Display device

Abstract

A display device (101) comprises a slit (6) that is positioned between a first terminal (4) and a second terminal (5) in a plan view and that includes a first portion (10) which penetrates a display panel (1).

Description

display device

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a display device.

[0002] Patent document 1 discloses a technology for connecting a transparent substrate with input and output bumps of a liquid crystal driving IC (integrated circuit), which prevents connection failures due to deformation of the IC chip by providing protrusions that support the areas between the bump rows.

[0003] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2016-134450

[0004] In a flexible display panel having a first surface to which a support member is bonded via an adhesive, when two terminals are connected from the second surface side, the following phenomenon may occur.

[0005] Due to the heat and / or pressure generated when connecting the two terminals, part of the adhesive moves between the two terminals in a planar view. As a result, the adhesive pressurizes the display panel between the two terminals in a planar view. As a result, cracks occur in the display panel, causing poor electrical connection.

[0006] A display device according to one aspect of the present disclosure comprises a flexible display panel having a first surface and a second surface, a support member located on the side of the first surface and supporting the display panel, an adhesive located between the display panel and the support member, a first terminal located on the side of the second surface and connected to the display panel, a second terminal located on the side of the second surface and connected to the display panel, and a slit located between the first terminal and the second terminal in a planar view and including a first portion that penetrates the display panel.

[0007] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, it is possible to reduce the risk of poor electrical connection in a display panel.

[0008] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating connections between a general display panel and an integrated circuit. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a display device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a schematic configuration of embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 is a plan view illustrating an example of slit formation. FIG. 5 is a plan view illustrating an example of slit formation. FIG. 6 is a plan view illustrating an example of slit formation. FIG. 7 is a plan view illustrating an example of slit formation. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a schematic configuration of embodiment 2 of the present disclosure. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a schematic configuration of embodiment 3 of the present disclosure.

[0009] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The following describes an embodiment of the present disclosure. For convenience of explanation, the same reference numerals are used to designate components having the same functions as those previously described, and the description thereof may not be repeated.

[0010] 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the connection between a typical display panel 1 and an integrated circuit 17. The display panel 1 includes a light-emitting layer 51, a circuit layer 52 that drives the light-emitting layer 51, and a sealing layer 53 that seals the light-emitting layer 51. The circuit layer 52 has a terminal 54 and a plurality of terminals 55. The integrated circuit 17 has a first terminal 4 and a plurality of output terminals 18. The first terminal 4 is an input terminal of the integrated circuit 17. One of the plurality of output terminals 18 is a second terminal 5.

[0011] The terminal 54 is connected to the first terminal 4 via the anisotropic conductive film 7. The multiple terminals 55 are connected to the multiple output terminals 18 via the anisotropic conductive film 7. One output terminal 18 is connected to one terminal 55. These connections may be made by a so-called COP (chip on plastic) method. For simplicity of illustration, the light-emitting layer 51, the circuit layer 52, the sealing layer 53, the terminal 54, and the multiple terminals 55 are omitted from illustration in FIGS. 3, 11, and 12, respectively.

[0012] 2 is a schematic diagram of a display device 101 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The display device 101 includes a display area 56 where display is performed and a non-display area 57 where no display is performed. The display area 56 is electrically connected to an integrated circuit 17. The display device 101 may be folded at a folding line 58. Each of Embodiments 1 to 3 of the present disclosure relates to a part of the display device 101.

[0013] 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of the first embodiment of the present disclosure. In the first embodiment of the present disclosure, the display device 101 includes a display panel 1, a support member 2, an adhesive 3, a first terminal 4, a second terminal 5, a slit 6, and an anisotropic conductive film 7.

[0014] The display panel 1 has a first surface 8 and a second surface 9. The display panel 1 is flexible. Examples of the display panel 1 include an OLED (organic light emitting diode) panel and a QLED (quantum dot light emitting diode) panel.

[0015] The support member 2 is located on the side of the first surface 8. The support member 2 supports the display panel 1. An example of the support member 2 is PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate).

[0016] The adhesive 3 is located between the display panel 1 and the support member 2. The support member 2 may be adhered to the first surface 8 via the adhesive 3. An example of the adhesive 3 is OCA (Optical Clear Adhesive).

[0017] The first terminal 4 is located on the second surface 9 side. The first terminal 4 is connected to the display panel 1. The second terminal 5 is located on the second surface 9 side. The second terminal 5 is connected to the display panel 1. COP is an example of a method for connecting the display panel 1 with the first terminal 4 and the second terminal 5.

[0018] The slit 6 is located between the first terminal 4 and the second terminal 5 in a plan view. The plan view may be a plan view of the display device 101. The slit 6 includes a first portion 10 that penetrates the display panel 1.

[0019] According to the display device 101, in a flexible display panel 1 having a first surface 8 to which a support member 2 is adhered via an adhesive 3, when the first terminal 4 and the second terminal 5 are connected from the second surface 9 side, the following phenomenon may occur.

[0020] Due to heat and / or pressure generated when connecting the first terminal 4 and the second terminal 5, a portion of the adhesive 3 moves between the first terminal 4 and the second terminal 5 in a planar view. At this time, a portion of the adhesive 3 flows into the slit 6, thereby reducing pressure on the display panel 1 by the adhesive 3 between the first terminal 4 and the second terminal 5 in a planar view. As a result, the risk of cracks occurring in the display panel 1 and the risk of poor electrical connection can be reduced.

[0021] Therefore, according to the display device 101, the risk of poor electrical connection in the display panel 1 can be reduced.

[0022] The slit 6 may include a second portion 11 that passes through the support member 2 .

[0023] The first portion 10 may have a first tapered shape in which the width narrows from the first surface 8 side toward the second surface 9 side. The second portion 11 may have a third tapered shape in which the width narrows from the side farther from the first surface 8 toward the side closer to the first surface 8. In a cross-sectional view, the wall 12 of the display panel 1 that defines the first portion 10 and the wall 13 of the support member 2 that defines the second portion 11 may be positioned on the same straight line. The cross-sectional view may be a cross-sectional view of the display device 101. The same straight line is shown as a line 14 in FIG. 3 .

[0024] The adhesive 3 has a third portion 15 corresponding to one side of the slit 6 and a fourth portion 16 corresponding to the other side of the slit 6, and the third portion 15 may protrude toward the fourth portion 16 with respect to a wall that defines the slit 6. The wall that defines the slit 6 may be the wall 12 and / or the wall 13. Although not shown, the third portion 15 and the fourth portion 16 may be connected to each other so as to straddle the slit 6 in a plan view.

[0025] The anisotropic conductive film 7 is located between the display panel 1 and the first terminal 4 and the second terminal 5. The display panel 1 may be connected to the first terminal 4 and the second terminal 5 via the anisotropic conductive film 7.

[0026] The display device 101 includes an integrated circuit 17 electrically connected to the display panel 1. The first terminal 4 may be an input terminal of the integrated circuit 17 electrically connected to the display panel 1, and the second terminal 5 may be one of a plurality of output terminals 18 of the integrated circuit 17.

[0027] In the display device 101, the slits 6 may be formed by performing laser processing on the first surface 8 side of the display panel 1, allowing a portion of the adhesive 3 to flow into the slits 6. The processing of the slits may be performed before a cleaning process for the locations where the display panel 1 is to be connected to the first terminals 4 and the second terminals 5. This reduces waviness of the display panel 1, reduces the risk of cracks occurring in the display panel 1, and reduces the risk of the cracks causing defects in the electrical connections of the display panel 1, which are necessary for the functionality of the display device 101.

[0028] In the display device 101, a slit 6 is formed penetrating the display panel 1 from the first surface 8 side in a portion that does not affect the performance of the display device 101 as a product, to provide an escape route for the adhesive 3 that is extruded when the display panel 1 is connected to the first terminals 4 and second terminals 5. This provides an escape route for the adhesive 3, and reduces or eliminates undulations of the display panel 1 between the first terminals 4 and the second terminals 5 in a plan view. Because the display panel 1 is separated across the slit 6 in a cross-sectional view, loads are less likely to be applied to the display panel 1, reducing the risk of cracks occurring in the display panel 1.

[0029] In a plan view, the plurality of first terminals 4 may be arranged in a row, and the slit 6 may be positioned along the plurality of first terminals 4 .

[0030] 4 to 10 are plan views showing examples of forming the slits 6. In each of FIGS. 4 to 10, in order to simply show the configuration of the slits 6, only the outline of the integrated circuit 17, the plurality of first terminals 4 arranged in a row, the group of plurality of output terminals 24 arranged in a row, and the slits 6 are shown. The group of output terminals 24 is obtained by regarding the plurality of output terminals 18 including the second terminals 5 shown in FIG. 3 as a single member. The explanations referring to FIGS. 4 to 10 are based on the assumption of a planar view.

[0031] As shown in each of FIGS. 4 to 6 , the slit 6 may be formed in a single longitudinal shape along the plurality of first terminals 4. Referring to FIG. 4 , the width W6 of the slit 6 may be 50 μm or more. If the width W6 of the slit 6 is not constant, the minimum value of the width W6 of the slit 6 may be 50 μm or more. Referring to FIG. 5 , the width W6 of the slit 6 has no particular upper limit, provided that it does not overlap with the first terminal 4 or the second terminal 5 (plurality of output terminals 18). As shown in FIG. 4 and other figures, the end 19 of the slit 6 does not have to overlap with the integrated circuit 17. As shown in FIG. 6 and other figures, the entire slit 6 may overlap with the integrated circuit 17.

[0032] 7, a plurality of slits 6 may be formed along the plurality of first terminals 4. A width W20 of a slit 20 that is one of the plurality of slits 6 and a width W21 of a slit 21 that is one of the plurality of slits 6 and different from slit 20 may be the same or different as shown in FIG.

[0033] 8 and 9, the slits 6 may be formed in a longitudinal shape along the plurality of first terminals 4, with multiple slits 6 formed along the short direction of the slits 6. As shown in Fig. 8, the length L6 of the slits 6 may be the same among the plurality of slits 6. As shown in Fig. 9, the length L22 of a slit 22 that is one of the plurality of slits 6 and the length L23 of a slit 23 that is one of the plurality of slits 6 and different from the slit 22 may be different.

[0034] As shown in Fig. 10 , a large number of slits 6 may be scattered along the plurality of first terminals 4. In other words, as shown in Fig. 10 , the configuration of the large number of slits 6 may be a combination of the configuration of the plurality of slits 6 shown in Fig. 7 and the configurations of the plurality of slits 6 shown in Fig. 8 and Fig. 9 .

[0035] The fewer the number of slits 6, the easier it is to process the through slits with a laser.

[0036] In all of the examples shown in FIGS. 4 to 10, one or more slits 6 can be interpreted as being located along a plurality of first terminals 4 arranged in a row.

[0037] Second Embodiment FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a second embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0038] In a second embodiment of the present disclosure, the first portion 10 of the display device 101 may have a second tapered shape that increases in width from the first surface 8 side toward the second surface 9 side. The second portion 11 may have a fourth tapered shape that increases in width from the side farther from the first surface 8 toward the side closer to the first surface 8. In a cross-sectional view, the wall 12 of the display panel 1 that defines the first portion 10 and the wall 13 of the support member 2 that defines the second portion 11 may be positioned on the same straight line. This same straight line is shown as a line 14 in FIG. 11 .

[0039] As a result, since the width of the second part 11 on the side farther from the first surface 8 is narrow, the risk of some of the adhesive 3 flowing into the slit 6 leaking outside the support member 2 in the display device 101 through the second part 11 is reduced.

[0040] In the display device 101 , the slits 6 may be formed by performing laser processing on the second surface 9 side of the display panel 1 to allow a portion of the adhesive 3 to flow into the slits 6 .

[0041] Third Embodiment FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a third embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0042] In the third embodiment of the present disclosure, the slit 6 of the display device 101 does not have to include the second portion 11 that penetrates the support member 2 .

[0043] As a result, since the second portion 11 is not included, it is possible to reduce the risk that a portion of the adhesive 3 that has flowed into the slit 6 will leak out beyond the support member 2 in the display device 101 .

[0044] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. Embodiments obtained by appropriately combining the technical means disclosed in different embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, new technical features can be formed by combining the technical means disclosed in each embodiment.

[0045] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 display panel 2 support member 3 adhesive 4 first terminal 5 second terminal 6, 20, 21, 22, 23 slit 7 anisotropic conductive film 8 first surface 9 second surface 10 first portion 11 second portion 12, 13 wall 14 straight line 15 third portion 16 fourth portion 17 integrated circuit 18 output terminal 19 end of slit 24 output terminal group 101 display device L22, L23 slit length W6, W20, W21 slit width

Claims

1. A display device comprising: a flexible display panel having a first surface and a second surface; a support member positioned on the side of the first surface to support the display panel; an adhesive material positioned between the display panel and the support member; a first terminal positioned on the side of the second surface and connected to the display panel; a second terminal positioned on the side of the second surface and connected to the display panel; and a slit positioned between the first terminal and the second terminal in a plan view and including a first portion penetrating the display panel.

2. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the slit includes a second portion penetrating the support member.

3. The display device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first portion has a first tapered shape in which the width becomes narrower as it goes from the side of the first surface toward the side of the second surface.

4. The display device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first portion has a second tapered shape in which the width becomes wider as it goes from the side of the first surface toward the side of the second surface.

5. The display device according to claim 2, wherein the first portion has a first tapered shape in which the width becomes narrower as it goes from the side of the first surface toward the side of the second surface, the second portion has a third tapered shape in which the width becomes narrower as it goes from the side far from the first surface toward the side close to the first surface, and in a cross-sectional view, the wall of the display panel defining the first portion and the wall of the support member defining the second portion are located on the same straight line.

6. The display device according to claim 2, wherein the first portion has a second tapered shape in which the width becomes wider as it goes from the side of the first surface toward the side of the second surface, the second portion has a fourth tapered shape in which the width becomes wider as it goes from the side far from the first surface toward the side close to the first surface, and in a cross-sectional view, the wall of the display panel defining the first portion and the wall of the support member defining the second portion are located on the same straight line.

7. The display device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the adhesive material has a third portion corresponding to one side of the slit and a fourth portion corresponding to the other side of the slit, and the third portion protrudes toward the fourth portion with respect to the wall defining the slit.

8. The display device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein in a plan view, a plurality of first terminals are arranged in a row, and the slit is located along the plurality of first terminals.

9. The display device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the first terminal is an input terminal of an integrated circuit electrically connected to the display panel, and the second terminal is one of a plurality of output terminals of the integrated circuit.

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