Touch panel, touch display panel and display device

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a touch panel, a touch display panel and a display device. The touch panel comprises a substrate and a touch layer arranged on one side of the substrate. The touch layer comprises at least one metal mesh layer. The metal mesh layer comprises a plurality of metal traces. The plurality of metal traces form a plurality of touch electrodes insulated from each other. At least part of the metal traces is provided with a break. The break is located at a bent corner segment of the metal trace. A stress release structure is arranged on the bent corner segment. The technical solution of the present disclosure can significantly reduce the stress at the bent corner of the metal trace, and improve the bending resistance and use reliability of the touch panel.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of display technology, specifically to a touch panel, a touch display panel, and a display device. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of display technology, flexible display panels are gradually being widely used. Among them, flexible touch panels with a metal mesh structure touch layer have become one of the mainstream solutions in the field of flexible touch due to their advantages of good light transmittance, low impedance, and high sensitivity. However, the touch function may fail during bending. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of the above, the present disclosure provides a touch panel, a touch display panel, and a display device to solve the problems in the prior art.

[0004] In a first aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide a touch panel, comprising: a substrate; a touch layer disposed on one side of the substrate, the touch layer including at least one metal mesh layer, the metal mesh layer including multiple metal traces, the multiple metal traces constituting multiple touch electrodes that are mutually insulated; at least a portion of the metal traces are provided with breaks, the breaks being located at the bends and corners of the metal traces, and stress relief structures are provided on the bends and corners.

[0005] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations, the stress relief structure includes a corner chamfer disposed on the bend corner segment; preferably, the corner chamfer is disposed on the outside of the bend corner segment; preferably, the corner chamfer includes a rounded chamfer, the ratio of the radius of the rounded chamfer to the line width of the metal trace is in the range of 1 / 3 to 1.

[0006] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations, the stress relief structure includes a cutout portion disposed at the bend corner; preferably, the cutout portion is disposed on the outer side near the bend corner; preferably, the shape of the cutout portion includes a circle or a concave arc; preferably, the shape of the cutout portion is a circle, and the ratio of the diameter of the cutout portion to the line width of the metal trace is in the range of 1 / 3 to 1 / 2.

[0007] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations, the stress relief structure includes a corner notch in the bend corner section; preferably, the corner notch is located on the inner side of the bend corner section; preferably, the bend corner section includes a first trace segment and a second trace segment connected at an angle, and the line widths of the first trace segment and the second trace segment gradually decrease from away from the corner apex to the corner apex along the extension direction of the metal trace; preferably, the ratio between the minimum line width of the first trace segment and the maximum line width of the metal trace is in the range of 1 / 4 to 2 / 3; the ratio between the minimum line width of the second trace segment and the maximum line width of the metal trace is in the range of 1 / 4 to 2 / 3.

[0008] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementation methods, the stress relief structure is selected from at least two of the following: corner chamfer, hollow part, and corner notch.

[0009] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations, the touch layer includes a metal mesh layer, and the plurality of touch electrodes include a first touch electrode and a second touch electrode. One of the first touch electrode and the second touch electrode is configured to receive a touch driving signal, and the other is configured to output a touch sensing signal. Preferably, along the direction away from the substrate, the touch layer includes a bridging electrode layer, an inorganic insulating layer, and a metal mesh layer disposed sequentially, and the bridging electrode layer includes a plurality of bridging electrodes. Preferably, the material of the inorganic insulating layer includes silicon nitride.

[0010] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations, at least one metal mesh layer includes a first metal mesh layer and a second metal mesh layer stacked along a direction away from the substrate. The first metal mesh layer includes a plurality of third touch electrodes, and the second metal mesh layer includes a plurality of fourth touch electrodes. At least one of the third or fourth touch electrodes is provided with a stress relief structure. Preferably, the touch layer further includes an organic insulating layer located between the first metal mesh layer and the second metal mesh layer.

[0011] Secondly, this disclosure provides a touch display panel, including the touch panel described above; and a display layer disposed between a substrate and a touch layer.

[0012] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some implementations, the touch display panel includes at least one bent region, and at least a portion of the metal traces in the bent region have stress-relieving structures at their bend corners; preferably, all the metal traces in the bent region have stress-relieving structures at their bend corners; preferably, the touch display panel also includes a non-bent region, and at least a portion of the metal traces in the non-bent region have stress-relieving structures at their bend corners; preferably, the touch display panel also includes an encapsulation layer disposed between the display layer and the touch layer.

[0013] Thirdly, this disclosure also provides a display device, including the aforementioned touch display panel.

[0014] In the above technical solution, the bending corner section experiences significantly higher local stress than the straight section due to the sudden change in routing direction. Furthermore, when the fracture is located at this bending corner section, the geometric discontinuity at the fracture point, combined with the abrupt change in direction at the corner, creates the area of ​​most severe stress concentration. The stress relief structure, placed on the bending corner section, can improve the stress distribution there. For example, by altering the local geometry of the bending corner section, the abrupt change in rigidity can be reduced or a smooth transition can be achieved, thereby minimizing stress concentration. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a touch panel provided in an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0016] Figure 2 This is a top view of a metal mesh layer provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0017] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a substrate provided in an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0018] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a pixel circuit provided in an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0019] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an octagonal metal mesh provided in one embodiment of this disclosure.

[0020] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an octagonal metal mesh provided in another embodiment of this disclosure.

[0021] Figure 7a This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an octagonal metal mesh provided in another embodiment of this disclosure.

[0022] Figure 7b This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an octagonal metal mesh provided in another embodiment of this disclosure.

[0023] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an octagonal metal mesh provided in another embodiment of this disclosure.

[0024] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a touch panel provided in another embodiment of this disclosure.

[0025] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a touch electrode provided in an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0026] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a touch panel provided in another embodiment of this disclosure.

[0027] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a touch display panel provided in one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0028] Figure 13 This is a top view of a touch display panel provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0029] Figure 14 This is a schematic flowchart of a method for preparing a touch panel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0030] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a display device provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this disclosure, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0032] In touch panels, to avoid affecting normal light emission, the touch layer typically uses a mesh structure of metal wires. When touch panels are applied to flexible display panels, repeated bending can cause the metal traces to break, which in turn affects the signal transmission of the touch electrodes, causing problems such as touch failure.

[0033] The applicant's research found that when metal traces intersect to form a grid structure, there are bends at their junctions. When these junctions are at a break point, there will be a geometrical abrupt change (sudden discontinuity). When applied to scenarios that require folding, such as flexible foldable screens, significant stress concentration is likely to occur at the bends, which can lead to the breakage of adjacent film layers (such as inorganic film layers) in the touch layer, causing the touch function to fail.

[0034] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this disclosure provides a touch panel, including a substrate and a touch layer disposed on one side of the substrate. The touch layer includes at least one metal mesh layer, and the metal mesh layer includes multiple metal traces. The multiple metal traces constitute multiple touch electrodes that are mutually insulated. At least some of the metal traces are provided with breaks, and the breaks are located at the bends and corners of the metal traces. Stress relief structures are provided on the bends and corners.

[0035] In this embodiment, a stress relief structure is provided at the bend corner with a break, which reduces the local rigidity at the bend corner or makes the geometric transition more gradual, thereby significantly reducing the stress concentration at that point and improving the overall bending resistance and reliability of the touch panel.

[0036] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0037] Figure 1 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a touch panel provided in an embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 2 This is a top view schematic diagram of the metal mesh layer in the touch layer provided in an embodiment of this disclosure. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the touch panel includes a substrate 10 and a touch layer 20 disposed on one side of the substrate 10.

[0038] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3As shown, the substrate 10 includes a pixel circuit layer and a planarization layer 102. The pixel circuit layer includes pixel circuits for driving light-emitting devices to emit light. Figure 3 A transistor 101 in a pixel circuit is shown. A via is provided in the planarization layer 102, and an electrode 311 (e.g., an anode) is electrically connected to the transistor 101 in the pixel circuit layer through the via. Furthermore, the pixel circuit layer includes at least one insulating functional layer, which may include at least one of an inorganic layer and an organic layer. Additionally, the substrate 10 includes scan lines providing a scan signal Scan for the pixel circuit and data lines providing a data signal Data.

[0039] refer to Figure 4 The pixel circuit includes a driving transistor T1 and a data transistor T2. The source of the data transistor T2 is connected to the data line that provides the data signal Data, the gate of the data transistor T2 is connected to the scan line that provides the scan signal Scan, and the drain of the data transistor T2 is connected to the gate of the driving transistor T1. The two ends of the storage capacitor C1 are respectively connected to the gate and the source of the driving transistor T1, and the drain of the driving transistor T1 is connected to the light-emitting device. Figure 4 This is one implementation of a pixel circuit, but the pixel circuit disclosed herein is not limited to... Figure 4 The 2T1C pixel circuit shown can also be other pixel circuits, such as 5T1C, 6T1C, 7T1C, 8T1C pixel circuits, etc.

[0040] In some embodiments, the substrate 10 further includes a substrate, which can be a rigid substrate, such as glass, polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), or a silicon substrate, or a flexible substrate, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyimide (PI), or polyethylene naphthalate (PEN). In embodiments of this disclosure, the substrate 10 includes a flexible substrate to enable the touch panel to be bent.

[0041] The touch layer 20 includes at least one metal mesh layer 210, which includes multiple metal traces 201. The metal traces 201 can be made of conductive metal materials such as copper, aluminum, and molybdenum, or their alloys. Metal materials have good ductility, and compared to brittle film layers such as insulating layers (e.g., inorganic insulating materials), the metal traces 201 are less likely to break directly when bent. In addition, with the stress relief structure, the stress transmission from the bending corner 23 to adjacent brittle film layers can be further reduced, thereby improving the overall bending resistance reliability of the touch panel.

[0042] Multiple metal traces 201 form multiple mutually insulated touch electrodes 21. For example... Figure 2 As shown, at least a portion of the metal trace 201 is provided with a break 22, the break 22 is located at the bend corner section 23 of the metal trace 201, and a stress relief structure is provided on the bend corner section 23.

[0043] In this embodiment, the multiple touch electrodes 21 are electrically isolated from each other through a break 22 on the metal trace 201. That is, the metal traces of adjacent touch electrodes 21 are discontinuous at the break 22, thereby ensuring the insulation between each touch electrode 21. The break 22 provides reliable electrical isolation between different touch electrodes 21, ensuring that touch detection signals will not crosstalk between adjacent electrodes. At the same time, the bend 23 where the break 22 is located is precisely the location with the most significant geometric change and the most severe stress concentration.

[0044] The bend / turn segment 23 refers to a local section of the metal trace 201 where the direction changes in its extension direction, such as... Figure 5 As shown, in the octagonal grid pattern, the metal trace 201 forms a bend corner segment 23 at the transition position between adjacent sides. Due to the sudden change in the direction of the trace, the local stress experienced by the bend corner segment 23 under bending conditions is much higher than that of the straight segment. Furthermore, when the fracture 22 is located in the bend corner segment 23, the geometric discontinuity at the fracture 22 is superimposed with the abrupt change in direction at the corner, making it the area with the most severe stress concentration. Therefore, setting a stress relief structure on the bend corner segment 23 (e.g., on the outside of the corner) can achieve a significant stress relief effect.

[0045] A stress-relieving structure is installed on the bending corner segment 23 to improve the stress distribution at this segment. For example, by changing the local geometry of the bending corner segment 23, the abrupt change in rigidity or a smooth transition can be reduced, thereby reducing stress concentration. Methods for changing the local geometry include, for example, adding transition arcs, creating local cutouts, and reducing local linewidth. By reducing the local rigidity of the bending corner segment 23 or making its geometric transition smoother, the stress-relieving structure reduces the peak stress at this point under bending conditions, thereby reducing the risk of fracture of adjacent brittle film layers such as insulating layers at this location and improving the bending life of the touch panel.

[0046] The following section further explains several ways to implement stress relief structures.

[0047] like Figure 6As shown, the stress relief structure includes a chamfer 231 located on the bend corner segment 23. The chamfer 231 geometrically modifies the sharp corner of the bend corner segment 23, making the transition smoother and replacing the sharp corner with a gradual transition contour. This makes the stress distribution in the area more uniform, avoids extreme stress concentration at the apex of the sharp corner, and reduces the risk of fracture of adjacent brittle film layers.

[0048] Optionally, the chamfer 231 can be set on the outer side of the bend corner segment 23. Under bending conditions, the tensile stress on the outer side of the bend corner segment 23 is greater than that on the inner side; setting the chamfer on the outer side can achieve a geometrically smooth transition directly in the area of ​​maximum stress, minimizing the peak tensile stress, while not affecting the routing integrity of the inner area.

[0049] For example, the corner chamfer 231 may include a rounded chamfer. Compared with a straight chamfer (such as a beveled chamfer), a rounded chamfer does not have additional sharp edges in the transition area, and the stress is continuously distributed along the rounded contour, avoiding the generation of new secondary stress concentration points at the start and end positions of the chamfer, thereby achieving a better stress relief effect.

[0050] The ratio of the radius of the chamfer to the linewidth of the metal trace 201 can range from 1 / 3 to 1, for example, 1 / 3, 1 / 2, 2 / 3, 1, etc. When the ratio is less than 1 / 3, the area occupied by the chamfer is small, and the impact on the resistance of the touch electrode 21 and the signal transmission path is small, but the stress relief is relatively limited; when the ratio is greater than 1, the area occupied by the chamfer increases, which may increase the local resistance. Setting the ratio within this range can achieve a good balance between stress relief effect and trace electrical performance.

[0051] As another implementation method, such as Figure 7a and Figure 7b As shown, the stress relief structure includes a cutout 232 disposed in the bending corner section 23. The cutout 232 is a through hole or recess formed in the bending corner section 23 region of the metal trace 201, which changes the rigidity distribution in the region by removing a portion of the metal material. The cutout 232 reduces the local rigidity of the bending corner section 23, making the region more susceptible to flexible deformation rather than rigid resistance during bending deformation, thereby dispersing the high stress originally concentrated at the corner to the surrounding area and reducing the peak stress. At the same time, the metal material itself has good ductility, and the local cutout will not cause the metal trace 201 to break at that location.

[0052] Optionally, the hollow portion 232 can be located on the outer side near the bend corner section 23. Under bending conditions, the tensile stress on the outer side is greater than that on the inner side. By placing the hollow portion 232 near the outer side, the local rigidity of the area with the greatest stress can be directly reduced, and the tensile stress on the outer side can be effectively released, thereby playing a maximum role at the location where stress relief is most needed.

[0053] For example, the shape of the cutout portion 232 may include a circle (e.g., Figure 7a (as shown) or concave arc shape (such as) Figure 7b (As shown). The circular cutout 232 has no sharp edges, and the stress is evenly distributed along the circular edge, preventing the creation of new stress concentration points at the edge of the cutout 232. It is a preferred shape for achieving stress release while avoiding the introduction of secondary stress concentration. The concave arc-shaped cutout 232 can better fit the geometry of the bent corner segment 23. Under specific corner shapes, it can more accurately cover the stress concentration area than the circular cutout 232, further optimizing the stress distribution.

[0054] When the cutout portion 232 is circular, the ratio of its diameter to the width of the metal trace 201 can range from 1 / 3 to 1 / 2, for example, 1 / 3, 2 / 5, 1 / 2, etc. When the ratio is less than 1 / 3, the cutout portion 232 is smaller, and the reduction in rigidity is relatively smaller; when the ratio is greater than 1 / 2, the cutout portion 232 occupies a larger proportion of the trace width, and the rigidity reduction effect is more significant, but the remaining cross-sectional area of ​​the trace at that location decreases, and the local resistance increases. Setting the ratio within this range allows for effective rigidity reduction and stress release while ensuring the conductivity of the metal trace 201.

[0055] As another implementation method, such as Figure 8 As shown, the stress relief structure includes a corner notch 233 provided in the bending corner section 23. The corner notch 233 is a notch structure formed by removing part of the metal material at the edge of the bending corner section 23. By reducing the area of ​​the metal material at the bending corner section 23, the local rigidity of the area is reduced, thereby reducing the resistance at that point during bending deformation and thus reducing the stress transmitted to the adjacent brittle film layer.

[0056] Optionally, the corner notch 233 can be set on the inside of the bent corner segment 23. The reduction of the material on the inside reduces the overall rigidity of the corner, thereby reducing the peak stress during bending.

[0057] like Figure 8 As shown, the bend corner segment 23 may include a first trace segment 2331 and a second trace segment 2332 connected at an angle. Extending along the metal trace 201 from the point away from the corner vertex towards the corner vertex ( Figure 8In the x-direction or y-direction of the line, the line width of the first line segment 2331 and the second line segment 2332 gradually decreases. The line width gradually decreases from the far end to the corner vertex, achieving a rigid gradual transition rather than an abrupt change, avoiding the generation of new stress concentrations at the starting position of the line width change; the gradual thinning allows the bending deformation to gradually transition in the corner area, and the stress distribution is more uniform, thereby reducing the peak stress at the corner while avoiding the introduction of secondary stress concentrations.

[0058] Optionally, the ratio between the minimum linewidth w1 of the first trace segment 2331 and the maximum linewidth w0 of the metal trace 201 can range from 1 / 4 to 2 / 3, for example, 1 / 4, 1 / 2, 2 / 3, etc. The ratio between the minimum linewidth w2 of the second trace segment 2332 and the maximum linewidth w0 of the metal trace 201 can also range from 1 / 4 to 2 / 3, for example, 1 / 4, 1 / 2, 2 / 3, etc. When the ratio is less than 1 / 4, the linewidth at the corner apex is significantly reduced, resulting in a significant reduction in rigidity and sufficient stress release. However, the conductive cross-sectional area of ​​the trace at its narrowest point is small, leading to a significant increase in local resistance. When the ratio is greater than 2 / 3, the reduction in linewidth is more moderate, with less impact on conductivity, but the reduction in rigidity is relatively limited. Within this ratio range, a balance can be achieved between stress release and the electrical performance of the metal trace, adapting to different bending reliability and electrical performance requirements.

[0059] The above sections have described the implementation methods of the three stress relief structures: corner chamfer 231, hollow portion 232, and corner notch 233. In some other embodiments, the stress relief structure may also be selected from at least two of the corner chamfer 231, hollow portion 232, and corner notch 233. Through the synergistic cooperation of multiple stress relief mechanisms, they act on the bending corner segment 23 from different dimensions, achieving a more significant stress relief effect than a single stress relief structure, thereby further improving the bending resistance reliability of the touch panel.

[0060] For example, the stress relief structure can include both a chamfer 231 and a notch 233. For instance, while a rounded chamfer is provided on the outer side of the bent corner segment 23, a notch 233 is provided on the inner side to gradually reduce the line width. The outer chamfer achieves a smooth transition in the area of ​​maximum stress on the outer side, while the inner notch reduces overall rigidity through gradual thinning. Simultaneous optimization of both the inner and outer sides effectively alleviates stress across the entire cross-section of the bent corner segment 23.

[0061] For example, the stress relief structure may also include both a hollow section 232 and a corner chamfer 231. The outer corner chamfer 231 achieves a smooth transition in the area of ​​maximum stress on the outside, while the hollow section 232 reduces the rigidity of the outer corner area by removing local metal. The two work together to allow the bent corner section 23 to release bending stress more comprehensively.

[0062] The stress relief structure and its implementation method of the touch layer 20 in the touch panel have been explained above. The following is a further explanation of the stacked structure of the touch layer 20.

[0063] In some embodiments, such as Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown, the touch layer 20 includes a metal mesh layer 210, and multiple touch electrodes 21 include a first touch electrode 211 and a second touch electrode 212. One of the first touch electrode 211 and the second touch electrode 212 is configured to receive a touch driving signal, and the other is configured to output a touch sensing signal. The two work together to achieve mutual capacitance touch detection. Under bending conditions, since only one metal mesh layer 210 is used, the total thickness of the stack is reduced, which helps to reduce the overall bending stress of the touch layer 20.

[0064] In the scheme employing a single-layer metal mesh layer 210, along the direction away from the substrate 10, the touch layer 20 may include a bridging electrode layer 230, an inorganic insulating layer 220, and a metal mesh layer 210 arranged sequentially. The bridging electrode layer 230 includes multiple bridging electrodes and is located below the inorganic insulating layer 220. The bridging electrodes cross the metal traces 201 of different touch electrodes 21 in the metal mesh layer 210, achieving an insulated cross-connection between the first touch electrode 211 and the second touch electrode 212.

[0065] Optionally, the material of the inorganic insulating layer 220 may include silicon nitride (SiN), and in other embodiments may include other conventional inorganic insulating materials such as silicon oxide. Silicon nitride has excellent insulation properties and density, and can provide reliable electrical isolation between the bridging electrode layer 230 and the metal mesh layer 210. However, as a brittle film layer, the inorganic insulating layer 220 is susceptible to fracture under bending conditions due to stress concentration at the corners of the metal traces 201. Therefore, providing stress relief structures at the bending corners 23 of the metal traces 201 is particularly important for protecting the integrity of the inorganic insulating layer 220.

[0066] In other embodiments, such as Figure 11As shown, at least one metal mesh layer 210 includes a first metal mesh layer 210-1 and a second metal mesh layer 210-2 stacked along the direction away from the substrate 10, meaning the touch layer 20 can adopt a double-layer mesh structure. The first metal mesh layer 210-1 includes multiple third touch electrodes, and the second metal mesh layer 210-2 includes multiple fourth touch electrodes. The third and fourth touch electrodes are located in different metal mesh layers, and are electrically isolated from each other through interlayer insulation. Distributing the touch electrodes 21 in the two metal mesh layers 210 allows different touch electrodes 21 (such as row electrodes and column electrodes) to be located in different layers, avoiding short circuits caused by electrodes crossing in the same layer and simplifying the wiring complexity within a single layer. At least one of the third or fourth touch electrodes is provided with a stress relief structure to reduce stress transmission to adjacent film layers at the bending corner segment 23 of that layer. In some embodiments, the touch electrodes 21 of both metal mesh layers 210 can be provided with stress relief structures to achieve a more comprehensive stress relief effect. In some embodiments, the third touch electrode is provided with a stress relief structure to prevent brittle fracture of the underlying film layer (e.g., an inorganic encapsulation layer).

[0067] In the scheme employing a double-layer metal mesh layer 210, the touch layer 20 may further include an organic insulating layer 240 located between the first metal mesh layer 210-1 and the second metal mesh layer 210-2. Compared to the inorganic insulating layer 220, the organic insulating layer 240 has better flexibility and ductility, is less prone to brittle fracture under bending conditions, and can provide reliable insulation between the two metal mesh layers 210 while also acting as a stress buffer, thus improving the overall bending reliability of the double-layer metal mesh structure.

[0068] This disclosure also provides a touch display panel.

[0069] like Figure 12 As shown, the touch display panel includes the aforementioned touch panel and a display layer 30 disposed between the substrate 10 and the touch layer 20. The touch layer 20 is used to implement touch functionality, and the display layer 30 is used to implement display functionality.

[0070] In the integrated structure between the display layer 30 and the touch layer 20, by setting a break 22 and a stress relief structure at the bending corner section 23 of the metal trace 201 of the touch layer 20, the stress concentration at the bending corner section 23 is reduced, thereby preventing the brittle film layers such as the inorganic insulating layer 220 in the touch layer 20 from breaking under bending conditions, and improving the overall bending resistance reliability and service life of the touch display panel.

[0071] For example, the display layer 30 may be an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display layer, a quantum dot electroluminescent display layer, etc.

[0072] Continue to refer to Figure 12 The touch display panel may further include an encapsulation layer 40, which is disposed between the display layer 30 and the touch layer 20, providing water and oxygen barrier protection for the display layer 30. The encapsulation layer 40 may, for example, include a thin-film encapsulation (TFE) layer. Exemplarily, the encapsulation layer 40 includes a first sub-encapsulation layer, a second sub-encapsulation layer, and a third sub-encapsulation layer sequentially stacked along a direction away from the substrate 10, wherein the materials of the first and third sub-encapsulation layers are inorganic materials, and the material of the second sub-encapsulation layer is an organic material.

[0073] In the embedded touch solution, the touch layer 20 is formed directly on the encapsulation layer 40. The inorganic thin film in the encapsulation layer 40 is also a brittle film layer. The stress concentration at the bending corner 23 of the metal trace 201 may not only cause the inorganic insulating layer 220 of the touch layer 20 to break, but may also be transmitted downward to the encapsulation layer 40, causing encapsulation failure. Therefore, setting a stress relief structure at the bending corner 23 of the metal trace 201 helps to protect the integrity of both the encapsulation layer 40 and the touch layer 20.

[0074] In some embodiments, such as Figure 13 As shown, the touch display panel includes at least one bending region A1, and at least a portion of the bending corner segments 23 of the metal traces 201 located in the bending region A1 are provided with stress relief structures. The bending region A1 is the area where the touch display panel actually undergoes bending deformation during use, and the bending corner segments 23 of the metal traces 201 within this region bear the greatest stress. Providing stress relief structures in at least a portion of the bending corner segments 23 within the bending region A1 can specifically reduce the peak stress in the area of ​​highest stress concentration, improving the reliability of the touch display panel in actual bending scenarios.

[0075] Furthermore, in some embodiments, all the bending corner segments 23 of the metal traces 201 located in the bending region A1 can be provided with stress relief structures to eliminate the potential stress concentration at all corners in the bending region A1, realize the comprehensive optimization of stress distribution in the bending region A1, and maximize the bending resistance reliability of the bending region A1.

[0076] The touch display panel may also include a non-bending area A2. Although the non-bending area A2 does not undergo active bending during normal use, it may still experience localized reverse arching deformation (i.e., localized reverse bending) when subjected to external impact or pressure. Therefore, in some embodiments, at least a portion of the bending corner segment 23 of the metal trace 201 located in the non-bending area A2 may also be provided with a stress relief structure, thereby improving the reliability of the touch display panel under unexpected external force conditions.

[0077] This disclosure also provides a method for manufacturing a touch panel. For example, as shown in the embodiments... Figure 14 As shown, the method includes the following steps.

[0078] Step S1410: At least one metal mesh layer is formed on one side of the substrate.

[0079] Optionally, the metal mesh layer includes multiple metal traces, which constitute multiple mutually insulated touch electrodes. Simultaneously with the patterning of the metal traces, fracture surfaces and stress relief structures are formed at the bends and corners of the metal traces, with the fracture surfaces located at these bends and corners. In other words, the geometry of the fracture surfaces and stress relief structures is completed in a single patterning process, without the need for additional photolithography or etching steps.

[0080] The patterning process, while forming the metal traces and touch electrode patterns, pre-designs stress relief structures and fracture patterns on a photomask, allowing the fracture and stress relief structures to form naturally in the same process step, eliminating the need for subsequent separate processing. This achieves the fabrication of stress relief structures without increasing process steps or costs. Furthermore, the simultaneous formation method ensures the alignment accuracy of the stress relief structure relative to the fracture position, avoiding the risk of the stress relief structure deviating from its optimal position due to multiple alignment deviations. It also means that the fabrication of the stress relief structure does not introduce additional process burdens and can be easily implemented directly on existing touch panel production lines.

[0081] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a display device provided in an embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 15 As shown, display device 1500 is a product with image display function. For example, display device 1500 can be used to display static images, such as pictures or photographs. Display device 1500 can also be used to display moving images, such as videos.

[0082] Display device 1500 can be a laptop, mobile phone, handheld or portable computer, camera, camcorder, in-vehicle smart central control screen, calculator, smartwatch, GPS navigator, electronic photo, electronic billboard or sign, projector, etc.

[0083] The display device 1500 includes a touch display panel provided in any of the above embodiments. The touch display panel may be an organic light-emitting diode display substrate or a quantum dot electroluminescent display substrate.

[0084] In addition, the display device 1500 can also perform functions such as taking photos, recording videos, fingerprint recognition, and facial recognition. Accordingly, the display device 1500 also includes at least one functional module for implementing the above functions, such as an under-display camera or an under-display fingerprint recognition sensor.

[0085] The above description has been given for purposes of illustration and description. Furthermore, this description is not intended to limit the embodiments of this disclosure to the forms disclosed herein. Although numerous exemplary aspects and embodiments have been discussed above, those skilled in the art will recognize certain variations, modifications, alterations, additions, and sub-combinations therein.

Claims

1. A touch panel, characterized in that, include: substrate; A touch layer is disposed on one side of the substrate. The touch layer includes at least one metal mesh layer, and the metal mesh layer includes multiple metal traces. The multiple metal traces constitute multiple touch electrodes that are insulated from each other. At least a portion of the metal traces are provided with breaks, and the breaks are located at the bends and corners of the metal traces. Stress relief structures are provided on the bends and corners.

2. The touch panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The stress relief structure includes a chamfer at the corner of the bent corner segment; Preferably, the corner chamfer is located on the outer side of the bent corner segment; Preferably, the corner chamfer includes an arc chamfer, and the ratio of the radius of the arc chamfer to the line width of the metal trace is in the range of 1 / 3 to 1.

3. The touch panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The stress relief structure includes a hollow portion disposed in the bent corner section; Preferably, the hollowed-out portion is located on the outer side near the bend corner segment; Preferably, the shape of the hollowed-out portion includes a circle or a concave arc shape; Preferably, the hollowed-out portion is circular in shape, and the ratio of the diameter of the hollowed-out portion to the line width of the metal trace is in the range of 1 / 3 to 1 / 2.

4. The touch panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The stress relief structure includes a corner notch provided in the bent corner section; Preferably, the corner notch is located on the inside of the bent corner segment; Preferably, the bend corner segment includes a first trace segment and a second trace segment connected at an angle, and the line width of the first trace segment and the second trace segment gradually decreases from away from the corner vertex to the corner vertex along the extension direction of the metal trace; Preferably, the ratio between the minimum linewidth of the first trace segment and the maximum linewidth of the metal trace is in the range of 1 / 4 to 2 / 3; and / or, the ratio between the minimum linewidth of the second trace segment and the maximum linewidth of the metal trace is in the range of 1 / 4 to 2 / 3.

5. The touch panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The stress relief structure is selected from at least two of the following: chamfered corner, hollowed-out section, and corner notch.

6. The touch panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The touch layer includes a metal mesh layer, and the plurality of touch electrodes include a first touch electrode and a second touch electrode. One of the first touch electrode and the second touch electrode is configured to receive a touch driving signal, and the other is configured to output a touch sensing signal. Preferably, along the direction away from the substrate, the touch layer includes a bridging electrode layer, an inorganic insulating layer, and the metal mesh layer disposed sequentially, and the bridging electrode layer includes a plurality of bridging electrodes; Preferably, the material of the inorganic insulating layer includes silicon nitride.

7. The touch panel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The at least one metal mesh layer includes a first metal mesh layer and a second metal mesh layer stacked along a direction away from the substrate. The first metal mesh layer includes a plurality of third touch electrodes, and the second metal mesh layer includes a plurality of fourth touch electrodes. At least one of the third touch electrodes or the fourth touch electrodes is provided with the stress relief structure. Preferably, the touch layer further includes an organic insulating layer located between the first metal mesh layer and the second metal mesh layer.

8. A touch display panel, characterized in that, Includes the touch panel as described in any one of claims 1 to 7; A display layer disposed between the substrate and the touch layer.

9. The touch display panel according to claim 8, characterized in that, It includes at least one bending region, and the stress relief structure is provided on at least a portion of the bending corner segment of the metal trace located in the bending region; Preferably, the stress relief structure is provided at the bend corners of all the metal traces located in the bending area; Preferably, the touch display panel further includes a non-bending area, and at least a portion of the bending corners of the metal traces located in the non-bending area are provided with the stress relief structure; Preferably, the touch display panel further includes an encapsulation layer disposed between the display layer and the touch layer.

10. A display device, characterized in that, Includes the touch display panel as described in claim 8 or 9.

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