Display module and its manufacturing method, display device

Abstract

This invention provides a display module, its manufacturing method, and a display device. The method includes providing a flexible display panel, comprising a main body, a bending portion, and a bonding portion, wherein the bending portion connects the main body and the bonding portion, and the main body includes a light-emitting surface; attaching a protective film to the side of the bending portion near the light-emitting surface, the protective film at least covering the bending portion; applying a support adhesive to the side of the bending portion away from the light-emitting surface to form a support body; bending the bending portion toward the side containing the support body, such that the bonding portion and the main body are positioned opposite each other, and the support body fills the space formed by the bending. This invention improves the reliability of the display module while achieving a narrow bezel by using a removable protective film and forming a support body inside the bending portion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of display technology, and in particular to a display module, its manufacturing method, and a display device. Background Technology

[0002] With the continuous development of display technology, Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) displays have been widely used in smartphones, wearable devices, automotive displays, handheld terminals, and smart home devices due to their superior characteristics such as ultra-thinness, flexibility, high brightness, high definition, and high luminous efficiency. Flexible OLED displays go even further, being designed with 3D hyperboloid or 3D quadruple-curved surfaces, greatly expanding the freedom of product design and user experience.

[0003] Driven by the market's pursuit of the ultimate visual experience and high screen-to-body ratio, narrow bezels and even bezel-less designs for display modules have become an important development trend. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a display module and its manufacturing method, as well as a display device, to solve the problem of poor reliability of flexible display modules with narrow bezels.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a method for manufacturing a display module, the method comprising the following steps: A flexible display panel is provided, the flexible display panel including a main body, a bending part and a binding part, the bending part being connected between the main body and the binding part, and the main body including a light-emitting surface; A protective film is attached to the side of the bent portion near the light-emitting surface, and the protective film at least covers the bent portion; A support adhesive is applied to the side of the bent portion opposite to the light-emitting surface to form a support body; The bent portion is bent toward the side where the support is located, so that the binding portion is positioned opposite the main body portion, and the support fills the space formed by the bend.

[0006] In one embodiment, the method further includes: Remove the protective film; In one embodiment, the removal of the protective film occurs after the formation of the support and before the bending of the bent portion toward the side where the support is located. In one embodiment, the orthographic projection of the support on the flexible display panel at least partially overlaps with the orthographic projection of the protective film on the flexible display panel; In one embodiment, the orthographic projection of the support on the flexible display panel is located within the orthographic projection range of the protective film on the flexible display panel.

[0007] In one embodiment, the protective film includes an anti-adhesion film; In one embodiment, the protective film includes a UV anti-adhesion film, and the method of removing the protective film includes UV light irradiation for anti-adhesion. In one embodiment, the protective film includes a heat-resistant anti-sticking film, and the method of removing the protective film includes heat treatment for anti-sticking. In one embodiment, the protective film has a thickness of 30-60 μm in the direction perpendicular to the flexible display panel.

[0008] In one embodiment, the support adhesive includes at least one of UV adhesive, thermosetting adhesive, and natural curing adhesive.

[0009] In one embodiment, after attaching the protective film to the light-emitting surface of the bent portion, the method further includes: A polarizing layer is prepared on the light-emitting surface of the main body, and the polarizing layer at least covers the light-emitting surface of the main body. An adhesive layer is prepared on the side of the polarizing layer opposite to the main body. A cover plate is prepared on the side of the adhesive layer opposite to the polarizing layer, and the orthogonal projection of the cover plate on the flexible display panel covers the main body and part of the bent portion.

[0010] In one embodiment, before bending the bent portion toward the side where the support is located, the method further includes: A first back plate is prepared on the side of the main body that is away from the light-emitting surface; A second backplate is prepared on the side of the bonding portion opposite to the light-emitting surface; A conductive layer is prepared on the side of the first back plate opposite to the main body. A buffer layer is prepared on the side of the conductive layer opposite to the main body.

[0011] In one embodiment, after bending the bent portion toward the side where the support is located, the method further includes: An encapsulating adhesive layer is prepared on the side of the bent portion away from the support body using a low-pressure injection molding process, and the encapsulating adhesive layer at least covers the bent portion. In one embodiment, the encapsulating adhesive layer partially fills the gap between the cover plate and the bent portion; In one embodiment, the material of the encapsulating adhesive layer includes at least one of UV adhesive, thermosetting adhesive, and natural curing adhesive.

[0012] In one embodiment, before forming the encapsulating adhesive layer on the side of the bent portion away from the support body using a low-pressure injection molding process, the method further includes: A circuit board and a driver chip are fabricated on the side of the bonding portion opposite to the second backplate, and the circuit board is electrically connected to the driver chip.

[0013] The present invention also provides a display module, the display module comprising: A flexible display panel includes a main body, a bending portion, and a bonding portion, wherein the bending portion is connected between the main body and the bonding portion, and the main body includes a light-emitting surface; A protective film is located on the side of the bent portion near the light-emitting surface, and the protective film at least covers the bent portion; A support body is located on the side of the bent portion away from the light-emitting surface, and the orthographic projection of the support body on the flexible display panel at least partially overlaps with the orthographic projection of the protective film on the flexible display panel.

[0014] The present invention also provides a display device comprising the above-described display module.

[0015] The present invention proposes a method for manufacturing a display module, which uses a peelable protective film to provide temporary protection for the bending portion before bending; before bending, a support adhesive is applied to the backlight surface of the bending portion, which forms a support body after curing, thereby providing support for the display module as an internal support structure after bending, enhancing its impact resistance. The present invention improves the reliability of the display module while achieving a narrow bezel. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a display module structure in the prior art; Figure 2 This is a flowchart of a method for preparing a display module according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a process flow diagram of the manufacturing method of the display module in one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a process flow diagram of the manufacturing method of the display module in another embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a process flow diagram of the manufacturing method of the display module in another embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a process flow diagram of the manufacturing method of the display module in another embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 A process flow diagram of a method for manufacturing a display module provided by the present invention; Figure 8 A process flow diagram of another method for manufacturing a display module provided by the present invention; Figure 9 This is a process flow diagram of the manufacturing method of the display module in another embodiment of the present invention; Figure 10 This invention provides a schematic diagram of a display module structure. Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of a display device structure provided by the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The following description, with reference to the accompanying drawings, illustrates preferred embodiments of the present invention, demonstrating its implementability. These embodiments provide a complete overview of the invention for those skilled in the art, making its technical content clearer and easier to understand. The present invention can be embodied in many different forms of embodiments, and the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments mentioned herein.

[0019] In the accompanying drawings, components with the same structure are indicated by the same numerical designation, and components with similar structures or functions are indicated by similar numerical designations. The dimensions and thicknesses of each component shown in the drawings are arbitrary, and the present invention does not limit the dimensions and thicknesses of each component. To make the illustrations clearer, the thickness of components is appropriately exaggerated in some places in the drawings.

[0020] Furthermore, the following descriptions of the embodiments of the invention are made with reference to the accompanying illustrations, illustrating specific embodiments in which the invention can be implemented. Directional terms used in this invention, such as "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "inner," "outer," and "side," are merely directional references to the accompanying drawings. Therefore, the use of directional terms is for better and clearer explanation and understanding of the invention, and does not indicate or imply that the referred device or element must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation; therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0021] When a component is described as being "on" another component, the component may be placed directly on the other component; alternatively, there may be an intermediate component on which the component is placed, and the intermediate component is placed on the other component. When a component is described as being "installed to" or "connected to" another component, both can be understood as being directly "installed" or "connected" to, or as being indirectly "installed to" or "connected to" another component via an intermediate component.

[0022] Please refer to Figure 1 As flexible OLED display modules evolve towards narrow bezels and even bezel-less designs, a persistent challenge in this field is how to further reduce the module bezel, especially the bottom bezel d (i.e., the width of the non-display area below the screen in the module), without sacrificing product reliability and mass production yield. Existing solutions involve thinning the bending protective layer (BPL). The BPL is positioned in the bending area of ​​the display module, providing support and buffer protection during the bending process to prevent breakage or irreversible creases. However, achieving narrow bezels by thinning the BPL has several drawbacks: Firstly, when the BPL thickness decreases to a certain level, its mechanical strength significantly decreases, making it difficult to provide effective support during bending. An excessively thin BPL also weakens its protective function in the bending area. Secondly, in ultra-thin designs, controlling the uniformity of BPL thickness is difficult. Even slight thickness variations can lead to uneven stress distribution in the bending area, easily causing inconsistent bending curvature, localized wrinkles, or film peeling, directly affecting the accuracy of the bending shape and product yield. Furthermore, ultra-thin BPL increases the complexity of the process and raises costs. Achieving ultra-thin and uniform BPL places stringent requirements on the precision and control capabilities of coating, curing, and other process equipment; at the same time, it also requires high-performance thin film materials that can achieve the goals, which leads to greater difficulty in process development and higher manufacturing costs.

[0023] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this invention proposes a solution: abandoning permanent BPL (Body Part Lamination) and employing a synergistic method of "temporary protection + internal support." During the fabrication of the flexible display module, a peelable protective film replaces the traditional BPL, providing temporary protection to the bending area before bending. Furthermore, a support adhesive is applied to the backlight surface of the bending area before bending; this adhesive, after curing, forms a support structure that provides internal support for the display module after bending, enhancing its impact resistance. This invention not only solves the defects caused by thinning the BPL but also achieves "BPL-free" designation by removing the temporary protective film, further shortening the bottom bezel of the display module and improving its reliability while achieving a narrow bezel.

[0024] For details, please refer to Figure 2 , Figure 3 This invention provides a method for manufacturing a display module, the method comprising the following steps: S100. A flexible display panel is provided. The flexible display panel includes a main body, a bending part, and a binding part. The bending part is connected between the main body and the binding part. The main body includes a light-emitting surface. S200. A protective film is attached to the side of the bend closest to the light-emitting surface, and the protective film covers at least the bend. S300. Apply support adhesive to the side of the bent portion away from the light-emitting surface to form a support. S400, bend the bent part toward the side where the support is located, so that the binding part is set opposite to the main body, and the support fills the space formed by the bend.

[0025] In one embodiment of the present invention, the flexible display panel 10 provided in step S100 includes a main body 11, a bending portion 12, and a bonding portion 13. The main body 11 is primarily used to display images and includes a light-emitting surface 111 and a backlight surface 112 disposed opposite to each other. The bending portion 12 has better bending performance than the main body 11 and the bonding portion 13. Both ends of the bending portion 12 are connected to the main body 11 and the bonding portion 13, respectively, and it is mainly used to bend the bonding portion 13 to the back side of the main body 11 to reduce the width d of the bezel of the display module 200 (e.g., the lower bezel of the display module). The bonding portion 13 is used to bond and connect the integrated driver chip and the flexible circuit board to control the display. In one embodiment, the flexible display panel 10 further includes a light-emitting layer, a thin film encapsulation (TFE) layer, and a direct on-cell touch (DOT) trace layer stacked sequentially. The touch trace layer is located above the thin film encapsulation layer and is covered by an organic planarization layer.

[0026] In step S200, a protective film 20 is attached to the side of the bent portion 12 closest to the light-emitting surface 111, and the protective film 20 at least completely covers the bent portion 12. The purpose of this step is to provide temporary stability and protection for the bent portion 12 during the preparation stage before bending (e.g., back coating of support adhesive, curing, and other pre-processing steps). Since the bent portion 12 of the flexible display panel 10 is in a flat state when not bent, the thin film layer structure on its light-emitting surface 111 side is fragile. When processes such as adhesive coating are performed on the back side, the stress generated by adhesive flow, curing shrinkage, or contact with process equipment may be transmitted to the front side, causing problems such as wrinkles, peeling, or micro-damage to the film layer of the bent portion 12. The protective film 20 attached to the light-emitting surface 111 can effectively counteract such stress by providing additional support and tension, maintaining the integrity of the shape of the bent portion 12, thereby ensuring the reliability of subsequent processes.

[0027] In step S300, a support adhesive is applied to the side of the bent portion 12 opposite to the light-emitting surface 111 and cured to form a support body 30. After the bending process is completed, the support body 30 becomes a permanent and independent built-in support structure, providing continuous support for the bent portion 12, preventing springback and maintaining the stability of the bent shape; in addition, the support body 30 can enhance the overall rigidity of the bent portion 12, thereby improving the bending fatigue resistance and impact resistance of the display module 200.

[0028] In this embodiment, steps S200 and S300 work synergistically on the display module: before bending, the protective film 20 provides temporary protection and shape maintenance on the light-emitting surface 111, ensuring the stability and safety of the bent portion 12 during manufacturing; after bending (i.e., step S400), the support 30 provides permanent support and structural reinforcement in the internal space formed by bending, ensuring the final stability and reliability of the bent shape. Therefore, by preventing process damage through the front protective film 20 and providing durable support through the back support 30, the failure risk of the bent portion 12 in both the manufacturing and usage stages is solved throughout the entire process.

[0029] Please refer to Figure 4 In some embodiments, the method for manufacturing the display module further includes: S350, Remove the protective film.

[0030] Removing the protective film (i.e., step S350) can be performed after forming the support (i.e., step S300) and before bending the bent portion (i.e., step S400). This design ensures that the protective film 20 is not retained in the final display module 200, thereby eliminating the limitation of the bezel width imposed by the permanent BPL and narrowing the bottom bezel. This invention also avoids the stringent process requirements of ultra-thin BPL, employing mature film application and adhesive coating technologies to reduce process complexity and cost. In some embodiments, the orthographic projection of the support 30 on the flexible display panel 10 at least partially overlaps with the orthographic projection of the protective film 20 on the flexible display panel 10. For example, the orthographic projection of the support 30 on the flexible display panel 10 is within the range of the orthographic projection of the protective film 20 on the flexible display panel 10, so that the protective film 20 can provide temporary stability and protection for the bent portion 12 during processes such as applying support adhesive and curing on the back side.

[0031] In some embodiments, the protective film 20 is a temporary functional film layer that can be removed by a specific process, such as an anti-adhesion film. An anti-adhesion film is a thin film whose surface adhesiveness can be reduced after being stimulated by external energy (such as ultraviolet light or heat). In this embodiment, a UV anti-adhesion film or a thermal anti-adhesion film can be used as the protective film 20. Specifically, the UV anti-adhesion film undergoes cross-linking or degradation after being irradiated with ultraviolet light of a specific wavelength, thereby significantly reducing its adhesiveness and facilitating complete removal without residue. In this embodiment, the wavelength range of the ultraviolet light is 315-400 nm; for example, the wavelength of the ultraviolet light can be 315 nm, 320 nm, 330 nm, 340 nm, 350 nm, 360 nm, 370 nm, 380 nm, 390 nm, or 400 nm. The thermal anti-adhesion film, on the other hand, significantly reduces its adhesiveness after being heated to a certain temperature, thereby achieving peeling. In some embodiments, the thickness of the protective film 20 is controlled to be 30-60 μm in the direction perpendicular to the flexible display panel 10, and is not greater than the thickness of the polarizing layer 40 in the flexible display panel 10, so as to provide sufficient protection while avoiding affecting the fabrication of the optical film layer due to its excessive thickness. For example, the thickness of the protective film 20 in the direction perpendicular to the flexible display panel 10 can be 30 μm, 40 μm, 50 μm, or 60 μm.

[0032] In this invention, during the preparation of other film layers before bending, a removable temporary protective film 20 is applied to the bending portion 12, providing effective temporary protection for the fragile bending portion 12 during the process, and then removing it before bending. This protective film 20 is not retained in the final display module 200, thus eliminating the occupancy of the bezel width by the permanent bending protective layer (BPL) in conventional solutions, and achieving further narrowing of the bottom bezel.

[0033] It is important to clarify the differences between this invention and the BPL solution, and the reasons why the BPL solution cannot employ a similar "removal" concept, as follows: BPL is a permanent film layer in the display module. It not only protects the bending portion during the manufacturing process but also provides continuous physical support, stress buffering, and environmental protection for the bending portion throughout the module's entire lifespan. Removing it would cause the bending portion to lose necessary structural protection, potentially leading to decreased impact resistance and fatigue resistance, thus failing to meet reliability requirements. Furthermore, BPL is typically bonded to other films in the flexible display panel through strong adhesion or lamination to form a stable, permanent protective layer. Forced peeling would damage these delicate functional films. The anti-adhesion film used in this invention is specifically designed for temporary adhesion and clean peeling. Its adhesion is controllable, allowing for complete removal without damaging the film layers. Most importantly, this invention is not simply about "removing the protective film," but rather, through the synergistic effect of "temporary protection by the protective film + permanent support by the support structure," an internal support structure that can replace the function of BPL has been constructed in the bending portion by applying a support adhesive before removing the temporary film. Traditional solutions, if the BPL (Bend-Off Lid) is removed, lack a corresponding functional replacement, leading to structural failure. In summary, this invention, by introducing a removable temporary protective film and coordinating it with a support structure, eliminates the BPL while ensuring the long-term reliability of the bending section, achieving a balance between narrow bezels and high reliability.

[0034] In some embodiments, the support adhesive can be at least one of ultraviolet-curable adhesive (UV adhesive), thermosetting adhesive, and natural curing adhesive. These materials have suitable fluidity when uncured, facilitating precise application; after curing under appropriate conditions, they form a solid colloid with a certain strength, thus serving as an internal support structure to support the display module 200. In this embodiment, the support adhesive is a UV adhesive. First, UV adhesive is applied to the side of the bent portion 12 opposite to the light-emitting surface 111, and then ultraviolet light is used to irradiate the UV adhesive, causing it to cure and form the support body 30. In this embodiment, the wavelength range of the ultraviolet light is 315-400 nm, for example, the wavelength of the ultraviolet light can be 315 nm, 320 nm, 330 nm, 340 nm, 350 nm, 360 nm, 370 nm, 380 nm, 390 nm, or 400 nm. In the bent display module 200, the support 30 is located on the side of the bent portion 12 facing the back of the module and fills the space formed by the bending of the bent portion 12, providing continuous support for the bent portion 12, preventing the bent portion 12 from springing back or deforming, and ensuring the stability of the bending shape. In addition, the support 30 can absorb and disperse the stress generated by external impact or repeated bending, thereby providing buffer protection for the bent portion 12 and improving the reliability of the display module 200. The present invention uses the support 30 as the internal support of the bent display module 200, so that the bent portion 12 does not need to be attached with a permanent protective layer (BPL), thereby narrowing the width d of the bottom bezel.

[0035] It should be noted that this invention employs a "pre-filling" method, where the adhesive is applied while the flexible display panel 10 is in a flat state, followed by the bending process. This provides a wide process window, simplifies operation, and allows for precise coating techniques (such as dispensing and slot coating) to achieve good control over the amount and position of adhesive. Compared to the "post-filling" method (bending first to form an internal space, then injecting the adhesive), this method has higher requirements for the injection pressure and flowability of the adhesive, is prone to incomplete filling, and results in greater process difficulty and lower product yield. Furthermore, this invention applies a supporting adhesive before bending, ensuring that the bent portion already has a supporting structure during bending. This structure can reduce wrinkles in the flexible display panel 10 during bending by controlling the bending radius of the bent portion 12, providing immediate internal support and thus reducing the tensile or compressive stress on the fragile film layer during bending. The "post-filling" method has no internal support structure when bending, and the flexible display panel 10 can only rely on its own material properties to resist deformation stress. This places stricter requirements on materials and processes, and the product manufacturing risk is also greater.

[0036] Please refer to Figure 5 In one embodiment of the present invention, after applying a protective film to the light-emitting surface of the bent portion, the method further includes the following step: S250a. A polarizing layer is prepared on the light-emitting surface of the main body, and the polarizing layer at least covers the light-emitting surface of the main body. S250b: An adhesive layer is prepared on the side of the polarizing layer away from the main body. S250c: A cover plate is prepared on the side of the adhesive layer away from the polarizing layer. The orthogonal projection of the cover plate on the flexible display panel covers the main body and part of the bent portion.

[0037] In this embodiment, after the protective film 20 is attached to the light-emitting surface 111 of the bent portion 12, a polarizing layer 40 and a cover plate 60 can be sequentially prepared on the light-emitting surface 111 of the main body portion 11 of the flexible display panel 10. The polarizing layer 40 and the cover plate 60 are bonded together by an adhesive layer 50. In some embodiments, the polarizing layer 40 includes a polarizer, which can be a circular polarizer, including a linear polarizer and a quarter-wave plate. The circular polarizer is used to reduce the reflection of ambient light, thereby improving the display effect of the display module 200. The adhesive layer 50 can be made of OCA optical adhesive. The cover plate 60 can include ultra-thin flexible glass (UTG) or colorless transparent polyimide (CPI). Ultra-thin glass with a thickness of less than 200 micrometers is also called ultra-thin flexible glass, which has foldable properties and also has good hardness, flexibility, corrosion resistance and hydrophobic properties. In some embodiments, the polarizing layer 40 is bonded to the main body 11 by a second adhesive layer (not shown in the figure), for example, the second adhesive layer is OCA optical adhesive.

[0038] Please refer to Figure 6 In one embodiment of the present invention, before bending the bent portion toward the side where the support is located, the method further includes the following steps: S260a. A first backplate is prepared on the side of the main body that is away from the light-emitting surface; S260b, A second backplate is prepared on the side of the bonding part that is away from the light-emitting surface; S260c: A conductive layer is prepared on the side of the first backplate that is away from the main body. S260d, A buffer layer is prepared on the side of the conductive layer away from the main body.

[0039] In this embodiment, a first backplate 70 is prepared on the backlight surface 112 of the main body 11, and a second backplate 80 is prepared on the backlight surface 112 of the bonding portion 13. The first backplate 70 and the second backplate 80 are typically made of polyimide (PI) or other polymer materials. The backplate provides stable support and back protection for the corresponding area, enhancing the reliability of the display module. In some embodiments, the thickness of the backplate in the direction perpendicular to the flexible display panel 10 can be controlled between 10-50 μm; for example, the thickness of the backplate in the direction perpendicular to the flexible display panel is 10 μm, 20 μm, 30 μm, 40 μm, or 50 μm. A conductive layer 90 is prepared on the side of the first backplate 70 away from the main body 11. In one embodiment, the conductive layer 90 can be a surface conductive film (SCF). SCF is typically made of materials such as copper foil and is used to improve the electrical connection and efficiency of the flexible display panel 10. A buffer layer 100 is prepared on the side of the conductive layer 90 away from the main body 11. In some embodiments, the buffer layer 100 can be made of an elastic porous material, such as polyurethane or polyethylene foam. It can absorb and disperse external impacts and stresses, providing effective buffering for other film layers and improving the reliability of the display module 200.

[0040] In some embodiments, the fabrication process of the display module can be flexibly adjusted. Specifically, the fabrication stage after the protective film is applied and before bending includes multiple steps such as coating a support adhesive, fabricating a polarizing layer and a cover plate, and fabricating a back plate and a conductive layer. The order of these steps can be adjusted as needed. Please refer to [reference needed]. Figure 7 , Figure 7 This invention provides a process flow diagram for manufacturing a display module, the method comprising the following steps: S100. A flexible display panel is provided. The flexible display panel includes a main body, a bending part, and a binding part. The bending part is connected between the main body and the binding part. The main body includes a light-emitting surface. S200. A protective film is attached to the side of the bend closest to the light-emitting surface, and the protective film covers at least the bend. S260a. A first backplate is prepared on the side of the main body that is away from the light-emitting surface; S260b, A second backplate is prepared on the side of the bonding part that is away from the light-emitting surface; S260c: A conductive layer is prepared on the side of the first backplate that is away from the main body. S260d, A buffer layer is prepared on the side of the conductive layer away from the main body.

[0041] S300. Apply support adhesive to the side of the bent portion away from the light-emitting surface to form a support. S350, Remove the protective film; S250a. A polarizing layer is prepared on the light-emitting surface of the main body, and the polarizing layer at least covers the light-emitting surface of the main body. S250b: An adhesive layer is prepared on the side of the polarizing layer away from the main body. S250c: A cover plate is prepared on the side of the adhesive layer away from the polarizing layer. The orthogonal projection of the cover plate on the flexible display panel covers the main body and part of the bent portion. S400, bend the bent part toward the side where the support is located, so that the binding part is set opposite to the main body, and the support fills the space formed by the bend.

[0042] In this embodiment, the backlight surface 112 of the flexible display panel 10 is first prepared under the action of the protective film 20. Then, the protective film 20 is removed, and the structure of the glossy surface 111 is prepared. After bending, the display module 200 is formed. This "early film removal" preparation sequence allows the protective film 20 to not only support and protect the backlight surface 112 process, but also reduces the impact of the thickness of the protective film 20 itself on the thickness and bonding accuracy of other film layers after the film is removed, which is beneficial to achieving higher front-side interlayer alignment accuracy and bonding yield. However, when preparing the front-side film layer, the bent portion 12 is prone to wrinkles and breakage due to the lack of protection and support from the protective film 20. In some embodiments, the application of support adhesive and curing to form the support body 30 (i.e., step S300) can also be performed immediately after applying the protective film 20 (i.e., step S200).

[0043] Please refer to Figure 8 , Figure 8 This invention provides a process flow diagram for another method of manufacturing a display module, the method comprising the following steps: S100. A flexible display panel is provided. The flexible display panel includes a main body, a bending part, and a binding part. The bending part is connected between the main body and the binding part. The main body includes a light-emitting surface. S200. A protective film is attached to the side of the bend closest to the light-emitting surface, and the protective film covers at least the bend. S250a. A polarizing layer is prepared on the light-emitting surface of the main body, and the polarizing layer at least covers the light-emitting surface of the main body. S250b: An adhesive layer is prepared on the side of the polarizing layer away from the main body. S250c: A cover plate is prepared on the side of the adhesive layer away from the polarizing layer. The orthogonal projection of the cover plate on the flexible display panel covers the main body and part of the bent portion. S260a. A first backplate is prepared on the side of the main body that is away from the light-emitting surface; S260b, A second backplate is prepared on the side of the bonding part that is away from the light-emitting surface; S260c: A conductive layer is prepared on the side of the first backplate that is away from the main body. S260d, A buffer layer is prepared on the side of the conductive layer away from the main body.

[0044] S300. Apply support adhesive to the side of the bent portion away from the light-emitting surface to form a support. S350, Remove the protective film; S400, bend the bent part toward the side where the support is located, so that the binding part is set opposite to the main body, and the support fills the space formed by the bend.

[0045] In this embodiment, the light-emitting surface 111 and the backlight surface 112 of the flexible display panel 10 are prepared sequentially under the action of the protective film 20. Then, after the support 30 is prepared, the protective film 20 is removed, and the panel is bent to form the final display module 200. This "late film removal" preparation sequence allows the protective film 20 to provide durable protection for the bent portion 12 in the process before bending, thereby ensuring that the bent portion 12 maintains a good shape before bending. In some embodiments, the application of support adhesive and curing to form the support 30 (i.e., step S300) can also be performed immediately after the application of the protective film 20 (i.e., step S200).

[0046] Please refer to Figure 9 In one embodiment of the present invention, after bending the bent portion toward the side where the support is located, the method further includes: S500: An encapsulating adhesive layer is prepared on the side of the bend away from the support body by a low-pressure injection molding process, and the encapsulating adhesive layer covers at least the bend.

[0047] In this embodiment, after the bending operation is completed, a sealing adhesive layer 110 can be formed on one side of the bent portion 12 using a low-pressure injection molding (LIPO) process. Specifically, the sealing adhesive material is injected into the outer surface of the bent portion 12 at a low pressure, allowing it to mold and cure, thereby forming a sealing adhesive layer 110 that adheres to the outer side of the bent portion 12 (i.e., the side facing away from the support). This sealing adhesive layer 110 at least completely covers the outer surface of the bent portion 12. In some embodiments, the sealing adhesive layer 110 further extends and fills the gap between the edge of the cover plate 60 and the bent portion 12, achieving overall coverage and gap sealing of the bent portion 12 from the outside. In this embodiment, forming a sealing adhesive layer 110 on the outside of the bent portion 12 can effectively absorb and disperse the stress caused by external impacts or daily bending, thereby improving the impact resistance of the bent portion in the flexible display module with a narrow bezel. Furthermore, it works in conjunction with the support 30 inside the bent portion 12 to clamp and support the bent portion 12 from both the inside and outside, further stabilizing the bent shape and preventing it from loosening or springing back due to long-term use or environmental changes. Simultaneously, the encapsulating adhesive layer 110 also prevents moisture, oxygen, and dust from entering the display module 200 through the bend gaps, thereby improving the reliability and stability of the display module 200. In some embodiments, the material of the encapsulating adhesive layer 110 includes at least one of UV adhesive, thermosetting adhesive, and naturally curing adhesive.

[0048] Continue to refer to Figure 9 In one embodiment of the present invention, before forming the encapsulating adhesive layer on the side of the bent portion away from the support body by low-pressure injection molding, the method further includes: A circuit board and a driver chip are fabricated on the side of the bonding part away from the second backplate, and the circuit board is electrically connected to the driver chip.

[0049] In this embodiment, the circuit board 120 is a flexible printed circuit (FPC). The driver chip 130 is used to transmit driving information to the display module 200, enabling the main body 11 in the display module 200 to display corresponding image information. For example, the driver chip 130 can be formed by slicing a wafer, where a wafer refers to a silicon wafer used to fabricate semiconductor circuits.

[0050] Secondly, this invention also provides a display module. Please refer to... Figure 10 The display module includes: A flexible display panel includes a main body, a bending portion, and a bonding portion, wherein the bending portion is connected between the main body and the bonding portion, and the main body includes a light-emitting surface; A protective film is located on the side of the bent portion near the light-emitting surface, and the protective film at least covers the bent portion; A support body is located on the side of the bent portion away from the light-emitting surface, and the orthographic projection of the support body on the flexible display panel at least partially overlaps with the orthographic projection of the protective film on the flexible display panel.

[0051] In this embodiment, the flexible display panel 10 includes a main body 11, a bending portion 12, and a bonding portion 13. The main body 11 primarily functions to display images and includes a light-emitting surface 111 and a backlight surface 112 arranged opposite to each other. The two ends of the bending portion 12 are connected to the main body 11 and the bonding portion 13, respectively, and are mainly used to bend the bonding portion 13 to the back side of the main body 11 to reduce the width d of the bezel (e.g., the bottom bezel) of the display module 200. The bonding portion 13 is used to bond and connect the integrated driver chip and the flexible circuit board, enabling control of the display. A protective film 20 is located on the side of the bending portion 12 closest to the light-emitting surface 111 and at least completely covers the bending portion 12. The protective film 20 provides stability and protection for the bending portion 12. Because the bent portion 12 of the flexible display panel 10 is flat when not bent, the thin film layer structure on its light-emitting surface 111 side is fragile. When other film layers are prepared on the back side, stress may be transmitted to the front side, causing problems such as wrinkles, peeling, or micro-damage to the film layer of the bent portion 12. The protective film 20 located on the light-emitting surface 111 can effectively counteract such stress by providing additional support and tension, maintaining the integrity of the bent portion 12 shape, thereby improving the reliability of the display module. The support body 30 is located on the side of the bent portion 12 away from the light-emitting surface 111. When the bent portion 12 is bent, the support body 30 can fill the space formed by the bending of the bent portion 12, providing continuous support for the bent portion 12, preventing the bent portion 12 from springing back or deforming, and ensuring the stability of the bending shape. In addition, the support body 30 can absorb and disperse the stress generated by external impact or repeated bending, thereby buffering and protecting the bent portion 12 and improving the reliability of the display module. Therefore, this invention provides temporary protection through the front protective film 20 and durable support through the back support 30, thereby improving the reliability of the display module while achieving a narrow bezel. It should be noted that the display module structure described in this embodiment and... Figure 10 The structures shown are all intermediate structures generated during the manufacturing process and are not the final display module. The final display module will also include polarizing layer, cover plate and other film layer structures, as mentioned above, and will not be repeated here.

[0052] Thirdly, this invention also provides a display device. Please refer to... Figure 11The display device 300 includes the flexible display module 200 as described above, which includes an array substrate, an OLED light-emitting layer, etc. The display device can be any device with display function, such as mobile devices such as mobile phones, tablets, laptops, handheld computers, in-vehicle electronic devices, wearable devices, ultra-mobile personal computers (UMPCs), netbooks, or personal digital assistants (PDAs), or non-mobile devices such as personal computers (PCs), televisions (TVs), ATMs, or self-service machines.

[0053] In this embodiment of the invention, a peelable protective film is used to provide temporary protection for the bending portion before bending; a support adhesive is applied to the backlight surface of the bending portion before bending, and the support adhesive forms a support body after curing, thereby providing support for the display module as an internal support structure after bending, enhancing impact resistance. This invention improves the reliability of the display module while achieving a narrow bezel.

[0054] While the invention has been described herein with reference to specific embodiments, it should be understood that these embodiments are merely examples of the principles and applications of the invention. Therefore, it should be understood that many modifications can be made to the exemplary embodiments, and other arrangements can be designed without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. It should be understood that different dependent claims and features described herein can be combined in ways different from those described in the original claims. It is also understood that features described in conjunction with individual embodiments can be used in other described embodiments.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a display module, characterized by, include: A flexible display panel is provided, the flexible display panel including a main body, a bending part and a binding part, the bending part being connected between the main body and the binding part, and the main body including a light-emitting surface; A protective film is attached to the side of the bent portion near the light-emitting surface, and the protective film at least covers the bent portion; A support adhesive is applied to the side of the bent portion opposite to the light-emitting surface to form a support body; The bent portion is bent toward the side where the support is located, so that the binding portion is positioned opposite the main body portion, and the support fills the space formed by the bend.

2. The method for preparing a display module according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: Remove the protective film; Preferably, the removal of the protective film occurs after the formation of the support body, and before the bending of the bent portion toward the side where the support body is located; Preferably, the orthographic projection of the support on the flexible display panel and the orthographic projection of the protective film on the flexible display panel at least partially overlap; Preferably, the orthographic projection of the support on the flexible display panel is located within the orthographic projection range of the protective film on the flexible display panel.

3. The method for preparing a display module according to claim 2, characterized in that: The protective film includes an anti-adhesion film; Preferably, the protective film includes a UV anti-adhesion film, and the method of removing the protective film includes UV irradiation for anti-adhesion. Preferably, the protective film includes a heat-resistant anti-sticking film, and the method of removing the protective film includes heat treatment for anti-sticking. Preferably, the thickness of the protective film in the direction perpendicular to the flexible display panel is 30-60 μm.

4. The method for preparing a display module according to claim 1, characterized in that: The support adhesive includes at least one of UV adhesive, thermosetting adhesive, and natural curing adhesive.

5. The method for manufacturing a display module according to claim 1, characterized in that, After attaching the protective film to the light-emitting surface of the bent portion, the method further includes: A polarizing layer is prepared on the light-emitting surface of the main body, and the polarizing layer at least covers the light-emitting surface of the main body. An adhesive layer is prepared on the side of the polarizing layer opposite to the main body. A cover plate is prepared on the side of the adhesive layer opposite to the polarizing layer, and the orthogonal projection of the cover plate on the flexible display panel covers the main body and part of the bent portion.

6. The method for preparing a display module according to claim 1, characterized in that, Before bending the bent portion toward the side where the support is located, the method further includes: A first back plate is prepared on the side of the main body that is away from the light-emitting surface; A second backplate is prepared on the side of the bonding portion opposite to the light-emitting surface; A conductive layer is prepared on the side of the first back plate opposite to the main body. A buffer layer is prepared on the side of the conductive layer opposite to the main body.

7. The method for manufacturing a display module according to claim 5, characterized in that, After bending the bent portion toward the side where the support is located, the method further includes: An encapsulating adhesive layer is prepared on the side of the bent portion away from the support body using a low-pressure injection molding process, and the encapsulating adhesive layer at least covers the bent portion. Preferably, the encapsulating adhesive layer partially fills the gap between the cover plate and the bent portion; Preferably, the material of the encapsulating adhesive layer includes at least one of UV adhesive, thermosetting adhesive, and natural curing adhesive.

8. The method for preparing a display module according to claim 7, characterized in that, Before forming the encapsulating adhesive layer on the side of the bent portion away from the support body using the low-pressure injection molding process, the method further includes: A circuit board and a driver chip are fabricated on the side of the bonding portion opposite to the second backplate, and the circuit board is electrically connected to the driver chip.

9. A display module, characterized in that, include: A flexible display panel includes a main body, a bending portion, and a bonding portion, wherein the bending portion is connected between the main body and the bonding portion, and the main body includes a light-emitting surface; A protective film is located on the side of the bent portion near the light-emitting surface, and the protective film at least covers the bent portion; A support body is located on the side of the bent portion away from the light-emitting surface, and the orthographic projection of the support body on the flexible display panel at least partially overlaps with the orthographic projection of the protective film on the flexible display panel.

10. A display device, characterized in that, Includes the display module as described in claim 9, or the display module prepared by the method for preparing the display module as described in any one of claims 1-8.

Images