Display module and display apparatus

Abstract

Provided is a display module. The display module comprises: a display panel, comprising at least two first display portions and at least one second display portion, the second display portion being bendable, and at least one first display portion being provided with a first through hole running through the first display portion; and a support structure, arranged on the backlight side of the display panel, and comprising at least two first support portions respectively arranged corresponding to the at least two first display portions and at least one second support portion arranged corresponding to the at least one second display portion, the second support portion being bendable, at least one first support portion being provided with a second through hole running through the first support portion, and the first through hole being communicated with the second through hole. The boundary of the first through hole is located on the outer side of the boundary of the second through hole, or the boundary of the first through hole coincides with the boundary of the second through hole.

Description

Display module and display device

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese patent application No. 202410039080.5, filed on January 10, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] The present disclosure relates to the field of display technology, and in particular to a display module and a display device. Background Art

[0003] Currently, display modules utilize cover plates with excellent strength and hardness, effectively protecting the display panels within them. However, folding display modules frequently experience black spots in the aperture area, necessitating an urgent technical challenge to improve their resistance to extrusion and impact.

[0004] Summary of the Invention

[0005] In one aspect, a display module is provided, comprising a display panel and a supporting structure.

[0006] The display panel includes at least two first display parts and at least one second display part, one second display part is arranged between two adjacent first display parts and connected to two adjacent first display parts, and the second display part is bendable; at least one first display part has a first through hole that penetrates the first display part.

[0007] The supporting structure is arranged on the backlight side of the display panel, and includes at least two first supporting parts respectively arranged corresponding to the at least two first display parts, and at least one second supporting part arranged corresponding to the at least one second display part, and the second supporting part is bendable; at least one of the first supporting parts has a second through hole passing through the first supporting part, and the first through hole and the second through hole are interconnected; the boundary of the first through hole is located outside the boundary of the second through hole, or the boundary of the first through hole coincides with the boundary of the second through hole.

[0008] In some embodiments, at the first through hole, a portion of the first supporting portion extends out more than the first display portion; the display module also includes a first shading layer, which is arranged between the first display portion and the first supporting portion, and in the orthographic projection onto a reference plane, the first shading layer at least covers the portion of the first supporting portion extending out more than the first display portion; the reference plane is the plane where the surface of the first display portion away from the first supporting portion is located.

[0009] In some embodiments, it also includes: an adhesive layer, arranged between the first display portion and the first supporting portion, the adhesive layer having a third through hole passing through the adhesive layer, the boundary of the third through hole coincides with the boundary of the first through hole, or in the orthographic projection onto the reference surface, the boundary of the third through hole is between the boundary of the first through hole and the boundary of the second through hole; the first shading layer is at least arranged on the surface of the first supporting portion facing the first display portion.

[0010] In some embodiments, the first light shielding layer further covers sidewalls of the first through hole and sidewalls of the third through hole.

[0011] In some embodiments, the first light shielding layer further covers a sidewall of the second through hole.

[0012] In some embodiments, in the orthographic projection onto the reference plane, the boundary of the third through hole is between the boundary of the first through hole and the boundary of the second through hole; the first light-shielding layer also covers the surface of the adhesive layer that is farther away from the first supporting part than the part extending from the first display part.

[0013] In some embodiments, it also includes: an adhesive layer, arranged between the first display part and the first supporting part, the adhesive layer having a third through hole passing through the adhesive layer, and the boundary of the third through hole coincides with the boundary of the second through hole; the first light-shielding layer is arranged on the surface of the adhesive layer close to or away from the first supporting part, or inside the adhesive layer.

[0014] In some embodiments, the adhesive layer includes a first sub-adhesive layer, a second sub-adhesive layer, and a base material layer located between the first sub-adhesive layer and the second sub-adhesive layer; the first light-shielding layer is arranged between the first sub-adhesive layer and the base material layer, and / or between the second sub-adhesive layer and the base material layer.

[0015] In some embodiments, the adhesive layer includes a first sub-adhesive layer, a second sub-adhesive layer, and a base material layer located between the first sub-adhesive layer and the second sub-adhesive layer; the base material layer includes a light-shielding material as the first light-shielding layer.

[0016] In some embodiments, the display panel includes a display substrate and a black matrix layer disposed on the display substrate; the first display portion includes a display area and a hole edge area, the hole edge area is located between the display area and the first through hole and surrounds the first through hole, and the black matrix layer covers the hole edge area.

[0017] In some embodiments, the display module includes a first light shielding layer, which covers a sidewall of the first through hole and is connected to the black matrix layer.

[0018] In some embodiments, the display module includes a first light-shielding layer, and in the orthographic projection onto a reference plane, the portion of the black matrix layer located in the hole edge area overlaps with the first light-shielding layer; the reference plane is the plane where the surface of the first display part away from the first supporting part is located.

[0019] In some embodiments, the display module includes a first light-shielding layer, and the black matrix layer and the first light-shielding layer have the same light absorption coefficient.

[0020] In some embodiments, the display panel includes a display substrate, and a polarizer disposed on the display substrate, and the first through hole also passes through the polarizer; the first display portion includes a display area and a hole edge area, and the hole edge area is located between the display area and the first through hole and surrounds the first through hole; the display panel also includes a second shading layer, which is disposed on the side of the polarizer close to or away from the display substrate and covers the hole edge area.

[0021] In another aspect, a display device is provided, comprising: a display module according to any of the above embodiments; a camera disposed in the first through hole and the second through hole; and a cover disposed on the light-emitting side of the display module and covering the camera; the cover being bendable. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the present disclosure, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in some embodiments of the present disclosure. Obviously, the drawings described below are only drawings of some embodiments of the present disclosure, and those skilled in the art can also derive other drawings based on these drawings. Furthermore, the drawings described below are schematic diagrams and are not intended to limit the actual dimensions of the products, actual processes of the methods, actual timing of signals, and the like involved in the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0023] FIG1A is a side view of a display device according to some embodiments;

[0024] FIG1B is a side view of a display device according to some embodiments;

[0025] FIG2 is a structural diagram of a display device according to some embodiments;

[0026] FIG3 is an enlarged view of the display device in FIG2 at the dotted circle S;

[0027] FIG4 is a cross-sectional view of a partial structure of the display device along line AA in FIG3 ;

[0028] FIG5 is a cross-sectional view of a display module in a partial structure of the display device along line AA in FIG3 ;

[0029] FIG6 is a structural diagram of a display module provided by some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0030] FIG7 is a structural diagram of a display module provided by some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0031] FIG8 is a structural diagram of a display module provided in some other embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0032] FIG9 is a structural diagram of a display module provided in some other embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0033] FIG10 is a structural diagram of a display module provided in some other embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0034] FIG11 is a schematic diagram of steps in a manufacturing process of a display module according to other embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0035] FIG12 is a structural diagram of a display module provided in some other embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0036] FIG13 is a structural diagram of a display module provided in some other embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0037] FIG14 is a structural diagram of a display module provided in some other embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0038] FIG15 is a structural diagram of a display module provided in some other embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0039] FIG16 is a structural diagram of a display module provided in some other embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0040] FIG17 is a structural diagram of a display module provided by other embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0041] FIG18 is a structural diagram of a display module provided in some other embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0042] FIG19 is a structural diagram of a display module provided in some other embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0043] FIG20 is a structural diagram of a display device provided in some other embodiments of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0044] The following will be combined with the accompanying drawings to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in some embodiments of the present disclosure. Obviously, the embodiments described are only some embodiments of the present disclosure, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments provided by the present disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field are within the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

[0045] Unless the context requires otherwise, throughout the specification and claims, the term "including" is to be interpreted as having an open, inclusive meaning, that is, "including, but not limited to." In the description of the specification, the terms "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "exemplary embodiments," "examples," or "some examples" are intended to indicate that a particular feature, structure, material, or characteristic associated with the embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present disclosure. The schematic representation of the above terms does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. In addition, the particular features, structures, materials, or characteristics may be included in any one or more embodiments or examples in any appropriate manner.

[0046] In the following, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood to indicate or imply relative importance or implicitly specify the number of the technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, unless otherwise specified, "plurality" means two or more.

[0047] When describing some embodiments, the expressions "coupled" and "connected" and their derivatives may be used. The term "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, "connection" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium. The term "coupled" indicates, for example, that two or more components are in direct physical or electrical contact. The term "coupled" or "communicatively coupled" may also refer to two or more components that are not in direct contact with each other, but still cooperate or interact with each other. The embodiments disclosed herein are not necessarily limited to the contents of this document.

[0048] “At least one of A, B and C” has the same meaning as “at least one of A, B or C” and both include the following combinations of A, B and C: A only, B only, C only, the combination of A and B, the combination of A and C, the combination of B and C, and the combination of A, B and C.

[0049] “A and / or B” includes the following three combinations: A only, B only, and a combination of A and B.

[0050] The use of "adapted to" or "configured to" herein is intended to be open and inclusive language that does not exclude devices adapted or configured to perform additional tasks or steps.

[0051] Additionally, the use of “based on” is meant to be open and inclusive, as a process, step, calculation, or other action “based on” one or more stated conditions or values ​​may, in practice, be based on additional conditions or values ​​beyond those stated.

[0052] As used herein, "about," "substantially," or "approximately" includes the stated value and an average value that is within an acceptable range of deviation from the particular value as determined by one of ordinary skill in the art taking into account the measurements in question and the errors associated with the measurement of the particular quantity (i.e., the limitations of the measurement system).

[0053] As used herein, "parallel", "perpendicular", and "equal" include the situations described and situations similar to the situations described, and the range of the similar situations is within an acceptable deviation range, wherein the acceptable deviation range is as determined by a person of ordinary skill in the art taking into account the measurement in question and the errors associated with the measurement of the specific quantity (i.e., the limitations of the measurement system). For example, "parallel" includes absolute parallelism and approximate parallelism, wherein the acceptable deviation range of approximate parallelism can be, for example, a deviation within 5°; "perpendicular" includes absolute perpendicularity and approximate perpendicularity, wherein the acceptable deviation range of approximate perpendicularity can also be, for example, a deviation within 5°. "Equal" includes absolute equality and approximate equality, wherein the acceptable deviation range of approximate equality can be, for example, that the difference between the two equals is less than or equal to 5% of either one.

[0054] It will be understood that when a layer or element is referred to as being on another layer or substrate, it can be directly on the other layer or substrate, or intervening layers may be present therebetween.

[0055] Exemplary embodiments are described herein with reference to cross-sectional and / or plan views that are idealized exemplary drawings. In the drawings, the thickness of layers and the area of ​​regions are exaggerated for clarity. Therefore, variations in shape relative to the drawings due to, for example, manufacturing techniques and / or tolerances are contemplated. Therefore, the exemplary embodiments should not be construed as limited to the shapes of the regions shown herein, but rather include deviations in shape due to, for example, manufacturing. For example, an etched region shown as a rectangle will typically have curved features. Therefore, the regions shown in the drawings are schematic in nature, and their shapes are not intended to illustrate the actual shape of regions of the device and are not intended to limit the scope of the exemplary embodiments.

[0056] 1A, 1B, and 2, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a display device 1000. In terms of the light-emitting type of the display device 1000, the display device 1000 may be an active light-emitting display device, such as an OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) display device, a QLED (Quantum Dot Light Emitting Diodes) display device, or an MLED (Mini / Micro Light Emitting Display) display device. In terms of the shape of the display device 1000, the display device 1000 may be rectangular or circular, for example. The embodiments of the present disclosure do not specifically limit this.

[0057] In the following, some embodiments of the present disclosure are schematically described using a rectangular display device as an example, but the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited thereto, and any other display devices may also be considered as long as the same technical concept is applied.

[0058] The display device 1000 is a product with an image display function. For example, the display device 1000 can be any device that displays either moving (e.g., video) or fixed (e.g., still images), and whether text or images. For example, the display device 1000 can be any product or component with a display function, such as a tablet computer, a vehicle-mounted display, or an aircraft display. As shown in FIG2 , the display device 1000 is a foldable display device, such as a foldable mobile phone. FIG2 shows the back of the foldable mobile phone.

[0059] 1A and 1B , a display device 1000 includes a display module 1 and a cover plate 2 disposed on the light-emitting side of the display module 1. In the case of a foldable display device, the display module 1 includes a support structure 10 and a display panel 30.

[0060] The display panel 30 includes at least two first display portions L1 and at least one second display portion L2. The second display portion L2 is disposed between and connected to two adjacent first display portions L1, and is bendable. The support structure 10 is configured to support the display panel 30. The support structure 10 is disposed on the backlight side of the display panel 30 and includes at least two first support portions M1 corresponding to the at least two first display portions L1, and at least one second support portion M2 corresponding to the at least one second display portion L2.

[0061] The display panel 30 is flexible. The support structure 10 is made of a rigid material, such as stainless steel (SUS), titanium alloy, or carbon fiber. The support structure 10 may also be made of other rigid materials as long as they can support the display panel.

[0062] The first support portion M1, disposed on the backlight side of the first display portion L1 of the display panel 30, is used to support the corresponding first display portion L1. The second support portion M2 includes a folding structure to allow the second support portion M2 to be bent. By bending the second support portion M2, the two first display portions L1 connected to either side of the second support portion M2 can be overlapped or unfolded, thereby allowing the display device 1000 to achieve a folded or unfolded state.

[0063] For example, as shown in Figures 1A, 1B, and 2, the display panel 30 includes two first display portions L1 and one second display portion L2. The second display portion L2 is disposed between and connected to two adjacent first display portions L1, and the second display portion L2 is bendable. The support structure 10 includes two first support portions M1 corresponding to the two first display portions L1, and a second support portion M2 corresponding to the second display portion L2. By bending the second display portion L2, the display panel 30 can be in a bent state, an extended state, or a state between the bent and extended states where the two first display portions L1 have an angle.

[0064] For example, the display panel 30 may further include three first display portions L1 and two second display portions L2, with one second display portion L2 disposed between and connected to two adjacent first display portions L1, and any second display portion L2 being bendable. The support structure 10 includes three first support portions M1 disposed correspondingly to the three first display portions L1, and two second support portions M2 disposed correspondingly to the two second display portions L2. By bending any second display portion L2, the two first display portions L1 connected to the bent second display portion L2 can be in a bent state, an unfolded state, or a state between the bent and unfolded states where the two first display portions L1 have an angle therebetween. By bending the two second display portions L2, the display panel 30 can be in a three-folded state, an unfolded state, or a state between the bent and unfolded states.

[0065] For example, the display panel 30 may further include multiple first display portions L1 and multiple second display portions L2, with one second display portion L2 disposed between and connected to two adjacent first display portions L1, and any second display portion L2 being bendable. The support structure 10 includes multiple first support portions M1 disposed correspondingly to the multiple first display portions L1, and multiple second support portions M2 disposed correspondingly to the multiple second display portions L2, without limitation.

[0066] The cover plate 2 is a transparent cover plate configured to support and protect the display module 1 and ensure that the display module 1 can still maintain a good display effect when it is hit or scratched. The cover plate 2 is also flexible to accommodate the display module 1 in the folding and unfolding states.

[0067] In some embodiments, the cover plate 2 includes at least one layer of organic material.

[0068] Exemplarily, referring to FIG. 1A , the cover plate 2 is a single layer, and the material of the single layer cover plate may include polyimide (PI) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

[0069] Exemplarily, referring to Figure 1B, the cover plate 2 can also be multi-layer. When the cover plate 2 is multi-layer, it includes: a first cover plate sublayer 201, a cover plate adhesive layer 202 and a second cover plate sublayer 203 stacked in sequence, and the second cover plate sublayer 203 is arranged on a side away from the display module 1.

[0070] For example, the material of the first cover sub-layer 201 includes polyimide (PI for short) or ultra-thin flexible glass.

[0071] For example, the material of the cover adhesive layer 202 includes: optically clear adhesive (OCA) which is colorless, transparent, high transmittance, and good bonding strength. The optical adhesive has high bonding strength and high transparency and will not affect the display effect of the display module.

[0072] For example, the material of the second cover sub-layer 203 includes polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

[0073] Currently, in order to achieve a high screen-to-body ratio for the display device 1000, a through-hole can be provided in the display area of ​​the display device 1000, and a camera or other device can be provided in the through-hole. Referring to FIG3 , FIG3 is an enlarged view of the display device 1000 in FIG2 at the dotted circle S. The display device 1000 includes a display area Q1, a hole edge area Q2, and a through-hole area Q3. The display area Q1 is provided with sub-pixels for displaying images; the camera is located in the through-hole area Q3; the hole edge area Q2 is located between the display area Q1 and the through-hole area Q3 and surrounds the through-hole area Q3. The hole edge area Q2 is a ring surrounding the through-hole area Q3. It can be understood that for the foldable display device 1000, each first display portion L1 includes a portion of the display area Q1, and each second display portion L2 also includes a portion of the display area Q1.

[0074] The aperture edge region Q2 forms the transition zone between the display region Q1 and the through-hole region Q3. No sub-pixels are located in this region, and therefore, it cannot be used for display. Instead, it houses structures that encapsulate the display region Q1, such as a barrier dam, to prevent moisture and oxygen from entering the display region Q1 through the through-hole region Q3 and corroding the sub-pixels, circuitry, signal lines, and other structures within the display region Q1.

[0075] It will be appreciated that FIG3 illustrates the hole edge region Q2 as a circular ring. However, the shape of the hole edge region Q2 is not limited to a ring; it can be any shape, and its boundary does not necessarily need to be straight or smoothly extended; its boundary can extend in an irregular shape. In some embodiments, the shape of the hole edge region Q2 depends on the shape of the through-hole region Q3. When the through-hole region Q3 is circular, the hole edge region Q2 is a circular ring; when the through-hole region Q3 is rectangular, the hole edge region Q2 is a square frame; and when the through-hole region Q3 is a racetrack shape, the hole edge region Q2 is a racetrack shape.

[0076] With reference to Figures 2, 3 and 4, Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the local structure of the display device in Figure 3 along the AA direction. In the display module 1, at least one first display portion L1 of the display panel 30 has a first through hole H1 passing through the first display portion L1, and at least one first support portion M1 of the support structure 10 has a second through hole H2 passing through the first support portion M1. The first through hole H1 and the second through hole H2 are connected to each other and are used to place the camera of the display device 1000.

[0077] To prevent interference between the camera and the support structure 10, the boundary of the second through hole H2 is positioned outside the boundary of the first through hole H1. This means that the first display portion L1 of the display panel 30 extends outward from the first support portion M1 of the support structure 10. However, since the support structure 10 is generally rigid, the cover plate 2 in the display device 1000 is a flexible cover plate, and the display panel 30 is also a flexible panel. Flexible cover plates have poor mechanical properties and cannot protect the display panel. When the display panel 30 is subjected to external pressure or a drop impact, because the bottom of the extended first display portion L1 of the display panel 30 is not supported by the support structure 10, the display panel 30 will be subjected to concentrated pressure at the edge of the second through hole H2 of the support structure 10, resulting in stress concentration and subsequent rupture of the display panel 30, ultimately causing black spots to appear on the display device 1000, as shown in Figure 3. Therefore, the mechanical resistance of the display module 1 to pressure and impact needs to be improved.

[0078] To solve the above technical problems, referring to FIG5 , in some embodiments, a display module 1 is provided. The display module 1 includes: a display panel 30 and a support structure 10. The display panel 30 is foldable, and its at least one first display portion L1 has a first through hole H1 that passes through the first display portion L1. The support structure 10 is foldable, and its at least one first support portion M1 has a second through hole H2 that passes through the first support portion M1, and the first through hole H1 and the second through hole H2 are interconnected; the boundary of the first through hole H1 is located outside the boundary of the second through hole H2, or the boundary of the first through hole H1 coincides with the boundary of the second through hole H2.

[0079] The display module 1 provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure sets the boundary of the first through hole H1 to be located outside the boundary of the second through hole H2, or the boundary of the first through hole H1 coincides with the boundary of the second through hole H2. In this way, compared with the case where the boundary of the second through hole H2 is located outside the boundary of the first through hole H1, when the display panel 30 is subjected to external extrusion or drop impact, the support structure 10 can fully support the display panel 30, avoiding stress concentration at the edge of the second through hole H2 of the support structure 10 and the display panel 30, which may cause the display panel 30 to rupture, thereby improving the mechanical ability of the display module 1 to resist extrusion and impact.

[0080] It can be understood that the size of the second through hole H2 of the support structure 10 can be set based on the size required to avoid interference with the camera. On this basis, the size of the first through hole H1 of the display panel 30 needs to be larger than or equal to the size of the second through hole H2 of the support structure 10.

[0081] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the shape of the first through hole H1 is circular, but the shape is not limited thereto. The shape of the first through hole H1 may also be rectangular, elliptical or other irregular shapes.

[0082] The shape of the second through hole H2 in the embodiment of the present disclosure is circular, but not limited thereto. The shape of the second through hole H2 may also be rectangular, elliptical or other irregular shapes.

[0083] In the display module 1 provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure, when the boundary of the first through hole H1 is located outside the boundary of the second through hole H2, the first through hole H1 and the second through hole H2 can be of the same shape or different shapes, as long as the boundary of the first through hole H1 is located outside the boundary of the second through hole H2.

[0084] In some embodiments, referring to FIG5 , the display panel 30 includes a display substrate 31 and a black matrix layer 32 disposed on the display substrate 31. The black matrix layer 32 is located in the display area Q1 and has a plurality of openings in the display area Q1. A plurality of color resists are disposed in a one-to-one correspondence within the plurality of openings. The plurality of color resists include color resists of various colors to allow light of the same color as the color resists to pass through. The black matrix layer 32 is located between any adjacent color resists to prevent color confusion between sub-pixels in the display substrate 31 and to increase contrast. The black matrix layer 32 and the plurality of color resists form a color filter to reduce reflection of ambient light within the display panel 30 and improve the display quality of the display panel 30. The color filter can be disposed on the encapsulation layer of the display panel 30, and thus the color filter is also referred to as a COE (color film on encapsulation) structure.

[0085] Based on the above structure, in this embodiment, the black matrix layer 32 further extends to the aperture edge region Q2 to block the aperture edge region Q2, preventing light from the sub-pixels in the display area Q1 from emitting through the aperture edge region Q2 and causing light leakage. In this embodiment, the black matrix layer 32 is directly used to cover the aperture edge region Q2 to block light from the aperture edge region Q2. Compared to providing a separate light-shielding film layer in the aperture edge region Q2, this method does not require consideration of the lamination accuracy of the light-shielding film layer with the display panel, and the light-shielding film layer reserves additional light-shielding area. This allows for a narrower bezel and saves process steps.

[0086] In other embodiments, referring to FIG6 , the display panel 30 includes a display substrate 31 and a polarizer 33 disposed on the display substrate 31. The first through hole H1 also passes through the polarizer 33. The first display portion L1 includes a display area Q1 and a hole edge area Q2. The hole edge area Q2 is located between the display area Q1 and the first through hole H1 and surrounds the first through hole H1.

[0087] To block light from the display panel 30 in the aperture edge region Q2, the display panel 30 further includes a second light-shielding layer 50, which is disposed on the side of the polarizer 33 away from the display substrate 31 and covers the aperture edge region Q2. The polarizer 33 is used to reduce reflections of ambient light within the display panel, thereby improving the display quality of the display panel 30.

[0088] On this basis, when the boundary of the first through hole H1 is outside the boundary of the second through hole H2, when the light from the external environment is irradiated from the light-emitting side of the display panel 30 to the through hole area Q3, the portion of the first supporting portion M1 of the supporting structure 10 that extends outward from the first display portion L1 of the display panel 30 will reflect the light from the external environment. When the display panel 30 includes a display substrate 31 and a black matrix layer 32 arranged on the display substrate 31, the black matrix layer 32 of the hole edge area Q2 will absorb a portion of the light from the external environment and will not reflect it out. When the display panel 30 includes a display substrate 31 and a polarizer 33 arranged on the display substrate 31, the display panel 30 also includes a When the polarizer 33 is on the side away from the display substrate 31 and covers the second light-shielding layer 50 of the hole edge area Q2, the second light-shielding layer 50 of the hole edge area Q2 will absorb a portion of the light from the external environment and will not reflect it out. Therefore, a visual color difference problem of the front face area will be introduced on the light-emitting side of the display module 1, that is, there is a color difference between the part of the hole edge area Q2 covered by the black matrix layer 32 and the part of the first support part M1 of the support structure 10 that extends out from the first display part L1 of the display panel 30, or there is a color difference between the part of the hole edge area Q2 covered by the second light-shielding layer 50 and the part of the first support part M1 of the support structure 10 that extends out from the first display part L1 of the display panel 30.

[0089] To address the above-mentioned issues, in some embodiments, referring to FIG. 7 , at the first through hole H1, a portion of the first support portion M1 extends beyond the first display portion L1. The display module 1 further includes a first light-shielding layer 40 disposed between the first display portion L1 and the first support portion M1. In an orthographic projection onto a reference plane, the first light-shielding layer 40 covers at least the portion of the first support portion M1 that extends beyond the first display portion L1. The reference plane is the plane of the surface of the display panel 30 that is distal from the support structure 10. With this arrangement, when ambient light is irradiated from the light-emitting side of the display panel 30 onto the through hole region Q3, the portion of the first support portion M1 that extends beyond the first display portion L1 will not reflect the ambient light, or will only reflect a small portion of the light. This improves the visual color difference problem in the front edge region Q2 on the light-emitting side of the display module 1.

[0090] In some embodiments, the black matrix layer 32 and the first light-shielding layer 40 have the same absorption coefficient. This configuration helps alleviate the visual color difference problem introduced in the front-facing area on the light-emitting side of the display module 1. For example, the color of the first light-shielding layer 40 can be the same as or similar to that of the black matrix layer 32. For example, the material of the first light-shielding layer 40 can be the same as that of the black matrix layer 32, such as black ink.

[0091] 7 , the display module 1 further includes an adhesive layer 20 disposed between the first display portion L1 and the first support portion M1 . The adhesive layer 20 is configured to bond the support structure 10 and the display panel 30 .

[0092] Exemplarily, the adhesive layer 20 includes a first sub-adhesive layer 21, a second sub-adhesive layer 22, and a substrate layer 23 located between the first sub-adhesive layer 21 and the second sub-adhesive layer 22; wherein the substrate layer 23 includes a polyimide (PI) substrate layer or a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate layer.

[0093] Exemplarily, the adhesive layer may also be a single layer, and the material of the single layer of adhesive layer includes optically clear adhesive (OCA for short).

[0094] The adhesive layer 20 has a third through hole H3 that penetrates the adhesive layer 20, so that the first through hole H1, the third through hole H3 and the second through hole H2 form a continuous receiving space. Exemplarily, the boundary of the third through hole H3 coincides with the boundary of the first through hole H1 to avoid interference with the camera.

[0095] In some embodiments, with continued reference to FIG. 7 , when the boundary of the third through hole H3 coincides with the boundary of the first through hole H1 , the first light shielding layer 40 may be provided at least on the surface of the first support portion M1 facing the first display portion L1 .

[0096] Exemplarily, referring to Figure 7, the first light-shielding layer 40 only covers the surface of the portion of the first supporting portion M1 of the supporting structure 10 that extends outward compared to the first display portion L1 of the display panel 30, so that the first light-shielding layer 40 and the black matrix layer 32 extending to the hole edge area Q2 are combined to jointly block the hole edge area Q2.

[0097] Exemplarily, referring to Figure 8, the first light-shielding layer 40 covers the surface of the portion of the first supporting portion M1 of the supporting structure 10 that extends outward from the first display portion L1 of the display panel 30, and extends in a direction away from the second through hole H2. That is, in the orthographic projection onto the reference plane, the first light-shielding layer 40 overlaps with the portion of the black matrix layer 32 located in the hole edge area Q2. This ensures that no light leaks at the junction of the first light-shielding layer 40 and the black matrix layer 32, ensuring that the hole edge area Q2 is completely blocked.

[0098] For example, referring to Figure 9 , the first light-shielding layer 40 also covers the sidewalls of the first through hole H1 and the sidewalls of the third through hole H3. When the line of sight is at an angle to the normal of a reference plane (the reference plane being the plane on which the surface of the display panel 30 facing away from the support structure 10 lies), i.e., from a side view, the sidewalls of the first through hole H1 and the sidewalls of the third through hole H3 are covered by the first light-shielding layer 40. Therefore, the color difference of the display module from a side view can also be improved.

[0099] For example, referring to Figure 10 , the first light-shielding layer 40 also covers the sidewalls of the second through-hole H2. When the line of sight is at an angle to the normal of the reference plane, the sidewalls of the first through-hole H1, the second through-hole H2, and the third through-hole H3 are all covered by the first light-shielding layer 40. Therefore, the color difference of the display module at side viewing angles can be further improved.

[0100] When the first light-shielding layer 40 covers the side walls of the first through hole H1, the second through hole H2 and the third through hole H3, the steps of forming the first light-shielding layer 40 may be: referring to Figure 11, after the supporting structure 10 is set on the backlight side of the display panel 30, a spraying process is adopted to form the first light-shielding layer 40 on the side wall of the second through hole H2, the surface of the supporting structure 10 close to the display panel 30, the side wall of the third through hole H3 and the side wall of the first through hole H1.

[0101] Exemplarily, a spraying device P is used for spraying, and the sprayed material includes ink.

[0102] It can be understood that when the first light-shielding layer 40 also covers the side walls of the first through hole H1 and the side walls of the third through hole H3, the above method can also be used to form the first light-shielding layer 40. The difference is that it is only necessary to avoid spraying ink on the side walls of the second through hole H2 by adjusting the spraying angle, blocking the side walls of the second through hole H2, etc.

[0103] 9 and 10 , in some possible designs, the first light shielding layer 40 covers the sidewalls of the first through hole H1 and is connected to the black matrix layer 32. This can prevent the black matrix layer 32 and the first light shielding layer 40 from forming a gap at the sidewalls of the first through hole H1, thereby preventing light from leaking from the display substrate 31 through the gap.

[0104] In other embodiments, referring to FIG12 , in the orthographic projection onto the reference plane, the boundary of the third through hole H3 is between the boundary of the first through hole H1 and the boundary of the second through hole H2, and the first light-shielding layer 40 is at least provided on the surface of the first support portion M1 facing the first display portion L1.

[0105] For example, the first light-shielding layer 40 may only cover the surface of the portion of the first supporting portion M1 of the support structure 10 that extends beyond the first display portion L1 of the display panel 30. Alternatively, with continued reference to FIG12 , the first light-shielding layer 40 covers the surface of the portion of the first supporting portion M1 that extends beyond the first display portion L1 and extends away from the second through hole H2, such that, in an orthographic projection onto a reference plane, the first light-shielding layer 40 overlaps with the black matrix layer 32. This ensures that light does not leak at the junction of the first light-shielding layer 40 and the black matrix layer 32, ensuring that the hole edge region Q2 is completely shielded.

[0106] For example, referring to FIG13 , the first light-shielding layer 40 covers the surface of the portion of the first supporting portion M1 of the support structure 10 that extends beyond the first display portion L1 of the display panel 30, and also covers the surface of the portion of the adhesive layer 20 that extends beyond the first display portion L1 of the display panel 30 and is away from the first supporting portion M1 of the support structure 10. This prevents light from being emitted from between the black matrix layer 32 and the first light-shielding layer 40 disposed on the surface of the support structure 10 at a side angle, thereby preventing light leakage.

[0107] In other embodiments, in the orthographic projection onto the reference plane, the boundary of the third through hole H3 coincides with the boundary of the second through hole H2, and the first shading layer 40 is disposed on the surface of the adhesive layer 20 close to or away from the support structure 10, or inside the adhesive layer 20.

[0108] Exemplarily, referring to FIG. 14 , the first light shielding layer 40 is disposed on the surface of the adhesive layer 20 close to the supporting structure 10 .

[0109] Exemplarily, referring to FIG. 15 , the first light shielding layer 40 is disposed on the surface of the adhesive layer 20 away from the supporting structure 10 .

[0110] Exemplarily, referring to FIG. 16 , FIG. 17 and FIG. 18 , the first light shielding layer 40 is disposed inside the adhesive layer 20 .

[0111] The adhesive layer 20 includes a first sub-adhesive layer 21, a second sub-adhesive layer 22, and a base material layer 23 located between the first sub-adhesive layer 21 and the second sub-adhesive layer 22. When the first light-shielding layer 40 is disposed within the adhesive layer 20, the first light-shielding layer 40 is disposed between the first sub-adhesive layer 21 and the base material layer 23, and / or between the second sub-adhesive layer 22 and the base material layer 23.

[0112] For example, referring to FIG. 16 , the first light shielding layer 40 is disposed between the first sub-glue layer 21 and the base material layer 23 .

[0113] For example, referring to FIG. 17 , the first light shielding layer 40 is disposed between the second sub-glue layer 22 and the base material layer 23 .

[0114] For example, referring to FIG. 18 , a first light shielding layer 40 is provided between the first sub-glue layer 21 and the base material layer 23 , and between the second sub-glue layer 22 and the base material layer 23 .

[0115] Furthermore, in some possible designs, as shown in FIG19 , the substrate layer 23 in the adhesive layer 20 includes a light-shielding material, serving as the first light-shielding layer 40. In other words, in addition to serving as a carrier for the first and second sub-adhesive layers 21 and 22, the substrate layer 23 also serves as the first light-shielding layer 40. This avoids the need for an additional layer and helps reduce the thickness of the display module.

[0116] In the above design, a light-shielding material can be added to the base material in a solvent state during the preparation of the adhesive layer 20, and then the solvent is coated and cured to form a base material layer with a light-shielding effect. For example, the added light-shielding material can be carbon powder.

[0117] When the display panel 30 includes a display substrate 31, a polarizer 33 arranged on the display substrate 31, and a second shading layer 50, in order to solve the problem of visual chromatic aberration in the front face area introduced on the light-emitting side of the display module 1, a first shading layer is set in the display module. The situations in which the first shading layer may be set are described above and will not be repeated here.

[0118] In some embodiments, the second light shielding layer 50 and the first light shielding layer 40 have the same absorption coefficient. This configuration is beneficial for improving the visual chromatic aberration problem of the front surface area introduced on the light-emitting side of the display module 1.

[0119] For example, the color of the first light shielding layer 40 may be the same as or similar to the color of the second light shielding layer 50. For example, the material of the first light shielding layer 40 may be the same as the material of the second light shielding layer 50, such as black ink.

[0120] 20 , an embodiment of the present disclosure further provides a display device 1000 , which includes a display module 1 , a camera 4 , and a cover plate 2 .

[0121] The boundary of the first through hole H1 in the display module 1 that passes through the display panel 30 is located outside the boundary of the second through hole H2 that passes through the support structure 10, or the boundary of the first through hole H1 coincides with the boundary of the second through hole H2. This allows the support structure 10 to fully support the display panel 30 when the display device 1000 is subjected to external pressure or a drop impact, preventing stress concentration at the edge of the second through hole H2 in the support structure 10 and the display panel 30, which could cause the display panel 30 to crack. This improves the mechanical resistance of the display device 1000 to pressure and impact.

[0122] It should be noted that the display module 1 includes the display module provided by any of the previous embodiments, which will not be described in detail here.

[0123] The camera 4 is disposed in the first through hole H1 and the second through hole H2.

[0124] The cover plate 2 is provided on the light-emitting side of the display module 1 and covers the camera 4. The cover plate 2 is a flexible cover plate. The material and function of the cover plate 2 can be referred to the corresponding description above and will not be repeated here.

[0125] In some embodiments, the display device 1000 further includes an optical adhesive layer 3 disposed between the cover plate 2 and the display module 1 . The optical adhesive layer 3 is configured to bond the display module 1 and the cover plate 2 .

[0126] Illustratively, the optical adhesive layer 3 is a colorless, transparent, high-transmittance, and good-bonding-strength optical adhesive (OCA). The optical adhesive has high bonding strength and high transparency and will not affect the display effect of the display module.

[0127] The optical adhesive layer 3 has a fourth through hole H4 that penetrates the optical adhesive layer 3, and the fourth through hole H4 is connected to the first through hole H1. This arrangement can not only fully bond the cover plate 2 and the display module 1, but also prevent the optical adhesive layer 3 from blocking the camera 4, thereby improving the imaging quality of the camera.

[0128] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present disclosure, but the scope of protection of the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that a person skilled in the art can conceive within the technical scope disclosed in the present disclosure should be included within the scope of protection of the present disclosure. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present disclosure should be based on the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. A display module, comprising: A display panel, including at least two first display portions and at least one second display portion. One of the second display portions is disposed between two adjacent first display portions and is connected to the two adjacent first display portions. The second display portion is bendable; at least one of the first display portions has a first through hole penetrating through the first display portion; A support structure, disposed on the backlight side of the display panel, including at least two first support portions respectively corresponding to the at least two first display portions, and at least one second support portion corresponding to the at least one second display portion. The second support portion is bendable; at least one of the first support portions has a second through hole penetrating through the first support portion. The first through hole and the second through hole are communicated; the boundary of the first through hole is located outside the boundary of the second through hole, or the boundary of the first through hole coincides with the boundary of the second through hole.

2. The display module according to claim 1, wherein, At the first through hole, a part of the first support portion protrudes compared with the first display portion; The display module further includes a first light-shielding layer, disposed between the first display portion and the first support portion. In the orthographic projection onto a reference plane, the first light-shielding layer at least covers the part of the first support portion that protrudes compared with the first display portion; The reference plane is the plane where the surface of the first display portion away from the first support portion is located.

3. The display module according to claim 2, further comprising: An adhesive layer, disposed between the first display portion and the first support portion. The adhesive layer has a third through hole penetrating through the adhesive layer. The boundary of the third through hole coincides with the boundary of the first through hole, or in the orthographic projection onto the reference plane, the boundary of the third through hole is between the boundary of the first through hole and the boundary of the second through hole; The first light-shielding layer is at least disposed on the surface of the first support portion facing the first display portion.

4. The display module according to claim 3, wherein, The first light-shielding layer also covers the side wall of the first through hole and the side wall of the third through hole.

5. The display module according to claim 4, wherein, The first light-shielding layer also covers the side wall of the second through hole.

6. The display module according to claim 3, wherein, In the orthographic projection onto the reference plane, the boundary of the third through hole is between the boundary of the first through hole and the boundary of the second through hole; The first light-shielding layer also covers the surface of the part of the adhesive layer that protrudes compared with the first display portion and is away from the first support portion.

7. The display module according to claim 2, further comprising: An adhesive layer, disposed between the first display portion and the first support portion. The adhesive layer has a third through hole penetrating through the adhesive layer. The boundary of the third through hole coincides with the boundary of the second through hole; The first light-shielding layer is disposed on the surface of the adhesive layer close to or away from the first support portion, or inside the adhesive layer.

8. The display module according to claim 7, wherein The adhesive layer includes a first sub-adhesive layer, a second sub-adhesive layer, and a substrate layer located between the first sub-adhesive layer and the second sub-adhesive layer; The first light-shielding layer is disposed between the first sub-adhesive layer and the substrate layer, and / or between the second sub-adhesive layer and the substrate layer.

9. The display module according to claim 7, wherein, The adhesive layer includes a first sub-adhesive layer, a second sub-adhesive layer, and a substrate layer located between the first sub-adhesive layer and the second sub-adhesive layer; The substrate layer includes a light-shielding material, serving as the first light-shielding layer.

10. The display module according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein, The display panel includes a display substrate and a black matrix layer disposed on the display substrate; The first display portion includes a display area and a hole border area. The hole border area is located between the display area and the first through hole and surrounds the first through hole. The black matrix layer covers the hole border area.

11. The display module according to claim 10, wherein, The display module includes a first light-shielding layer. The first light-shielding layer covers the side wall of the first through hole and is connected to the black matrix layer.

12. The display module according to claim 10, wherein, The display module includes a first light-shielding layer. In the orthographic projection onto a reference plane, a portion of the black matrix layer located in the hole border area overlaps with the first light-shielding layer; the reference plane is the plane where the surface of the first display portion away from the first support portion is located.

13. The display module according to claim 10, wherein, The display module includes a first light-shielding layer. The black matrix layer and the first light-shielding layer have the same light absorption coefficient.

14. The display module according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein, The display panel includes a display substrate and a polarizer disposed on the display substrate. The first through hole also penetrates through the polarizer; The first display portion includes a display area and a hole border area. The hole border area is located between the display area and the first through hole and surrounds the first through hole; the display panel further includes a second light-shielding layer disposed on one side of the polarizer close to or away from the display substrate and covering the hole border area.

15. A display device, comprising: The display module according to any one of claims 1 to 14; A camera disposed in the first through hole and the second through hole; A cover plate disposed on the light-emitting side of the display module and covering the camera; the cover plate is bendable.

Images