Display module and manufacturing method thereof, support structure composite, and electronic device

Abstract

The application provides a display module, a preparation method thereof, a support structure composite and an electronic device. The display module comprises a display panel and a support structure arranged on the backlight side of the display panel. The support structure comprises a first support layer and a second support layer arranged in a stack. The first support layer is located on the side of the second support layer close to the display panel. The rigidity of the second support layer is greater than that of the first support layer. The support structure of the display panel is a multi-layer composite structure. By arranging two support layers with different rigidity and arranging the second support layer with greater rigidity on the outer side, a composite support structure with "soft inside and rigid outside" is formed. The first support layer serves as a buffer and transition layer, can absorb part of the stress, and ensures good combination with the back of the display panel or the middle adhesive layer. The second support layer provides strong bending resistance and impact resistance with its high rigidity, effectively preventing the overall display module from deforming or being damaged by external hard objects.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of OLED display technology, and in particular to a display module and its preparation method, a support structure composite, and an electronic device. Background Technology

[0002] Organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display technology is considered the most promising next-generation display technology. Compared with liquid crystal display technology, OLED display technology has advantages such as low energy consumption, low cost, self-emissiveness, wide viewing angle, and fast response speed.

[0003] With the rapid development of display technology, flexible display technology, especially that represented by organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), has become a research hotspot and mainstream development direction in the consumer electronics field. Compared with traditional rigid display panels, flexible display panels have significant advantages such as bendability, foldability, light weight, thinness, and impact resistance, providing a core technological foundation for realizing form factor innovation in terminal products such as smartphones, tablets, and wearable devices (such as foldable screens and rollable screens).

[0004] As a crucial supporting component of the display panel, the support film plays a vital role in the manufacturing process of flexible display modules. To ensure the flexible display panel (hereinafter referred to as "the panel") maintains its shape stability during subsequent multi-process manufacturing steps, avoids mechanical damage from the external environment, and provides necessary mechanical support, a support film is typically laminated to the backlight side (i.e., the non-light-emitting surface) of the panel. This support film is the main structural support for the panel in subsequent module-level processes. Its stability affects the panel's yield rate, and its lamination process affects the production cost of the display panel. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned issues, this application provides a display module, its fabrication method, a supporting structure composite, and an electronic device.

[0006] The first aspect of this application provides a display module, including:

[0007] Display panel; A support structure is disposed on the backlight side of the display panel. The support structure includes a first support layer and a second support layer stacked together. The first support layer is located on the side of the second support layer closer to the display panel, and the stiffness of the second support layer is greater than that of the first support layer.

[0008] Furthermore, in the display module, a first adhesive layer is provided on the side of the first support layer away from and close to the display panel; A second adhesive layer is provided between the first support layer and the second support layer.

[0009] Furthermore, in the display module, the display panel includes a display area and a first non-display area, at least a portion of the first non-display area is arranged around the display area, the first non-display area includes a bending area, and the orthographic projection of the first support layer and the first adhesive layer on the display panel covers the orthographic projection of the second adhesive layer and the second support layer on the display panel. Preferably, the display panel includes a display area and a first non-display area, at least a portion of the first non-display area is disposed around the display area, the first non-display area includes a bending area, and the first support layer and the first adhesive layer partially overlap the bending area in the orthographic projection of the display panel.

[0010] Furthermore, in the display module, a padding layer is provided on the side of the second support layer opposite to the display panel; Preferably, a first support layer and a first adhesive layer are sequentially disposed on the side of the padding layer opposite to the display panel; Preferably, the material of the first support layer includes PET, and the material of the second support layer includes metal.

[0011] A second aspect of this application provides a support structure composite, comprising: The support structure includes a first support layer and a second support layer stacked together, wherein the first support layer is located on the side of the second support layer closer to the display panel, and the stiffness of the second support layer is greater than that of the first support layer. A release film is provided on the surface of the support structure facing away from the first support layer, and a protective film is provided on the surface of the support structure facing away from the second support layer.

[0012] Furthermore, in the aforementioned support structure composite, the support structure composite includes a first part and a second part, with a gap between the first part and the second part, a first support layer located in the first part and the second part respectively, a second support layer located in the first part, and the first support layer located in the first part covering the orthographic projection of the second support layer on the first support layer. Preferably, the thickness of the protective film corresponding to the first part is less than the thickness of the protective film corresponding to the second part, a portion of the protective film is attached to the surface of the second support structure, and the other portion of the protective film is attached to at least the surface of the first support structure.

[0013] A third aspect of this application provides a method for manufacturing a display module, characterized in that the manufacturing method includes: Provide a support structure composite as described above; Remove the release film from the supporting structure composite; The surface of the supporting structure composite with the release film removed is attached to the backlight side of the display panel to be bent.

[0014] Furthermore, in the preparation method, after the step of attaching the surface of the support structure composite with the release film removed to the backlight side of the display panel, the method includes: Other functional film layers are attached to the light-emitting side of the display panel; Remove the protective film from the supporting structure composite.

[0015] Furthermore, in the preparation method, the step of attaching the surface of the supporting structure composite with the release film removed to the backlight side of the display panel to be bent includes: The display panel to be bent includes a display area and a second non-display area, the second non-display area including the area to be bent, the first part of the support structure composite covers the display area, and the second part of the support structure composite covers the second non-display area; Preferably, the area to be bent covers the gap.

[0016] A fourth aspect of this application provides an electronic device comprising a display module / display panel as described in any of the preceding claims, or comprising a display module / display panel prepared according to any of the preceding claims.

[0017] The beneficial effects of this application are as follows: The support structure of the display panel is a multi-layer composite structure, specifically including a first support layer and a second support layer stacked together. The first support layer is located on the side of the second support layer closer to the display panel. That is, from the backlight side of the display panel outwards, the first support layer and the second support layer are arranged sequentially. Crucially, the stiffness of the second support layer is greater than that of the first support layer. By setting two support layers with different stiffnesses, and placing the stiffer second support layer on the outside, a "flexible inside, rigid outside" composite support structure is formed. The first support layer, as a buffer and transition layer, can absorb some stress and ensure good bonding with the back or middle adhesive layer of the display panel; while the second support layer, with its higher stiffness, provides strong bending and impact resistance, effectively preventing the display module from deforming or being damaged by external hard objects. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the display panel structure in an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the supporting structure composite component in the embodiments of this application; Figure 3This is one of the intermediate structure schematic diagrams of the preparation method in the embodiments of this application; Figure 4 This is the second schematic diagram of the intermediate structure of the preparation method in the embodiments of this application; Figure 5 for Figure 4 A plan view. Detailed Implementation

[0019] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art should fall within the protection scope of the embodiments of this application.

[0020] The terminology used in the embodiments of this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of this application. The singular forms “a,” “the,” and “the” used in the embodiments of this application and the appended claims are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the term “and / or” as used in the embodiments of this application refers to and includes any or all possible combinations of one or more associated listed items.

[0021] It should be understood that in the description of the embodiments of this application, the terms "length", "width", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the scheme of the embodiments of this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the embodiments of this application.

[0022] Furthermore, when an element or layer is referred to as being "on" another element or layer, "connected to," or "bonded to" another element or layer, the element or layer may be directly on the other element or layer, directly connected to, or directly bonded to the other element or layer, or there may be intermediate elements or layers. However, when an element or layer is referred to as being "directly on" another element or layer, "directly connected to," or "directly bonded to" another element or layer, there are no intermediate elements or layers.

[0023] The terms First, Second, etc., are used to describe various elements, components, regions, layers, and / or parts, but these elements, components, regions, layers, and / or parts should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer, and / or part from another element, component, region, layer, and / or part.

[0024] Unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0025] The inventors discovered the following problems in the related technology: First, conventional support films lack structural strength and rigidity. A typical conventional support film consists of only one layer of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate approximately 50 micrometers thick and one layer of adhesive layer approximately 25 micrometers thick. This two-layer structure has significant drawbacks in practical applications: while PET material has some flexibility, its hardness is low, making it prone to scratches or indentations under external forces, insufficient to provide effective physical protection for flexible screens; simultaneously, PET material has limited elastic modulus and yield strength, resulting in poor "rigidity" (i.e., resistance to bending deformation), unable to provide sufficient support for flexible screens with large areas or thin thicknesses. Therefore, in the later stages of flexible display module assembly, the screen needs to undergo more than a dozen complex processes, including polarizer 300 attachment, optical adhesive (OCA) attachment, cover plate bonding, debubbling, aging, and functional testing. During the transfer, handling, positioning, and processing of these processes, the screen and the conventional support film attached to it are frequently subjected to mechanical actions such as contact, compression, and bending. Because conventional support films offer limited protection and support, flexible screens frequently suffer from surface scratches, edge dents, localized warping, and even overall curling. These defects severely compromise the structural integrity and optical performance of the display module, leading to a significant decrease in product yield and a substantial increase in manufacturing costs.

[0026] Secondly, the existing process flow does not meet the requirements of highly integrated design. In modern electronics manufacturing, enterprises increasingly demand integrated and modular production processes. Integrated design can effectively reduce material transfer and waiting time between processes, simplify equipment configuration and tooling fixtures, thereby significantly improving production efficiency and saving time, equipment investment, and labor costs. However, in the current flexible module process, the conventional support film mentioned above needs to be laminated first to support the flow of the screen in the front-end process of the module; after most of the complex processes in the module section are completed, an additional functional composite film needs to be laminated on the surface of the conventional support film. The role of this composite film is to further strengthen the protection and support of the screen and make up for the shortcomings of the conventional support film. This step-by-step operation method of "lamping the support film first and then the composite film" not only increases the number of processes and extends the production cycle, but also requires additional lamination equipment, materials, and operators, which runs counter to the integrated design concept of pursuing high efficiency, low cost, and short process.

[0027] For these two reasons, the optimization design of conventional support membranes is urgently needed.

[0028] The specific implementation of the embodiments of this application will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0029] Reference Figure 1 As shown, a first aspect of this application provides a display module, including a display panel 200 and a support structure 100; the support structure 100 is disposed on the backlight side of the display panel 200, and the support structure 100 includes a first support layer 103 and a second support layer 105 stacked together, the first support layer 103 is located on the side of the second support layer 105 close to the display panel 200, and the stiffness of the second support layer 105 is greater than the stiffness of the first support layer 103.

[0030] Specifically, the support structure 100 is a multi-layered composite structure, comprising a first support layer 103 and a second support layer 105 stacked together. The first support layer 103 is located on the side of the second support layer 105 closest to the display panel 200. That is, from the backlight side of the display panel 200 outwards, the first support layer 103 and the second support layer 105 are arranged sequentially. Crucially, the stiffness of the second support layer 105 is greater than that of the first support layer 103. By setting two support layers with different stiffnesses, and placing the stiffer second support layer 105 on the outside, a "flexible inside, rigid outside" composite support structure is formed. The first support layer 103, acting as a buffer and transition layer, can absorb some stress and ensure good adhesion to the back or middle adhesive layer of the display panel 200; while the second support layer 105, with its higher stiffness, provides strong bending and impact resistance, effectively preventing the display module from deforming or being damaged by external hard objects.

[0031] As a preferred embodiment, a first adhesive layer 102 is disposed on the side of the first support layer 103 closest to the display panel 200; a second adhesive layer 104 is disposed between the first support layer 103 and the second support layer 105. The first adhesive layer 102 is disposed on the side of the first support layer 103 closest to the display panel 200 (i.e., the side of the first support layer 103 closest to the second support layer 105). Simultaneously, the second adhesive layer 104 is disposed between the first support layer 103 and the second support layer 105. The function of the first adhesive layer 102 is to firmly bond the support structure 100 to the backlight side of the display panel 200. The function of the second adhesive layer 104 is to tightly bond the first support layer 103 and the second support layer 105, which have different stiffnesses, into a whole, ensuring that the two layers do not slip or delaminate under stress, thereby achieving a synergistic effect in mechanical properties. Through the introduction of the adhesive layer, the entire support structure 100 becomes a stable multi-layered composite.

[0032] As a preferred embodiment, a padding layer 109 is provided on the side of the second support layer 105 facing away from the display panel 200; a first support layer 103 and a first adhesive layer 102 are sequentially provided on the side of the padding layer 109 facing away from the display panel 200. The padding layer 109 effectively supports the bent portion, which can solve the problem of stress release after the bent part is impacted.

[0033] Furthermore, to accommodate the bending requirements of the flexible display panel 200, particularly the foldable display panel 200, this application has refined the specific distribution of the support structure 100 in each region. Specifically, the display panel 200 structurally includes a display area AA and a first non-display area NA1. The display area AA is the effective area for performing image display functions. The first non-display area NA1 is typically located around the periphery of the display area AA and is used to arrange driving circuits, wiring, and connections to external circuits. At least a portion of the first non-display area NA1 is arranged around the display area AA. More importantly, the first non-display area NA1 includes a bending area BA1, which is located on at least one side of the display area AA. The bending area BA1 is the area of ​​the display panel 200 that needs to be bent during manufacturing or in the final product form, such as to achieve bending of the "chin" area or the hinge area of ​​a foldable screen.

[0034] In a more preferred implementation designed to optimize bending performance, in the first non-display area NA1 and display area AA outside the bending zone BA1, the orthographic projections of the first support layer 103 and the first adhesive layer 102 on the display panel 200 completely cover the orthographic projections of the second support layer 105 and the second adhesive layer 104 on the display panel 200. In other words, the edges of the second support layer 105 and the second adhesive layer 104 are recessed relative to the edges of the first support layer 103 and the first adhesive layer 102, and are covered by the latter. This further ensures that in the critical bending area, the outermost high-stiffness material (the second support layer 105) is intentionally removed or retracted, so that the bending stress is mainly borne by the more flexible first support layer 103 or directly by the backlight side of the display panel 200, thereby maximizing the protection of the integrity and reliability of the bending area.

[0035] Preferably, in a more preferred implementation aimed at optimizing bending performance, the first support layer 103 and the first adhesive layer 102 overlap with the bending area BA1 portion in the orthographic projection of the display panel 200. The first support layer 103 and the first adhesive layer 102 provide transitional support to the edge of the bending structure, so that the thinning of the bending area BA1 is no longer an abrupt, large-drop thinning. Through the transitional effect of the first support layer 103 and the first adhesive layer 102, the bending portion is better supported, preventing risks such as breakage.

[0036] Regarding the selection of specific materials, as an effective approach, the first support layer 103 is made of PET (polyethylene terephthalate). PET film possesses good flexibility, electrical insulation, dimensional stability, and moderate cost, making it an ideal choice as an inner layer buffer support. The second support layer 105 is made of metal. Metal materials have a much higher elastic modulus, hardness, and yield strength than polymer materials, providing a strong bending and impact-resistant framework for the entire display module. Preferably, the second support layer 105 is made of stainless steel, such as SUS304 or SUS316L. Stainless steel has excellent mechanical properties, corrosion resistance, and processing performance; its thickness can be controlled within a very thin range (e.g., 30-100 micrometers) to provide far greater support than PET, making it an ideal material for achieving an "outer rigidity" layer.

[0037] Reference Figure 2 As shown, the second aspect of this application provides a support structure composite 111, including: a support structure 100, the support structure 100 including a first support layer 103 and a second support layer 105 stacked together, the first support layer 103 being located on the side of the second support layer 105 close to the display panel 200, and the stiffness of the second support layer 105 being greater than the stiffness of the first support layer 103. A release film 101 is provided on the surface of the support structure 100 facing away from the first support layer 103, and a protective film 106 is provided on the surface of the support structure 100 facing away from the second support layer 105.

[0038] The supporting structure composite 111 can be made into rolls or sheets. When in use, the release film 101 can be removed and then attached to the backlight side of the display panel 200. At the same time, the protective film 106 can play a protective role in the manufacturing process of the display module. After the protective film 106 is removed, a bending process is performed.

[0039] Furthermore, the first support layer 103 includes a first portion 110 and a second portion 120, with a gap G between the first portion 110 and the second portion 120, and the first portion 110 covers the second support layer 105. Preferably, the thickness of the protective film 106 corresponding to the first portion 110 is less than the thickness of the protective film 106 corresponding to the second portion 120. A portion of the protective film 106 is attached to the surface of the second support structure 105, and the other portion is attached to the surface of the first support structure 103. The protective film 106 provides support and protection for the entire support structure composite. Since the second portion 120 of the support structure composite does not have a second support structure 100, its thickness is less than that of the first portion 110. Therefore, when setting the protective film 106, its thickness is adjusted accordingly to better support the first portion 110 and the second portion 120. Furthermore, the design of different thicknesses of the protective film 106 avoids excessive stress during removal.

[0040] Reference Figures 3 to 5 As shown, a third aspect of this application provides a method for manufacturing a display module, the method comprising: A support structure composite 111 as described above is provided. The support structure composite 111 includes a support structure 100. The support structure 100 includes a first support layer 103 and a second support layer 105 stacked together. The first support layer 103 is located on one side of the second support layer 105. The stiffness of the second support layer 105 is greater than that of the first support layer 103. A release film 101 is provided on one side of the support structure 100. A release film 101 is provided on the side of the first support layer 103 opposite to the second support layer 105. A protective film 106 is provided on the other side of the support structure 100 opposite to it. That is, a protective film 106 is provided on the side of the second support layer 105 opposite to the first support layer 103. Remove the release film 101 from the supporting structure composite 111; The surface of the support structure composite 111 with the release film 101 removed is attached to the backlight side of the display panel 200.

[0041] Furthermore, the step of removing the release film 101 from the support structure composite 111 and attaching the surface of the support structure composite 111 with the release film 101 removed to the backlight side of the display panel 200 further includes: Other functional film layers are attached to the light-emitting side of the display panel 200; Remove the protective film 106.

[0042] A third aspect of this application provides a method for fabricating the aforementioned display module. This method aims to precisely attach the innovative support structure 100 to the display panel 200 using an efficient and integrated process. The method includes the following main steps: A support structure composite 111 is provided. This embodiment is a pre-manufactured support structure composite 111.

[0043] Remove the release film 101 of the support structure composite 111 to expose the adhesive bonding surface.

[0044] Using a precise alignment system, the surface (i.e., the adhesive side) of the support structure composite 111 with the release film 101 removed is attached to the backlight side of the display panel 200. This step is the core of the entire fabrication method, achieving the initial integration of the support structure 100 and the display panel 200.

[0045] Furthermore, as a more complete process flow, the preparation method can include subsequent module segment process steps after the support structure 100 is attached. Specifically, this includes attaching other functional film layers of the display module, such as polarizer 300, optically transparent adhesive layer 400, and cover plate 500 (such as ultra-thin glass UTG or transparent polyimide CPI), to the light-emitting side (i.e., the side opposite to the backlight side) of the display panel 200 where the support structure 100 has been attached. These are necessary components for constituting a complete display module. After completing the attachment of all these functional film layers and other possible module processes (such as debubbling, curing, and testing), the protective film 106 previously used to protect the outside of the support structure 100 is finally removed. In this way, the protective film 106 remains in place throughout the entire module front-end and rear-end processing, playing a role in dust and scratch protection for the outer surface of the support structure 100 (especially the metal layer), and is only removed before the final product is packaged or shipped, achieving full-process physical protection.

[0046] This method significantly enhances the rigidity and protective performance of the support structure 100. The support structure 100 proposed in this application is not a single material layer, but a multi-layered composite consisting of an adhesive layer, a PET layer, another adhesive layer, and a metal layer (such as a stainless steel layer). Compared to conventional technologies that only contain one layer of adhesive and one layer of PET, this application adds at least one adhesive layer and one high-rigidity metal layer. This layered design significantly improves the overall rigidity, hardness (scratch resistance), and strength (impact and bending resistance) of the novel support film. By attaching this reinforced support structure 100 to the back of the screen before the module manufacturing process begins, the novel support film can provide comprehensive, high-strength back and edge support for the screen during subsequent complex processes such as attaching the polarizer 300, the optically transparent adhesive layer 400, and the cover plate 500. This greatly reduces the risk of scratches, bumps, and localized warping during the transfer and processing of the screen. This plays a decisive role in improving the final yield of flexible display modules.

[0047] This application achieves a high degree of process integration, resulting in cost reduction and efficiency improvement. Since the support structure 100 provided in this application already integrates the function of the composite film (i.e., high-strength protection and support) that originally needed to be attached at the end of the module assembly, no additional composite film attachment step is required after all module assembly processes are completed. This directly reduces a complete module assembly process. Reducing a process means saving the cost of a high-precision attachment device and its maintenance, eliminating the corresponding composite film material cost, and reducing the cleanroom manpower and time costs required for this process. Therefore, the technical solution of this application not only simplifies the production process and shortens the production cycle, but also significantly reduces the overall manufacturing cost of flexible display modules, while avoiding the additional risk of poor bonding that might be introduced by an extra attachment process, further improving the yield rate.

[0048] Unlike the first support layer 103, the second support layer 105 and the second adhesive layer 104 can be designed differently for bending. In one variant embodiment, the orthographic projection of the second support layer 105 and the second adhesive layer 104 is designed to completely avoid the bending area BA2, that is, their edges are recessed or cut off at the boundary of the gap G, so that within the bending area BA2, the backlight side of the display panel 200 has no substantial support layer except for possibly very thin adhesive residue. This provides an optimal low-stress environment for bending. In this embodiment, that is, at the gap G between the first support layer 103 and the first adhesive layer 102 in the bending area BA2, the second support layer 105 and the second adhesive layer 104 are also removed, and the edges of the second support layer 105 and the second adhesive layer 104 are completely covered by the edges of the first support and the first adhesive layer 102, to ensure that the bending area BA2 is not covered by any rigid layer.

[0049] The fabrication method of this embodiment begins with providing a pre-manufactured support structure composite 111. Next, the fabrication method proceeds to the core attachment step. The specific operation flow is as follows: Material preparation and cleaning: Provide the display panel 200 to be processed and perform plasma cleaning or ultrasonic cleaning on its backlight side surface to remove tiny particles and organic matter, ensuring the reliability of subsequent bonding.

[0050] Release film 101 removal: The release film 101 of the supporting structure composite 111 is peeled off by an automated peeling mechanism, exposing the adhesive surface of the first adhesive layer 102. The peeling speed, angle, and tension need to be precisely controlled to prevent the adhesive layer from stretching or bubbling.

[0051] Precise alignment and attachment: A high-resolution vision system (CCD camera) is used to identify alignment marks on the display panel 200 and the support structure composite 111. The exposed adhesive surface is precisely positioned on the backlight side of the display panel 200. Then, using a roller pressing mechanism or a vacuum pressing chamber, the support structure composite 111 is uniformly and bubble-free attached to the entire backlight side of the display panel 200 under certain pressure and temperature (e.g., room temperature to 50°C). During this process, it is particularly important to ensure that the pre-made gap G on the support structure 100 precisely coincides with the bending area BA2 on the display panel 200.

[0052] Subsequent processes in the module segment: After the support structure 100 is attached, the display panel 200 with the support structure 100 becomes a semi-finished product and enters the subsequent complex module segment process. This process includes, but is not limited to, the following steps: A polarizer 300 is attached to the light-emitting side of the display panel 200; An optically transparent adhesive layer 400 (OCA) is attached to the polarizer 300. A cover plate 500 is attached to the optical adhesive layer. The cover plate 500 may be ultra-thin glass (UTG) or colorless polyimide (CPI). The bonded components are placed in a high-pressure defoamer for defoaming treatment. UV curing is performed to bring the adhesive layer to its final bonding strength. A series of electrical function tests, optical tests, and environmental aging tests were conducted. Throughout the aforementioned multi-step process, which can last for hours or even days, the protective film 106 located on the outermost side of the support structure 100 remains in a close fit, effectively preventing the stainless steel layer (second support layer 105) from being scratched, corroded by chemical reagents, or accumulating dust.

[0053] Removing the protective film 106: After all module segment processes are successfully completed and the display module passes all intermediate and final tests, the final step is to automatically or manually remove the protective film 106 from the surface of the second support layer 105. After removing the protective film 106, a complete, clean display module with excellent rigidity and support is manufactured and ready to enter the subsequent module and whole-device assembly stage, such as assembling the display module onto the hinge and mid-frame of a foldable phone.

[0054] Through the above steps, the preparation method of this embodiment uses a highly integrated support structure composite 111 containing a multi-layered reinforced structure to complete the attachment of the support layer of the display panel 200 in one go, and eliminates the step of attaching the composite film again at the rear of the module in the conventional process, which significantly shortens the process flow and reduces production costs.

[0055] It should be clarified that this application is not limited to the specific configurations and processes described above and shown in the figures. For the sake of brevity, detailed descriptions of known methods are omitted here. In the above embodiments, several specific steps are described and shown as examples. However, the method process of this application is not limited to the specific steps described and shown. Those skilled in the art can make various changes, modifications, and additions, or change the order of steps, after understanding the spirit of this application.

[0056] Specifically, the display panel 200 to be bent includes a display area AA and a second non-display area AA. The second non-display area AA includes a bending area BA2. The first part 110 of the support structure composite 111 covers the display area AA, and the second part 120 of the support structure composite covers the second non-display area AA. Preferably, the bending area BA2 covers the gap G. When attaching the support structure composite 111 to the display panel 200, precise alignment is required. The first support layer 103 and the second support layer 105 of the first part 110 together cover the display area AA, and the first support layer 103 covers the second support layer 105, ensuring that the second support layer 105 is within the bending area BA2. The second support layer 105 and the second adhesive layer 104 can be left unremoved, with their orthographic projection overlapping the bending area BA2. Even in areas where bending is required, a portion of the first support layer 103 is retained. The first support layer 103 has a larger area in the bending area BA2. Outside the bending area BA2, a stepped thinning is formed between the second support layer 105 and the first support layer 103, thereby avoiding a large drop in the bending area BA2 and preventing circuit breakage, thus ensuring the yield rate during the bending process.

[0057] Furthermore, a gap G is provided between the first part 110 and the second part 120. The second non-display area AA serves as the non-display area of ​​the unbent display panel 200. This gap G overlaps vertically with the bending area BA2 of the display panel 200. That is, at the location of the bending area BA2, the first support layer 103 and the first adhesive layer 102 are missing, forming an avoidance opening. The core purpose of this design is to remove the relatively hard or thick PET support layer in the area where the display panel 200 needs to be bent, thereby significantly reducing the bending stiffness and bending stress in that area. This allows the bending operation to be completed smoothly with a smaller radius of curvature and lower internal stress, preventing the support layer from breaking, delaminating, or generating harmful tensile or compressive stress on the display panel 200 during bending.

[0058] A fourth aspect of this application provides an electronic device, including the display panel described above or a display panel prepared by the method described above.

[0059] Electronic devices can be mobile or fixed terminals with display panels, such as mobile phones, televisions, tablets, laptops, Ultra-Mobile Personal Computers (UMPCs), Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), navigation devices, smartwatches, and virtual reality devices.

[0060] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0061] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A display module, characterized in that, include: Display panel; A support structure is disposed on the backlight side of the display panel. The support structure includes a first support layer and a second support layer stacked together. The first support layer is located on the side of the second support layer closer to the display panel, and the stiffness of the second support layer is greater than that of the first support layer.

2. The display module according to claim 1, characterized in that, A first adhesive layer is provided on the side of the first support layer near the display panel; A second adhesive layer is provided between the first support layer and the second support layer.

3. The display module according to claim 2, characterized in that, The orthographic projections of the first support layer and the first adhesive layer onto the display panel cover the orthographic projections of the second adhesive layer and the second support layer onto the display panel. Preferably, the display panel includes a display area and a first non-display area, at least a portion of the first non-display area is disposed around the display area, the first non-display area includes a bending area, and the first support layer and the first adhesive layer partially overlap the bending area in the orthographic projection of the display panel.

4. The display module according to claim 2, characterized in that, The second support layer has a padding layer on the side opposite to the display panel; Preferably, a first support layer and a first adhesive layer are sequentially disposed on the side of the padding layer opposite to the display panel; Preferably, the material of the first support layer includes PET, and the material of the second support layer includes metal.

5. A supporting structural composite component, characterized in that, include: A support structure, comprising a first support layer and a second support layer stacked together, wherein the first support layer is located on one side of the second support layer, and the stiffness of the second support layer is greater than that of the first support layer. A release film is provided on the surface of the support structure facing away from the first support layer, and a protective film is provided on the surface of the support structure facing away from the second support layer.

6. The supporting structure composite component according to claim 5, characterized in that, The supporting structure composite includes a first part and a second part, with a gap between the first part and the second part. The first supporting layer is located in the first part and the second part respectively, and the second supporting layer is located in the first part. The first supporting layer located in the first part covers the orthographic projection of the second supporting layer on the first supporting layer. Preferably, the thickness of the protective film corresponding to the first part is less than the thickness of the protective film corresponding to the second part, a portion of the protective film is attached to the surface of the second support structure, and the other portion of the protective film is attached to at least the surface of the first support structure.

7. A method for manufacturing a display module, characterized in that, The preparation method includes: Provide a support structure composite as described in claim 5 or 6; Remove the release film from the supporting structure composite; The surface of the supporting structure composite with the release film removed is attached to the backlight side of the display panel to be bent.

8. The preparation method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The step of attaching the surface of the support structure composite with the release film removed to the backlight side of the display panel includes: Other functional film layers are attached to the light-emitting side of the display panel; Remove the protective film from the supporting structure composite.

9. The preparation method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The step of attaching the surface of the support structure composite component with the release film removed to the backlight side of the display panel to be bent includes: The display panel to be bent includes a display area and a second non-display area, the second non-display area including the area to be bent, the first part of the support structure composite covers the display area, and the second part of the support structure composite covers the second non-display area; Preferably, the area to be bent covers the gap.

10. An electronic device, characterized in that, It includes the display module as described in any one of claims 1 to 4 or the display module obtained by the preparation method according to any one of claims 7 to 9.

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