Display panel and display device

Abstract

The invention discloses a display panel and a display device.A display surface comprises a display area and a non-display area surrounding the periphery of the display area, the display area comprises a plurality of opening areas arranged in an array and non-opening areas arranged on the peripheries of the opening areas, and the display panel is provided with a light emitting side; the display panel further comprises a light control structure, the light control structure is arranged corresponding to the non-opening area, and the light control structure reflects and / or absorbs external environment light according to the display state of the display panel so as to reduce the difference value between the display brightness of the non-opening area and the display brightness of the opening area. According to the technical scheme, the display brightness and the contrast ratio of the display panel are dynamically adjusted.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of display panels, and in particular to a display panel and a display device. Background Art

[0002] BM is commonly used in display panels to solve the problems of color blocking and metal / non-transparent area blocking. For example, BM can prevent color mixing between different color blocks to improve color purity. BM can also block metal / non-transparent areas such as TFT wiring, storage capacitors, and columnar spacers to reduce the reflection of external ambient light and improve contrast. Because the optical properties of BM are fixed and cannot be dynamically adjusted according to the display state, the display panel has the following inherent defects: when the BM has a large shading range and a strong shading ability, although a higher contrast can be achieved, the transmittance of the display panel will be significantly reduced, resulting in insufficient display brightness. Conversely, if the BM has a small shading range and a weak shading ability, although a high display brightness can be maintained, the display contrast will be sacrificed, affecting the display quality.

[0003] This trade-off between brightness and contrast makes it difficult for display panels to achieve high-contrast display effects while maintaining high brightness, and cannot meet the strict display quality requirements of high-end display products. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The main purpose of the present invention is to provide a display panel and a display device, aiming to dynamically adjust the display brightness and contrast of the display panel.

[0005] To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the present invention provides a display panel comprising a display area and a non-display area surrounding the display area, wherein the display area comprises a plurality of opening areas arranged in an array and non-opening areas arranged around each of the opening areas, the display panel having a light-emitting side, and is characterized in that the display panel further comprises: A light control structure is provided corresponding to the non-opening area, and the light control structure reflects and / or absorbs external ambient light according to the display state of the display panel to reduce the difference between the display brightness of the non-opening area and the display brightness of the opening area.

[0006] In one embodiment of the present invention, when the display panel is in a bright display state, the light control structure reflects external ambient light; When the display panel is in a dark display state, the light control structure absorbs external ambient light; When the panel is in a grayscale display state, the light control structure absorbs part of the external ambient light and reflects the external ambient light at the same time.

[0007] In one embodiment of the present invention, when the display panel is in a bright display state, the light control structure further absorbs light from a light source inside the display panel that is directly irradiated onto the non-opening area.

[0008] In one embodiment of the present invention, the light control structure includes: A light-controlled microcup, wherein a light-controlled medium is provided in the light-controlled microcup; and A first light-controlled conductive layer and a second light-controlled conductive layer are spaced apart on the surface of the light-controlled microcup, and the first light-controlled conductive layer and the second light-controlled conductive layer are configured to apply an electric field to the light-controlled microcup when energized.

[0009] In one embodiment of the present invention, the light control structure is disposed away from the light emitting side.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, the display panel further includes an array substrate, wherein a first metal layer, a first insulating layer, and a first conductive layer are sequentially provided on a surface of the array substrate close to the light-emitting side, the first metal layer is located in the non-opening area, and the first conductive layer includes a plurality of pixel electrodes, each of the pixel electrodes extending into the non-opening area; The light-control microcup is arranged in the non-opening area, and the orthographic projection of the light-control microcup on the array substrate covers the first metal layer. The first light-control conductive layer is connected to the pixel electrode, and the second light-control conductive layer is arranged on the surface of the light-control microcup close to the light-emitting side.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present invention, the light control structure is disposed close to the light emitting side.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention, the display panel further comprises a color filter substrate, and a second metal layer, a second insulating layer, and a color resist layer are sequentially provided on a surface of the color filter substrate close to the light-emitting side; The second metal layer is located inside the non-opening area. The color resist layer includes a plurality of color resists, one color resist corresponds to one opening area, and an orthographic projection of the color resist on the color filter substrate covers the corresponding opening area. The light-control microcup is located between two adjacent color resists. The first light-control conductive layer is disposed between the second insulating layer and the light-control microcup, and the second light-control conductive layer is disposed on a surface of the light-control microcup close to the light-emitting side.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present invention, the cross-section of the light-control microcup gradually increases from the direction close to the light-emitting side toward the direction away from the light-emitting side.

[0014] The present invention further provides a display device, which includes the above-mentioned display panel.

[0015] In the technical scheme, the light control structure is arranged in the non-opening area in the display area of the display panel, and the light control structure can dynamically adjust the brightness of the non-opening area according to the display state of the display panel by reflecting external ambient light, or reflecting external ambient light, or reflecting external ambient light while absorbing external ambient light, thereby reducing the difference between the display brightness of the opening area and the non-opening area, and making the display panel maintain high consistency between the display brightness of the opening area and the non-opening area in different display states. The application scheme can adaptively adjust according to different display states of the display panel, while ensuring the contrast ratio of the display panel and improving the display brightness of the display panel. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0016] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical scheme in the embodiments of the present application or the prior art, the drawings needed to be used in the embodiments or the prior art description will be briefly introduced. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present application, and other drawings can be obtained by those skilled in the art without creative labor.

[0017] Figure 1 is a top view of an embodiment of the display panel of the present application; Figure 2 is a sectional view of an embodiment of the display panel of the present application; Figure 3 is a sectional view of an embodiment of the display panel of the present application reflecting ambient light; Figure 4 is a sectional view of an embodiment of the display panel of the present application absorbing ambient light; Figure 5 is a sectional view of an embodiment of the display device of the present application simultaneously reflecting and absorbing ambient light; Figure 6 is a sectional view of another embodiment of the display device of the present application.

[0018] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0019] 100, display panel; 10, opening area; 11, non-opening area; 12, scanning line; 13, data line; 20, array substrate; 21, first metal layer; 22, first insulating layer; 23, first conductive layer; 30, color film substrate; 31, second metal layer; 32, second insulating layer; 33, color resistance layer; 40, light control structure; 41, light control micro-cup; 42, first light control conductive layer; 43, second light control conductive layer.

[0020] The purpose, features and advantages of the present invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings and in conjunction with the embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field based on the embodiments of the present invention without making any creative efforts shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0022] It should be noted that all directional indications in the embodiments of the present invention are only used to explain the relative position relationship and movement status of various components in a certain specific posture. If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly.

[0023] In the present invention, unless otherwise specified or limited, the terms "connection" and "fixation" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, "fixation" can mean fixed connection, detachable connection, or integration; mechanical connection or electrical connection; direct connection or indirect connection through an intermediate medium; internal communication between two elements or interaction between two elements, unless otherwise specified. Those skilled in the art will be able to understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention based on specific circumstances.

[0024] In addition, in the present invention, descriptions such as "first", "second", etc. are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, the features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features. In addition, the meaning of "and / or" appearing throughout the text is to include three parallel solutions. Taking "A and / or B as an example", it includes solution A, or solution B, or solutions that meet both A and B. In addition, the technical solutions between the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but they must be based on the ability of ordinary technicians in this field to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is mutually contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be deemed that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection required by the present invention.

[0025] In the related art, BM is usually used in display panels to solve the problems of color resistance mixing and metal / non-transparent area blocking. For example, BM can prevent color mixing between different color resistances to improve color purity; BM can also block metal / non-transparent areas such as TFT wiring, storage capacitors, columnar spacers, etc. to reduce the reflection of external ambient light and improve contrast. Since the optical properties of BM are fixed and its optical performance cannot be dynamically adjusted according to the display state, the display panel has the following inherent defects: when the BM has a large shading range and a strong shading ability, although a higher contrast can be obtained, it will cause the transmittance of the display panel to drop significantly, thereby causing the problem of insufficient display brightness; on the contrary, if the BM has a small shading range and a weak shading ability, although a higher display brightness can be maintained, the display contrast will be sacrificed, affecting the display quality. This trade-off relationship between brightness and contrast makes it difficult for the display panel to achieve a high contrast display effect while maintaining high brightness, and cannot meet the strict display quality requirements of high-end display products.

[0026] To solve the above technical problems, the present invention provides a display panel.

[0027] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 In one embodiment of the present invention, the display panel 100 includes a display area and a non-display area surrounding the display area. The display area includes a plurality of opening areas 10 arranged in an array and non-opening areas 11 arranged around each opening area 10. The display panel 100 has a light-emitting side. The display panel 100 also includes a light control structure 40. The light control structure 40 is arranged corresponding to the non-opening area 11. The light control structure 40 reflects and / or absorbs external ambient light according to the display state of the display panel 100 to reduce the difference between the display brightness of the non-opening area 11 and the display brightness of the opening area 10.

[0028] The light-control structure 40 can be disposed in the non-opening area 11 of the array substrate 20 or in the non-opening area 11 of the color filter substrate 30. The light-control structure 40 can be any structure capable of adjusting its display brightness, including but not limited to electrophoretic microcapsules, electrophoretic color-changing microprism films, electrophoretic microcups, electrowetting reflective cavities, and electrochromic film layers. When the light-control structure 40 is implemented using the principles of an electronic ink display, it includes a light-control microcup 41 and a light-control driving circuit disposed on the surface of the light-control microcup 41. The light-control microcup 41 contains at least two types of light-control media. The light-control driving circuit acts on the light-control microcup 41 by interposing a first light-control conductive layer 42 and a second light-control conductive layer 43. By applying a voltage to the first light-control conductive layer 42 and the second light-control conductive layer 43 to form an electric field, the light-control media can be controlled to reflect and / or absorb ambient light. It is understandable that the positions of the first light-controllable conductive layer 42 and the second light-controllable conductive layer 43 can be flexibly adjusted according to the light-controllable medium in the light-controllable microcup 41 .

[0029] In an optional embodiment, when the light-control structure 40 is an electrophoretic microcapsule, a transparent low-dielectric-constant liquid and charged particles are disposed within it. The low-dielectric-constant liquid is used to suspend the particles and provides a low-friction environment, allowing the particles to move freely. The charged particles include white particles and black particles. White particles are generally positively charged and can reflect light, while black particles are negatively charged and can absorb light. A first light-control conductive layer 42 and a second light-control conductive layer 43 are disposed on opposite sides of the electrophoretic microcapsule, namely the bottom and top of the electrophoretic microcapsule. By applying a positive voltage to the microcapsule, the white particles migrate to the top of the microcapsule, displaying white and reflecting ambient light. Alternatively, by applying a negative voltage to the microcapsule, the negatively charged black particles migrate to the top of the microcapsule, displaying black and absorbing ambient light. Alternatively, in the absence of an electric field, the particles remain stationary within the microcapsule, maintaining the display state.

[0030] In another optional embodiment, the light control structure 40 is an electrowetting reflective cavity, which has an electrically conductive liquid, a non-polar liquid and a hydrophobic dielectric layer inside. The electrically conductive liquid, usually in the form of an aqueous phase, is filled in the micro-cup cavity and has good electrical conductivity and optical transparency. The non-polar liquid is immiscible with the electrically conductive liquid, has low dielectric constant and high transparency, and is usually dyed black for light absorption. The first light control conductive layer 42 and the second light control conductive layer 43 can be respectively arranged on opposite sides of the electrowetting reflective cavity, i.e., the bottom and the top of the electrowetting reflective cavity. Of course, the first light control conductive layer 42 can be arranged on the bottom of the electrowetting reflective cavity, and the second light control conductive layer 43 can be arranged on the side of the electrowetting reflective cavity, so as to provide different electric field directions for the electrowetting reflective cavity, thereby affecting the movement mode of the electrically conductive liquid. In the absence of voltage, the non-polar liquid with light absorption performance spreads on the top of the micro-cup cavity under the action of the hydrophobic dielectric layer, absorbs light, and displays a dark state. In the presence of voltage, the electrically conductive liquid is attracted by the electric field and expands outward to squeeze the non-polar liquid to the corner of the micro-cup to expose the reflective layer at the bottom, thereby displaying a bright state and reflecting external ambient light.

[0031] The light control structure 40 can dynamically reflect and / or absorb ambient light according to different display states of the display panel 100, thereby reducing the difference between the display brightness between the non-opening area 11 and the opening area 10. Thus, the display panel 100 can maintain high consistency in display brightness between the opening area 10 and the non-opening area 11 in different display states, so that the display panel 100 can adaptively adjust according to different display states, thereby improving the display brightness of the display panel 100 while ensuring the contrast ratio of the display panel 100, and maintaining the dynamic balance of the contrast ratio and the display brightness.

[0032] Reference Figures 3 to 5 In an embodiment of the present application, when the display panel 100 is in a display bright state, the light control structure 40 reflects external ambient light; when the display panel 100 is in a display dark state, the light control structure 40 absorbs external ambient light; and when the display panel 100 is in a display gray scale state, the light control structure 40 absorbs part of the external ambient light while reflecting the external ambient light.

[0033] In an embodiment of the present application, the light control structure 40 dynamically reflects or absorbs external ambient light according to the display state of the display panel 100, so as to adapt to the brightness adjustment requirement in different display states.

[0034] Figure 3This is a structural schematic diagram of the light-control structure 40 when the display panel 100 is in the bright display state. At this time, the side of the light-control structure 40 close to the light-emitting side can be configured with a material with high reflectivity, such as white charged particles in an electrophoretic pool, so that the white charged particles can reflect external ambient light, thereby enhancing the utilization rate of ambient light and improving the display brightness of the non-opening area 11 where the light-control structure 40 is located, so that the difference between the display brightness of the non-opening area 11 and the display brightness of the non-opening area 11 is reduced, thereby improving the display brightness of the display panel 100 as a whole.

[0035] Figure 4 This is a structural diagram of the light-control structure 40 when the display panel 100 is in a dark state. At this time, the side of the light-control structure 40 close to the light-emitting side can be switched to a material containing black dye, such as black charged particles in an electrophoretic cell. The black charged particles can absorb external ambient light, so that the non-opening area 11 where the light-control structure 40 is located also appears in a dark state close to the opening area 10. The difference between the display brightness of the non-opening area 11 and the display brightness of the non-opening area 11 is reduced, thereby improving the consistency of the display brightness between the non-opening area 11 and the opening area 10.

[0036] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the light-control structure 40 when the display panel 100 is in a grayscale display state. When the display panel 100 is in a grayscale display state, the light-control structure 40 is configured with a high-reflectivity material on the side closest to the light-emitting side, as well as a light-absorbing material. By controlling the electric field intensity to adjust the particle density, the reflection-absorption ratio can be continuously adjusted. For example, the light-control medium within the light-control structure 40 can utilize black and white charged particles used in electrophoretic display technology, with white particles reflecting light and black particles absorbing light. Voltage is used to control the spatial distribution ratio of the two particles within the light-control structure 40.

[0037] Understandably, when the display panel 100 requires high brightness, the light control structure 40 also requires high brightness. By adjusting the state of the light control medium within the light control structure 40, the backlight brightness is supplemented by reflected ambient light. When the display panel 100 requires high contrast, interference is eliminated by completely absorbing ambient light. When the display panel 100 is in an intermediate grayscale state, a dynamic balance of brightness and contrast is achieved. By adaptively adjusting the light control structure 40 according to the display state of the display panel 100, the defect of the fixed optical characteristics of the non-aperture area 11 is improved. This allows the display panel 100 to maintain color purity and light shielding functions while optimizing the optical performance of the display panel 100 in real time according to actual display requirements.

[0038] Reference Figure 3In one embodiment of the present application, when the display panel 100 is in a bright display state, the light control structure 40 not only reflects external ambient light, but also absorbs light from an internal light source of the display panel 100 .

[0039] The display panel 100 also includes a light source, located on a side away from the light-emitting side of the display panel 100. The light emitted by the light source illuminates the panel to display an image. The opening area 10 is the area within each pixel unit of the display panel 100 that allows light to pass through. The size of the opening area 10 directly affects the brightness and aperture ratio of the display panel 100. The non-opening area 11 is the area within each pixel unit that does not participate in the passage of light. The non-opening area 11 is used to prevent light leakage between adjacent pixels to improve contrast, or to shield metal lines such as the data lines 13 and scan lines 12 used to transmit display signals. When the liquid crystal molecules are twisted to allow polarized light to pass through, that is, when the display panel 100 is in a bright state, the polarized light can illuminate not only the opening area 10, but also the non-opening area 11. At this time, by configuring the side of the light control structure 40 close to the light output side with a material having a high reflectivity, correspondingly, the side of the light control structure 40 away from the light output side is configured with a material having a high absorbency, so that the high reflectivity material reflects the external ambient light, and the corresponding high absorbency material absorbs and blocks the light of the internal light source, thereby preventing the internal light source from passing through the non-opening area 11, avoiding internal light leakage, and preventing the halo phenomenon in the non-opening area 11. In an optional embodiment, the light control structure 40 can be an electrophoretic microcup structure. Under the action of the electric field, the white charged particles in the electrophoretic microcup are arranged close to the light-emitting side, and the white charged particles are used to reflect the external ambient light to improve visibility. At the same time, the black charged particles in the electrophoretic microcup are arranged away from the light-emitting side, and the black charged particles are used to effectively block the direct light from the light source inside the display panel 100, thereby preventing the internal light from leaking from the non-opening area 11, preventing the halo phenomenon from occurring in the non-opening area 11, and achieving consistency in brightness between the display area and the non-display area.

[0040] In the technical solution of this embodiment, by utilizing the light-absorbing medium in the light control structure 40 to block the light from the light source, the shielding effect of the non-light-transmitting area can be ensured without increasing the area of ​​the non-opening area 11, thereby improving the display uniformity in high-brightness scenes while ensuring high contrast, and ensuring that the display panel 100 has higher display brightness and contrast.

[0041] Reference Figures 2 to 6 In one embodiment of the present application, the light-control structure 40 includes a light-control microcup 41 and a first light-control conductive layer 42 and a second light-control conductive layer 43 spaced apart on the surface of the light-control microcup. A light-control medium is provided in the light-control microcup 41. The first light-control conductive layer 42 and the second light-control conductive layer 43 are configured to apply an electric field to the light-control microcup 41 when energized.

[0042] In one embodiment of the present application, the light-control microcup 41 can be made of a transparent or translucent material, such as glass or a polymer. The light-control microcup 41 is used to house a light-control medium. The shape of the light-control microcup 41 can be cylindrical, square, or other geometric shapes, and its dimensions can be adjusted based on the size of the non-opening area 11. It is understood that the interior of the light-control microcup 41 primarily contains two types of media: a light-absorbing medium and a light-reflecting medium. However, the inclusion of a light-transmitting medium, a scattering medium, or the like within the light-control microcup 41 is not excluded. A suspension / current-carrying medium is typically provided within the light-control microcup 41 to reduce friction during the movement of the light-control medium, thereby enabling rapid particle migration.

[0043] First and second photo-controllable conductive layers 42 and 43 are spaced apart and can be made of indium tin oxide or other transparent conductive materials. When energized, first and second photo-controllable conductive layers 42 and 43 apply an electric field to photo-controllable microcups 41, driving the various photo-controllable media within photo-controllable microcups 41 to arrange themselves in a predetermined configuration, thereby reflecting and / or absorbing light.

[0044] In an optional embodiment, when light-control microcup 41 is an electrophoretic microcup or electrophoretic microcapsule, the light-control medium can be charged electrophoretic particles, including white charged particles and black charged particles. The first light-control conductive layer 42 and the second light-control conductive layer 43 can be on opposite sides of the light-control microcup 41. When light-control microcup 41 is an electrowetting reflective cavity, the light-control medium can be a black non-polar liquid, a transparent conductive liquid, and a hydrophobic dielectric layer disposed within the cavity. In an optional embodiment, the light-control medium may include a reflective solution, and the electrowetting reflective cavity is provided with a display channel, a first receiving channel and a second receiving channel that are interconnected, wherein the display channel is arranged close to the light-emitting side of the electrowetting reflective cavity, and the first receiving channel and the second receiving channel are respectively connected to the two ends of the display channel. When it is necessary to reflect the external ambient light, the reflective solution fills the display channel and the black non-polar liquid is received in the first receiving channel. When it is necessary to absorb the external ambient light, the black non-polar liquid fills the display channel and the reflective solution is received in the second receiving channel. Through the linkage between the black non-polar liquid and the reflective solution, dynamic adjustment of the absorption and / or reflection of the external ambient light is achieved. At this time, the first photocontrolled conductive layer 42 and the second photocontrolled conductive layer 43 can also be respectively photocontrolled on the opposite sides of the microcup 41, or the first photocontrolled conductive layer 42 and the second photocontrolled conductive layer 43 can also be respectively photocontrolled on the bottom and sidewall of the microcup 41, as long as the first photocontrolled conductive layer 42 and the second photocontrolled conductive layer 43 can apply an electric field to the light-controlled microcup 41 when power is applied.

[0045] In the embodiment of the present application, by providing a light-control microcup 41 containing a light-control medium, it is possible to control the distribution or state of the light-control medium by applying different electric fields to the light-control microcup 41 according to different display states of the display panel 100, thereby realizing the function of reflecting or absorbing ambient light. This effectively improves the problem that the BM structure cannot dynamically adjust the shading ability, and can adjust the brightness according to actual needs while maintaining high contrast, thereby achieving a balance between brightness and contrast.

[0046] Reference Figures 2 to 5 In one embodiment of the present application, the light control structure 40 is disposed at a position of the display panel 100 away from the light emitting side.

[0047] In the technical solution of the embodiment of the present application, by setting the light control structure 40 at a position away from the light emitting side of the display panel 100, for example, setting the light control structure 40 on one side of the array substrate 20, the pixel electrode provided on the array substrate 20 can be used to power the light control structure 40, thereby simplifying the manufacturing process of the display panel 100.

[0048] Specifically, the display panel 100 includes an array substrate 20, and the surface of the array substrate 20 close to the light-emitting side is provided with a first metal layer 21, a first insulating layer 22 and a first conductive layer 23 in sequence. The first metal layer 21 is located in the non-opening area 11, and the first conductive layer 23 includes multiple pixel electrodes. The pixel electrodes extend into the non-opening area 11 and are connected to the first metal. The light-control microcup 41 is arranged in the non-opening area 11. The light-control microcup 41 is arranged in the first metal layer 21 with the orthographic projection of the array substrate 20 covering the first metal layer. The first light-control conductive layer 42 is connected to the pixel electrode. The second light-control conductive layer 43 is arranged on the surface of the light-control microcup 41 close to the light-emitting side.

[0049] The light control micro-cup 41 is arranged in the non-opening area 11, and the orthographic projection of the array substrate 20 covers the first metal layer 21. In this way, the first metal layer 21 can be shielded by the light control micro-cup 41, so as to prevent the first metal layer 21 from reflecting external ambient light. The light control micro-cup 41 can be prepared on the array substrate 20 by a photolithography process or a nanoimprint process, and the cross section of the light control micro-cup 41 can be designed as a rectangular structure, a trapezoidal structure or other polygonal structures, wherein the trapezoidal structure can optimize the electric field distribution. The first light control conductive layer 42 can be implemented by using a transparent conductive oxide material such as ITO or a metal grid structure, and the thickness of the first light control conductive layer 42 can be selected to be 50-200 nm. The connection mode of the pixel electrode and the first metal layer 21 includes but is not limited to vertical interconnection by filling a conductive material through a via. The pixel electrode extends to the inside of the non-opening area 11, and the first light control conductive layer 42 is directly overlapped with the pixel electrode to realize electrical connection. Alternatively, the pixel electrode directly extends to the bottom of the light control micro-cup 41, and the pixel electrode is directly used as the first light control conductive layer 42 of the light control structure 40. That is, the light control structure 40 and the pixel electrode can share part of the electrode, which can simplify the process of the display panel 100 and improve the preparation efficiency.

[0050] The second light control conductive layer 43 of the light control structure 40 is arranged on the surface of the light control micro-cup 41 close to the light-out side. The second light control conductive layer 43 can be powered by using a common electrode. The second light control conductive layer 43 is also implemented by using a transparent conductive oxide material such as ITO or a metal grid structure.

[0051] In the technical solution of the embodiment of the present application, the light control structure 40 is arranged on one side of the array substrate 20, and the pixel electrode is used to realize display driving and electric field application functions. When the display state changes, the pixel electrode applies a voltage to the first light control conductive layer 42, changes the distribution state of the medium in the light control micro-cup 41, and dynamically adjusts the light reflection / absorption characteristics of the non-opening area 11. Compared with the traditional BM fixed shading mode, the light control structure 40 in the embodiment can match the brightness of the opening area 10 in real time according to the display state, maintain high contrast, avoid transmittance loss, enhance the light absorption ability of external ambient light in the dark state, and change to the reflection mode of external ambient light in the bright state, so as to realize dynamic balance of brightness and contrast. Moreover, the power supply of the light control structure 40 can also realize synchronization with the opening / closing of the pixel electrode on the array substrate 20 side, and the voltage of the light control structure 40 and the pixel voltage on the array substrate 20 side increase / decrease synchronously, so that the change of the light reflection or light absorption of the light control micro-cup 41 around each pixel matches the change of the brightness of the adjacent pixel.

[0052] Reference Figure 6 In one embodiment of the present application, the light control structure 40 is arranged close to the light-out side.

[0053] In the technical scheme of the embodiment of the present application, the light control structure 40 is arranged at a position close to the light exit side of the display panel 100. Specifically, the light control structure 40 is arranged at one side of the color film substrate 30, and by arranging the driving circuit of the light control structure 40 at one side of the color film substrate 30, the distance between the electrodes of the light control structure 40 and the scan line 12 or the data line 13 can be far, so as to reduce the parasitic capacitance.

[0054] It can be understood that the light control structure 40 is arranged at one side of the color film substrate 30, and at the same time, the driving circuit needs to be arranged at the corresponding side of the color film substrate 30. Specifically, the surface of the color film substrate 30 close to the light exit side is sequentially provided with a second metal layer 31, a second insulating layer 32 and a color resistance layer 33, wherein the second metal layer 31 is located inside the non-opening area 11, the second metal layer 31 corresponds to the first metal layer 21 arranged at the side of the array substrate 20, and the second insulating layer 32 is arranged above the second metal layer 31, so as to facilitate the first light control conductive layer 42 of the light control structure 40 on the second insulating layer 32. It can be understood that in order to realize the control of the light control structure 40, the TFT structure for controlling the opening or closing of the circuit of each light control structure 40 is also arranged on the second insulating layer 32, so as to realize the control of the light control structure 40. In order to avoid the influence of the driving circuit of the light control structure 40 on the transmittance, the second metal layer 31, the TFT of the light control structure 40, the voltage signal line of the light control structure 40 are all arranged corresponding to the first metal layer 21 at the side of the array substrate 20, the TFT of the pixel structure and the voltage signal of the pixel structure, that is, they are arranged in projection on the array substrate 20.

[0055] The color resistance layer 33 includes a plurality of color resistances, one color resistance corresponds to one opening area 10, and the orthographic projection of the color resistance on the color film substrate 30 covers the corresponding opening area 10. The light control micro-cup 41 is arranged between two adjacent color resistances. The light control micro-cup 41 can be made of transparent or translucent material, such as glass or polymer material. The light control micro-cup 41 is used for containing light control medium. The light control micro-cup 41 can be prepared on the array substrate 20 by photolithography process or nano-imprinting process. The cross section of the light control micro-cup 41 can be designed as rectangular, trapezoidal or other polygonal structure. The trapezoidal structure can optimize the electric field distribution. The size of the light control micro-cup 41 can be adjusted according to the gap size between adjacent color resistances. The cross section of the light control micro-cup 41 in trapezoidal structure can also increase the contact area between the color resistance and the light control micro-cup 41, and improve the reliability of the connection between the light control micro-cup 41 and the color resistance. The second light control conductive layer 43 is arranged on the surface of the light control micro-cup 41 close to the light exit side, and can be powered by the common electrode of the display panel 100.

[0056] As an optional embodiment, the light-control microcup 41 is arranged between two adjacent color resists, and the first light-control conductive layer 42 is arranged between the second insulating layer 32 and the light-control microcup 41, and is connected to the second metal layer 31. The cross-section of the light-control microcup 41 gradually increases from the light-emitting side toward the direction away from the light-emitting side, so that the light-control microcup 41 can better adapt to the spatial distribution between the color resists. At the same time, the gradually increasing cross-sectional design is beneficial to the distribution of the light-control medium and the uniformity of the electric field application. It can also increase the contact area between the color resist and the light-control microcup 41, ensuring a reliable connection between the light-control microcup 41 and the color resist. In the technical solution of the application embodiment, by arranging the light-control structure 40 near the light-emitting side, the light-control structure 40 can more directly control the influence of external ambient light on the display effect. The light-control medium disposed within the light-control microcup 41 moves or changes state under the action of an electric field, thereby achieving selective reflection or absorption of external ambient light. Specifically, when displaying a bright state, the light is reflected to increase brightness; when displaying a dark state, the light is absorbed to increase contrast; and in a grayscale state, precise control of intermediate states is achieved through partial absorption and reflection. Compared to the prior art, the technical solution of this embodiment can dynamically adjust the optical properties of the light-control structure 40 according to the display state, effectively balancing the contradiction between display brightness and contrast.

[0057] The present application also proposes a display device comprising a display panel 100. The display panel 100 has a display area and a non-display area surrounding the display area. The display area comprises a plurality of opening areas 10 arranged in an array and non-opening areas 11 arranged around each opening area 10. The display panel 100 has a light-emitting side and is provided with a light control structure 40. The light control structure 40 is arranged corresponding to the non-opening area 11 and reflects and / or absorbs external ambient light according to the display state of the display panel 100 to reduce the difference between the display brightness of the non-opening area 11 and the display brightness of the opening area 10.

[0058] By providing a light control structure 40 in each non-opening area 11, the light control structure 40 can dynamically adjust the ratio of reflection and absorption of external ambient light according to the display state of the display panel 100. When displaying a bright state, the light control structure 40 reflects external ambient light and can also absorb light from the internal light source of the display panel 100. When displaying a dark state, the light control structure 40 absorbs external ambient light. When displaying a grayscale state, the light control structure 40 simultaneously absorbs and reflects some external ambient light. Through the dynamic adjustment function of the light control structure 40, the brightness difference between the non-opening area 11 and the opening area 10 can be effectively balanced. Compared with the BM structure with a fixed shading capacity used in the prior art, this solution can flexibly adjust the light control effect according to actual display requirements, thereby improving the display brightness while ensuring contrast, improving the problem that the traditional BM structure cannot balance brightness and contrast. In addition, the setting position and specific structure of the light control structure 40 can be optimized and selected according to the actual structure of the display panel 100, which has good adaptability.

[0059] The above descriptions are merely optional embodiments of the present invention and do not limit the patent scope of the present invention. All equivalent structural transformations made using the contents of the present description and drawings under the inventive concept of the present invention, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included in the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A display panel comprising a display area and a non-display area surrounding the display area, wherein the display area comprises a plurality of opening areas arranged in an array and non-opening areas arranged around each of the opening areas, the display panel having a light-emitting side, characterized in that: The display panel further includes: A light control structure is provided corresponding to the non-opening area, and the light control structure reflects and / or absorbs external ambient light according to the display state of the display panel to reduce the difference between the display brightness of the non-opening area and the display brightness of the opening area.

2. The display panel according to claim 1, wherein When the display panel is in a bright display state, the light control structure reflects external ambient light; When the display panel is in a dark display state, the light control structure absorbs external ambient light; When the panel is in a grayscale display state, the light control structure absorbs part of the external ambient light and reflects the external ambient light at the same time.

3. The display panel according to claim 2, wherein: When the display panel is in a bright display state, the light control structure also absorbs light from the internal light source of the display panel directly projected onto the non-opening area.

4. The display panel according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The light control structure includes: A light-controlled microcup, wherein a light-controlled medium is provided in the light-controlled microcup; and A first light-controlled conductive layer and a second light-controlled conductive layer are spaced apart on the surface of the light-controlled microcup, and the first light-controlled conductive layer and the second light-controlled conductive layer are configured to apply an electric field to the light-controlled microcup when energized.

5. The display panel according to claim 4, wherein: The light control structure is arranged away from the light emitting side.

6. The display panel according to claim 5, wherein: The display panel further includes an array substrate, wherein a first metal layer, a first insulating layer, and a first conductive layer are sequentially provided on a surface of the array substrate close to the light-emitting side, wherein the first metal layer is located inside the non-opening area, and the first conductive layer includes a plurality of pixel electrodes, wherein the pixel electrodes extend into the non-opening area; The light-control microcup is arranged in the non-opening area, and the orthographic projection of the light-control microcup on the array substrate covers the first metal layer. The first light-control conductive layer is connected to the pixel electrode, and the second light-control conductive layer is arranged on the surface of the light-control microcup close to the light-emitting side.

7. The display panel according to claim 4, wherein: The light control structure is arranged close to the light emitting side.

8. The display panel according to claim 7, wherein: The display panel further comprises a color filter substrate, wherein a second metal layer, a second insulating layer and a color resist layer are sequentially provided on a surface of the color filter substrate close to the light emitting side; The second metal layer is located inside the non-opening area. The color resist layer includes a plurality of color resists, one color resist corresponds to one opening area, and an orthographic projection of the color resist on the color filter substrate covers the corresponding opening area. The light-control microcup is located between two adjacent color resists. The first light-control conductive layer is disposed between the second insulating layer and the light-control microcup, and the second light-control conductive layer is disposed on a surface of the light-control microcup close to the light-emitting side.

9. The display panel according to claim 8, wherein: The cross section of the light-control microcup gradually increases from the direction close to the light-emitting side toward the direction away from the light-emitting side.

10. A display device, characterized in that: The display panel comprises the display panel according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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