Electronic paper diaphragm and electronic paper

Abstract

The utility model belongs to the technical field of electronic paper display equipment, and particularly relates to an electronic paper diaphragm and electronic paper. The electronic paper diaphragm comprises an electrophoretic display layer, a sealing frame, a first substrate and a second substrate made of a hard material, the first substrate and the second substrate are oppositely arranged, the sealing frame is located between the first substrate and the second substrate, the first substrate, the sealing frame and the second substrate jointly form a containing interval, the electrophoretic display layer is located in the containing interval, and the electrophoretic display layer is located in the containing interval. The two sides of the sealing frame are connected with and seal the first substrate and the second substrate respectively. According to the electronic paper diaphragm, external water vapor and dust can be prevented from entering the accommodating interval, the waterproof performance of the electronic paper diaphragm is improved, and finally the reliability of the electronic paper diaphragm is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model belongs to the technical field of electronic paper display devices, and particularly relates to an electronic paper film and an electronic paper. Background Art

[0002] Electronic paper mainly relies on reflected light to display content, which makes the reading experience similar to that of traditional paper books, and has the characteristics of ultra-thin, light and ultra-low power consumption. Due to these advantages, electronic paper is widely used in e-book readers, table cards, price tags and other fields.

[0003] The existing electronic paper is formed by coating microcapsules encapsulating pigment particles and electrophoresis liquid on a flexible conductive film. Next, the flexible conductive film is adhered to a driving backplane to form a complete display surface, ensuring the display effect and performance of the electronic paper.

[0004] However, due to the fact that the surface of the flexible conductive film usually has cracks, it has deficiencies in waterproofness and mechanical strength, and its protective ability for the interior is limited. Water vapor and external forces are likely to damage the internal microcapsule structure. And the microcapsule is the core component of the electronic paper display effect. Once damaged, the distribution and flow of pigment particles and electrophoresis liquid will be affected, resulting in a reduction or failure of the display effect. To improve the waterproof ability, a waterproof layer usually needs to be added, and there is also a conductive layer on the film. This double-layer structure of the waterproof layer and the conductive layer will make the overall structure of the electronic paper complex. Summary of the Utility Model

[0005] The purpose of the embodiments of this application is to provide an electronic paper film, aiming to solve the problem of how to improve the reliability of the electronic paper film and simplify the structure.

[0006] To achieve the above purpose, the technical solution adopted in this application is as follows:

[0007] In the first aspect, an electronic paper film is provided, which includes: an electrophoretic display layer, a sealing frame, a first substrate, and a second substrate made of a rigid material. The first substrate and the second substrate are disposed opposite to each other. The sealing frame is located between the first substrate and the second substrate. The first substrate, the sealing frame, and the second substrate jointly form an accommodation area. The electrophoretic display layer is located in the accommodation area, and both sides of the sealing frame are respectively connected to and seal the first substrate and the second substrate.

[0008] In one embodiment, the electronic paper film further includes a support member made of an insulating material. The support member is located within the sealing frame, and both ends of the support member are respectively used to rigidly support the first substrate and the second substrate.

[0009] In one embodiment, the support member is columnar, or the support member is spherical.

[0010] In one embodiment, a plurality of the supporting members are arranged at intervals along the circumferential direction of the sealing frame.

[0011] In one embodiment, a first electrode layer made of a transparent conductive material is provided on the plate surface of the second substrate facing the first substrate. The first electrode layer is at least partially located in the accommodation interval and is connected to the plate surface of the second substrate facing the first substrate. The sealing frame is provided with a through hole, and both ends of the through hole extend to the first substrate and the second substrate respectively. A conductor is provided in the through hole, and the conductor is electrically connected to the first electrode layer.

[0012] In one embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the through hole is circular, polygonal or elliptical.

[0013] In one embodiment, a second electrode layer is provided on the plate surface of the first substrate facing the second substrate, and the second electrode layer is electrically connected to an external signal.

[0014] In one embodiment, the electrophoretic display layer includes a filling gel and a plurality of microcapsules located in the filling gel.

[0015] In one embodiment, the microcapsule includes a capsule body, pigment particles and an electrophoretic solvent, and both the pigment particles and the electrophoretic solvent are located inside the capsule body.

[0016] In a second aspect, an electronic paper is provided, which includes the electronic paper film. The first substrate includes a first plate body and a second plate body connected to the first plate body. The sealing frame is connected to the first plate body. The electronic paper further includes a driving chip and a driving circuit provided on the second plate body.

[0017] The beneficial effects of the present application are as follows: The electronic paper film provided by the embodiments of the present application includes a first substrate and a second substrate. Since the first substrate is made of a hard material, the compressive and impact resistance of the entire structure is enhanced, avoiding damage to the electrophoretic display layer in the accommodation interval caused by external pressure. Moreover, the hard material also has high waterproof performance, eliminating the need to additionally provide a waterproof layer, simplifying the structure of the electronic paper film. And by circumferentially sealing the accommodation interval with the sealing frame, it is possible to prevent external water vapor and dust from entering the accommodation interval, improving the waterproof performance of the electronic paper film and ultimately enhancing the reliability of the electronic paper film. Description of the Drawings

[0018] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the following will briefly introduce the drawings required for use in the embodiments or exemplary technical descriptions. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present application. For those of ordinary skill in the art, without creative efforts, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings.

[0019] Figure 1 It is a cross-sectional schematic view of the electronic paper film provided by the embodiment of the present application.

[0020] Among them, the reference numerals in the figure are as follows:

[0021] 100, electronic paper film; 11, first substrate; 111, first plate body; 112, second plate body; 12, second substrate; 101, first electrode layer; 102, second electrode layer; 13, microcapsule; 14, sealing frame; 15, conductor; 16, support; 17, driving chip; 131, filling glue. Detailed implementation manners

[0022] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the present application clearer, the following further details the present application in conjunction with the drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present application and are not used to limit the present application.

[0023] It should be noted that when a component is referred to as "fixed to" or "disposed on" another component, it can be directly on the other component or indirectly on the other component. When a component is referred to as "connected to" another component, it can be directly or indirectly connected to the other component. The orientation or positional relationship indicated by terms such as "upper", "lower", "left", "right", etc. is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and is only for convenience of description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, so it cannot be understood as a limitation of the present application. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms can be understood according to specific circumstances. The terms "first" and "second" are only used for the purpose of convenient description, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features. The meaning of "a plurality" is two or more, unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0024] Please refer to Figure 1, an embodiment of the present application provides an electronic paper film 100, which includes: an electrophoretic display layer for displaying images and / or texts, a sealing frame 14, a first substrate 11, and a second substrate 12 made of a hard material. The first substrate 11 and the second substrate 12 are disposed opposite to each other. The sealing frame 14 is located between the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 12. The first substrate 11, the sealing frame 14, and the second substrate 12 jointly form an accommodation interval. The electrophoretic display layer is located in the accommodation interval, and both sides of the sealing frame 14 are respectively connected to and seal the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 12. It can be understood that the hard material can be transparent conductive glass or colored conductive glass. Both transparent conductive glass and colored conductive glass have relatively high mechanical hardness and mechanical strength, so that they can withstand relatively high pressure, thereby protecting the electrophoretic display layer located in the accommodation interval and preventing the electrophoretic display layer from being damaged due to extrusion. The sealing frame 14 can be circular or a closed polygon. The sealing frame 14 can seal the accommodation interval along the circumference of the first substrate 11 or the second substrate 12, thereby preventing external moisture from entering the accommodation interval and ensuring the display effect of the electrophoretic display layer.

[0025] Please refer to Figure 1 , the electronic paper film 100 provided by the embodiment of the present application includes a first substrate 11 and a second substrate 12. Since the first substrate 11 is made of a hard material, the compressive and impact resistance of the entire structure is enhanced, preventing external pressure from damaging the electrophoretic display layer in the accommodation interval. Moreover, the hard material also has high waterproof performance, eliminating the need for an additional waterproof layer, simplifying the structure of the electronic paper film. Additionally, by circumferentially sealing the accommodation interval with the sealing frame 14, external moisture and dust can be prevented from entering the accommodation interval, improving the waterproof performance of the electronic paper film 100 and ultimately enhancing the reliability of the electronic paper film 100.

[0026] Optionally, the transparent conductive glass is usually made by coating a layer of transparent conductive oxide (Transparent Conductive Oxide, TCO) on the surface of transparent glass. Common TCO materials include indium tin oxide (Indium Tin Oxide, ITO), which is the most commonly used transparent conductive material and has good conductivity and high light transmittance.

[0027] Colored conductive glass realizes color display on the basis of transparent conductive glass by adding pigments or using color filter films. For example, metal oxides or other colorants are added during the glass manufacturing process to make the glass itself have color, and these color additives do not affect the conductivity of the glass; or a color filter film is covered on the transparent conductive glass to achieve color display through physical or chemical methods. The color filter film can selectively transmit certain wavelengths of light, making it present different colors.

[0028] The characteristics and advantages of colored conductive glass include rich color performance. Colored conductive glass can achieve multiple color displays and is suitable for application scenarios that require colorful displays. Precise color control can be achieved through color filter films or colorants; it combines transparency and conductivity, with good light transmittance and conductivity.

[0029] Both transparent conductive glass and colored conductive glass have high mechanical strength and durability, and can work stably in harsh environments such as outdoors.

[0030] Optionally, the sealing frame 14 can be formed by curing glue. The glue can be epoxy resin, acrylic acid or other mixed glues. In this embodiment, the material of the sealing frame 14 is epoxy resin. In other embodiments, it can be selected according to the actual situation and is not limited here.

[0031] The sealing frame 14 made of epoxy resin has low permeability and can effectively prevent water vapor, dust and other pollutants from entering the accommodation area of the electronic paper film 100. This sealing property is crucial for protecting the display effect of the internal electrophoretic display layer, especially in humid or dusty outdoor environments.

[0032] Epoxy resin has relatively high mechanical strength and can withstand external physical impacts and pressures. This ensures that when the electronic paper film 100 is subjected to external forces, the internal electrophoretic display layer will not be damaged.

[0033] Epoxy resin can adhere well to various substrates, including glass, metal and plastic, etc.

[0034] In some embodiments, the electronic paper film 100 further includes a support member 16 made of an insulating material. The insulating property of the support member 16 can prevent the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer from being electrically connected. The support member 16 is located within the sealing frame 14, and both ends of the support member 16 are respectively used to rigidly support the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 12.

[0035] Please refer to Figure 1 , optionally, the addition of the support member 16 increases the overall strength and stiffness of the sealing frame 14, keeps the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 12 at a set distance, improves the stability of the overall structure of the electronic paper film 100, effectively avoids the deformation of the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 12 during long-term use, and improves the durability and reliability of the electronic paper film 100.

[0036] Optionally, the material of the support member 16 can be glass or plastic, which is not limited here and can be selected according to the actual situation.

[0037] It can be understood that the support member 16 is used to support the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 12, so that the two have better compressive and anti-extrusion properties during use.

[0038] Please refer to Figure 1 , in some embodiments, the support member 16 is columnar, such as a cylinder or a prism.

[0039] Optionally, the support member 16 can also be spherical, such as a sphere or an ellipsoid.

[0040] Optionally, the columnar or spherical support member 16 provides diverse structural choices, can better adapt to different actual needs, and optimizes the internal space of the electronic paper diaphragm 100 and meets the mechanical support of the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 12.

[0041] Optionally, a plurality of the support members 16 are arranged at intervals along the circumferential direction of the sealing frame 14, so as to improve the overall stability of the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 12.

[0042] Optionally, the plurality of support members 16 are arranged at intervals and evenly along the circumferential direction of the sealing frame 14, that is, the number of support members 16 provided on any frame side of the sealing frame 14 is the same, and the distance between any two adjacent support members 16 is equal.

[0043] Optionally, the plurality of support members 16 are arranged at intervals and unevenly along the circumferential direction of the sealing frame 14, that is, the number of support members 16 provided on any frame side of the sealing frame 14 is different, and at least one group of the distances between two adjacent support members 16 is not equal to the distance between another group of two adjacent support members 16.

[0044] Please refer to Figure 1 , in some embodiments, a first electrode layer 101 made of a transparent conductive material is provided on the second substrate 12. The transparent conductive material can be indium tin oxide. The first electrode layer 101 is at least partially located in the accommodation interval and is connected to the plate surface of the second substrate 12 facing the first substrate 11. The sealing frame 14 is provided with a through hole, and both ends of the through hole extend to the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 12 respectively. A conductor 15 is provided in the through hole, and the conductor 15 is electrically connected to the first electrode layer 101 to electrically connect an external signal to the first electrode layer 101 through the conductor 15.

[0045] Optionally, one electrode of an external power supply can be electrically connected to the first electrode layer 101 through the conductor 15 provided in the through hole. For example, the positive electrode of the power supply is electrically connected to the first electrode layer 101. The material of the conductor 15 can be metal copper or conductive silver paste, which is not limited here and is selected according to the actual situation.

[0046] Optionally, the conductive silver paste has relatively high conductivity, which can effectively transmit electrical signals, ensuring the fast response and high-quality display of the electronic paper.

[0047] It can also be understood that by disposing the conductor 15 within the sealing frame 14, the conductor 15 can be protected from corrosion.

[0048] Please refer to Figure 1 , in some embodiments, the support member 16 is adjacent to the via hole. By disposing the support member 16 near the via hole, the compactness of the internal structure of the electronic paper diaphragm 100 is improved, ensuring the stability and conductivity of the conductor 15.

[0049] Please refer to Figure 1 , in some embodiments, the cross-sectional shape of the via hole is circular, polygonal or elliptical.

[0050] Optionally, in this embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the via hole is circular and the conductor 15 is a cylinder. In other embodiments, it can be selected according to actual situations and is not limited herein.

[0051] Please refer to Figure 1 , in some embodiments, a second electrode layer 102 is provided on the first substrate 11. The second electrode layer 102 can be electrically connected to an external signal. For example, the power supply has two electrodes, a positive electrode and a negative electrode, and the first electrode layer 101 and the second electrode layer 102 are respectively electrically connected to the positive electrode and the negative electrode of the power supply.

[0052] It can be understood that the material of the second electrode layer 102 can be a transparent conductive material or an opaque conductive material, which is not limited herein and can be selected according to actual situations.

[0053] In some embodiments, the electrophoretic display layer includes a filling gel 131 and microcapsules 13 located within the filling gel 131, and a plurality of the microcapsules 13 are arranged.

[0054] Optionally, a display pixel layer and a circuit layer are further provided on the first substrate 11. Under the drive of an electric field applied between the first electrode layer 101 and the second electrode layer 102, the microcapsules 13 can display text or images.

[0055] Please refer to Figure 1 , in some embodiments, the microcapsules 13 include a capsule body, pigment particles, and an electrophoretic solvent, and both the pigment particles and the electrophoretic solvent are located within the capsule body.

[0056] It can be understood that when an electric field is applied between the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 12, the electrophoretic solvent is in a fluid state, so that the charged pigment particles in the microcapsules can move and display under the drive of the electric field. When the electric field is removed, the electrophoretic solvent becomes solid, so that the pigment particles can maintain their current positions and display states, reducing power consumption.

[0057] Optionally, the pigment particles can be red color-resist particles, blue color-resist particles, green color-resist particles, white color-resist particles or black color-resist particles. At least any two of red color-resist particles, blue color-resist particles, green color-resist particles, white color-resist particles and black color-resist particles are provided in a single capsule. When there are only two different pigment particles in the capsule, one pigment particle serves as the background color and the other serves as the display color.

[0058] Optionally, a single capsule only includes one of red color-resist particles, blue color-resist particles, green color-resist particles, white color-resist particles and black color-resist particles. At this time, the color of the electrophoretic liquid is different from the color of the pigment particles, thus serving as the background color, or the second substrate is a colored plate, or a color film is added to the second substrate to charge the background color.

[0059] Optionally, the capsule is the outer shell of the microcapsule 13, which wraps and protects the internal pigment particles and electrophoretic solvent. The material of the capsule is usually a polymer and has the following characteristics:

[0060] High transparency: Ensure that light can pass through to guarantee the display effect.

[0061] Mechanical strength: Can withstand external pressure and protect the internal components from damage.

[0062] Chemical stability: Has good compatibility with the electrophoretic solvent and auxiliary solvents and will not undergo chemical reactions.

[0063] Optionally, the pigment particles are the key factors determining the display color and image, and the image display is achieved by controlling their movement through an electric field. They have the following characteristics:

[0064] Material: The pigment particles are usually made of polymers or metal oxides and have high contrast and stable optical properties.

[0065] Charge characteristics: The pigment particles can be positively charged, negatively charged or uncharged, and the charged pigment particles can move and arrange under the action of an electric field to form different images and texts. For example, when there is only one kind of pigment particle, the pigment particle can be positively charged or negatively charged; when there are two or more kinds of pigment particles, at least one kind of pigment particle is positively charged or negatively charged, or one kind of pigment particle is positively charged, one kind of pigment particle is negatively charged, and another kind of pigment particle is uncharged. Of course, it is also possible that two different pigment particles are both positively charged, or two different pigment particles are both negatively charged. There is no restriction here and it can be selected according to the actual situation.

[0066] Optionally, the electrophoretic solvent is a liquid medium for suspending pigment particles. Its main function is to provide an environment with low viscosity so that the pigment particles can move freely under the action of an electric field. It has the following characteristics:

[0067] Low viscosity: Ensure that the pigment particles can quickly respond to the change of the electric field and provide a fast image update speed.

[0068] Insulating property: Prevent current leakage and ensure that the electric field can effectively control the movement of pigment particles.

[0069] Optionally, the function of the auxiliary solvent is to optimize the performance of the electrophoretic solvent and improve the dispersibility and stability of the pigment particles. The addition of the auxiliary solvent can improve the display effect and the service life of the device. It has the following characteristics:

[0070] Dispersibility: The auxiliary solvent helps the pigment particles to be evenly distributed in the electrophoretic solvent and prevents precipitation and aggregation.

[0071] Stability: Improve the stability of the pigment particles in the electrophoretic solvent and reduce the performance degradation during long-term use.

[0072] Working principle of the microcapsule 13:

[0073] Taking the example that one kind of pigment particle is positively charged and another kind of pigment particle is negatively charged to illustrate the working principle of the microcapsule 13. An electric field is applied between the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 12, and the movement of the pigment particles in the microcapsule 13 is controlled through the action of the electric field, so as to realize the display function of the electronic paper film 100. The charged pigment particles move under the action of the electric field, and the pigment particles with different charges and different colors move towards the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 12 respectively. For example, the positively charged pigment particles move towards the first substrate 11, and the other negatively charged pigment particles move towards the second substrate 12, thus displaying different patterns and forming visible images and texts. The display pixel layer located on the first substrate 11 includes a plurality of pixel units, and a plurality of microcapsules 13 can be arranged in the pixel units, and these microcapsules 13 jointly determine the display state of the pixel units. One pixel unit includes at least one microcapsule 13.

[0074] The present utility model also provides an electronic paper, which includes an electronic paper film. The specific structure of the electronic paper film refers to the above-mentioned embodiments. Since this electronic paper adopts all the technical solutions of the above-mentioned embodiments, it also has all the beneficial effects brought by the technical solutions of the above-mentioned embodiments, which will not be elaborated here one by one.

[0075] Please refer to Figure 1 , in some embodiments, the first substrate 11 includes a first plate body 111 and a second plate body 112 connected to the first plate body 111. The sealing frame 14 is connected to the first plate body 111. The electronic paper further includes a driving chip 17 and a driving circuit disposed on the second plate body 112.

[0076] It can be understood that the second plate body 112 extends outward relative to the accommodating interval, so as to provide space for the driving chip 17 and the driving circuit. By arranging the driving chip 17 and the driving circuit on the second plate body 112, the layout of the electronic paper is optimized, the overall integration and functionality are improved, and the device becomes more compact and efficient.

[0077] The above are only optional embodiments of the present application and are not intended to limit the present application. For those skilled in the art, various changes and modifications can be made to the present application. Any modification, equivalent replacement, improvement, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present application shall be included within the scope of the claims of the present application.

Claims

1. An electronic paper film, characterized in that: include: An electrophoretic display layer, a sealing frame, a first substrate and a second substrate made of a hard material, the first substrate and the second substrate are arranged opposite to each other, the sealing frame is located between the first substrate and the second substrate, the first substrate, the sealing frame and the second substrate together form a containing interval, the electrophoretic display layer is located in the containing interval, and the two sides of the sealing frame are respectively connected and sealed to the first substrate and the second substrate.

2. The electronic paper film according to claim 1, characterized in that: The electronic paper film further comprises a support member made of insulating material, the support member is located in the sealing frame, and two ends of the support member are respectively used to rigidly support the first substrate and the second substrate.

3. The electronic paper film according to claim 2, characterized in that: The support member is column-shaped, or the support member is spherical.

4. The electronic paper film according to claim 2, characterized in that: A plurality of the support members are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the sealing frame.

5. The electronic paper film according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: A first electrode layer made of a transparent conductive material is provided on the surface of the second substrate facing the first substrate, the first electrode layer is at least partially located in the accommodating interval and connects the surface of the second substrate facing the first substrate, the sealing frame is provided with a via hole, both ends of the via hole extend to the first substrate and the second substrate respectively, a conductor is provided in the via hole, and the conductor is electrically connected to the first electrode layer.

6. The electronic paper film according to claim 5, characterized in that: The cross-sectional shape of the via hole is circular, polygonal or elliptical.

7. The electronic paper film according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: A second electrode layer is disposed on the surface of the first substrate facing the second substrate, and the second electrode layer is electrically connected to an external signal.

8. The electronic paper film according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The electrophoretic display layer includes a filling glue and microcapsules located in the filling glue, and a plurality of microcapsules are arranged.

9. The electronic paper film according to claim 8, characterized in that: The microcapsule comprises a capsule body, pigment particles and an electrophoretic solvent, wherein the pigment particles and the electrophoretic solvent are both located in the capsule body.

10. An electronic paper, characterized in that: It includes the electronic paper film as described in any one of claims 1-4, the first substrate includes a first board body and a second board body connected to the first board body, the sealing frame is connected to the first board body, and the electronic paper also includes a driving chip and a driving circuit arranged on the second board body.

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