Display module, preparation method thereof and display device

Abstract

The application provides a display module, a preparation method thereof and a display device. The display module comprises a screen body layer, an auxiliary layer and a protective layer. The screen body layer comprises a display part, a connecting part and a bending part. One side of the bending part is connected with the display part, and the other side is connected with the connecting part. The auxiliary layer is arranged between the display part and the connecting part and abuts against the display part and the connecting part respectively. The protective layer is arranged on the side of the screen body layer away from the auxiliary layer and comprises a cover plate layer and a protective layer. The cover plate layer covers the surface of the display part away from the auxiliary layer and the surface of the bending part away from the auxiliary layer. The protective layer is arranged on the side of the cover plate layer away from the display part. The orthogonal projection of the protective layer coincides with the orthogonal projection of the display part. The cover plate layer can protect the display part and the bending part. The protective layer can improve the protection of the display part, reduce Peeling defects and light path interference, and improve the display quality.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] In the rapidly developing field of foldable and rollable display technology, higher requirements are placed on cover plates. Not only must the cover plate meet the requirements for hardness and impact resistance, but it also needs to be flexible to allow the display module to be bent.

[0003] Flexible display modules typically consist of multiple layers, such as a protective layer (cover plate), a polarizing layer, a touch layer, and a display layer (e.g., OLED). These layers are bonded together with optically transparent adhesive. However, the adhesive bonding between the cover plate and the display layer can easily lead to layer separation during bending. Furthermore, this bonding method tends to result in a thicker display module, especially when the module uses encapsulated color filters. The adhesive pads connecting the cover plate and the color filter, as well as the cover plate itself, can interfere with the optical path. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a display module, its manufacturing method, and a display device, aiming to improve display quality.

[0005] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a display module, comprising: a screen layer, an auxiliary layer, and a protective layer; the screen layer includes a display portion, a connecting portion, and a bent portion, the display portion being used for image display, the connecting portion being used for external circuitry, one side of the bent portion being connected to the display portion and the other side being connected to the connecting portion, for bending the connecting portion to the backlight side of the display portion; the auxiliary layer is disposed between the display portion and the connecting portion, the auxiliary layer abutting against the display portion and the connecting portion, for providing support for the display portion; the protective layer is disposed on the side of the screen layer facing away from the auxiliary layer, the protective layer including a cover layer and a protective layer, the cover layer covering the surface of the display portion facing away from the auxiliary layer and the surface of the bent portion facing away from the auxiliary layer, the protective layer being disposed on the side of the cover layer facing away from the display portion, the orthographic projection of the protective layer coinciding with the orthographic projection of the display portion, the protective layer for providing protection for the display portion.

[0006] According to an embodiment of the first aspect of this application, the cover plate layer includes a first cover plate portion and a second cover plate portion, wherein the first cover plate portion is fitted with the curved portion and the second cover plate portion is fitted with the display portion.

[0007] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the first aspect of this application, the thickness of the first cover plate portion is greater than the thickness of the second cover plate portion.

[0008] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the first aspect of this application, the thickness of the first cover plate portion is 50 μm to 120 μm, and the thickness of the second cover plate portion is 25 μm to 80 μm.

[0009] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the first aspect of this application, the modulus of the first cover plate portion is less than the modulus of the second cover plate portion.

[0010] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the first aspect of this application, the modulus of the first cover plate portion is 400 MPa to 600 MPa, which is used to place the stress neutral layer of the bent portion on the surface of the bent portion facing the auxiliary layer.

[0011] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the first aspect of this application, the modulus of the second cover plate portion is not less than 2 GPa.

[0012] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the first aspect of this application, the protective layer has a modulus of 4 GPa to 8 GPa, a thickness of 3 μm to 20 μm, and a hardness of not less than 4H, and is used to place the stress neutral layer of the display portion on the encapsulation layer of the display portion.

[0013] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the first aspect of this application, the display unit is a display touch unit.

[0014] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the first aspect of this application, a polarizer layer is provided on the light-emitting side of the display unit, and the polarizer layer is located between the display unit and the protective layer.

[0015] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the first aspect of this application, the cover layer is a flexible material coating, and the protective layer is a scratch-resistant material coating.

[0016] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the first aspect of this application, the flexible material is photosensitive polyimide.

[0017] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the first aspect of this application, the photosensitive polyimide has a transmittance ≥90%, a haze ≤1%, and a yellowness index ≤2.

[0018] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the first aspect of this application, the scratch-resistant material is half-siloxane or organopolysiloxane.

[0019] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the first aspect of this application, the auxiliary layer includes a support film layer and a heat dissipation layer. The support film layer consists of two layers, with the first support film layer attached to the display portion and the second support film layer attached to the connecting portion. The heat dissipation layer is located between the two support film layers.

[0020] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the first aspect of this application, the first layer of the support film and the heat dissipation layer are both the same length as the display portion, and the length of the second layer of the support film is less than the length of the display portion.

[0021] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the first aspect of this application, the auxiliary layer further includes a height compensation layer located between the second support film layer and the heat dissipation layer, for providing height compensation between the display portion and the connecting portion.

[0022] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the first aspect of this application, the length of the height compensation layer is less than the length of the display portion.

[0023] Secondly, embodiments of this application also provide a method for manufacturing a display module, comprising: providing a screen layer and an auxiliary layer, the screen layer including a display portion, a curved portion and a connecting portion, connecting the auxiliary layer between the display portion and the connecting portion; curing a liquid film on the surface of the display portion and the curved portion facing away from the auxiliary layer to form a cover layer; curing a protective layer on the surface of the cover layer facing away from the display portion to form a protective layer, such that the orthographic projection of the protective layer coincides with the orthographic projection of the display portion, thereby obtaining a display module.

[0024] According to an embodiment of the second aspect of this application, the step of curing a liquid film on the surface of the display portion and the curved portion opposite to the auxiliary layer to form a cover layer includes: inkjet printing on the surfaces of the curved portion and the display portion to form a first liquid layer on the surface of the curved portion and a second liquid layer on the surface of the display portion; and UV curing the first liquid layer and the second liquid layer respectively to obtain a first cover portion and a second cover portion, thereby forming the cover layer.

[0025] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the second aspect of this application, the thickness of the first liquid layer is greater than the thickness of the second liquid layer.

[0026] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the second aspect of this application, the UV curing energy of the first liquid layer is greater than the UV curing energy of the second liquid layer.

[0027] Thirdly, embodiments of this application also provide a display device, which includes the display module described in any of the embodiments of the first aspect or any of the embodiments of the second aspect.

[0028] This application provides a display module in which a cover plate layer covers the display portion and the bent portion of the screen layer, improving hardness, impact resistance, and toughness, and providing protection for the display portion and the bent portion. A protective layer is formed directly on the cover plate layer, meeting the hardness, impact resistance, and toughness requirements of the display module. The protective layer being formed directly on the screen layer eliminates the need for optically transparent adhesive, improving the bonding strength between the cover plate layer and the screen layer, reducing peeling defects when the display portion is bent, reducing the overall thickness of the display module, and minimizing interference of the protective layer on the optical path of the display portion, thereby improving display quality.

[0029] This application provides a method for manufacturing a display module. In this method, a cover plate layer is formed on the surface of the display section and the bent section facing away from the auxiliary layer, and is directly bonded to the screen layer. A protective layer is formed on the surface of the cover plate layer facing away from the display section, and is directly bonded to the cover plate layer. The cover plate layer and the protective layer form a protective layer, which not only provides protection for the display section and the bent section, but also improves the hardness, impact resistance, and toughness of the area where the display section of the display module is located. Furthermore, it improves the bonding strength with the screen layer, reduces the overall thickness of the display module, thereby reducing peeling defects when the display section is bent, reducing interference with the optical path of the display section, and improving the display quality of the display module. Attached Figure Description

[0030] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments of this application will be briefly introduced below. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0031] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the display module according to the first aspect of this application;

[0032] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the screen layer according to the first aspect of this application;

[0033] Figure 3 This is a partial enlarged view of the display module according to the first aspect of this application;

[0034] Figure 4 This is a flowchart of a method for manufacturing a display module according to the first embodiment of the second aspect of this application;

[0035] Figure 5 This is a flowchart of a method for manufacturing a display module according to a second embodiment of the second aspect of this application;

[0036] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a display device according to a third aspect embodiment of this application.

[0037] In the attached diagram:

[0038] 1-Display module; 11-Screen layer; 111-Display section; 112-Bending section; 113-Connecting section; 12-Protective layer; 121-Cover plate layer; 1211-First cover plate section; 1212-Second cover plate section; 122-Protective layer; 13-Auxiliary layer; 131-Support film layer; 132-Heat dissipation layer; 133-Height compensation layer; 100-Display device. Detailed Implementation

[0039] The features and exemplary embodiments of various aspects of this application will be described in detail below. To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only intended to explain this application and not to limit it. For those skilled in the art, this application can be implemented without some of these specific details. The following description of the embodiments is merely to provide a better understanding of this application by illustrating examples.

[0040] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used merely to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising..." does not exclude the presence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0041] Currently, all display products require cover plates (glass or flexible polymer film) in their module manufacturing process to provide top-level protection for the display module. These cover plates must meet both hardness and impact resistance requirements. In the rapidly developing foldable and rollable display technologies, the requirements for cover plates are even more stringent. In addition to the existing requirements for hardness and impact resistance, toughness requirements have been added to enable the display module to be bent.

[0042] Taking foldable display modules as an example, foldable display modules are a special form of flexible display modules and are the core component of foldable display devices (such as foldable phones and foldable tablets). Foldable display modules typically consist of multiple layers, including a display layer (such as an OLED), a polarizer, a touch layer, and a protective layer (such as a glass plate or flexible film). During connection, the layers are bonded together using optically clear adhesive (OCA) to form a unified whole, achieving display, touch, and protection functions.

[0043] The cover plate and screen (display layer) of flexible display modules are usually bonded together with optically transparent adhesive, which is prone to bending peeling (peeling or delamination between layers). The modules are also relatively thick and lack rigidity, which is not conducive to new application forms such as bending and rolling. In addition, when flexible display modules use color filter on encapsulation (COE) technology, which directly fabricates the color filter on the encapsulation layer (eliminating the traditional polarizer (Pol) and reducing the module thickness), there is still the problem of interference between the adhesive of the bonding pad layer (BPL, used to bond the COE layer and the cover plate) and the cover plate, thus affecting the display quality of the display module.

[0044] In view of this, this application provides a display module and its manufacturing method, as well as a display device, which can improve display quality.

[0045] Please refer to Figures 1 to 3 , Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the display module according to the first aspect of this application; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the screen layer according to the first aspect of this application; Figure 3 This is a partial enlarged view of the display module according to the first aspect of this application.

[0046] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a display module 1, which includes a screen layer 11, an auxiliary layer 13, and a protective layer 12. The screen layer 11 includes a display portion 111, a connecting portion 113, and a bending portion 112; the display portion 111 is used for image display; the connecting portion 113 is used for external circuitry; one side of the bending portion 112 is connected to the display portion 111, and the other side is connected to the connecting portion 113, for bending the connecting portion 113 to the backlight side of the display portion 111. The auxiliary layer 13 is disposed between the display portion 111 and the connecting portion 113, and abuts against the display portion 111 and the connecting portion 113, for providing support for the display portion 111. A protective layer 12 is disposed on the side of the screen layer 11 facing away from the auxiliary layer 13. The protective layer 12 includes a cover layer 121 and a protective layer 122. The cover layer 121 covers the surface of the display unit 111 facing away from the auxiliary layer 13 and the surface of the bent portion 112 facing away from the auxiliary layer 13. The protective layer 122 is disposed on the side of the cover layer 121 facing away from the display unit 111. The orthographic projection of the protective layer 122 coincides with the orthographic projection of the display unit 111, thereby providing protection for the display unit 111.

[0047] Display module 1 is the core component for image display in electronic devices (such as mobile phones, tablets, and televisions). Based on functional requirements, display module 1 can be divided into three areas: a display area, a bending area, and a connection area. The display portion 111 of the screen layer 11 is located in the display area, the bending portion 112 of the screen is located in the bending area, and the connection portion 113 of the screen is located in the connection area. For example, the screen layer 11 may be equipped with an OLED and may also integrate touch functionality (e.g., for use in mobile phones and tablets).

[0048] The display section 111 is the part of the display module 1 that actually displays images, and users can view content through the display section 111. The bending section 112 can be flexibly folded or bent. For example, the bending section 112 can be bent into an arc shape, with one end of the arc shape connected to the display section 111 and the other end connected to the connecting section 113. This allows the connecting section 113 to be flipped to the backlight side of the display section 111 (the side of the display section 111 where no image is displayed), making it easy to hide the connecting section 113 inside the housing of the electronic device. The connecting section 113 is the part of the display module 1 used for connecting external circuits, responsible for signal input and output.

[0049] An auxiliary layer 13 is disposed between the display unit 111 and the connecting part 113, providing auxiliary functions for the screen layer 11 (such as providing support and heat dissipation). When the connecting part 113 is bent to the backlight side of the display unit 111 by the bending part 112, the display unit 111 and the connecting part 113 are spaced apart (for example, they can be parallel), and the auxiliary layer 13 is located within the gap, providing support for the display unit 111. When the screen layer 11 is flexible, bendable, and foldable, the auxiliary layer 13 can also support the screen layer 11, improving its toughness.

[0050] A protective layer 12 is disposed on the surface of the screen layer 11 facing away from the auxiliary layer 13, providing protection for the screen layer 11. The protective layer 12 includes a cover layer 121 and a protective layer 122. The cover layer 121 is disposed on the screen layer 11, and the protective layer 122 is disposed on the cover layer 121. The cover layer 121 covers the entire surface of the display section 111 facing away from the auxiliary layer 13 and the entire surface of the curved section 112 facing away from the auxiliary layer 13; that is, the cover layer 121 covers the screen layer 11 in both the display area and the curved area, providing protection for the screen layer 11. The protective layer 122 covers the side of the cover layer 121 facing away from the display section 111, and its coverage area is limited to the display area.

[0051] For example, the cover layer 121 can be coated using inkjet printing equipment and then cured on the surface of the screen layer 11 to form the cover layer 121. The protective layer 122 can also be coated using inkjet printing equipment, applied to the cover layer 121 after it has cured, and then cured on the cover layer 121. When forming the cover layer 121, the thickness of the cover layer 121 in the display area and the thickness in the bending area can be different or the same. Using inkjet printing can improve the uniformity of the coating and allows for flexible partitioning of the cover layer 121 in the bending area and the display area.

[0052] For example, the cover layer 121 can be a flexible material layer with its own hardness, impact resistance, and toughness, providing protection for the display section 111 and the bent section 112. The protective layer 122 can be a hardened layer, with a Young's modulus and hardness greater than those of the cover layer 121, further enhancing the hardness, impact resistance, and toughness of the display area. The protective layer 12, the auxiliary layer 13, and the display section 111 all possess toughness, allowing for bending and even folding; for example, the display area can be folded multiple times.

[0053] In the above embodiment, the cover layer 121 covers the display portion 111 and the bent portion 112 of the screen layer 11, improving hardness, impact resistance, and toughness, and providing protection for the display portion 111 and the bent portion 112. The protective layer 122 covers the display portion 111, further improving the hardness, impact resistance, and toughness of the area where the display portion 111 is located. The cover layer 121 is formed directly on the screen layer 11, improving the bonding strength between the cover layer 121 and the screen layer 11, and reducing peeling defects when the display portion 111 is bent; the protective layer 122 is formed directly on the cover layer 121, meeting the hardness, impact resistance, and toughness requirements of the display module 1. The absence of an optically transparent adhesive between the protective layer 12 and the screen layer 11 reduces the overall thickness of the display module 1, enhancing bending performance and hardness while also reducing interference of the protective layer 12 on the optical path of the display portion 111, thereby improving the display quality of the display module 1.

[0054] like Figure 3 As shown, in some embodiments of this application, the cover plate layer 121 includes a first cover plate portion 1211 and a second cover plate portion 1212. The first cover plate portion 1211 is attached to the curved portion 112, and the second cover plate portion 1212 is attached to the display portion 111.

[0055] The cover plate layer 121 can be divided into two parts: a first cover plate portion 1211 and a second cover plate portion 1212. The first cover plate portion 1211 is located in the bending area of ​​the display module 1, and the second cover plate portion 1212 is located in the display area of ​​the display module 1. The first cover plate portion 1211 and the second cover plate portion 1212 can have different thicknesses or the same thickness.

[0056] Preferably, the thickness of the first cover plate portion 1211 is greater than the thickness of the second cover plate portion 1212, and the first cover plate portion 1211 and the second cover plate portion 1212 are integrally formed to form an integral cover plate layer 121.

[0057] When the thickness of the first cover plate portion 1211 is greater than the thickness of the second cover plate portion 1212, the thickness difference between the two can be reflected on the side of the cover plate layer 121 facing the screen layer 11, or on the side of the cover plate layer 121 facing away from the screen layer 11, or simultaneously on both sides of the cover plate layer 121. At the junction of the first cover plate portion 1211 and the second cover plate portion 1212, a step can be formed, or a smooth transition can be achieved.

[0058] In the technical solution of the above embodiment, the first cover plate portion 1211 can provide protection for the bent portion 112, and the second cover plate portion 1212 can provide protection for the display portion 111. The cover layer 121 includes the first cover plate portion 1211 and the second cover plate portion 1212, which can be flexibly partitioned to optimize the protection of the screen layer 11. In particular, when the thickness of the first cover plate portion 1211 is greater than the thickness of the second cover plate portion 1212, the protection of the bent portion 112 can be improved.

[0059] like Figure 3 As shown, in some embodiments of this application, the thickness of the first cover plate portion 1211 is 50 μm to 120 μm, and the thickness of the second cover plate portion 1212 is 25 μm to 80 μm.

[0060] The thickness of the first cover plate portion 1211 is greater than the thickness of the second cover plate portion 1212. Based on this, the thicknesses of the first cover plate portion 1211 and the second cover plate portion 1212 can be flexibly set.

[0061] For example, the thickness of the first cover portion 1211 can be any value among 50μm, 55μm, 60μm, 65μm, 70μm, 75μm, 80μm, 85μm, 90μm, 95μm, 100μm, 105μm, 110μm, 115μm, and 120μm, or any intermediate value between any two adjacent values ​​mentioned above.

[0062] For example, the thickness of the second cover portion 1212 can be any value among 25μm, 30μm, 35μm, 40μm, 45μm, 50μm, 55μm, 60μm, 65μm, 70μm, 75μm, and 80μm, or any intermediate value between any two adjacent values ​​mentioned above.

[0063] In the above embodiment, the thickness of the first cover plate portion 1211 is 50μm to 120μm, and the thickness of the second cover plate portion 1212 is 25μm to 80μm. While ensuring that the hardness, impact resistance and toughness of the display module 1 meet the requirements, the thickness of the display module 1 can also be reduced to achieve an ultra-thin design of the display module 1.

[0064] like Figure 3 As shown, in some embodiments of this application, the modulus of the first cover plate portion 1211 is less than the modulus of the second cover plate portion 1212.

[0065] Modulus is a core parameter of material mechanical properties, referring to a material's ability to resist elastic deformation under stress, and is usually expressed as Young's modulus. In display module 1, the modulus directly affects the rigidity and flexibility of the material, thereby determining the structural stability, bending performance, and reliability of display module 1.

[0066] In the technical solution of the above embodiment, the first cover plate portion 1211 has a small modulus, which can improve the bonding strength between the first cover plate portion 1211 and the bending portion 112; the second cover plate portion 1212 has a large modulus, which can improve toughness, thereby improving the ability of the display module 1 to maintain its current shape (unfolding, folding, bending, etc.) in the display area.

[0067] like Figure 3 As shown, in some embodiments of this application, the modulus of the first cover plate portion 1211 is 400 MPa to 600 MPa, which is used to place the stress neutral layer of the bending portion 112 on the surface of the bending portion 112 facing the auxiliary layer 13.

[0068] For example, the modulus of the first cover plate portion 1211 can be any value among 400MPa, 410MPa, 420MPa, 430MPa, 440MPa, 450MPa, 460MPa, 470MPa, 480MPa, 490MPa, 500MPa, 510MPa, 520MPa, 530MPa, 540MPa, 550MPa, 560MPa, 570MPa, 580MPa, 590MPa, and 600MPa, or any intermediate value between any two adjacent values ​​mentioned above.

[0069] In the above embodiment, the modulus of the first cover plate portion 1211 is set to 400MPa to 600MPa, and the thickness of the first cover plate portion 1211 is set to 50μm to 120μm. When the first cover plate portion 1211 is combined with the bending portion 112, the stress neutral layer of the bending portion 112 can be located on the surface of the bending portion 112 facing the auxiliary layer 13, thereby making the stress type on the entire bending portion 112 consistent, which can improve the structural strength of the bending portion 112 and the connection strength between the first cover plate portion 1211 and the bending portion 112, thereby improving reliability.

[0070] like Figure 3 As shown, in some embodiments of this application, the modulus of the second cover plate portion 1212 is not less than 2 GPa.

[0071] For example, the modulus of the second cover plate portion 1212 can be 2GPa, 2.1GPa, 2.2GPa, 2.3GPa, 2.4GPa, 2.5GPa, 2.6GPa, 2.7GPa, 2.8GPa, 2.9GPa, 3GPa, 3.1GPa, 3.2GPa, 3.3GPa, 3.4GPa, 3.5GPa, 3.6GPa, 3.7GPa, 3.8GPa, 3.9GPa, etc.

[0072] In the technical solution of the above embodiment, the modulus of the second cover plate portion 1212 is not less than 2GPa, which can provide reliable protection for the display module 1.

[0073] like Figure 3 As shown, in some embodiments of this application, the modulus of the protective layer 122 is 4 GPa to 8 GPa, the thickness is 3 μm to 20 μm, and the hardness is not less than 4H, so that the stress neutral layer of the display part 111 is located on the encapsulation layer of the display part 111.

[0074] For example, the modulus of the protective layer 122 can be any value among 4GPa, 4.2GPa, 4.4GPa, 4.6GPa, 4.8GPa, 5GPa, 5.2GPa, 5.4GPa, 5.6GPa, 5.8GPa, 6GPa, 6.2GPa, 6.4GPa, 6.6GPa, 6.8GPa, 7GPa, 7.2GPa, 7.4GPa, 7.6GPa, 7.8GPa, and 8GPa, or any intermediate value between any two adjacent values ​​mentioned above.

[0075] For example, the thickness of the protective layer 122 can be any value among 3μm, 4μm, 5μm, 6μm, 7μm, 8μm, 9μm, 10μm, 11μm, 12μm, 13μm, 14μm, 15μm, 16μm, 17μm, 18μm, 19μm, and 20μm, or any intermediate value between any two adjacent values ​​mentioned above.

[0076] Hardness is a standard used to describe the scratch resistance of the surface of a beam material. In the display module 1 of this application embodiment, a hardness of not less than 4H is used to describe the hardness of the protective layer 122. During testing, the hardness is determined by the pencil hardness test method. Pencils of different hardnesses (e.g., HB, 2H, 3H, 4H, etc.) are scratched across the material surface at a fixed angle and pressure. The hardness of the protective layer 122 is represented by the highest hardness pencil grade that does not produce a scratch.

[0077] In the above embodiment, the modulus of the protective layer 122 is 4GPa to 8GPa, which can improve the toughness of the area where the display part 111 of the display module 1 is located; the thickness of the protective layer 122 is 3μm to 20μm, which can make the display module 1 thinner and lighter; the hardness of the protective layer 122 is not less than 4H, which can effectively resist scratches caused by items such as keys and coins in daily use.

[0078] Furthermore, the parameters of the protective layer 122 are set to the above-mentioned range. At the same time, the modulus of the second cover plate portion 1212 is not less than 2 GPa, and the thickness of the second cover plate portion 1212 is 25 μm to 80 μm. When the cover plate layer 121 is combined with the display portion 111, the stress neutral layer of the display portion 111 can be located on the encapsulation layer of the display portion 111, thereby reducing the stress of the display portion 111 when bending or folding, and forming effective protection for the display portion 111.

[0079] In the embodiments of this application, the display unit 111 is a display touch unit of the display module 1, integrating touch functionality and OLED display functionality. Exemplarily, a polarizer layer may also be integrated on the light-emitting side of the display unit 111. When a polarizer layer is integrated, the polarizer layer is located between the second cover plate 1212 and the display unit 111.

[0080] like Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, in some embodiments of this application, the cover layer 121 is a flexible material coating, and the protective layer 122 is a scratch-resistant material coating.

[0081] The cover layer 121 can be sprayed onto the screen layer 11 and cured on the screen layer 11. The protective layer 122 can be sprayed onto the cured cover layer 121 and cured on the cover layer 121.

[0082] For example, the cover layer 121 can be a flexible polymer film material, which can be made of polymer materials such as polyimide and polyethylene terephthalate. It has the characteristics of good flexibility, bendability and light weight, and can adapt to various complex curved shapes, so as to realize a thinner and more flexible design of the display module 1.

[0083] For example, the protective layer 122 can be a non-Newtonian fluid layer or a hardened coating (e.g., a coating formed from materials such as silicon oxide or silicon nitride). The display area of ​​the display module 1 directly faces complex external conditions, and the protective layer 122 is directly exposed to the external environment, providing protection against dust, moisture, mechanical impact, etc.

[0084] In the above embodiment, the flexible cover layer 121 and the scratch-resistant protective layer 122 are combined to enable the protective layer 12 to provide protection performance comparable to that of the glass cover, thereby meeting the bending and folding requirements of the display module 1 and resisting scratches and wear during daily use.

[0085] In some embodiments of this application, the flexible material is photosensitive polyimide.

[0086] Photosensitive polyimide (PSPI) can be UV-curable photosensitive polyimide (UV-PSPI), a polymer material that combines the excellent properties of polyimide with the characteristics of photosensitive materials. It can be cured by a chemical reaction under ultraviolet (UV) light irradiation. When the flexible material is photosensitive polyimide, the liquid material can be sprayed onto the screen layer 11, and ultraviolet light is used to assist in curing, thereby forming the cover layer 121 of photosensitive polyimide material.

[0087] In the above embodiment, the flexible material is photosensitive polyimide, and ultraviolet light can be used to control the curing of the photosensitive polyimide, thereby controlling the modulus of the cover layer 121.

[0088] Furthermore, during the curing of the first cover plate portion 1211 and the second cover plate portion 1212, ultraviolet light of different energies can be used to control the curing of the photosensitive polyimide, thereby enabling the first cover plate portion 1211 and the second cover plate portion 1212 to have different moduli.

[0089] Preferably, the photosensitive polyimide has a transmittance of ≥90%, a haze of ≤1%, and a yellowness index of ≤2.

[0090] Transmittance is the ability of a material to allow light to pass through. Photosensitive polyimide has a transmittance of no less than 90%, allowing at least 90% of incident light to pass through. Haze measures the degree to which light is scattered within or on the surface of a material. Photosensitive polyimide has a haze of no more than 1%, reducing light interference. Yellowness index measures the degree of yellowing caused by aging, impurities, or thermal degradation. Photosensitive polyimide has a yellowness index of no more than 2, which can extend its lifespan and improve display quality.

[0091] In the above embodiment, the photosensitive polyimide has a transmittance of ≥90%, a haze of ≤1%, and a yellowness index of ≤2. By simultaneously satisfying high transmittance, low haze, and low yellowness index, the display module 1 can ensure brightness and reduce blur and color deviation.

[0092] Preferably, the scratch-resistant material is half-siloxane or organopolysiloxane. The half-siloxane or organopolysiloxane can be applied to the cover layer 121 by inkjet printing and cured on the cover layer 121.

[0093] like Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, in some embodiments of this application, the auxiliary layer 13 includes a support film layer 131 and a heat dissipation layer 132. The support film layer 131 consists of two layers. The first support film layer 131 is attached to the display part 111, and the second support film layer 131 is attached to the connecting part 113. The heat dissipation layer 132 is located between the two support film layers 131.

[0094] The auxiliary layer 13 abuts against both the display section 111 and the connecting section 113, and is spaced apart from the bending section 112. The support film layer 131 can be a flexible material and is bonded to the screen layer 11, thereby providing support for the screen layer 11. It also separates the screen layer 11 from the heat dissipation layer 132, preventing direct contact between the heat dissipation layer 132 and the screen layer 11. The heat dissipation layer 132 is used to dissipate heat from the screen layer 11 (especially the display section 111). The heat dissipation layer 132 can be made of metal (e.g., using a copper plate to form the heat dissipation layer 132), or it can be made of non-metallic material (e.g., using graphene to form the heat dissipation layer 132).

[0095] The thicknesses of the first support film layer 131 and the second support film layer 131 can be the same or different. Preferably, the thicknesses of the first support film layer 131 and the second support film layer 131 are the same, and they can be cut from the same support film. The first support film layer 131 and the second support film layer 131 are disconnected in the bending area of ​​the display module 1, which can reduce the stress of the screen layer 11 at the bending portion 112. When the display module 1 is applied to the display device 100, the bezel of the display device 100 can also be reduced.

[0096] In the above embodiment, the auxiliary layer 13 includes a support film layer 131 and a heat dissipation layer 132. The auxiliary layer 13 is supported between the display portion 111 and the connecting portion 113, providing support for the display portion 111 and thereby improving the structural strength of the display module 1. The support film layer 131 supports the display portion 111, thereby improving the toughness of the display module 1 in the display area. The heat dissipation layer 132 not only provides support for the screen layer 11 but also provides heat dissipation for the screen layer 11.

[0097] Preferably, the first support film layer 131 and the heat dissipation layer 132 are both the same length as the display unit 111, and the length of the second support film layer 131 is less than the length of the display unit 111.

[0098] The length of the first support film layer 131 is the same as the length of the display unit 111, providing support for the display unit 111 along its entire length and improving the uniformity of each area of ​​the display unit 111. The length of the heat dissipation layer 132 is the same as the length of the display unit 111, providing heat dissipation for the display unit 111 along its entire length, thereby improving the heat dissipation effect of the display unit 111.

[0099] The length of the second support film layer 131 is less than the length of the display part 111. Specifically, the length of the second support film layer 131 can also be less than the length of the connecting part 113, thereby reducing the overall weight and overall thickness of the display module 1.

[0100] like Figure 3 As shown, in some embodiments of this application, the auxiliary layer 13 further includes a height compensation layer 133, which is located between the second support film layer 131 and the heat dissipation layer 132, and is used to provide height compensation between the display portion 111 and the connecting portion 113.

[0101] When the combined thickness of the first support film layer 131, the second support film layer 131, and the heat dissipation layer 132 is less than the gap between the display part 111 and the connecting part 113, the overall thickness of the auxiliary layer 13 can be increased by setting a height compensation layer 133, so that the auxiliary layer 13 is supported between the display part 111 and the connecting part 113.

[0102] For example, the height compensation layer 133 can be a shim block disposed between the heat dissipation layer 132 and the second support film layer 131, and the number and / or height of the shim block can be designed as needed.

[0103] In the above embodiment, the auxiliary layer 13 is provided with a height compensation layer 133. By introducing the height compensation layer 133, the thickness of the auxiliary layer 13 can be adapted to the gap between the connecting portion 113 and the display portion 111, thus meeting the usage requirements. In addition, the introduction of the height compensation layer 133 can prevent the second support film layer 131 from contacting the heat dissipation layer 132, and since the heat dissipation layer 132 and the connecting portion 113 are spaced apart, the design length of the second support film layer 131 can be reduced.

[0104] Preferably, the length of the height compensation layer 133 is less than the length of the display section 111. More specifically, the length of the height compensation layer 133 can be less than the length of the second support film layer 131, and it is only placed in a portion of the area between the connecting layer and the display layer, which can reduce the overall weight of the display module 1.

[0105] Please refer to Figure 4 , Figure 4 This is a flowchart of a method for preparing a display module according to the first embodiment of the second aspect of this application.

[0106] Secondly, embodiments of this application also provide a method for preparing a display module, the method comprising steps S01 to S03.

[0107] Step S01: Provide a screen layer 11 and an auxiliary layer 13. The screen layer 11 includes a display part 111, a bending part 112 and a connecting part 113. Connect the auxiliary layer 13 between the display part 111 and the connecting part 113.

[0108] In step S01, the screen layer 11 may integrate an OLED and a touch module. The screen layer 11 may be made of a flexible material, wherein the display part 111 can be bent and folded. A bent part 112 is connected to the display part 111 at one end along its length. The bent part 112 is bent and is also connected to a connecting part 113, thereby placing the connecting part 113 on the backlight side of the display part 111 and spacing the display part 111 and the connecting part 113 apart. An auxiliary layer 13 is disposed between the display part 111 and the connecting part 113, abutting against (and adhesively connecting) both the display part 111 and the connecting part 113, thereby providing support for the screen layer 11. The screen layer 11 and the auxiliary layer 13 are connected to form an assembly of the protective layer 12 to be coated.

[0109] Step S02: Curing liquid film on the surfaces of the display section 111 and the curved section 112 facing away from the auxiliary layer 13 to form a cover layer 121.

[0110] In step S02, a liquid film is applied to the assembly and then cured. The liquid film is applied to the surface of the display portion 111 facing away from the auxiliary layer 13 and the surface of the curved portion 112 facing away from the auxiliary layer 13. When applying the liquid film to these two surfaces, it is ensured to completely cover both surfaces. After application, the liquid film is cured, and the cured liquid film integrates with the assembly, forming a cover layer 121 on the surface of the assembly.

[0111] Step S03: A protective layer 122 is cured on the surface of the cover plate layer 121 facing away from the display part 111, so that the orthographic projection of the protective layer 122 coincides with the orthographic projection of the display part 111, thus obtaining the display module 1.

[0112] In step S03, after the cover layer 121 is formed on the surface of the assembly, a protective layer 122 material is coated on the surface of the cover layer 121 facing away from the display unit 111. After the protective layer 122 material is cured and formed, it is integrated with the cover layer 121 to obtain the display module 1. When coating the protective layer 122 material, the coating area is only the area where the display unit 111 is located, so that the orthographic projection of the protective layer 122 coincides with the orthographic projection of the display unit 111.

[0113] In the above embodiment, the cover layer 121 is formed on the surface of the display section 111 and the bent section 112 facing away from the auxiliary layer 13, and is directly bonded to the screen layer 11. The protective layer 122 is formed on the surface of the cover layer 121 facing away from the display section 111, and is directly bonded to the cover layer 121. The cover layer 121 and the protective layer 122 form a protective layer 12, which not only provides protection for the display section 111 and the bent section 112, but also improves the hardness, impact resistance and toughness of the area where the display section 111 of the display module 1 is located. It also improves the bonding strength with the screen layer 11 and reduces the overall thickness of the display module 1, thereby reducing peeling defects when the display section 111 is bent, reducing interference with the light path of the display section 111, and improving the display quality of the display module 1.

[0114] Please refer to Figure 5 , Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for preparing a display module according to a second embodiment of the second aspect of this application.

[0115] In some embodiments of this application, in step S02, a liquid film is cured on the surface of the display portion 111 and the curved portion 112 facing away from the auxiliary layer 13 to form a cover layer 121, including steps S021 and S022.

[0116] Step S021: Inkjet printing is performed on the surfaces of the curved portion 112 and the display portion 111 to form a first liquid layer on the surface of the curved portion 112 and a second liquid layer on the surface of the display portion 111.

[0117] In step S021, a liquid film is applied to the surfaces of the curved portion 112 and the display portion 111 facing away from the auxiliary layer 13 using inkjet printing. The liquid film forms a first liquid layer on the surface of the curved portion 112 and a second liquid layer on the surface of the display portion 111. The thickness of the first liquid layer and the thickness of the second liquid layer can be the same or different.

[0118] Preferably, the liquid film material can be liquid UV-curable photosensitive polyimide. Under the action of UV light, it can undergo a chemical reaction, cure on the surface of the screen layer 11, and bond with the screen layer 11 as a whole.

[0119] Step S022: UV curing is performed on the first liquid layer and the second liquid layer respectively to obtain the first cover plate portion 1211 and the second cover plate portion 1212, forming the cover plate layer 121.

[0120] In step S022, the first liquid layer and the second liquid layer are UV cured simultaneously. After the first liquid layer is cured, a first cover plate portion 1211 is formed. After the second liquid layer is cured, a second cover plate portion 1212 is formed. The first cover plate portion 1211 and the second cover plate portion 1212 are formed as one piece, and a cover plate layer 121 is formed on a portion of the surface of the screen layer 11.

[0121] Preferably, when the first liquid layer and the second liquid layer are irradiated with ultraviolet light, the ultraviolet light irradiated is preferably of different parameters, so that the first cover plate portion 1211 and the second cover plate can have different moduli.

[0122] In the above embodiment, inkjet printing is used to coat the first liquid layer and the second liquid layer on the surface of the screen layer 11. This not only enables zoned coating but also allows for flexible adjustment of the thickness of the first and second liquid layers, ensuring that the coating uniformity of the first and second liquid layers is less than 5%, thus improving optical performance. UV curing is used to cure the first and second liquid layers in separate areas, allowing for flexible adjustment of curing parameters. This enables flexible control of the modulus of the first cover plate portion 1211 and the second cover plate portion 1212 after molding, improving the bending performance and surface hardness of the display module 1.

[0123] Preferably, in step S021, the thickness of the first liquid layer is greater than the thickness of the second liquid layer. After the first liquid layer solidifies to form the first cover plate portion 1211 and the second liquid layer solidifies to form the second cover plate portion 1212, the thickness of the first cover plate portion 1211 is greater than the thickness of the second cover plate portion 1212. Firstly, this improves the protective performance of the bending area; secondly, it balances the overall thickness of the protective layer 12, reducing the thickness difference between the second cover plate portion 1212 and the first cover plate portion 1211 after the second cover plate portion 1212 is combined with the protective layer 122.

[0124] Preferably, in step S022, the UV curing energy of the first liquid layer is greater than that of the second liquid layer. During UV curing, the curing energy is inversely related to the modulus of the cured liquid layer; the higher the curing energy, the lower the modulus after curing. Since the UV curing energy of the first liquid layer is greater than that of the second liquid layer, the modulus of the second cover plate portion 1212 is greater than that of the first cover plate portion 1211, thereby improving the protective effect on the display portion 111 and the toughness of the area where the display portion 111 of the display module 1 is located.

[0125] Please refer to Figure 6 , Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a display device according to a third aspect embodiment of this application.

[0126] Thirdly, this application also provides a display device 100, which includes the display module 1 provided in the above embodiments.

[0127] The display device 100 provided in this embodiment has the beneficial effects of the display module 1 in the above embodiments of this application, and will not be described in detail here.

[0128] The above description is merely a specific implementation of this application. Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working processes of the systems, modules, and units described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here. It should be understood that the protection scope of this application is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can easily conceive of various equivalent modifications or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in this application, and these modifications or substitutions should all be covered within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A display module, characterized in that, include: The screen layer includes a display part, a connecting part, and a bending part. The display part is used for image display, the connecting part is used for external circuitry, and one side of the bending part is connected to the display part and the other side is connected to the connecting part, for bending the connecting part to the backlight side of the display part. An auxiliary layer is disposed between the display unit and the connecting unit, and the auxiliary layer abuts against the display unit and the connecting unit to provide support for the display unit; A protective layer is disposed on the side of the screen layer facing away from the auxiliary layer. The protective layer includes a cover layer and a protective layer. The cover layer covers the surface of the display unit facing away from the auxiliary layer and the surface of the curved portion facing away from the auxiliary layer. The protective layer is disposed on the side of the cover layer facing away from the display unit. The orthographic projection of the protective layer coincides with the orthographic projection of the display unit. The protective layer is used to provide protection for the display unit.

2. The display module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cover plate layer includes a first cover plate portion and a second cover plate portion, wherein the first cover plate portion is fitted with the curved portion and the second cover plate portion is fitted with the display portion; Preferably, the thickness of the first cover plate portion is greater than the thickness of the second cover plate portion; Preferably, the thickness of the first cover plate portion is 50 μm to 120 μm, and the thickness of the second cover plate portion is 25 μm to 80 μm.

3. The display module according to claim 2, characterized in that, The modulus of the first cover plate portion is less than the modulus of the second cover plate portion; Preferably, the modulus of the first cover plate portion is 400 MPa to 600 MPa, so that the stress neutral layer of the bent portion is located on the surface of the bent portion facing the auxiliary layer; Preferably, the modulus of the second cover plate portion is not less than 2 GPa.

4. The display module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The protective layer has a modulus of 4 GPa to 8 GPa, a thickness of 3 μm to 20 μm, and a hardness of not less than 4H, and is used to ensure that the stress neutral layer of the display is located on the encapsulation layer of the display. Preferably, the display unit is a touch display unit; Preferably, a polarizer layer is provided on the light-emitting side of the display unit, and the polarizer layer is located between the display unit and the protective layer.

5. The display module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cover plate layer is a flexible material coating, and the protective layer is a scratch-resistant material coating; Preferably, the flexible material is photosensitive polyimide; Preferably, the photosensitive polyimide has a transmittance ≥90%, a haze ≤1%, and a yellowness index ≤2; Preferably, the scratch-resistant material is half-siloxane or organic polysiloxane.

6. The display module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The auxiliary layer includes a support film layer and a heat dissipation layer. The support film layer consists of two layers: a first support film layer is attached to the display part, a second support film layer is attached to the connecting part, and the heat dissipation layer is located between the two support film layers. Preferably, the length of the first support film layer and the heat dissipation layer is the same as that of the display unit, and the length of the second support film layer is less than that of the display unit.

7. The display module according to claim 6, characterized in that, The auxiliary layer further includes a height compensation layer, which is located between the second support film layer and the heat dissipation layer, and is used to provide height compensation between the display part and the connecting part. Preferably, the length of the height compensation layer is less than the length of the display section.

8. A method for manufacturing a display module, characterized in that, include: A screen layer and an auxiliary layer are provided. The screen layer includes a display part, a curved part, and a connecting part. The auxiliary layer is connected between the display part and the connecting part. A liquid film is cured on the surface of the display section and the curved section opposite to the auxiliary layer to form a cover layer; A protective layer is cured on the surface of the cover plate layer facing away from the display part to form a display module, so that the orthographic projection of the protective layer coincides with the orthographic projection of the display part.

9. The method for preparing a display module according to claim 8, characterized in that, The step of curing a liquid film on the surface of the display portion and the curved portion opposite to the auxiliary layer to form a cover layer includes: Inkjet printing is performed on the surfaces of the curved portion and the display portion to form a first liquid layer on the surface of the curved portion and a second liquid layer on the surface of the display portion; The first liquid layer and the second liquid layer are respectively subjected to UV curing to obtain the first cover plate portion and the second cover plate portion, forming the cover plate layer; Preferably, the thickness of the first liquid layer is greater than the thickness of the second liquid layer; Preferably, the UV curing energy of the first liquid layer is greater than that of the second liquid layer.

10. A display device, characterized in that, Includes the display module as described in any one of claims 1 to 7; or the display module prepared by the method described in any one of claims 8 to 9.

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