Display module and display apparatus

Abstract

A display module and a display apparatus, which relate to the technical field of display, and are used for improving the support performance of display modules. The display module (1) has a bending area (BA) and a non-bending area (NBA). The display module (1) comprises a display panel (11), a support member (12) and a first functional adhesive tape (131), wherein the support member (12) is located on the side of the display panel (11) that is away from a light-emitting side of the display module (1); at least part of the first functional adhesive tape (131) is located in the bending area (BA); the first functional adhesive tape (131) comprises a first body (1310); the first body (1310) is located on the side of the support member (12) that is away from the display panel (11); and the first body (1310) comprises a non-Newtonian fluid material.

Description

Display module and display device

[0001] This invention claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202410516989.5, filed with the State Intellectual Property Office of China on April 26, 2024, entitled “Display Module and Display Device”, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This invention relates to the field of display technology, and more specifically to a display module and display device. Background Technology

[0003] With the continuous development of display technology, various display products with different characteristics have emerged to meet diverse usage needs. Compared with conventional displays, flexible displays offer greater design freedom, increasing the portability of display devices and expanding their application scenarios.

[0004] Currently, performance improvements of display modules used in flexible displays have become a key focus for researchers.

[0005] Summary of the Invention

[0006] This invention provides a display module and display device to improve the impact resistance of the display module and ensure its bending performance.

[0007] In a first aspect, embodiments of the present invention provide a display module having a bent area and a non-bent area;

[0008] The display module includes a display panel, a support component, and a first functional tape;

[0009] The support component is located on the side of the display panel away from the light-emitting side of the display module.

[0010] At least a portion of the first functional tape is located in the bending area. The first functional tape includes a first body located on the side of the support away from the display panel. The first body includes a non-Newtonian fluid material.

[0011] Secondly, embodiments of the present invention provide a display device, including the display panel described above.

[0012] The display module and display device provided in this invention, by providing a first functional tape located on the side of the support member away from the light-emitting side of the display panel in at least the bending area, and by configuring the first functional tape to include a first body made of a non-Newtonian fluid material, allows the non-Newtonian fluid forming the first body to absorb impact energy and rapidly harden when the display module is subjected to external impact, thereby resisting external impact forces. This makes the impact resistance of the bending area comparable to that of the non-bending area, solving the problem in related technologies where the impact resistance of the bending area of ​​the display module is worse than that of the non-bending area, and improving the reliability of the display module. Moreover, when the display module is bent, the non-Newtonian fluid efficiently absorbs the bending stress during the bending process, making the first body located in the bending area easy to bend, avoiding defects such as cracks caused by stress concentration in the bending area, and ensuring the bending reliability of the display module. Attached Figure Description

[0013] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0014] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a display module in an unfolded state according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0015] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of another display module provided in the embodiment of the present invention in the unfolded state;

[0016] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of another display module provided in the embodiment of the present invention in the unfolded state;

[0017] Figure 4 is a top view of a display module in an unfolded state according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of another display module provided in the embodiment of the present invention in the unfolded state;

[0019] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of another display module provided in the embodiment of the present invention in the unfolded state;

[0020] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the bending area of ​​a display module provided in an embodiment of the present invention in a bent state;

[0021] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of an electronic device including a display module and a support structure in a bent state, according to related technologies;

[0022] Figure 9 is a top view of another display module provided in the embodiment of the present invention in the unfolded state;

[0023] Figure 10 is a top view of another display module provided in the embodiment of the present invention in the unfolded state;

[0024] Figure 11 is a top view of another display module provided in the embodiment of the present invention in the unfolded state;

[0025] Figure 12 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a first functional tape in an unfolded state according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 13 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of another display module provided in the embodiment of the present invention in the unfolded state;

[0027] Figure 14 is a schematic diagram of a display device provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0028] To better understand the technical solution of the present invention, the embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0029] It should be understood that the described embodiments are merely some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0030] The terminology used in the embodiments of this invention is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the invention. The singular forms “a,” “the,” and “the” as used in the embodiments of this invention and the appended claims are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0031] It should be understood that the term "and / or" used in this article is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, or B existing alone. Additionally, the character " / " in this article generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0032] In implementing the embodiments of the present invention, the inventors discovered that in flexible display modules, to make the bending area easier to bend, the elastic modulus of the film layer in the bending area is usually set to be relatively small, so as to facilitate bending deformation of the film layer in the bending area. However, after the bending performance of the film layer in the bending area is improved, the impact resistance will decrease, and undesirable deformation problems will occur when subjected to external impact forces.

[0033] In view of this, embodiments of the present invention provide a display module having a bending area and a non-bending area. The bending area is capable of bending, allowing the display module to exhibit different folding states.

[0034] As shown in Figure 1, which is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a display module in an unfolded state according to an embodiment of the present invention, the display module 1 includes a display panel 11, a support member 12, and a first functional adhesive tape 131. Exemplarily, the display panel 11 includes a flexible display panel. The display panel 11 includes multiple light-emitting units with different colors. Exemplarily, the light-emitting units include any one or more of organic light-emitting devices, micro-light-emitting diode devices, and quantum dot light-emitting devices.

[0035] The support member 12 is located on the side of the display panel 11 away from the light-emitting side of the display module 1. The support member 12 can provide support for the display panel 11 to improve the strength of the display module 1. For example, the support member 12 includes metal.

[0036] At least a portion of the first functional tape 131 is located in the bending region BA. The first functional tape 131 includes a first body 1310, which is located on the side of the support 12 away from the display panel 11. The first functional tape 131 can provide further support for the display panel 11. The first body 1310 includes a non-Newtonian fluid material. The non-Newtonian fluid material does not satisfy Newton's law of viscosity, and its shear stress and shear strain rate are not linearly related. Under normal conditions, the non-Newtonian fluid material remains in a relaxed state, soft and elastic. If subjected to a violent impact or shock, the non-Newtonian fluid material will quickly tighten and harden to absorb the external force. When the external force disappears, the non-Newtonian fluid material will return to its initial relaxed and soft elastic state. The non-Newtonian fluid material can reversibly switch between a soft state and a hardened state.

[0037] In this embodiment of the invention, when the first body 1310 bends along with the display module 1, the non-Newtonian fluid in the first body 1310 is in a soft and elastic state, which can effectively absorb the bending stress during the bending process, making the first body 1310 easy to bend and avoiding defects such as cracks caused by stress concentration in the first body 1310. When the display module 1 is subjected to severe impact or knocking, the first body 1310 formed of non-Newtonian fluid material exhibits a hardened state with solid-like properties under the action of external impact force, and its resistance to impact increases sharply, thereby enabling the first body 1310 to have better impact resistance, and thus providing better support for the support member 12, thereby enabling the support member 12 to provide better support for the display panel 11 and preventing the display module 1 from deforming due to impact.

[0038] The display module 1 provided in this embodiment of the invention, by providing a first functional adhesive tape 131 in at least the bending region BA, and configuring the first functional adhesive tape 131 to include a first body 1310 made of a non-Newtonian fluid material, allows the non-Newtonian fluid forming the first body 1310 to absorb impact energy and rapidly harden when the display module 1 is subjected to external impact. This enables it to resist external impact forces, making the impact resistance of the bending region BA comparable to that of the non-bending region NBA. This solves the problem in related technologies where the impact resistance of the bending region of the display module is worse than that of the non-bending region, thus improving the reliability of the display module 1. Furthermore, when the display module 1 is bent, the non-Newtonian fluid efficiently absorbs the bending stress during the bending process, making the first body 1310 easy to bend and avoiding defects such as cracks caused by stress concentration. It can be seen that by providing a first body 1310 including a non-Newtonian fluid, this embodiment of the invention can enable the bending region BA of the display module 1 to have both good bending performance and impact resistance. Furthermore, when the display module 1 is bent, the non-Newtonian fluid material in the first body 1310 will flow, which can improve the stress concentration on the support member 12, reduce the risk of breakage of the support member 12, and improve the yield of the display module 1.

[0039] For example, as shown in FIG2, FIG2 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of another display module provided in the embodiment of the present invention in the unfolded state. The first body 1310 includes a first sub-part 13101 and a second sub-part 13102. The first sub-part 13101 is located on the side of the second sub-part 13102 near the non-bending area NBA. The thickness of the first sub-part 13101 in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the display panel 11 is less than the thickness of the second sub-part 13102 in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the display panel 11.

[0040] For different positions within the support member 12, the closer to the non-bending area NBA, the smaller the bending stress experienced during bending. In this embodiment of the invention, the bending stress at the position corresponding to the first sub-part 13101 in the support member 12 is less than the bending stress at the position of the second sub-part 13102. This embodiment of the invention makes the thickness of the first sub-part 13101 in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the display panel 11 less than the thickness of the second sub-part 13102 in the same direction. That is, it matches the thickness of the first sub-part 13101 and the second sub-part 13102 in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the display panel 11 with the magnitude of the bending stress of the support member 12 at their respective positions. This allows the first sub-part 13101 to apply a smaller supporting force to the position of lower bending stress in the support member 12, and the second sub-part 13102 to apply a larger supporting force to the position of higher stress in the support member 12. After repeated bending, the display module 1 has relatively more internal defects at the position of higher bending stress, resulting in a relatively weaker ability to withstand impact. Based on this configuration, while improving the impact resistance of the display module 1 by utilizing the first body 1310, it is not necessary to make the thickness of the first body 1310 too thick at all locations. This facilitates the bending of the first body 1310 and also benefits the thinner and lighter design of the display module 1.

[0041] For example, as shown in Figure 2, the bending area BA includes a bending axis 10. The bending axis 10 is the position where the stress of the display module 1 is greatest when it is bent. As shown in Figure 2, the bending axis 10 can be located at the position in the bending area BA that is farthest from the non-bending areas BA on both sides of the bending area BA. It should be noted that the bending axis 10 can be a virtual axis in the bending area BA, that is, there is no physical structure of the bending axis in the bending area BA.

[0042] Optionally, as shown in Figure 2, the thickness of the first body 1310 at different locations gradually decreases as the distance from the non-bending area NBA decreases. In other words, the thickness of the first body 1310 at different locations gradually decreases as the distance from the bending axis 10 increases. This setting allows the supporting force of the first body 1310 on the support member 12 to gradually decrease along the bending axis 10 towards the non-bending area NBA. This improves the yield of the display module 1 while avoiding setting the thickness of the first body 1310 at each location to be large, which facilitates the thinner and lighter design of the display module 1.

[0043] For example, as shown in Figure 3, which is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of another display module in the unfolded state according to an embodiment of the present invention, the support member 12 has a through hole 120 located in the bending area. The bending area BA of the display module 1 needs to be repeatedly bent during use, so the deformation capability of the film layer in this area will greatly affect the folding reliability of the display module 1. By opening the through hole 120 in the bending area BA in the support member 12, the embodiment of the present invention can release the bending stress of the support member 12 during the bending process, avoid stress concentration in the support member 12, thereby reducing the possibility of cracks in the support member 12 and improving the support performance of the support member 12 for the display panel 11.

[0044] As shown in Figure 3, the first functional tape 131 includes a first protrusion 1311 formed on one side of the first body 1310, with at least a portion of the first protrusion 1311 located on the side of the first functional tape 131 near the display panel 11. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, Figure 4 is a top view of a display module in an unfolded state according to an embodiment of the present invention, where the shape of the through hole 120 projected onto the plane of the display panel is an elongated shape, and at least a portion of the first protrusion 1311 is located within the through hole 120. In this embodiment of the present invention, the first protrusion 1311 includes a light-shielding material.

[0045] While improving the bending characteristics of the display module 1 by providing a through hole 120, this embodiment of the invention also provides a first protrusion 1311, at least partially located within the through hole 120. This protrusion 1311 can block ambient light leaking through the through hole 120, preventing light leakage in the bending area BA, reducing the brightness difference between the bending area BA and the non-bending area NBA of the display module 1, and improving the display effect of the display module 1. Furthermore, by embedding the first protrusion 1311 into the through hole 120, this embodiment of the invention can improve the positional stability of both components. After multiple bends of the display module 1, the possibility of the first protrusion 1311 detaching from the through hole 120 can be reduced, preventing relative displacement between them. In addition, the first protrusion 1311 can also protect the through hole 120.

[0046] It should be noted that the shape of the through hole 120 shown in Figure 4 as an orthographic projection on the plane where the display panel 11 is located is only schematic. Those skilled in the art can design the shape of the through hole 120 as any one or more of the following, such as polygon, sawtooth, and wavy, according to different design requirements.

[0047] For example, as shown in Figure 5, which is a cross-sectional view of another display module in an unfolded state according to an embodiment of the present invention, the cross-sectional area of ​​the first protrusion 1311 gradually decreases in the direction parallel to the plane of the display panel 11, along the direction perpendicular to the plane of the display panel 11 and pointing from the support member 12 to the display panel 11. For example, when assembling the support member 12 and the first functional tape 131, the embodiment of the present invention can make the first protrusion 1311 be inserted into the through hole 120 from the side of the support member 12 away from the display panel 11. By making the cross-sectional area of ​​the first protrusion 1311 gradually decrease in the direction parallel to the plane of the display panel 11, along the direction perpendicular to the plane of the display panel 11 and pointing from the support member 12 to the display panel 11, the embodiment of the present invention can better place the first protrusion 1311 into the through hole 120, which is beneficial to reducing the assembly difficulty of the first protrusion 1311 and the support member 12.

[0048] Optionally, as shown in FIG4, the area of ​​the first protrusion 1311 projected onto the plane of the support 12 is smaller than the area of ​​the through hole 120 projected onto the plane of the support 12, so that the first protrusion 1311 can be smoothly embedded into the through hole 120. For example, as shown in FIG4, there is a gap between the first protrusion 1311 and the through hole 120.

[0049] For example, as shown in FIG5, the first protrusion 1311 includes a first surface S1 near the first body 1310. Taking the orientation shown in FIG5 as an example, the first surface S1 is the lower surface of the first protrusion 1311. The length of the first surface S1 in a cross section perpendicular to the plane of the display panel 11 is L1. The through hole 120 includes a first opening near the first body 1310, and the length of the first opening in the same cross section is L2. In this embodiment of the invention, L2 > L1, and 20μm ≤ L2 - L1 ≤ 50μm. By making L2 - L1 greater than or equal to 20μm, this embodiment of the invention ensures that the first protrusion 1311 can be smoothly embedded in the through hole 120, facilitating the assembly of the first protrusion 1311 and the support member 12. Meanwhile, by making L2-L1 less than or equal to 50μm, this embodiment of the invention can avoid the appearance of a large area in the through hole 120 that is not blocked by the first protrusion 1311, thereby avoiding light leakage at the through hole 120 and improving the display effect of the display module 1.

[0050] For example, as shown in FIG3, the thickness H1 of the first protrusion 1311 in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the display panel 11 is less than the depth H2 of the through hole 120 in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the display panel 11, so that the first protrusion 1311 can be completely inserted into the through hole 120. Optionally, 0.2H2≤H1≤0.5H2.

[0051] Optionally, as shown in Figure 4, the shape of the orthographic projection of the first protrusion 1311 onto the plane of the display panel 11 is the same as the shape of the orthographic projection of the through hole 120 onto the plane of the display panel 11. Based on this arrangement, on the one hand, the first protrusion 1311 can be more easily embedded into the through hole 120. On the other hand, within the limited space of the through hole 120, the area of ​​the first protrusion 1311 can be set as large as possible, thereby better improving the light leakage problem at the through hole 120 and preventing light leakage in areas of the through hole 120 where the first protrusion 1311 is not provided.

[0052] Optionally, in this embodiment of the invention, the support member 12 has N1 through holes 120; among the N1 through holes 120, there are N2 first through holes, and at least a portion of the first protrusion 1311 is located within the first through hole; that is, the first through hole is a through hole provided with the first protrusion 1311. Wherein, 0.5 ≤ N2 / N1 ≤ 1. Based on this arrangement, the first protrusion 1311 can be provided in at least half of the through holes 120 of the support member 12, ensuring that there are sufficient first protrusions 1311 in the bending area BA to block the through holes 120, thereby reducing the light leakage intensity of the bending area BA. Figure 4 illustrates a scenario where each through hole 120 is provided with a first protrusion 1311, i.e., N2 / N1 = 1.

[0053] Optionally, in embodiments of the present invention, the first body 1310 and the first protrusion 1311 may be made of the same material so that they can be manufactured in the same process using the same material, thereby simplifying the manufacturing process of the first functional tape 131.

[0054] Optionally, the first protrusion 1311 and the first body 1310 can be integrally formed to simplify the manufacturing process of the first functional tape 131 and improve the process efficiency of the display module 1.

[0055] For example, the first protrusion 1311 described above can be prepared by screen printing or dispensing process.

[0056] In this embodiment of the invention, the first protrusion 1311 includes a light-shielding material. The light transmittance of the first protrusion 1311 is less than 1%. Optionally, the first protrusion 1311 includes ink or carbon black.

[0057] For example, as shown in FIG6, FIG6 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of another display module provided in the embodiment of the present invention in the unfolded state. The first functional tape 131 further includes a second protrusion 1312 located on the side of the first body 1310 away from the display panel 11. The orthographic projection of the second protrusion 1312 on the plane where the display panel 11 is located is at least partially offset from the orthographic projection of the through hole 120 on the plane where the display panel 11 is located. That is, the second protrusion 1312 is provided at the non-through hole position of the support member 12.

[0058] Optionally, in this embodiment of the invention, the second protrusion 1312 includes an elastic material and has deformation resilience. When the display module 1 is subjected to an external impact, for example, when the display module 1 is subjected to an external force from the light-emitting side, the impact force is instantly transmitted from the support member 12 to the first body 1310. The first body 1310 hardens under the action of the impact force and transmits the force to the plurality of dispersed second protrusions 1312. The second protrusions 1312 can absorb stress and deform, thereby further improving the impact resistance of the display module 1 and improving the stability of the display module 1 under external impact.

[0059] Furthermore, when the display module 1 is used in electronic devices such as mobile phones, it needs to be bonded to the support structure in the electronic device. As shown in Figure 7, which is a cross-sectional view of the bending area of ​​a display module in a bent state according to an embodiment of the present invention, the second protrusion 1312 at different positions can be compressed. Moreover, the second protrusion 1312 at different positions can undergo varying degrees of compression deformation depending on the magnitude of the force applied. For example, in areas where the bonding is relatively tight, the second protrusion 1312 can be compressed to a greater extent; in other areas, the second protrusion 1312 may not be compressed or may be compressed to a lesser extent. This allows the display module 1 and the support structure 2 to bond well at different positions, avoiding the problem of poor bonding between the display module 1 and the support structure 2 due to uneven local deformation of the display module 1 during bending, resulting in non-uniform gaps of varying widths between them. As shown in Figure 8, which is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of an electronic device including a display module and a support structure in a bent state, it can be seen that there is a gap G between the support member 12' and the support structure 2' in some positions, and the two cannot be completely fitted together.

[0060] As exemplarily shown in Figure 9, which is a top view of another display module in the unfolded state according to an embodiment of the present invention, the support member 12 includes a plurality of through-hole groups 1200 arranged along the second direction h2, and the through-hole groups 1200 include a plurality of through-holes 120 arranged along the first direction h1. As shown in Figure 9, the two through-holes 120 closest to each other in two adjacent through-hole groups 1200 are staggered in the second direction h2. This arrangement allows the through-holes 120 to be distributed as dispersedly as possible in the support member 12, thereby better dispersing the bending stress of the support member 12 during bending.

[0061] For example, as shown in FIG9, the orthographic projection of the second protrusion 1312 onto the plane of the support member 12 includes at least a first portion 13121, at least a portion of which is located between two adjacent through holes 120 in the same through hole group 1200. By providing the first portion 13121 in the second protrusion 1312 and positioning it between two adjacent through holes 120 in the through hole group 1200, this embodiment of the invention allows for a closer distance between the first portion 13121 and two adjacent through holes 120 in the same through hole group 1200, and also a closer distance between the first portion 13121 and the other two through hole groups 1200 on both sides of the aforementioned through hole group 1200. That is, a greater number of through holes 120 can be provided around the first portion 13121, improving the support performance of the support member 12 while reducing the required number of second protrusions 1312, thus simplifying the structure of the first functional tape 131.

[0062] Optionally, as shown in Figure 9, the shape of the first part 13121 can be elliptical.

[0063] Alternatively, as shown in Figure 10, which is a top view of another display module provided in an embodiment of the present invention in its unfolded state, the second protrusion 1312 further includes a second portion 13122, which is connected to the first portion 13121. At least a portion of the second portion 13122 is located between two adjacent through-hole groups 1200 in the second direction h2. The provision of the second portion 13122 can further improve the support stability of the second protrusion 13122.

[0064] Optionally, as shown in Figure 10, the second protrusion 1312 includes two second portions 13122, both of which are connected to the first portion 13121, with the first portion 13121 located between the two second portions 13122. The second protrusion 1312 has a shape similar to an "I".

[0065] For example, as shown in FIG10, the first functional tape 131 includes a plurality of second protrusions 1312, and there is a distance d1 between the second portions 13122 of two adjacent second protrusions 1312 in the first direction h1. That is, two adjacent second protrusions 1312 are spaced apart, and the gap between them can serve as a stress relief structure, and improve the deformation freedom of different second protrusions 1312, thereby improving the bending reliability of the second protrusions 1312.

[0066] Optionally, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, the support member 12 includes a spacer portion 121 located between two adjacent through holes 120 in the same through hole group 1200. The orthographic projection of the first portion 13121 onto the plane of the support member 12 covers the spacer portion 121 to improve the support stability of the second protrusion 1312 for the display module 1.

[0067] For example, in this embodiment of the invention, the first functional tape 131 includes N3 second protrusions 1312, and the support member 12 includes N4 spacers 121. Wherein, 0.5 ≤ N3 / N4 ≤ 1. Based on this arrangement, the second protrusions 1312 can be provided in at least half of the spacers 121 in the support member 12, ensuring the support stability of the second protrusions 1312. Figures 9 and 10 illustrate this with N3 / N4 = 1, that is, a second protrusion 1312 is provided at the location of each spacer 121.

[0068] For example, in embodiments of the present invention, the second protrusion 1312 and the first body 1310 can be integrally formed.

[0069] Optionally, the thickness h of the second protrusion 1312 in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the display panel 11 satisfies: 10μm ≤ h ≤ 50μm. By setting the thickness h of the second protrusion 1312 to be greater than or equal to 10μm, this embodiment of the invention ensures sufficient support stability for the second protrusion 1312 and facilitates its fabrication. Furthermore, by setting h to be less than or equal to 50μm, this embodiment of the invention avoids the problem of excessive thickness of the display module 1 due to excessively large height of the second protrusion 1312.

[0070] Optionally, as shown in Figure 11, which is a top view of another display module provided in the embodiment of the present invention in its unfolded state, the support member 12 includes a plurality of spacer groups 1210 arranged along a first direction h1, and each spacer group 1210 includes a plurality of spacers 121 arranged along a second direction h2. As shown in Figure 11, the bent area BA and the non-bent area NBA are arranged along the first direction h1. The plurality of spacer groups 1210 include at least a first sub-spacer group 12101 and a second sub-spacer group 12102, with the first sub-spacer group 12101 located on the side of the second sub-spacer group 12102 closer to the non-bent area NBA. The number of second protrusions 1312 provided in the first sub-spacer group 12101 is less than the number of second protrusions 1312 provided in the second sub-spacer group 12102.

[0071] For different positions within the support member 12, the closer to the non-bending zone NBA, the smaller the bending stress experienced during bending. In this embodiment of the invention, the bending stress at the position corresponding to the first sub-spacer group 12101 in the support member 12 is less than the bending stress at the position corresponding to the second sub-spacer group. In this embodiment of the invention, the number of second protrusions 1312 in the first sub-spacer group 12101 is less than the number of second protrusions 1312 in the second sub-spacer group 12102. That is, the number of second protrusions 1312 in the first sub-spacer group 12101 and the second sub-spacer group 12102 is matched to the bending stress of the support member 12 at their respective locations. When subjected to external impact, the fewer second protrusions 1312 in the first sub-spacer group 12101 can apply a smaller supporting force to the location of lower stress in the support member 12, while the more numerous second protrusions 1312 in the second sub-spacer group 12102 can apply a larger supporting force to the location of higher stress in the support member 12. After repeated bending, the display module 1 exhibits relatively more internal defects at locations with higher bending stress, resulting in a relatively weaker ability to withstand impact. Based on this configuration, while improving the impact resistance of the display module 1 using the first body 1310, there is no need to set too many second protrusions 1312, which helps to simplify the structure of the first functional tape 131.

[0072] Optionally, as shown in Figure 11, the number of second protrusions 1312 in the plurality of sub-spacer groups 1210 gradually decreases as the distance from the non-bending area NBA decreases. That is, the number of second protrusions 1312 in the plurality of sub-spacer groups 1210 gradually increases as the distance from the bending axis 10 decreases, so that the density of the second protrusions 1312 gradually decreases along the bending axis 10 toward the non-bending area NBA. This improves the yield of the display module 1 while avoiding setting a large density of the second protrusions 1312 at each position, which facilitates the thinning design of the first functional tape 131.

[0073] Optionally, the elastic modulus E of the second protrusion 1312 satisfies: 1 MPa ≤ E ≤ 10 MPa.

[0074] Optionally, the second protrusion 1312 can be integrally formed with the first body 1310. Alternatively, the second protrusion 1312 and the first body 1310 can be manufactured separately.

[0075] For example, as shown in FIG12, FIG12 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a first functional tape in an unfolded state according to an embodiment of the present invention. A first adhesive layer 31 is included between the first body 1310 and the first protrusion 1311, and a second adhesive layer 32 is included between the first body 1310 and the second protrusion 1312. The first adhesive layer 31 is used to bond the first body 1310 and the first protrusion 1311, and the second adhesive layer 32 is used to bond the first body 1310 and the second protrusion 1312. Optionally, the first adhesive layer 31 and the second adhesive layer 32 include any one of the following: optically clear adhesive (OCA), pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), colorless polyimide (CPI), polyimide (PI), thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU), and acrylate compounds.

[0076] Optionally, in manufacturing the first functional tape 131, a first body 1310 may be provided first, comprising a non-Newtonian fluid material. Optionally, the first body 1310 may be formed by inkjet printing. Then, adhesive layers may be coated on the upper and lower sides of the first body 1310 to form a first adhesive layer 31 and a second adhesive layer 32, respectively. Subsequently, a first protrusion 1311 may be provided on the side of the first adhesive layer 31 away from the first body 1310, and a second protrusion 1312 may be provided on the side of the second adhesive layer 32 away from the first body 1310. The first protrusion 1311 and the second protrusion 1312 are offset from each other in the thickness direction of the first body 1310. Exemplarily, the first protrusion 1311 and the second protrusion 1312 may be formed using screen printing or dispensing processes.

[0077] Optionally, as shown in Figure 13, which is a cross-sectional view of another display module in an unfolded state according to an embodiment of the present invention, the display module 1 further includes a second functional tape 132; at least a portion of the second functional tape 132 is located in the bending area BA, and the second functional tape 132 includes a second body 1320 and a third protrusion 1321. The second body 1320 is located on the side of the support member 12 near the display panel 11; at least a portion of the third protrusion 1321 is located within the through hole 120; the second body 1320 and the third protrusion 1321 include light-shielding material. If light leakage occurs at the location of the through hole 120, the arrangement of the third protrusion 1321 and the second body 1320 can block the light leaking in from the through hole 120, further preventing the light leakage problem from occurring.

[0078] Optionally, the second body 1320, the third protrusion 1321, and the first protrusion 1311 can be made of the same material.

[0079] As exemplarily shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, and 13, the display module 1 provided in this embodiment of the invention further includes a cover plate 41, a protective component 42, and an adhesive layer 43. As shown in Figure 1, the cover plate 41 is located on the light-emitting side of the display panel 11. The cover plate 1 provides protection for the display panel 11. The protective component 42 is located on the side of the display panel 11 away from the light-emitting side. As shown in Figure 1, the protective component 42 is located between the display panel 11 and the support member 12. The adhesive layer 43 is located between the protective component 42 and the support member 12, and the adhesive layer 43 is used to bond the protective component 42 and the support member 12. Optionally, the adhesive layer 43 includes any one of OCA, PSA, PET, CPI, PI, and TPU.

[0080] This invention also provides a display device, as shown in FIG14. FIG14 is a schematic diagram of a display device provided by an embodiment of the present invention, the display device including the display module 1 described above. The specific structure of the display module 1 has been described in detail in the above embodiments and will not be repeated here. Of course, the display device shown in FIG14 is merely illustrative, and the display device can be any electronic device with display function, such as a mobile phone, tablet computer, laptop computer, e-book, or television. The above descriptions are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A display module, characterized in that, It has both bent and non-bent areas; The display module includes a display panel, a support component, and a first functional tape; The support member is located on the side of the display panel away from the light-emitting side of the display module. At least a portion of the first functional tape is located in the bending area, and the first functional tape includes a first body located on the side of the support member away from the display panel; the first body includes a non-Newtonian fluid material.

2. The display module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first body includes a first sub-part and a second sub-part. The first sub-part is located on the side of the second sub-part closer to the non-bending area. The thickness of the first sub-part in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the display panel is less than the thickness of the second sub-part in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the display panel.

3. The display module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support member has a through hole located in the bending area; The first functional tape includes a first protrusion formed on one side of the first body, at least a portion of the first protrusion being located within the through hole, and the first protrusion including a light-shielding material.

4. The display module according to claim 3, characterized in that, Along a direction perpendicular to the plane where the display panel is located and pointing from the support member to the display panel, the cross-sectional area of ​​the first protrusion gradually decreases in the direction parallel to the plane where the display panel is located.

5. The display module according to claim 3, characterized in that, The area of ​​the first protrusion projected onto the plane of the support member is smaller than the area of ​​the through hole projected onto the plane of the support member.

6. The display module according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first protrusion includes a first surface near the first body, the length of the first surface in a cross section perpendicular to the plane of the display panel is L1, the through hole includes a first opening near the first body, the length of the first opening in the same cross section is L2, L2>L1, and 20μm≤L2-L1≤50μm.

7. The display module according to claim 3, characterized in that, The thickness of the first protrusion in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the display panel is less than the depth of the through hole in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the display panel.

8. The display module according to claim 3, characterized in that, The shape of the first protrusion in the plane of the display panel is the same as the shape of the through hole in the plane of the display panel.

9. The display module according to claim 3, characterized in that, The support member has N1 through holes; at least N2 of the N1 through holes are first through holes, and at least a portion of the first protrusion is located within the first through holes; 0.5≤N2 / N1≤1.

10. The display module according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first protrusion and the first body are integrally formed.

11. The display module according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first protrusion is prepared by screen printing or dispensing process.

12. The display module according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first protrusion includes a light-shielding material.

13. The display module according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first body and the first protrusion are made of the same material.

14. The display module according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first functional tape includes a second protrusion located on the side of the first body away from the display panel, and the orthographic projection of the second protrusion on the plane where the display panel is located is offset from the orthographic projection of the through hole on the plane where the display panel is located.

15. The display module according to claim 14, characterized in that, The second protrusion comprises an elastic material.

16. The display module according to claim 14, characterized in that, The support member includes a plurality of through holes arranged along a second direction, and the through hole group includes a plurality of through holes arranged along a first direction; The second protrusion, when projected onto the plane of the support member, includes at least a first portion, at least a portion of which is located between two adjacent through holes in the same group of through holes.

17. The display module according to claim 16, characterized in that, The support member includes a spacer portion, which is located between two adjacent through holes in the same group of through holes; The first portion, when projected onto the plane of the support member, covers the spacer portion.

18. The display module according to claim 17, characterized in that, The support member includes a plurality of spacer groups arranged along the first direction, and the spacer groups include a plurality of spacer groups arranged along the second direction; The plurality of said spacing groups include at least a first sub-spacing group and a second sub-spacing group, wherein the first sub-spacing group is located on the side of the second sub-spacing group closer to the non-bending area; the number of second protrusions in the first sub-spacing group is less than the number of second protrusions in the second sub-spacing group.

19. The display module according to claim 17, characterized in that, The first functional tape includes N3 second protrusions; The number of the spacers is N4; 0.5≤N3 / N4≤1.

20. The display module according to claim 14, characterized in that, The second protrusion and the first body are integrally formed.

21. The display module according to claim 14, characterized in that, The height h of the second protrusion satisfies: 10μm≤h≤50μm.

22. The display module according to claim 14, characterized in that, The elastic modulus E of the second protrusion satisfies: 1 MPa ≤ E ≤ 10 MPa.

23. The display module according to claim 3, characterized in that, It also includes secondary functional tapes; At least a portion of the second functional tape is located in the bending area. The second functional tape includes a second body and a third protrusion. The second body is located on the side of the support member closer to the display panel. At least a portion of the third protrusion is located within the through hole. The second body and the third protrusion include a light-shielding material.

24. A display device, characterized in that, Includes the display module as described in any one of claims 1-23.

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