Display module and display device

Abstract

A display module (100), comprising a flexible display panel (20) and a support member (10), wherein the support member (10) comprises a first bending portion (11) and second bending portions (12) on two opposite sides of the first bending portion; the first bending portion (11) and the second bending portions (12) have opposite bending directions when the display module (100) is in a folded state; each second bending portion (12) has the equal thickness at all locations, the thickness of each second bending portion (12) is within the range of 1 / 2 to 2 times the thickness of the flexible display panel (20) of the display module (100), and the first bending portion (11) is provided with holes (110).

Description

Display module and display device Cross-reference to related applications

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese patent application No. 202411190346.2, filed on August 28, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

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

[0003] For a display module with a water-drop shape, it typically includes a support member and a flexible display panel located on the support member. The support member includes a first bending portion and a second bending portion located in the bending area and having opposite bending directions when the display module is in the folded state.

[0004] In related technologies, the second bending part needs to be made into a blind hole through an etching process. Currently, the etching depth tolerance for the etching process used to make blind holes is about ±20μm. When the actual etching depth of the second bending part deviates significantly from the design depth, it often leads to bending failure of the display module, thereby affecting the reliability of the flexible display panel. Invention Overview

[0005] The embodiments of this application aim to solve the problem in the related art that the support member is prone to bending failure of the display module due to the deviation between the actual etching depth and the design depth of the blind hole in the second bending part.

[0006] On one hand, this application provides a display module, which includes a flexible display panel and a support member. The support member is disposed on one side of the flexible display panel and includes a first bending portion and a second bending portion located on opposite sides of the first bending portion. The first bending portion and the second bending portion bend in opposite directions when the display module is in a folded state. The thickness of the second bending portion is equal at each position, and the thickness of the second bending portion is greater than or equal to 1 / 2 of the thickness of the flexible display panel of the display module, and less than or equal to 2 times the thickness of the flexible display panel. An opening is provided on the first bending portion.

[0007] On the other hand, embodiments of this application provide a display device, which includes the display module as described in the above embodiments. Beneficial effects

[0008] For the support member provided in this application embodiment, since the thickness of the second bending portion is set within the range of 1 / 2 to 2 times the thickness of the flexible display panel, the thickness of the second bending portion is effectively reduced, thereby reducing the bending stiffness of the second bending portion and ensuring that the support member can bend smoothly during the folding process of the display module. Furthermore, since no openings are provided on the second bending portion, the problem of bending failure of the display module due to the influence of etching depth tolerance can be effectively avoided, while also avoiding the increase in support member manufacturing costs caused by providing openings on the second bending portion. In addition, since openings are provided on the first bending portion, the stress on the support member during bending or in a bent state can be reduced, thereby ensuring that the support member provides good support for the flexible display panel. Attached Figure Description

[0009] Figure 1 is a structural diagram of a display module provided in some embodiments of this application;

[0010] Figure 2 is a structural diagram of a support member in a bent state according to some embodiments of this application;

[0011] Figure 3 is a partial structural diagram of a support member provided in some embodiments of this application;

[0012] Figure 4 is a partial structural diagram of a support member provided in some other embodiments of this application;

[0013] Figure 5A is a structural diagram of a display module provided in some other embodiments of this application;

[0014] Figure 5B is a structural diagram of a display module provided in some embodiments of this application;

[0015] Figure 6 is a structural diagram of a display module provided in some embodiments of this application;

[0016] Figure 7 is a structural diagram of a display module provided in some embodiments of this application;

[0017] Figure 8 is a structural diagram of a display module provided in some embodiments of this application;

[0018] Figure 9A is a bar chart showing the pressure exerted on the adhesive layer located on the second bend in the display module of the related art and the display module provided in the embodiment of this application;

[0019] Figure 9B is a bar chart of longitudinal strain in multiple layers of a display module in the related art and the display module provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0020] Figure 9C is a bar chart of the normal stress of display modules in related technologies and display modules provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0021] Figure 9D is a bar chart of strain in multiple layers of a display module in the related art and the display module provided in the embodiments of this application. Embodiments of the present invention

[0022] The technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The described technical solutions are for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of this application.

[0023] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "first," "second," and similar words do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different technical features. The terms "multiple" and similar words mean two or more, unless otherwise expressly defined.

[0024] The use of “configured to” in this application implies open and inclusive language, which does not preclude the applicability to or configuration of devices to perform additional tasks or steps. Furthermore, the use of “based on” implies openness and inclusivity, because processes, steps, calculations, or other actions “based on” one or more of the stated conditions or values ​​may in practice be based on additional conditions or values ​​beyond those stated.

[0025] In this application, the term "exemplary" is used to mean "serving as an example, illustration, or description." Any embodiment described as "exemplary" in this application is not necessarily to be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments. The following description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use this application.

[0026] The various embodiments of this application are similar, and features from different embodiments and / or different examples can be combined with each other.

[0027] In related technologies, the thickness of the support component is at least 120 μm, which is typically more than 2.5 times the thickness of the flexible display panel in the display module. Based on the background technology, the second bend requires the fabrication of blind holes through an etching process. The main purpose of this is to reduce the bending stiffness of the second bend in the teardrop-shaped bend of the display module, thereby reducing the risk of peeling of the adhesive layer and the flexible display panel located on the second bend.

[0028] However, during the fabrication of blind vias, excessive etching depth leads to a high risk of adhesive layer peeling, while insufficient etching depth results in cracking and excessive peeling risk in the flexible display panel. Therefore, a reasonable etching depth (i.e., the design depth of the blind via) needs to be optimized through simulation during the support component design phase. However, current etching processes for manufacturing blind vias typically only achieve a depth tolerance of ±20μm. Consequently, significant deviations between the actual etching depth and the design depth often lead to bending failure of the display module, thus affecting the reliability of the flexible display panel.

[0029] Based on this, some embodiments of this application provide a display module, as shown in FIG1. ​​The display module 100 includes a flexible display panel 20 and a support member 10. The support member 10 is disposed on one side of the flexible display panel 20 and is used to support the flexible display panel 20. The support member 10 may be disposed on the backlight side of the flexible display panel 20 to avoid affecting the light emission of the flexible display panel 20.

[0030] As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the support member 10 includes a first bent portion 11 and a second bent portion 12 located on opposite sides of the first bent portion 11.

[0031] During the folding of the display module 100 along its crease, the support member 10 also bends simultaneously. As shown in Figure 2, the support member 10 bends entirely about the crease of the display module 100. When the display module 100 is in the folded state, the support member 10 includes a first bending area 101, a second bending area 102, and a flat area 103 located on the side of the second bending area away from the first bending area 101. The first bending portion 11 is located within the first bending area 101, and the second bending portion 12 is located within the second bending area 102. The curvature of the second bending portion 12 is less than the curvature of the first bending portion 11, that is, the degree of bending of the second bending portion 12 is less than the degree of bending of the first bending portion 11.

[0032] The first bending portion 11 and the second bending portion 12 bend in opposite directions when the display module 100 is in a folded state. That is, when the display module 100 is folded, the support member 10 also bends simultaneously, and the bending direction of the first bending portion 11 and the second bending portion 12 are opposite. For example, the first bending portion 11 bends inward, and the second bending portion 12 bends outward.

[0033] As shown in Figure 2, during the folding process of the display module 100 along its crease, the support member 10 is bent along a bending axis, which can coincide with the bending axis 1001 of the first bending portion 11. When the display module 100 is folded and in the folded state, the bending direction of the first bending portion 11 faces the inside of the display module 100, while the bending direction of the second bending portion 12 faces the outside of the display module 100.

[0034] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the thickness of the second bending portion 12 is equal at every position. The thickness of the second bending portion 12 is greater than or equal to half the thickness of the flexible display panel 20, and less than or equal to twice the thickness of the flexible display panel 20. That is, the thickness of the second bending portion 12 is significantly reduced compared to the thickness of the second bending portion in related technologies. This reduces the bending stiffness of the second bending portion 12, ensuring that the second bending portion 12 can bend smoothly during the folding process of the display module 100. Furthermore, since the thickness is equal at each location on the second bending portion 12, and no openings (e.g., blind holes) are provided on the second bending portion 12, this avoids the problem of inconsistent opening depths at different locations on the second bending portion 12 due to etching depth tolerances during the manufacturing process. This would prevent uneven stiffness distribution on the second bending portion 12, which could lead to cracking or peeling of the flexible display panel, or peeling of the adhesive layer on the second bending portion 12, resulting in bending failure of the display module. Simultaneously, eliminating the openings on the second bending portion 12 reduces the corresponding process steps, thereby saving on the manufacturing cost of the support member 10.

[0035] In addition, an opening 110 is provided on the first bending portion 11. This can reduce the stress (including the compressive and tensile forces within the structure of the support member 10, and the rebound force formed after bending) experienced by the support member 10 during bending or in a bent state. This makes the support member 10 less prone to plastic deformation and creep during long-term bending and multiple bending processes, thereby ensuring that the surface of the support member 10 facing the flexible display panel 20 maintains a high degree of flatness, thus ensuring a good support effect for the flexible display panel 20.

[0036] Therefore, for the support member 10 provided in the above embodiment, since the thickness of the second bending portion 12 is effectively reduced, the bending stiffness of the second bending portion 12 is reduced, thereby enabling the display module 100 to bend smoothly during the folding process. Furthermore, since no opening is provided on the second bending portion 12, the problem of bending failure of the display module due to the influence of etching depth tolerance can be effectively avoided, while also avoiding the increase in manufacturing cost of the support member 10 caused by providing openings on the second bending portion 12. In addition, since the first bending portion 11 has an opening 110, the stress on the support member 10 during bending or in a bent state can be reduced, thereby ensuring that the support member 10 provides good support for the flexible display panel 20.

[0037] In some embodiments, the thickness of the second bending portion 12 is greater than or equal to 20 μm and less than or equal to 90 μm.

[0038] Compared to the support component in related technologies which has a thickness of at least 120 μm, the thickness of the second bending portion 12 provided in this embodiment is significantly reduced. This reduces the bending stiffness of the second bending portion 12, ensuring that the second bending portion 12 can bend smoothly during the folding process of the display module 100.

[0039] In some examples, the thickness of the second bend 12 can be 20μm, 30μm, 40μm, 50μm, 60μm, 65μm, 70μm, 75μm, 80μm, 85μm, 90μm, etc.

[0040] In some embodiments, the thickness of the second bending portion 12 is greater than or equal to 60 μm and less than or equal to 90 μm.

[0041] This effectively ensures that the second bending part 12 has a certain bending stiffness, and also ensures that the second bending part 12 has good rigidity, thereby ensuring that it provides good support for the flexible display panel 20.

[0042] In some examples, the thickness of the second bend 12 can also be 63μm, 67μm, 73μm, 77μm, 83μm, 87μm, etc.

[0043] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG3, the opening 110 includes a plurality of blind holes, and the opening of each blind hole is disposed on the side of the first bend 11 away from the flexible display panel 20 of the display module 100.

[0044] This design effectively prevents the opening of the blind hole in the display module 100 from contacting the flexible display panel 20 after folding, thereby reducing the risk of the flexible display panel 20 being embossed and developing marks.

[0045] As one possible approach, the aforementioned blind aperture can be fabricated on the surface of the first bend 11 away from the flexible display panel 20. For example, the blind aperture can be fabricated using an etching process.

[0046] In some examples, each blind hole can be circular, streamlined, elliptical, or other shapes. Multiple blind holes can be arranged along the width direction of the first bent portion 11 (in its non-bent state) to form a blind hole group, and multiple blind hole groups can be arranged along the length direction of the first bent portion 11 (in its non-bent state). The length direction of the first bent portion 11 is consistent with the direction from the first bent portion 11 toward the second bent portion 12, and the width direction of the first bent portion 11 is perpendicular to its length direction.

[0047] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG4, the opening 110 includes a plurality of through holes disposed along the thickness direction of the support member 10.

[0048] This design effectively reduces the stress on the support member 10 during bending or when it is in a bent state through the through holes. During the bending process, the through holes in the first bending part 11 can withstand a large deformation, which can form an effective buffer, ensuring that the support member 10 is not prone to plastic deformation or creep during long-term bending or multiple bending, thereby achieving a good support effect for the flexible display panel 20.

[0049] As one possible approach, the aforementioned through-holes can be fabricated using an etching process.

[0050] Etching processes include dry etching and wet etching, which can be flexibly selected according to actual conditions.

[0051] In some examples, each through hole can be circular, streamlined, elliptical, or other shapes. Multiple through holes can be arranged along the width direction of the first bend 11 to form a through hole group, and multiple through hole groups can be arranged along the length direction of the first bend 11.

[0052] In some examples, the first bend 11 may include multiple arrangement areas. Within the same arrangement area, all through-hole groups are arranged in the same way, and all through-holes within each through-hole group are also arranged in the same way. In different arrangement areas, the through-hole groups are arranged differently, and the through-holes within each through-hole group are also arranged differently.

[0053] In some examples, the through holes on the first bending portion 11 are symmetrically arranged about the bending axis 1001. This helps to ensure that the first bending portion 11 relieves the stress on the support member 10 during bending or when it is in a bent state, thereby ensuring the support stability of the support member 10 for the flexible display panel 20.

[0054] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG4, the first bending portion 11 is oriented toward the second bending portion 12 along a first direction X, and the first direction X is consistent with the length direction of the first bending portion 11 in its non-bending state. The first bending portion includes a connecting portion 111 located between two adjacent openings 110 (e.g., through holes) along the first direction X.

[0055] Figure 4 shows a through hole 110 in the shape of a strip. The extension direction of the through hole has an angle with the first direction X. For example, the through hole extends along a second direction Y that is perpendicular to the first direction X.

[0056] When the opening 110 is a strip-shaped through hole, the connecting part 111 between two adjacent through holes is a strip-shaped connecting part; in the second direction Y, a spacer 112 is provided between two adjacent openings 110, and the spacer 112 is connected to the adjacent connecting part 111, so that the first bending part 11 forms a continuous structure.

[0057] In some examples, all openings 110 are of equal size in the first direction X, which helps to improve the structural stability of the first bend 11.

[0058] One possible approach is to stagger two adjacent openings 110 in the first direction X. That is, for two adjacent openings 110 in the first direction X, one is positioned above the other in the second direction Y, thus making the two openings 110 staggered.

[0059] In some examples, in the first direction X, the size of the spacer 112 may be equal to the sum of the sizes of the two connecting portions 111 and the size of the opening 110 located between the two connecting portions 111.

[0060] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG3, the thickness of the portion of the first bent portion 11 other than the opening 110 is equal to the thickness of the second bent portion 12. The thickness of the portion of the first bent portion 11 other than the opening 110 refers to the thickness of the area of ​​the first bent portion 11 without the opening.

[0061] In this case, except for the first bending part 11 which has an opening 110, the support member 10 is a plate-shaped structure with uniform thickness. This can achieve the overall thinning of the support member 10, which is beneficial to the lightweight design of the display module 100. On the other hand, it is also beneficial to achieve stable support of the support member 10 for the flexible display panel 20.

[0062] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 2 to 4, the support member 10 further includes a flat portion 13 located on the side of the second bent portion 12 away from the first bent portion 11, wherein the thickness of the portion of the first bent portion 11 other than the opening 110 is equal to the thickness of the flat portion 13 and the second bent portion 12.

[0063] With this configuration, the surfaces of the flat portion 13, the second bent portion 12, and the first bent portion 11 can work together as a support surface to place the flexible display panel 20, thereby providing good support for the flexible display panel 20.

[0064] When the thickness of the portion of the first bent portion 11 excluding the opening 110 is equal to the thickness of the second bent portion 12 and the flat portion 13, any one of the thicknesses of the portion of the first bent portion 11 excluding the opening 110, the second bent portion 12, and the flat portion 13 is also the same as the thickness of the support member 10. For ease of explanation, some embodiments below will be described directly using the thickness of the support member 10.

[0065] In some examples, there are two flat portions 13, which are respectively disposed on both sides of the first bent portion 11 and located on the side of the adjacent second bent portion 12 away from the first bent portion 11.

[0066] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG2, a plurality of flat portions 13, a plurality of second bent portions 12, and a first bent portion 11 together enclose a space; wherein the bending axis of the first bent portion 11 is located inside the space, and the bending axis of the second bent portion 12 is located outside the space. That is, the curvature center corresponding to the arc segment on the first bent portion 11 is located inside the space, while the curvature center corresponding to the arc segment on the second bent portion 12 is located outside the space.

[0067] When the display module 100 is folded, the support member 10 below the flexible display panel 20 can remain in contact with the flexible display panel 20, so that the support member 10 can stably support the flexible display panel 20 during dynamic bending and in the bending state, thereby ensuring that the flexible display panel 20 can stably display the image during bending and in the bending state, thus ensuring the reliability of the flexible display panel 20 during use.

[0068] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 5A and 5B, based on the support member 10 including a flat portion 13, the display module 100 also includes a cover plate 30 located on the side of the flexible display panel 20 away from the support member 10. The glass 31 in the cover plate 30 includes a first portion 311 and a second portion 313. The thickness of the second portion 313 is greater than the thickness of the first portion 311. The first bending portion 11 is located within the orthographic projection range of the first portion 311 on the support member 10, and the flat portion 13 is located within the orthographic projection range of the second portion 313 on the support member 10.

[0069] With this configuration, since the second part 313 has a relatively large thickness and the flat part 13 is located within the orthographic projection range of the second part 313 on the support member 10, this can compensate for the problem that the display module 100 may have reduced rigidity at the flat part 13 position due to the thinning of the support member 10, thereby helping to ensure the overall stability of the display module 100.

[0070] The first part 311 has the same thickness at every position, and the second part 313 has the same thickness at every position.

[0071] In some examples, the thickness of the second part 313 may be greater than or equal to twice the thickness of the first part 311.

[0072] In some examples, the thickness of the first part 311 is greater than or equal to 30 μm and less than or equal to 40 μm. This avoids the problem of the first part 311 being too thick, thus preventing it from cracking easily during bending. On the other hand, it avoids the problem of the first part 311 being too thin, thus failing to provide adequate protection for the flexible display panel below.

[0073] For example, the thickness of the second part 313 can be 70μm, and the thickness of the first part 311 can be 30μm. This can effectively ensure that the display module 100 has good rigidity at the flat part 13, while also ensuring the stability of the glass 31.

[0074] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 5A and 5B, the glass 31 further includes a transition portion 312 located between and connecting the first portion 311 and the second portion 313. The thickness of the transition portion 312 on the side closer to the first portion 311 is less than the thickness of the transition portion 312 on the side closer to the second portion 313. The edge of the transition portion 312 overlaps with the edge of the orthographic projection of the second bent portion 12 onto the support 10, the edge of the first bent portion 11 overlaps with the edge of the orthographic projection of the first portion 311 onto the support 10, and the edge of the flat portion 13 overlaps with the edge of the orthographic projection of the second portion 313 onto the support 10. In this case, the first portion 311 is directly opposite the first bent portion 11, the transition portion 312 is directly opposite the second bent portion 12, and the second portion 313 is directly opposite the flat portion 13.

[0075] This arrangement ensures that the positions of the first bending portion 11 and the first part 311 correspond, and the positions of the flat portion 13 and the second part 313 correspond, thereby improving the coordination between the flexible display panel 20 and the support member 10 during the bending process of the display module 100, which in turn helps to ensure the overall stability of the display module 100.

[0076] In some examples, the surface of the transition portion 312 on the side away from the support member 10 includes at least one of a plane and a curved surface. Since the thickness of the first portion 311 is less than the thickness of the second portion 313, a height difference will be formed between the first portion 311 and the second portion 313. By setting the surface of the transition portion 312 on the side away from the support member 10 to be a plane and / or a curved surface, a smooth transition between the first portion 311 and the second portion 313 can be ensured, while also facilitating the bending of the flexible display panel 20 at the location of the first portion 311.

[0077] When the surface of the transition portion 312 on the side away from the support member 10 includes a curved surface, the contact area between this part of the surface and the subsequently formed cover layer 32 can be larger, thereby improving the tightness of the connection between the two.

[0078] In some examples, the surface of the transition portion 312 on the side away from the support member 10 is flat.

[0079] As one possible approach, glass 31 can be ultra-thin glass. For example, glass 31 can be made of ultra-fine grain (UFG) material. The aforementioned material has characteristics such as high strength, high hardness, and excellent fatigue life, which helps to ensure good rigidity of the display module 100 at the flat portion 13.

[0080] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG5A, the glass 31 has a groove K at the location of the first portion 311 and the transition portion 312. For example, the glass 31 is recessed at the location of the first portion 311 and the transition portion 312 to form the groove K. The cover plate 30 also includes a filling portion 33 located in the groove K, and the surface of the filling portion 33 on the side away from the support member 10 is flush with the surface of the second portion 313 on the side away from the support member 10.

[0081] This design ensures that the surface of the cover plate 30 away from the support member 10 is flat, thus improving the user experience. Furthermore, since the filling portion 33 only fills the groove K, this helps reduce the thickness of the cover plate 30, thereby facilitating the thinning of the display module 100.

[0082] In some examples, the elastic modulus of the filler 33 is less than that of the glass 31.

[0083] This design ensures that the cover plate 30 has relatively high rigidity at the flat portion 13 of the corresponding support member 10, thereby effectively compensating for the problem that the reduced thickness at the flat portion 13 could easily lead to a decrease in rigidity at that position. On the other hand, it also facilitates the bending of the cover plate 30 at the position corresponding to the filling portion 33, thereby ensuring the smooth bending of the display module 100.

[0084] In some examples, the filler 33 may be made of organic materials such as polyurethane or acrylic.

[0085] In other embodiments, as shown in FIG5B, the glass 31 is recessed at the positions of the first portion 311 and the transition portion 312 to form a groove K. The cover plate 30 also includes a covering layer 32 located on the side of the glass 31 away from the support member 10. The covering layer 32 covers the second portion 313 and partially fills the groove K. The surface of the covering layer 32 on the side away from the support member 10 is planar. For example, the covering layer 32 includes a portion filled in the groove K and a portion located outside the groove K and covering the glass 31. For the portion located outside the groove K and covering the glass 31, its surface on the side away from the support member 10 is planar.

[0086] This facilitates the production of the cover layer 32 and ensures that the surface of the cover plate 30 away from the support member 10 has good flatness, thereby helping to guarantee the user's experience.

[0087] In some examples, the elastic modulus of the cover layer 32 is less than that of the glass 31.

[0088] Since a portion of the cover layer 32 is filled in the groove K, on ​​the one hand, the cover plate 30 can be guaranteed to have relatively high rigidity at the position of the flat portion 13 corresponding to the support member 10, thereby effectively compensating for the problem that the thinning of the thickness at the position of the flat portion 13 can easily lead to a decrease in rigidity at that position; on the other hand, it is also conducive to the cover plate 30 bending at the position of the corresponding groove, thereby ensuring the smooth bending of the display module 100.

[0089] In some examples, the cover layer 32 may be made of organic materials such as polyurethane or acrylic.

[0090] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG6, the support member 10 includes flat portions 13 located on both sides of the first bending portion 11, and each flat portion 13 is located on the side of the corresponding second bending portion 12 away from the first bending portion 11. The display module 100 also includes an adhesive layer 40 disposed between the flexible display panel 20 and the support member 10. The adhesive layer 40 can bond the flexible display panel 20 and the support member 10, thereby ensuring the coordination between the two during bending or unfolding, and enabling the support member 10 to provide continuous and stable support for the flexible display panel 20.

[0091] In some examples, as shown in Figure 6, the adhesive layer 40 includes two spaced-apart adhesive portions 41, each covering a second bent portion 12 and a flat portion 13 located on the same side as the first bent portion 11. That is, the two adhesive portions 41 in the adhesive layer 40 are separated at the location of the first bent portion 11. This helps reduce the bending stress of the adhesive layer 40 and ensures its stability. Furthermore, since the second bent portion 12 has the same thickness at each location, its stiffness is uniformly distributed. Therefore, the rebound force exerted on the adhesive portion 41 covering the second bent portion 12 is relatively uniform, thus reducing the risk of peeling in the adhesive layer 40. In addition, because the rebound force exerted on the adhesive portion 41 from the second bent portion 12 is relatively uniform and the two adhesive portions 41 are separated at the location of the first bent portion 11, the risk of cracking in the adhesive portion 41 is also effectively reduced.

[0092] In some examples, the orthographic projection of the adhesive portion 41 onto the support 10 is located outside the area where the first bend 11 is located. For example, the edge of the orthographic projection of the adhesive portion 41 onto the support 10 overlaps with the junction between the first bend 11 and the second bend 12.

[0093] In some examples, adhesive layer 40 may include optical clear adhesive (OCA).

[0094] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG7, the display module 100 further includes an adhesive tape 50 disposed on the side of the support member 10 away from the flexible display panel 20, and the first bend 11 is located within the orthographic projection range of the adhesive tape 50 on the support member 10. That is, the adhesive tape 50 is at least attached to the area where the first bend 11 is located.

[0095] By setting the tape 50, on the one hand, it can effectively prevent foreign objects (such as dust or particles) from entering the opening 110 of the first bending part 11, thereby preventing the bending performance of the support member 10 from being affected by foreign objects; on the other hand, it also plays a certain role in wear resistance, preventing the support member 10 from directly contacting the rotating structural parts of the display module 100 and causing wear on the first bending part 11.

[0096] In some examples, the edge of the first bend 11 coincides with the edge of the orthographic projection of the tape 50 onto the support 10, that is, the tape 50 is positioned directly opposite the first bend 11.

[0097] In other examples, the edge of the orthographic projection of the tape 50 onto the support 10 surrounds the edge of the first bend 11, that is, the area where the tape 50 is placed is larger than the area corresponding to the first bend 11, which helps to improve the arrangement stability of the tape 50.

[0098] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG7, the edge of the orthographic projection of the tape 50 on the support 10 is located within the region of the second bend 12. That is, the edge of the orthographic projection of the tape 50 on the support 10 does not extend beyond the region where the second bend 12 is located.

[0099] In this case, since the surface of the second bend 12 away from the flexible display panel 20 is flat, the tape 50 has good adhesive stability when it is attached to the second bend 12. Furthermore, since no openings are provided on the second bend 12, the tape 50 can be avoided from being attached to all areas of the second bend 12, thereby reducing the area of ​​the tape 50, saving material usage and reducing the manufacturing cost of the display module 100.

[0100] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG8, the flexible display panel 20 includes a substrate 21, a first adhesive layer 22, a back plate 23, a second adhesive layer 24, and a display panel 25 arranged sequentially along its thickness direction. The adhesive layer 40 is located between the substrate 21 and the support member 10, and the side of the display panel 25 away from the support member 10 is its display side.

[0101] A polarizer 62 is also bonded to the display panel 25 via a third adhesive layer 61, and the polarizer 62 is bonded to the cover plate 30 via a fourth adhesive layer 63.

[0102] The cover plate 30 is also bonded to the flexible protective plate 72 by a fifth adhesive layer 71. The flexible protective plate 72 can enhance the surface strength of the display module 100. The flexible protective plate 72 can be made of polyethylene terephthalate material, for example.

[0103] The first adhesive layer 22, the second adhesive layer 24, the third adhesive layer 61, the fourth adhesive layer 63, and the fifth adhesive layer 71 can all be made of OCA material.

[0104] As one possible approach, the flexible display panel 20 may also include a touch layer located on the display panel 25, so that when the flexible display panel 20 has the function of displaying images, it can also perform touch operations, and the display module 100 can also perform touch operations during bending or deformation, thereby improving the functionality and flexibility of the display module 100.

[0105] It is worth noting that in some of the accompanying drawings provided in this application (e.g., Figures 5A to 8), the first bend 11, the second bend 12, and the flat portion 13 are divided by solid lines. In reality, there may not be such solid lines to divide the areas between the first bend 11 and the second bend 12, or between the second bend 12 and the flat portion 13. At the same time, virtual lines can be used to divide the areas corresponding to the first bend 11, the second bend 12, and the flat portion 13.

[0106] This application conducts experimental tests on display modules in related technologies and the display module 100 provided in the embodiments of this application. In the display modules of related technologies, the thickness of the support member is 120 μm, and a blind hole is formed on the second bent portion of the support member. Since the depth of the blind hole is prone to an etching depth tolerance of ±20 μm during the drilling process, display modules with blind holes of the designed depth are considered as one set of examples, and display modules with actual etching depths that are 20 μm smaller and 20 μm larger than the designed depth are considered as the other two sets of examples. As for the display module 100 provided in the embodiments of this application, the thickness of its support member 10 is 80 μm, and the thickness is equal at each position on the second bent portion 12 of the support member 10.

[0107] Please refer to Figures 9A to 9D. In the figures, letter A refers to the first display module in the related technology, where the depth of the blind hole on the second bend of the support member is the same as the designed depth. Letter B refers to the second display module in the related technology, where the depth of the blind hole on the second bend of the support member is 20 μm less than the designed depth. Letter C refers to the third display module in the related technology, where the depth of the blind hole on the second bend of the support member is 20 μm greater than the designed depth. The only difference between the first and third display modules is the depth of the blind hole. All other conditions (including the design depth of the blind hole) are the same; the letter D refers to the display module provided in some embodiments of this application, in which the thickness of the support member 10 is 80μm, and the thickness is equal at each position on the second bending portion 12 of the support member 10; the letter E refers to the display module provided in other embodiments of this application, in which the adhesive layer included in the display module E is segmented compared to the display module represented by the letter D, that is, the two adhesive portions in the adhesive layer are spaced apart, and each adhesive portion covers the second bending portion and the flat portion located on the same side of the first bending portion.

[0108] As shown in Figure 9A, OCA0 to OCA5 correspond to the fifth adhesive layer 71, the fourth adhesive layer 63, the third adhesive layer 61, the second adhesive layer 24, the first adhesive layer 22, and the adhesive layer 40 in the structure shown in Figure 8, respectively. OCA5 is closest to the support member. For the first display module A to the display module E provided in other embodiments of this application, considering the different pressures on the fifth adhesive layer (OCA0), the pressure on the fifth adhesive layer (OCA0) in display modules D and E is the lowest. Therefore, the risk of peeling is lower. Similarly, considering the different pressures on the fourth adhesive layer (OCA1), the third adhesive layer (OCA2), and the adhesive layer (OCA5), the maximum pressure on each adhesive layer in display modules D and E is the lowest. Therefore, for the display module D provided in this application embodiment, the risk of peeling of the internal adhesive layer is effectively reduced. Furthermore, since the adhesive layer in the display module E is segmented, the risk of the adhesive layer peeling off is significantly reduced, and the risk of peeling off the first adhesive layer 22 (OCA4) is also effectively reduced.

[0109] As shown in Figure 9B, from the first display module A to the display module D provided in this application embodiment, considering the different longitudinal strains of the touch layer (DOT), the longitudinal strain of the touch layer (DOT) in display module D is the smallest. Therefore, the risk of touch layer cracking is the smallest, and thus the risk of flexible display panel cracking is also the smallest. Similarly, considering the encapsulation layer (TFE), array substrate layer (ARRAY), and substrate (PI), the longitudinal strain corresponding to display module D is the smallest. Therefore, the risk of flexible display panel cracking in display module D is also the smallest.

[0110] As shown in Figure 9C, for the first display module A to the display module D provided in this application embodiment, the normal stress of display module D is the smallest, so the risk of the flexible display panel in display module D peeling off is also the smallest.

[0111] As shown in Figure 9D, for the first display module A and the display module D provided in this embodiment, from the perspective of the strain of the touch layer (DOT), the strain of the touch layer (DOT) in display module D is basically consistent with the strain of the touch layer (DOT) in the first display module A. Furthermore, the strain of the encapsulation layer (TFE) in display module D is basically consistent with the strain of the encapsulation layer (TFE) in the first display module A. The strain of the array substrate layer (ARRAY) in display module D is basically consistent with the strain of the array substrate layer (ARRAY) in the first display module A. Therefore, display module D and the first display module A are almost identical in terms of impact resistance, which indicates that the design of reducing the thickness of the support component has almost no impact on the impact resistance of the display module.

[0112] Some embodiments of this application provide a display device, which includes the display module 100 described in any of the above embodiments.

[0113] Since it includes the display module 100, the display device has all the technical effects of the aforementioned display module 100, which will not be repeated here.

[0114] In some examples, the display device also includes a driver for driving the flexible display panel in the display module 100 to display an image.

[0115] Display devices can be electronic devices that require simultaneous opening and closing, such as foldable phones, tablet personal computers, e-book readers, laptop computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), personal computers, notebooks, in-vehicle devices, and wearable devices (e.g., watches).

[0116] In summary, although the present application discloses the preferred embodiments as described above, the above preferred embodiments are not intended to limit the present application. Those skilled in the art can make various modifications and refinements without departing from the spirit and scope of the present application. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present application is based on the scope defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A display module, comprising: Flexible display panel; as well as A support member is disposed on one side of the flexible display panel. The support member includes a first bent portion and second bent portions located on opposite sides of the first bent portion. Wherein, the first bending portion and the second bending portion bend in opposite directions when the display module is in a folded state; the thickness of the second bending portion is equal at each position, the thickness of the second bending portion is greater than or equal to 1 / 2 of the thickness of the flexible display panel of the display module, and less than or equal to 2 times the thickness of the flexible display panel, and the first bending portion is provided with an opening.

2. The display module according to claim 1, wherein, The thickness of the second bend is greater than or equal to 20 μm and less than or equal to 90 μm.

3. The display module according to claim 1, wherein, The support member also includes a flat portion located on the side of the second bend away from the first bend; The display module further includes a cover plate disposed on the side of the flexible display panel away from the support member. The cover plate includes glass, which includes a first part and a second part. The thickness of the second part is greater than the thickness of the first part. The first bent portion is located within the orthographic projection range of the first part on the support member, and the flat portion is located within the orthographic projection range of the second part on the support member.

4. The display module according to claim 3, wherein, The glass also includes a transition portion located between and connected to the first portion and the second portion, wherein the thickness of the transition portion on the side closer to the first portion is less than the thickness of the transition portion on the side closer to the second portion; The edge of the orthographic projection of the transition portion on the support overlaps with the edge of the second bend, the edge of the orthographic projection of the first portion on the support overlaps with the edge of the first bend, and the edge of the orthographic projection of the second portion on the support overlaps with the edge of the flat portion.

5. The display module according to claim 4, wherein, The glass has a groove at the positions of the first portion and the transition portion, and the cover plate also includes a filling portion located in the groove, the surface of the filling portion away from the support member being flush with the surface of the second portion away from the support member.

6. The display module according to claim 5, wherein, The elastic modulus of the filling portion is less than that of the glass.

7. The display module according to claim 4, wherein, The glass has grooves at the positions of the first portion and the transition portion, and the cover plate further includes a covering layer located on the side of the glass away from the support member. The covering layer covers the second portion and partially fills the grooves, and the surface of the covering layer on the side away from the support member is flat.

8. The display module according to claim 7, wherein, The elastic modulus of the cover layer is less than that of the glass.

9. The display module according to claim 1, wherein, The support member also includes a flat portion located on the side of the second bend away from the first bend; The display module further includes an adhesive layer disposed between the flexible display panel and the support member. The adhesive layer includes two adhesive portions spaced apart, each adhesive portion covering the second bending portion and the flat portion located on the same side as the first bending portion.

10. The display module according to claim 1, wherein, The display module also includes an adhesive tape disposed on the side of the support member away from the flexible display panel, wherein the first bent portion is located within the orthogonal projection range of the adhesive tape on the support member.

11. The display module according to claim 10, wherein, The edge of the orthographic projection of the tape onto the support is located within the area of ​​the second bend.

12. The display module according to any one of claims 1-11, wherein, The opening includes a plurality of blind holes, the openings of which are located on the side of the first bend away from the flexible display panel.

13. The display module according to any one of claims 1-11, wherein, The opening includes a plurality of through holes that extend along the thickness direction of the support member.

14. The display module according to any one of claims 1-11, wherein, The thickness of the portion of the first bending part other than the opening is equal to the thickness of the second bending part.

15. A display device comprising a display module, the display module comprising: Flexible display panel; as well as A support member is disposed on one side of the display panel, the support member including a first bent portion and second bent portions located on opposite sides of the first bent portion; Wherein, the first bending portion and the second bending portion bend in opposite directions when the display module is in a folded state; the thickness of the second bending portion is equal at each position, the thickness of the second bending portion is greater than or equal to 1 / 2 of the thickness of the flexible display panel of the display module, and less than or equal to 2 times the thickness of the flexible display panel, and the first bending portion is provided with an opening.

16. The display device according to claim 15, wherein, The thickness of the second bend is greater than or equal to 20 μm and less than or equal to 90 μm.

17. The display device according to claim 15, wherein, The support member also includes a flat portion located on the side of the second bend away from the first bend; The display module further includes a cover plate disposed on the side of the flexible display panel away from the support member. The cover plate includes glass, which includes a first part and a second part. The thickness of the second part is greater than the thickness of the first part. The first bent portion is located within the orthographic projection range of the first part on the support member, and the flat portion is located within the orthographic projection range of the second part on the support member.

18. The display device according to claim 17, wherein, The glass also includes a transition portion located between and connected to the first portion and the second portion, wherein the thickness of the transition portion on the side closer to the first portion is less than the thickness of the transition portion on the side closer to the second portion; The edge of the orthographic projection of the transition portion on the support overlaps with the edge of the second bend, the edge of the orthographic projection of the first portion on the support overlaps with the edge of the first bend, and the edge of the orthographic projection of the second portion on the support overlaps with the edge of the flat portion.

19. The display device according to claim 18, wherein, The glass has a groove at the positions of the first portion and the transition portion, and the cover plate also includes a filling portion located in the groove, the surface of the filling portion away from the support member being flush with the surface of the second portion away from the support member.

20. The display device according to claim 19, wherein, The elastic modulus of the filling portion is less than that of the glass.

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