Screen cover plate, folding screen and foldable electronic equipment

Abstract

The screen cover plate, the folding screen and the foldable electronic equipment are used for solving the technical problems that a screen cover plate of an existing folding screen is insufficient in structural strength and poor in scratch resistance, and a display layer and a touch layer of the display screen are difficult to effectively protect. According to the screen cover plate, a glass cover plate body is made of a glass base material or an ultra-thin glass base material used by a traditional flat display screen, a foldable area which is of a flexible structure and matched with a folding assembly of a folding screen is arranged on the glass cover plate body of the screen cover plate, and the glass cover plate body forming the foldable area is tempered. Therefore, the screen cover plate can provide considerable folding performance and optical display effect, the durability and safety of frequent bending of the folding screen are met, more importantly, even if the thickness is considerable, the structural strength and scratch resistance of the screen cover plate are far better than those of an ultra-thin glass screen cover plate, and the screen cover plate is suitable for popularization and application. Sufficient effective protection can be provided for a display layer and a touch layer of the folding screen.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments of the utility model relate to the technical field of display screens, and in particular to a screen cover, a folding screen and a foldable electronic device. Background Art

[0002] The display screen of smart electronic devices usually consists of three parts: display layer, touch layer and screen cover. The combination of display layer and touch layer is also called functional layer. The display layer is used to display information, the touch layer is used to achieve human-computer interaction, and the screen cover, as the outermost layer, provides transparent protection to prevent the display layer and touch layer from being scratched or damaged. The screen cover needs to have excellent optical properties and excellent scratch and wear resistance. Glass is a common material for making screen covers for flat panel displays.

[0003] For foldable electronic devices, such as foldable smartphones, they use foldable screens with foldable areas. Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown in the figure, when the foldable screen is folded, the foldable area of ​​the screen cover will be stretched when folded outward and squeezed when folded inward, and it needs to have good flexibility and foldability. Due to the high brittleness and poor flexibility of glass materials, there are technical challenges in making the foldable area. Therefore, the screen cover of the foldable screen is mostly made of transparent polymer film or ultra-thin glass. Ultra-thin glass with a standard thickness of 0.1-1.1mm has improved flexibility through special thinning and chemical treatment processes to meet the needs of foldable screens.

[0004] However, in the process of implementing the technical solution in the embodiment of the utility model, the inventors found that the screen cover of the existing folding screen has at least the following technical problems:

[0005] The screen cover made of transparent polymer film has low rigidity and structural strength, and its ability to protect the display layer and touch layer is limited. Moreover, over time, creases and fractures are prone to form in the folding area, affecting its service life.

[0006] Although the screen cover made of ultra-thin glass can provide a certain degree of protection for the display layer and the touch layer in terms of rigidity and structural strength, it is easy to cause the display layer to crack and the touch layer to be damaged after multiple outward and inward folding deformations. Utility Model Content

[0007] In view of this, the purpose of the embodiment of the utility model is to provide a screen cover, a folding screen and a foldable electronic device. The glass cover body of the screen cover has a grid-like flexible foldable area composed of hollow groove-shaped through holes arranged in rows and columns. The glass cover body has the structural characteristics of tempered glass through tempering treatment, and the hollow groove-shaped through holes are filled with transparent thermoplastic organic composites so that the foldable area has an optical display effect equivalent to that of a flat panel display area, so as to solve the technical problems that the screen cover of the existing folding screen has insufficient structural strength, poor scratch resistance, and difficulty in effectively protecting the display layer and touch layer of the display screen.

[0008] In order to achieve the above purpose, the technical solutions adopted in the embodiments of the present invention are as follows:

[0009] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a screen cover plate, which is applied to a folding screen; the screen cover plate comprises a glass cover plate body and n foldable areas arranged on the glass cover plate body; wherein n is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1; the foldable areas cooperate with a folding assembly of the folding screen to realize folding and unfolding of the screen;

[0010] The foldable area is a grid-like area obtained by opening slot-shaped through holes in a row and column arrangement in a predetermined area of ​​the glass cover body through a laser induced etching process; wherein the slot-shaped through holes in two adjacent columns are staggered in row position; and the slot-shaped through holes at the edge of the glass cover body are open-type structures;

[0011] The glass cover body is subjected to a tempering treatment after the foldable area is manufactured;

[0012] The slot-shaped through holes in the foldable area are filled with a transparent thermoplastic organic composite.

[0013] Optionally, the screen cover has a thickness of 0.1-0.5 mm.

[0014] Optionally, the glass material used for the screen cover is one of quartz glass, high borosilicate glass, aluminoborosilicate glass, high aluminosilica glass, and soda-lime glass.

[0015] Optionally, the column spacing of the slot-shaped through holes arranged in rows and columns is 0.08-0.2 mm, the spacing between two adjacent slot-shaped through holes in the same column is 0.3-1.2 mm, the total number of columns is 30-80 columns; the length of a single slot-shaped through hole is 2.5-6 mm.

[0016] Optionally, the slot-shaped through hole has a shape of a quasi-rectangular shape, a quasi-rhombus shape, or a quasi-dumbbell shape.

[0017] Optionally, the transparent thermoplastic organic composite is any one of polyurethane, unsaturated polyester, silicone rubber, polyimide, acrylic resin, and epoxy resin.

[0018] Optionally, the surface of the screen cover is covered with a functional coating; the functional coating is at least one of an anti-reflective coating and an anti-pollution coating.

[0019] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present invention further provides a folding screen, including:

[0020] The aforementioned screen cover;

[0021] A touch layer, disposed below the screen cover, for providing a touch function for user interaction;

[0022] A flexible display layer, disposed below the touch layer, capable of displaying information when the screen is bent;

[0023] A supporting substrate, disposed below the flexible display layer, for providing physical support for the flexible display layer; the supporting substrate has a foldable area;

[0024] Folding component; the folding component cooperates with the foldable area of ​​the screen cover and the foldable area of ​​the supporting substrate to achieve folding and unfolding of the folding screen.

[0025] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the utility model also provides a foldable electronic device, comprising the aforementioned folding screen.

[0026] Based on the above technical scheme, the screen cover, folding screen and foldable electronic device in the embodiments of the utility model adopt the glass substrate or ultra-thin glass substrate used for traditional flat-panel display screens to make the glass cover body, and the glass cover body of the screen cover is provided with the foldable area of ​​the flexible structure that cooperates with the folding component of the folding screen. The glass cover body forming the foldable area is tempered, so that the manufactured screen cover has a structural strength and scratch resistance that is far superior to that of the ultra-thin glass screen cover, thereby being able to provide effective protection for the display layer and touch layer of the folding screen, and at the same time having sufficient toughness to realize the folding and unfolding of the screen.

[0027] Compared with the existing screen cover made of ultra-thin glass, the screen cover in the embodiment of the utility model can not only provide comparable foldability and optical display effects, and meet the durability and safety of the folding screen under frequent bending, but more importantly, even with the same thickness, its structural strength and scratch resistance are far superior to the ultra-thin glass screen cover, and can provide sufficient and effective protection for the display layer and touch layer of the folding screen. It is attractive to both manufacturers and consumers. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work.

[0029] Figure 1 A schematic diagram showing the use of a foldable screen of a foldable electronic device;

[0030] Figure 2 A schematic diagram showing the forces acting on the folding screen when it is folded is shown;

[0031] Figure 3 A schematic structural diagram of a screen cover in an embodiment of the utility model is shown;

[0032] Figure 4 A schematic diagram showing the state of the screen cover in the embodiment of the utility model when it is stretched by force;

[0033] Figure 5 A schematic diagram showing the state of the screen cover in the embodiment of the utility model when it is squeezed by force;

[0034] Figure 6 A schematic structural diagram of a folding screen in an embodiment of the utility model is shown;

[0035] Figure 7 A schematic structural diagram of a foldable electronic device in an embodiment of the utility model is shown.

[0036] The corresponding relationship between the reference numerals and component names in the figures is as follows:

[0037] A foldable electronic device 1, a foldable screen 10, a screen cover 110, a glass cover body 111, a foldable area 112, a slot-shaped through hole 1121, a flat display area 113, a touch layer 120, a flexible display layer 130, and a supporting substrate 140. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] In order to make the purpose, technical solution and advantages of the embodiment of the utility model clearer, the technical solution in the embodiment of the utility model will be clearly and completely described below in combination with actual application and with reference to the drawings of the embodiment of the utility model. Obviously, the described embodiment is a part of the embodiment of the utility model, not all the embodiments. Based on the embodiment of the utility model, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the utility model.

[0039] The screen cover in the embodiment of the utility model is applied to a folding screen. The folding screen can be applied to smart phones, tablet computers, laptop computers, e-book readers, foldable TVs, foldable displays, wearable devices, and smart home appliances.

[0040] The screen cover of the existing folding screen has technical problems such as insufficient structural strength and poor scratch resistance, making it difficult to effectively protect the display layer and touch layer of the display screen.

[0041] After in-depth research, the inventors found that the reason why the existing screen cover made of ultra-thin glass is difficult to effectively protect the display layer and touch layer of the display screen is that it can only be bent when it is 0.1-1.1mm, and can only achieve applicable folding performance when it is less than 0.2mm.

[0042] After further studying the bending mechanism of the folding screen, the inventors found that the folding screen includes a flat display area and a folding display area. The structural performance requirements of the flat display area are basically the same as those of the flat display screen, and the folding display area needs to have good toughness and foldability. If the glass screen cover used in traditional flat display screens is designed to have a flexible and foldable structure, it can theoretically be used for folding screens. However, due to the high brittleness of the glass screen cover used in traditional flat display screens, it is difficult to meet the requirements of screen bending, which limits designers from further exploring this solution.

[0043] In the process of implementing the technical solution in this practical embodiment, the inventor found that although steel is too rigid to bend, it can be bent after being made into a steel mesh structure. The inventor got inspiration from the steel mesh structure: if the predetermined area of ​​the glass screen cover is improved to a similar steel mesh structure, it can be made foldable. However, further research found that even with this treatment, the toughness and bendability of the glass screen cover are still not enough to meet the needs of the folding screen.

[0044] In order to improve the toughness of the foldable area of ​​the mesh structure, the inventor conducted in-depth research and found that ordinary glass that has been tempered will form a uniform compressive stress layer on its surface and tensile stress inside, effectively improving its bending and tensile strength and toughness. If the glass screen cover in the folding area of ​​the mesh structure is tempered, its toughness and foldability can be comparable to ultra-thin glass, meeting the long-term durability and safety of the frequent bending of the folding screen. More importantly, the structural strength and scratch resistance of the tempered glass screen cover are far superior to those of the ultra-thin glass screen cover, and can provide sufficient and effective protection for the display layer and touch layer of the folding screen.

[0045] Based on the understanding formed by the above research, the inventor provides a screen cover. The screen cover adopts the common glass substrate of the screen cover of the traditional flat display screen to make the glass cover body, and forms a hollow grid-shaped area thereon as a flexible foldable area. After the foldable area is made, it is tempered to have the same foldable performance as the ultra-thin glass screen cover, and at the same time has a structural strength and scratch resistance far superior to the ultra-thin glass screen cover, which can provide sufficient and effective protection for the display layer and touch layer of the foldable screen.

[0046] The technical solution of the utility model will be described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0047] Figure 3 A schematic structural diagram of a screen cover in an embodiment of the utility model is shown.

[0048] Figure 4 A schematic diagram showing the state of the screen cover in an embodiment of the utility model when it is stretched under force.

[0049] Figure 5 A schematic state diagram of the screen cover in an embodiment of the utility model when being squeezed by force is shown.

[0050] Now refer to Figure 3 , combined with Figure 4 , Figure 5 As shown, in an embodiment of the utility model, a screen cover is provided, which is applied to a folding screen; the screen cover comprises a glass cover body 111 and n foldable areas 112 arranged on the glass cover body 111; wherein n is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1; the foldable areas 112 cooperate with the folding assembly of the folding screen to realize the folding and unfolding of the screen;

[0051] The foldable area 112 is a grid-like area obtained by opening slot-shaped through holes 1121 in a row and column arrangement in a predetermined area of ​​the glass cover body 111 through a laser induced etching process; wherein the slot-shaped through holes 1121 in two adjacent columns are staggered in row position; and the slot-shaped through holes 1121 at the edge of the glass cover body 111 are open-type structures;

[0052] The glass cover body 111 is subjected to a tempering treatment after the foldable area 112 is manufactured;

[0053] The slot-shaped through holes 1121 of the foldable region 112 are filled with a transparent thermoplastic organic composite.

[0054] In the embodiment of the utility model, the technical functions of giving the screen cover good foldability, structural strength, and optical display effect are decomposed into: forming the glass cover body 111 with foldability, making the glass cover body 111 have sufficient structural strength, and making the optical display effect of the screen cover close to the display effect of a whole piece of glass. Among them:

[0055] The sub-technical functions of forming the glass cover body 111 with foldable performance are realized as follows:

[0056] The glass cover body 111 is made of a glass substrate or an ultra-thin glass substrate used in the screen cover of a conventional flat panel display. In a predetermined area of ​​the glass cover body 111, the slot-shaped through holes 1121 are opened in a row-column arrangement and staggered in row positions by laser-induced etching process, and the slot-shaped through holes 1121 at the edge of the glass cover body 111 are ensured to adopt an open structure to form a hollowed-out grid-like structure area, turning the predetermined area into the foldable area 112. The hollow gaps in the grid-like structure provide deformation space for material bending, giving the foldable area 112 the necessary flexibility and foldability, and realizing a foldable function similar to that of an ultra-thin glass screen cover.

[0057] The sub-technical functions of making the glass cover plate body 111 have sufficient structural strength are realized as follows:

[0058] After the foldable area 112 is manufactured, the glass cover body 111 is tempered to form a uniform compressive stress layer on its surface and tensile stress inside, so that it has the structural characteristics of tempered glass. The tempering treatment not only gives the foldable area 112 of the glass cover body 111 good bending strength, tensile strength and toughness, so that the foldable performance of the manufactured screen cover is comparable to that of the ultra-thin glass screen cover, and can meet the long-term durability and safety of the frequent bending of the folding screen; it also gives the flat display area 113 of the manufactured screen cover far superior to the structural strength and scratch resistance of the ultra-thin glass screen cover, so that it can provide sufficient and effective protection for the display layer and touch layer of the folding screen.

[0059] The sub-technical function of making the optical display effect of the screen cover close to the display effect of a whole piece of glass is realized as follows:

[0060] The slot-shaped through hole 1121 of the foldable area 112 is filled with the transparent thermoplastic organic compound whose optical properties match those of glass, forming a display structure similar to a whole piece of glass. In this way, the foldable area 112 has an optical display effect equivalent to that of the flat panel display area 113, achieving a nearly indistinguishable display of screen information. At the same time, the filled transparent thermoplastic organic compound also enhances the toughness and fatigue resistance of the foldable area 112, ensuring that no creases will appear during long-term use.

[0061] Through the above technical means, the glass screen cover used in the traditional flat panel display is improved into a screen cover that can replace the existing ultra-thin glass. The tempered glass screen cover in the embodiment of the utility model has the same foldability and optical display effect as the ultra-thin glass screen cover, and meets the durability and safety of the frequent bending of the folding screen. More importantly, its flat panel display area 113 has a structural strength and scratch resistance that is far superior to the ultra-thin glass screen cover, and can provide sufficient and effective protection for the display layer and touch layer of the folding screen.

[0062] In the embodiment of the utility model, the glass substrate used to make the glass cover body 111 of the screen cover can be a glass substrate used for the screen cover 111 of a conventional flat panel display screen, or an ultra-thin glass substrate within a predetermined thickness range. The manufactured glass cover body 111 has high transparency.

[0063] In a possible implementation manner, the thickness of the screen cover is 0.1-0.5 mm.

[0064] The screen cover with a thickness of 0.1-0.5mm has, on the one hand, high light transmittance and good optical display effect, which meets the display requirements of high color authenticity and image clarity of the folding screen and can provide users with a high-definition visual experience; on the other hand, it can provide the necessary rigidity and impact resistance, effectively resist external impacts and scratches, and become a solid barrier to protect the display layer and touch layer of the folding screen.

[0065] Exemplarily, the screen cover can be controlled to a predetermined thickness by cutting and grinding techniques, and then chemical etching techniques are used to remove excess material to ensure the consistency of the thickness of the screen cover and the flatness and uniformity of the surface.

[0066] Different target user groups have different requirements for the optical performance, mechanical strength and purchase cost of the screen cover of the foldable screen of foldable electronic devices.

[0067] In a possible implementation manner, the glass material used for the screen cover is one of quartz glass, high borosilicate glass, aluminoborosilicate glass, high aluminosilica glass, and soda-lime glass.

[0068] Quartz glass and high borosilicate glass have excellent transparency and uniformity, can provide an excellent visual experience, and have good folding durability after tempering. They are suitable for manufacturing screen covers for folding screens that have extremely high requirements for optical performance.

[0069] Aluminoborosilicate glass and high aluminoborosilicate glass themselves have high heat resistance, low thermal expansion coefficient, good bending strength, excellent scratch resistance and moderate flexibility. After tempering treatment, they can provide better folding durability and effectively resist scratches in daily use while maintaining the clarity of the screen. They are the preferred materials for manufacturing the screen cover.

[0070] Soda-lime glass has a lower production cost and better folding durability after tempering, making it a preferred material for screen covers for folding screens with limited manufacturing budgets.

[0071] The screen cover is made of different glass materials to meet the application requirements of different target user groups for foldable electronic devices.

[0072] In the embodiment of the utility model, the foldable area 112 is the area where the screen cover plate can be folded and unfolded. When the number of the foldable area 112 is 1, it means that the screen cover plate is used for a one-fold screen, and usually the foldable area 112 is arranged in the middle area of ​​the screen cover plate. When the number is 2, it means that the screen cover plate is used for a two-fold screen, and usually two foldable areas 112 are arranged in an area of ​​about one-third of the left and right ends of the length direction of the screen cover plate. When the number is 3, it means that the screen cover plate is used for a three-fold screen, and so on. After the screen cover plate is assembled on the folding screen, the foldable area 112 of the screen cover plate and the foldable area 112 of the display layer, as well as the folding components of the folding screen, such as hinges and rotating shafts, overlap up and down in position and cooperate with each other to achieve the folding and unfolding of the screen.

[0073] The manufacturing process of the foldable area 112 is specifically as follows:

[0074] First, using ultrafast laser technology, slot-shaped induced through holes are opened one by one in a predetermined area of ​​the glass cover body 111 according to a pre-designed slot-shaped through hole pattern arranged in rows and columns; wherein the laser pulse width of the laser used in the ultrafast laser technology can be one of the nanosecond, picosecond or femtosecond levels.

[0075] Then, the groove-shaped induction through-holes on the glass cover body 111 are etched and expanded by a wet etching process, and finally, the predetermined area of ​​the glass cover body 111 is transformed into a grid-shaped flexible foldable area 112 composed of hollowed-out groove-shaped through-holes 1121 arranged in rows and columns. The wet etching is performed in an etching device. The etching solution can be a mixed solution of one or more of hydrofluoric acid, hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, and sulfuric acid, or a mixed solution of one or more of sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide.

[0076] The slot-shaped through holes 1121 are hollow gap structures, and the hollow gaps in the grid-like structure provide deformation space for material bending, giving the foldable area 112 the necessary flexibility and foldability. The slot-shaped through holes in two adjacent columns of the pre-designed row and column arrangement of slot-shaped through holes are staggered in row positions, and the slot-shaped through holes at the edge are open-type structures. Among them, the slot-shaped through holes 1121 in two adjacent columns of the foldable area 112 are staggered in row positions, which enhances the structural strength and toughness of the entire foldable area 112; the slot-shaped through holes 1121 at the edge of the glass cover plate body 111 of the foldable area 112 adopt an open-type structure, which improves the foldability of the foldable area 112.

[0077] Folding screen applications with different sizes and bending requirements have different structural designs for the foldable area 112 of the screen cover.

[0078] In a possible implementation manner, the column spacing of the slot-shaped through holes 1121 arranged in rows and columns is 0.08-0.2 mm, the spacing between two adjacent slot-shaped through holes 1121 in the same column is 0.3-1.2 mm, and the total number of columns is 30-80 columns; the length of a single slot-shaped through hole 1121 is 2.5-6 mm.

[0079] The row-by-row spacing of the slot-shaped through holes 1121 is 0.08-0.2 mm, and the spacing between two adjacent slot-shaped through holes 1121 in the same row is 0.3-1.2 mm, which can ensure that the foldable area 112 has uniform rigidity and flexibility to meet the requirements of different bending degrees.

[0080] The total number of columns is 30 to 80, which allows for selecting an appropriate total number of columns of the slot-shaped through holes 1121 according to the specific size and bending requirements of the folding screen, so that the foldable area 112 of the screen cover has appropriate rigidity and foldability.

[0081] The length of a single slot-shaped through hole 1121 is 2.5-6 mm, which not only ensures that the slot-shaped through hole 1121 has enough deformation space to adapt to bending deformation during the folding process, but also ensures the structural stability of the foldable area 112 in the unfolded state.

[0082] The specific process of opening the slot-shaped through holes 1121 in a row-column arrangement in a predetermined area of ​​the glass cover body 111 is as follows: pre-designing a slot-shaped through hole pattern arranged in rows and columns, using ultrafast laser technology to open slot-shaped induced through holes in a predetermined area of ​​the glass cover body 111 one by one; in the process of opening the slot-shaped induced through holes, ultrafast laser technology accurately controls the size and shape of the through holes to ensure the uniform distribution and manufacturing accuracy of the slot-shaped induced through holes arranged in rows and columns. Then, the slot-shaped through holes 1121 arranged in rows and columns are formed on the glass cover body 111 by a wet etching process to obtain the foldable area 112.

[0083] By finely adjusting the flexible grid structure of the foldable area 112 of the screen cover, the foldable area 112 can provide corresponding flexibility, rigidity and foldability, thereby ensuring good structural performance and stability during folding and unfolding, and meeting the needs of folding screen applications of different sizes and bending requirements.

[0084] Different folding requirements have different requirements on the mechanical properties of the foldable area 112 of the screen cover.

[0085] In a possible implementation manner, the shape of the slot-shaped through hole 1121 is one of a quasi-rectangular shape, a quasi-rhombus shape, and a quasi-dumbbell shape.

[0086] The groove-shaped through hole 1121 of the quasi-rectangular structure provides uniform mechanical distribution with its regular geometric shape. The foldable area 112 formed by the groove-shaped through hole 1121 of the quasi-rectangular structure has good stability and consistency, and is suitable for screen covers that need to be folded frequently and have relatively consistent mechanical requirements. The manufacturing process of the groove-shaped through hole 1121 of the quasi-rectangular structure is simple.

[0087] The slot-shaped through holes 1121 of the rhombus-like structure increase the torsion resistance of the structure by utilizing the characteristics of its diagonal lines, and can better disperse stress during the folding process. The foldable area 112 formed by the slot-shaped through holes 1121 of the rhombus-like structure has good durability and deformation resistance, and is suitable for screen covers where the foldable area needs to withstand multi-directional forces.

[0088] The slot-shaped through hole 1121 of the dumbbell-like structure imitates the shape of a dumbbell, which is wide at both ends and narrow in the middle, and can provide higher local flexibility and high strength at the edge during the folding process. The foldable area 112 formed by the slot-shaped through hole 1121 of the dumbbell-like structure is suitable for screen covers where the foldable area needs to concentrate flexibility in a specific area.

[0089] The specific process of opening the slot-shaped through hole 1121 in the predetermined area of ​​the glass cover body 111 is as follows: pre-designing a rectangular, rhombus, or dumbbell-shaped slot pattern, using ultrafast laser technology to open a slot-shaped induced through hole in the predetermined area of ​​the glass cover body 111 according to the preset pattern, and then forming the final slot-shaped through hole 1121 structure through a wet etching process.

[0090] By selecting the shape of the slot-shaped through hole 1121, the foldable area 112 of the screen cover can be given specific mechanical properties, ensuring that the foldable area 112 has the flexibility, bending strength and tensile strength to meet different folding requirements, so as to adapt to the folding needs of the corresponding application scenarios.

[0091] In the embodiment of the utility model, the glass cover body 111 after wet etching needs to be put into a cleaning device for cleaning to remove dirt and residual corrosive liquid on its surface.

[0092] In the embodiment of the utility model, the glass cover body 111 is tempered after the foldable area 112 is made, so that a uniform compressive stress layer can be formed on its surface and tensile stress can be formed inside, so that the glass cover body 111 has the structural characteristics of tempered glass. The tempering method can specifically adopt chemical tempering or thermal tempering. Both of these tempering methods can improve the structural strength and toughness of the glass cover body 111.

[0093] Compared with the untempered glass cover body, the toughness of the foldable area 112 is further enhanced, which is equivalent to the toughness of ultra-thin glass, and the bending strength and tensile strength are greatly improved; the impact resistance of the flat panel display area 113 is increased by 3 to 5 times, and the scratch resistance is greatly improved. When the foldable area 112 is hit by an impact exceeding its bearing capacity, it will not break immediately, but form small blunt-angle particles, which greatly reduces the damage caused by glass breakage.

[0094] In the embodiment of the utility model, the transparent thermoplastic organic compound is filled in the slot-shaped through hole 1121 of the foldable area 112 through a filling process, such as heating filling and pressure injection, so that the foldable area 112 has an optical display effect equivalent to that of the flat display area 113 of the screen cover, forming a light-transmitting display effect similar to that of a whole piece of glass. At the same time, the toughness and fatigue resistance of the foldable area 112 are enhanced to ensure that no creases will be generated during long-term use, and a clear and comfortable display effect is maintained.

[0095] In a possible implementation manner, the transparent thermoplastic organic composite is any one of polyurethane, unsaturated polyester, silicone rubber, polyimide, acrylic resin, and epoxy resin.

[0096] Polyurethane, unsaturated polyester, silicone rubber, polyimide, acrylic resin, epoxy resin and glass have matching optical properties, such as having the same light transmittance. Specifically, the transparent thermoplastic organic composite can be filled into the groove-shaped through holes 1121 of the grid structure of the foldable area 112 through a filling process, such as heating filling and pressure injection, to form a uniform, bubble-free filling layer. The filled foldable area 112 is visually equivalent to the flat panel display area 113, creating a light-transmitting display effect similar to that of a whole piece of glass. At the same time, filling the transparent thermoplastic organic composite also enhances the toughness and fatigue resistance of the foldable area 112, ensuring that no creases will be produced during long-term use.

[0097] In the embodiment of the utility model, the screen cover used in the folding screen is made of a glass substrate or an ultra-thin glass substrate used in the screen cover of a traditional flat-panel display screen. A flexible foldable area 112 that matches the folding assembly of the folding screen is provided on the glass cover of the screen cover, and the glass cover body 111 forming the foldable area 112 is tempered, so that the screen cover has the structural characteristics of tempered glass, thereby having sufficient structural strength and scratch resistance, and can provide effective protection for the display layer and touch layer of the folding screen, while having sufficient toughness to realize the folding and unfolding of the screen.

[0098] Specifically, in a predetermined area of ​​the glass cover body 111, a grid structure consisting of hollowed-out slot-shaped through holes 1121 arranged in rows and columns and staggered in row positions of two adjacent columns is formed by a laser-induced etching process, so that the predetermined area is transformed into a flexible foldable area 112. The grid structure is a flexible structure, which gives the foldable area 112 the necessary flexibility and foldability. When the screen cover forms a folding screen that needs to be folded, the hollow gaps in the grid structure of the foldable area 112 provide deformation space for continuous bending of the material, thereby achieving the folding and unfolding of the folding screen while maintaining the overall structural integrity of the screen cover.

[0099] By tempering the glass cover body 111 after forming the foldable area 112, a uniform compressive stress layer is formed on its surface and tensile stress is formed inside, so that the manufactured screen cover has the structural characteristics of tempered glass. The tempering treatment, on the one hand, gives the foldable area 112 of the screen cover the same toughness and foldability as the foldable area 112 of the ultra-thin glass screen cover, and the bending strength and tensile strength are also greatly improved, ensuring the long-term durability and safety of the screen cover under frequent bending; on the other hand, the flat display area 113 of the screen cover has a structural strength and scratch resistance far superior to that of the ultra-thin glass screen cover, ensuring that the screen cover can provide sufficient and effective protection for the display layer and touch layer of the folding screen arranged thereunder.

[0100] The slot-shaped through hole 1121 of the foldable area 112 is filled with the transparent thermoplastic organic compound whose optical properties match those of glass, so that the foldable area 112 has an optical display effect equivalent to that of the flat panel display area 113, making the optical display effect of the screen cover close to that of a whole piece of glass. At the same time, the toughness and fatigue resistance of the foldable area 112 are enhanced, ensuring that no creases are generated during long-term use, and maintaining a clear and comfortable display effect.

[0101] Compared with the existing screen cover made of ultra-thin glass, the screen cover in the embodiment of the utility model can not only provide comparable foldability and optical display effects, and meet the durability and safety of the folding screen under frequent bending, but more importantly, even with the same thickness, its structural strength and scratch resistance are far superior to the ultra-thin glass screen cover, and can provide sufficient and effective protection for the display layer and touch layer of the folding screen. It is attractive to both manufacturers and consumers.

[0102] In order to improve the user experience of the screen cover, in a possible implementation manner, the surface of the screen cover is covered with a functional coating; the functional coating is at least one of an anti-reflective coating and an anti-pollution coating.

[0103] By applying an anti-reflective coating of a specific thickness, the glare and visual interference caused by light reflection on the screen surface can be effectively reduced, the readability of the screen under different lighting conditions can be improved, and a clear and comfortable visual experience can be provided.

[0104] By coating the anti-pollution coating material with oleophobic and hydrophobic properties, the oleophilicity of the glass cover is reduced, making it difficult for fingerprints and stains to adhere. These characteristics not only keep the screen clean and beautiful, but also improve the convenience of cleaning, and users can easily remove stains on the screen.

[0105] In the process of applying functional coatings, a precise coating process is used to control the thickness of the coating to meet specific optical and physical performance requirements while ensuring the uniformity and adhesion of the coating.

[0106] By covering the surface of the screen cover with a functional coating, the user experience of the screen cover is improved.

[0107] Figure 6 A schematic structural diagram of a folding screen in an embodiment of the utility model is shown.

[0108] Now refer to Figure 6 As shown, the embodiment of the utility model further provides a folding screen 10, including:

[0109] The aforementioned screen cover 110;

[0110] A touch layer 120 is disposed below the screen cover 110 and is used to provide a touch function for user interaction;

[0111] The flexible display layer 130 is disposed below the touch layer 120 and is capable of displaying information when the screen is bent;

[0112] A supporting substrate 140 is disposed below the flexible display layer 130 and is used to provide physical support for the flexible display layer 130; the supporting substrate 140 has a foldable area;

[0113] Folding component; the folding component cooperates with the foldable area 112 of the screen cover 110 and the foldable area of ​​the supporting substrate 140 to achieve folding and unfolding of the folding screen 10.

[0114] The folding screen 10 in the embodiment of the utility model can be a one-fold screen, a two-fold screen, a three-fold screen, and an n-fold screen; wherein n is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1; an n-fold screen means that the screen cover 110 and the supporting substrate 140 included therein have n corresponding and mutually cooperating foldable areas 112, and n folding components driving the folding and unfolding of the folding screen 10. The folding screen 10 can be specifically applied to smart phones, tablet computers, laptop computers, e-book readers, foldable TVs, foldable displays, wearable devices, and smart home appliances.

[0115] It should be understood that the screen cover 110 in the folding screen embodiment of the present invention is the screen cover in the aforementioned screen cover embodiment of the present invention. For the convenience and simplicity of description, the description of the screen cover in the folding screen embodiment of the present invention can refer to the relevant description in the screen cover embodiment, and will not be repeated here.

[0116] Figure 7A schematic structural diagram of a foldable electronic device in an embodiment of the utility model is shown.

[0117] Now refer to Figure 7 As shown, an embodiment of the utility model further provides a foldable electronic device 1, comprising the aforementioned folding screen 10.

[0118] Exemplarily, the foldable electronic device 1 in the embodiment of the utility model can be a smart phone, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, an e-book reader, a foldable TV, a foldable display, a wearable device, and a smart home appliance.

[0119] The foldable electronic device 1 is integrated with the foldable screen 10. The foldable screen 10 not only provides touch and display functions, but also allows the device to flexibly change its shape in different usage scenarios through its unique foldable design.

[0120] It should be understood that the folding screen in the embodiment of the foldable electronic device of the present invention is the folding screen in the aforementioned embodiment of the folding screen of the present invention. For the convenience and simplicity of description, the description of the folding screen in the embodiment of the foldable electronic device of the present invention can refer to the relevant description in the embodiment of the folding screen, and will not be repeated here.

Claims

1. Screen cover, applied to folding screen; characterized in that: The screen cover (110) comprises a glass cover body (111) and n foldable areas (112) arranged on the glass cover body (111); wherein n is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1; the foldable areas (112) cooperate with a folding assembly of the folding screen to achieve folding and unfolding of the screen; The foldable area (112) is a grid-shaped area obtained by opening slot-shaped through holes (1121) in a row and column arrangement in a predetermined area of ​​the glass cover body (111) through a laser induced etching process; wherein the slot-shaped through holes (1121) in two adjacent columns are staggered in row position; and the slot-shaped through holes (1121) at the edge of the glass cover body (111) are open-type structures; The glass cover plate body (111) is subjected to a tempering treatment after the foldable area (112) is manufactured; The slot-shaped through holes (1121) of the foldable region (112) are filled with a transparent thermoplastic organic composite.

2. The screen cover according to claim 1, characterized in that: The thickness of the screen cover plate (110) is 0.1-0.5 mm.

3. The screen cover according to claim 1, characterized in that: The glass material used in the screen cover plate (110) is one of quartz glass, high borosilicate glass, aluminoborosilicate glass, high aluminosilica glass and soda-lime glass.

4. The screen cover according to claim 1, characterized in that: The row-and-column arrangement of the slot-shaped through holes (1121) has a row-and-column spacing of 0.08 to 0.2 mm, the spacing between two adjacent slot-shaped through holes (1121) in the same row is 0.3 to 1.2 mm, and the total number of rows is 30 to 80; the length of a single slot-shaped through hole (1121) is 2.5 to 6 mm.

5. The screen cover according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The shape of the slot-shaped through hole (1121) is one of a quasi-rectangular shape, a quasi-rhombus shape, and a quasi-dumbbell shape.

6. The screen cover according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The transparent thermoplastic organic compound is any one of polyurethane, unsaturated polyester, silicone rubber, polyimide, acrylic resin and epoxy resin.

7. The screen cover according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The surface of the screen cover plate (110) is covered with a functional coating; the functional coating is at least one of an anti-reflection coating and an anti-pollution coating.

8. Folding screen, characterized in that: include: The screen cover (110) according to any one of claims 1 to 7; A touch layer (120), arranged below the screen cover (110), for providing a touch function for user interaction; A flexible display layer (130), arranged below the touch layer (120), capable of displaying information when the screen is bent; A supporting substrate (140), arranged below the flexible display layer (130) and used to provide physical support for the flexible display layer (130); the supporting substrate (140) has a foldable area; Folding components; The folding assembly cooperates with the foldable area (112) of the screen cover (110) and the foldable area of ​​the supporting substrate (140) to achieve folding and unfolding of the folding screen (10).

9. A foldable electronic device, characterized in that: Comprising the folding screen (10) described in claim 8.

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