge outflow path.

[0250] However, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the buffer plate 300 including the body 323 and the protrusion 325 includes the integrally formed metal foam 320. Therefore, there is no additional material cost. In addition, the problem of uneven thickness or shape of the protrusion 325 can be reduced, so that defects in the charge outflow path can be greatly reduced.

[0251] Furthermore, when the conductive solution 700 is applied as in the comparative example, the conductive solution 700 in the form of a solution may flow into the through hole 900 above the display device 10 and may interfere with the through hole 900 .

[0252] Therefore, when the conductive solution 700 is applied onto the display device 10 , care must be taken during the coating process to prevent the conductive solution 700 from flowing into the through hole 900 .

[0253] However, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, when forming the buffer plate 300, the pattern of the protrusion 325 is pre-designed not to interfere with the shape of the through hole 900, and then only the buffer plate 300 is attached to the display device. Therefore, the possibility of interference with the through hole 900 can be very low, and the process can be greatly simplified.

[0254] Figure 8 A buffer plate 300 according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0255] In the buffer plate 300 according to the second embodiment, the metal foil 330 may be disposed on the lower surface of the metal foam 320 according to the first embodiment.

[0256] In this case, the metal foil 330 may include a metal mixture or alloy including at least one selected from the group consisting of copper, nickel, iron, zinc, SUS, molybdenum, silver, platinum, gold, aluminum, chromium, indium, tin, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, and manganese. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0257] The metal foam 320 and the metal foil 330 may be made of the same metal material.

[0258] For example, the metal foam 320 may include a copper material, and the metal foil 330 may include a copper material.

[0259] When the metal foam 320 and the metal foil 330 are made of the same metal material, the buffer plate may have higher thermal conductivity, and layer separation may be minimized due to high adhesion.

[0260] In one example, as described above, the metal foam 320 has a porous metal structure having a plurality of pores 321 within the metal foam 320 , and thus may have a heat dissipation function and a buffering function.

[0261] Specifically, since the metal foam 320 has a porous structure having a large number of pores 321 , the metal foam may have an excellent shock absorbing function even without adding a separate buffer layer.

[0262] However, when there are many holes 321 therein, the shock absorbing function may be increased, but the thermal conductivity and the EMI shielding function may be slightly reduced in inverse proportion to the increased shock absorbing function.

[0263] Therefore, in the second embodiment, when the metal foil 330 is additionally disposed on the lower surface of the metal foam 320 , first heat conduction occurs along the entire surface of the metal foil 330 , and then, second heat conduction occurs along the metal foam 320 , so that more efficient thermal conductivity can be obtained.

[0264] Furthermore, adding the metal foil 330 to the lower surface of the metal foam 320 can increase the area of ​​the metal layer, and at the same time, covering one surface of the porous metal foam 320 with the metal foil 330 further improves the EMI shielding performance.

[0265] Fig. 9 A buffer plate 300 according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0266] In the buffer sheet 300 according to the third embodiment, a metal foil 330 may be additionally provided on a side surface of the metal foam 320 according to the second embodiment.

[0267] In other words, in the third embodiment, the metal foil 330 may cover the entire outer surface of the metal foam 320 except for one surface of the metal foam 320 that contacts the relief layer 310 .

[0268] As described above, the third embodiment has a structure in which the outer surface of the metal foam 320 is covered with the metal foil 330, and a waterproof effect against external moisture can be ensured, and further improved thermal conductivity and EMI shielding performance can be obtained.

[0269] Fig.10 A buffer plate 300 according to a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0270] In the buffer sheet 300 according to the fourth embodiment, a metal foil 330 is additionally provided to the entire outer surface of the metal foam 320 according to the third embodiment, so that the metal foam 320 can be sealed using the metal foil 330 .

[0271] In other words, in the fourth embodiment, the metal foil 330 may cover the entire outer surface of the metal foam 320 .

[0272] Therefore, a metal foil 330 may be added between the relief layer 310 and the metal foam 320 to further increase adhesion.

[0273] Furthermore, in the fourth embodiment, since the metal foam 320 is sealed using the metal foil 330, a waterproof effect against external moisture can be ensured, and further improved thermal conductivity and EMI shielding performance can be ensured.

[0274] Fig.11 A buffer plate 300 according to a fifth embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0275] In the buffer plate 300 according to the fifth embodiment, the metal foam 320 includes a first metal foam layer 320 a , a second metal foam layer 320 b , and a metal foil 330 disposed between the first metal foam layer 320 a and the second metal foam layer 320 b .

[0276] Specifically, the first metal foam layer 320a may be bonded to the relief layer 310, and the second metal foam layer 320b may be bonded to the first metal foam layer 320a through the metal foil 330 interposed between the first metal foam layer 320a and the second metal foam layer 320b.

[0277] In the fifth embodiment, the metal foam 320 may be divided into a plurality of metal foam layers, and a layer of metal foil 330 may be additionally disposed between adjacent layers of the plurality of metal foam layers, thereby further improving thermal conductivity and EMI shielding performance.

[0278] Fig.12 A buffer plate 300 according to a sixth embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0279] In the buffer sheet 300 according to the sixth embodiment, a metal foil 330 is additionally provided on each of the lower and side surfaces of the metal foam 320 according to the fifth embodiment, so that the second metal foam layer 320 b may be sealed using the metal foil 330 .

[0280] Specifically, the first metal foam layer 320a may be bonded to the relief layer 310, and the second metal foam layer 320b may be bonded to the first metal foam layer 320a through the metal foil 330 interposed between the first metal foam layer 320a and the second metal foam layer 320b.

[0281] In addition, covering the side surfaces of the first and second metal foam layers 320 a and 320 b and the lower surface of the second metal foam layer 320 b using the metal foil 330 may allow the second metal foam layer 320 b to be sealed by the metal foil 330 .

[0282] That is, in the sixth embodiment, the metal foam 320 can be divided into a plurality of metal foam layers, and each metal foil 330 can be additionally disposed between adjacent layers of the plurality of metal foam layers, and the metal foil 330 can be used to seal a portion of the metal foam layer, thereby ensuring a waterproof effect against external moisture and further improving thermal conductivity and EMI shielding performance.

[0283] Fig.13 A buffer plate 300 according to a seventh embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0284] In the buffer sheet 300 according to the seventh embodiment, a metal foil 330 may be additionally provided on the upper and lower surfaces of the metal foam 320 according to the fifth embodiment.

[0285] Specifically, the first metal foam layer 320a may be bonded to the relief layer 310 via the first metal foil 330 interposed between the first metal foam layer 320a and the relief layer 310, and the second metal foam layer 320b may be bonded to the first metal foam layer 320a via the second metal foil 330 interposed between the first metal foam layer 320a and the second metal foam layer 320b.

[0286] In addition, the outer surface of the second metal foam layer 320 b may be covered by the metal foil 330 .

[0287] That is, in the seventh embodiment, the metal foam 320 can be divided into multiple metal foam layers, and each metal foil 330 can be additionally arranged between adjacent layers of the multiple metal foam layers, and each metal foil 330 can be arranged on each surface of the metal foam layer, thereby ensuring further improved thermal conductivity and EMI shielding performance.

[0288] Fig.14 A buffer plate 300 according to an eighth embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0289] In the buffer sheet 300 according to the eighth embodiment, a metal foil 330 is additionally provided to the side surface of the metal foam 320 according to the seventh embodiment, so that the first and second metal foam layers 320 a and 320 b may be sealed using the metal foil 330 .

[0290] Specifically, the first metal foam layer 320a may be bonded to the relief layer 310 via the first metal foil 330 interposed between the first metal foam layer 320a and the relief layer 310, and the second metal foam layer 320b may be bonded to the first metal foam layer 320a via the second metal foil 330 interposed between the first metal foam layer 320a and the second metal foam layer 320b.

[0291] In addition, the metal foil 330 is used to cover the upper surface of the first metal foam layer 320a, the side surfaces of the first metal foam layer 320a and the second metal foam layer 320b, and the lower surface of the second metal foam layer 320b, so that the first metal foam layer 320a and the second metal foam layer 320b are sealed by the metal foil 330.

[0292] That is, in the eighth embodiment, the metal foam 320 can be divided into a plurality of metal foam layers, and each metal foil 330 can be additionally disposed between adjacent layers of the plurality of metal foam layers, and the metal foil 330 can be used to seal the metal foam layer, thereby ensuring a waterproof effect against moisture and further improving thermal conductivity and EMI shielding performance.

[0293] Fig.15 A buffer plate 300 according to a ninth embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0294] In the buffer sheet 300 according to the ninth embodiment, the metal paste 340 may be applied to the lower surface of the metal foam 320 according to the first embodiment.

[0295] In one example, the metal paste 340 may contain metal particles, a solvent, a binder, and a surfactant.

[0296] In this case, the metal paste 340 may include metal particles made of a metal mixture or alloy including at least one selected from the group consisting of copper, nickel, iron, zinc, SUS, molybdenum, silver, platinum, gold, aluminum, chromium, indium, tin, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, and manganese. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0297] Materials for the solvent, the binder, and the surfactant are not particularly limited and may be materials commonly used in the art.

[0298] The metal paste 340 containing these materials may be applied to the lower surface of the metal foam 320 to form a metal paste layer on the lower surface of the metal foam 320 .

[0299] Furthermore, the metal paste 340 applied in this manner may be additionally heat-treated to remove the solvent therein.

[0300] As described above, in the ninth embodiment, the metal paste 340 may be applied to the lower surface of the metal foam 320 , so that further improved thermal conductivity and EMI shielding performance may be obtained.

[0301] Fig.16 A buffer plate 300 according to a tenth embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0302] In the buffer sheet 300 according to the tenth embodiment, the heat dissipation ink 350 may be applied to the lower surface and the side surface of the metal foam 320 according to the first embodiment.

[0303] The heat dissipation ink 350 may contain a highly conductive material, for example, a carbon material or a metal filler.

[0304] In this case, the carbon material may include graphite, carbon nanofibers or carbon nanotubes. The metal filler may include a metal powder having excellent thermal conductivity, and the metal powder may be made of a metal mixture or alloy including at least one selected from the group consisting of copper, nickel, iron, zinc, SUS, molybdenum, silver, platinum, gold, aluminum, chromium, indium, tin, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc and manganese. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0305] However, the heat dissipation ink 350 is not limited thereto. The material in the heat dissipation ink 350 is not particularly limited and may be a material that can be generally used in the art.

[0306] Coating the heat dissipation ink 350 on the lower surface and the side surface of the metal foam 320 may allow the lower surface and the side surface of the metal foam 320 to be covered by the heat dissipation member in an easier manner.

[0307] As described above, in the tenth embodiment, further improved thermal conductivity and EMI shielding performance may be obtained by covering the lower surface and the side surface of the metal foam 320 with heat dissipation ink.

[0308] The curved panel fixing member 400 is located under the buffer plate 300 .

[0309] When the pad portion PAD of the display panel 100 is bent from the bending portion BNP to be located below the lower surface of the front portion FP of the display panel 100 , a restoring force restoring the display panel 100 to a state before the display panel 100 is bent may be applied to the display panel 100 .

[0310] When the restoring force acts strongly, the pad portion PAD of the curved display panel 100 may not be fixedly maintained but may be lifted up.

[0311] The curved panel fixing member 400 is disposed between the front portion FP of the display panel 100 and the pad portion PAD thereof to fix the curved display panel 100 so that the panel remains in a curved state.

[0312] The curved panel fixing member 400 is formed to have a certain thickness in the thickness direction of the curved portion. The curved panel fixing member 400 may be implemented as a double-sided tape having a strong adhesive strength that can ensure adhesion between the front portion FP of the display panel 100 and the pad portion PAD thereof.

[0313] In addition, the curved panel fixing member 400 may be implemented as a foam tape or a foam pad, and may serve as a shock absorbing portion.

[0314] In addition, the curved panel fixing member 400 may be implemented as a double-sided conductive tape having conductivity.

[0315] For example, the double-sided conductive tape may include a conductive layer between an upper adhesive layer and a lower adhesive layer, and the adhesive layer may contain a conductive material.

[0316] In one example, the driving integrated circuit 160 may be disposed on a surface of the pad portion PAD of the display panel 100 opposite to one surface thereof on which the second back plate 220 is disposed.

[0317] In the embodiment according to the present disclosure, it is assumed that the driving integrated circuit 160 is implemented as a COP (Chip On Plastic) mounted on the display substrate 110. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0318] The driver integrated circuit 160 may be mounted on the display substrate 110 using a chip bonding process or a surface mounting process. In the bent state, the driver integrated circuit 160 may be disposed on the lower surface of the display substrate 110. That is, the driver integrated circuit 160 may be disposed on the lower surface of the pad portion PAD.

[0319] The driver integrated circuit 160 generates a data signal and a gate control signal based on the image data and timing synchronization signal supplied from the external host driving system. In addition, the driver integrated circuit 160 supplies a data signal to the data line of each pixel through the display pad, and can supply a gate control signal to the gate driving circuit through the display pad.

[0320] That is, the driving integrated circuit 160 may be mounted on a chip mounting area defined on the display substrate 110 and may be electrically connected to a display pad and may be connected to a gate driving circuit provided on the display substrate 110 and a signal line of each of the pixel arrays 120 .

[0321] Since the driving integrated circuit 160 generates considerable heat, it is appropriate to effectively impart a heat dissipation effect to the driving integrated circuit 160 .

[0322] Therefore, the driving integrated circuit 160 can effectively dissipate heat through the buffer board 300 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure as described above.

[0323] The display pad may define a distal end of the display substrate 110 on which the driving integrated circuit 160 is mounted.

[0324] The display pad may be electrically connected to the flexible circuit board 500 on which a circuit board is mounted below the lower surface of the display substrate.

[0325] The flexible circuit board 500 may be electrically connected to a display pad defining a distal end of the display substrate 110 via the conductive adhesive layer 170 using a film attachment process, and may be disposed under a lower surface of the display panel 100 .

[0326] In this case, in one example, the conductive adhesive layer 170 may be implemented as an ACF (Anisotropic Conductive Film).

[0327] The circuit board can provide image data and timing synchronization signals supplied from the host driving system to the driver integrated circuit 160, and can provide driving pixel array 120, gate driving circuit and driver integrated circuit 160 with driving voltages to the pixel array 120, gate driving circuit and driver integrated circuit 160 respectively.

[0328] In one example, the bend reinforcement member 600 may be disposed on the outer surface 111 of the bend portion BNP of the display panel 100. The bend reinforcement member 600 may extend to cover the bend portion BNP and cover at least a portion of the front portion FP and at least a portion of the pad portion PAD.

[0329] The bending portion reinforcement member 600 may include resin, which may be implemented as ultraviolet (UV) curing acrylic resin. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0330] Specifically, the bend reinforcement member 600 may be made of a cured product of the resin produced by a curing process after the resin is applied. When the resin includes an ultraviolet curing resin, ultraviolet rays may be used for curing.

[0331] The bending reinforcement member 600 may be disposed on the outer surface 111 of the display panel 100 to cover various signal lines between the encapsulation part 130 and the display pads of the display panel 100. Therefore, the bending reinforcement member 600 may prevent moisture from intruding into the signal lines while protecting the signal lines from external impacts.

[0332] In addition, since the bending portion reinforcing member 600 is disposed on the outer surface 111 of the bending portion BNP, the rigidity of the bending portion BNP of the display panel 100 in which the back plate is not disposed can be supplemented.

[0333] A display device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a cover member; a display panel disposed on a lower surface of the cover member; and a buffer plate disposed on a lower surface of the display panel, wherein the buffer plate includes metal foam.

[0334] In this case, the buffer plate includes a main body and at least one protrusion protruding from and extending along at least one edge portion of the main body, wherein the protrusion contacts the cover member.

[0335] The protrusion contacts an edge region of a lower surface of the cover member. The protrusion does not contact a side surface of the display panel.

[0336] Furthermore, the protrusion is bent from the main body toward the lower surface of the cover member. The protrusion has an inclined portion.

[0337] The device fixing member is disposed between the cover member and the display panel, wherein both the device fixing member and the protrusion are in contact with a lower surface of the cover member while the protrusion is spaced apart from the device fixing member by a predetermined distance.

[0338] The body and the protrusion are integral with each other.

[0339] The display panel includes a front portion, a bent portion, and a pad portion extending from the bent portion and disposed below a lower surface of the front portion, wherein the protrusion is not located at an edge portion of the buffer plate adjacent to the bent portion.

[0340] The buffer plate includes an embossing layer and metal foam disposed on the lower surface of the embossing layer. The metal foam has a porous metal structure having a plurality of pores therein.

[0341] In one embodiment, the metal foil is disposed on the lower surface of the metal foam. The metal foil is additionally disposed on the side surface of the metal foam.

[0342] In another embodiment, a metal foam includes: a first metal foam layer; a second metal foam layer; and a metal foil disposed between the first metal foam layer and the second metal foam layer.

[0343] In another embodiment, the metal paste is applied to the lower surface of the metal foam.

[0344] In another embodiment, the heat dissipation ink layer is coated on the lower surface and the side surface of the metal foam.

[0345] A display apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a cover member; a display device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure coupled to a lower surface of the cover member; and a frame provided at a lower surface of the display device to support the cover member.

[0346] Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, the present disclosure is not necessarily limited to these embodiments. The present disclosure can be implemented in various modified ways without departing from the technical ideas of the present disclosure. Therefore, the embodiments disclosed in the present disclosure are not intended to limit the technical ideas of the present disclosure, but are intended to describe the present disclosure, and the scope of the technical ideas of the present disclosure is not limited by the embodiments. Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments described above are illustrative and non-restrictive in all aspects. The scope of protection of the present disclosure should be interpreted by the claims, and all technical ideas within the scope of the present disclosure should be interpreted as being included within the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A display module, comprising: build; a display panel, the display panel being disposed on the cover; as well as a board, the board being arranged on the display panel, wherein the plate comprises a body and at least one protrusion, and Wherein, the display module includes an area not covered by the main body and the protrusion.

2. The display module according to claim 1, wherein: The area not covered by the body and the protrusion is a through hole.

3. The display module according to claim 2, wherein: The through hole is configured to accommodate a camera module or a sensor module.

4. The display module according to claim 1, wherein: The display panel includes at least one transistor, and a semiconductor layer of the transistor includes oxide.

5. The display module according to claim 1, wherein: The at least one protrusion extends from an outer edge of the plate.

6. The display module according to claim 1, wherein: The at least one protrusion includes an inclined portion.

7. The display module according to claim 1, wherein: The at least one protrusion extends from an outer edge portion of the plate at a transverse angle relative to the plate.

8. The display module according to claim 7, wherein: The lateral angle is between 0 degrees and 90 degrees, exclusive of 0 degrees and 90 degrees.

9. The display module according to claim 1, wherein: The at least one protrusion is in contact with an edge region of the cover.

10. The display module according to claim 1, wherein: The at least one protrusion is not located at an edge portion of the plate corresponding to a bent portion of the display panel.

11. The display module according to claim 1, wherein: The plate is connected to ground.

12. A display device, comprising: build; a display panel, the display panel being disposed on the cover; as well as a board, the board being arranged on the display panel, wherein the plate comprises a body and at least one protrusion, and Wherein, the protrusion is bent from the body toward the lower surface of the cover.

13. The display device according to claim 12, wherein: The display panel includes at least one transistor, and a semiconductor layer of the transistor includes oxide.

14. The display device according to claim 12, wherein: The at least one protrusion is spaced apart from the display panel.

15. The display device according to claim 12, wherein: The at least one protrusion extends from an outer edge of the plate and contacts an edge region of the cover.

16. The display device according to claim 12, wherein: The at least one protrusion extends from the plate at a lateral angle relative to the plate.

17. The display device according to claim 16, wherein: The lateral angle is between 0 degrees and 90 degrees, exclusive of 0 degrees and 90 degrees.

18. The display device according to claim 12, wherein: The at least one protrusion is not located at an edge portion of the plate corresponding to a bent portion of the display panel.

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