Display module, support member and electronic device

Abstract

Provided in the present application are a display module, a support member and an electronic device, the support member being configured to be arranged on the side facing away from a light-emitting surface of a flexible display screen. In some embodiments, the support member comprises: a first support portion connected to a first non-bending portion, a second support portion connected to a second non-bending portion, and a third support portion connected to a first bending portion; the first support portion and the second support portion are made of a composite material, the composite material comprising a matrix material and a filler material doped in the matrix material, and the modulus of the filler material being greater than the modulus of the matrix material. The high-modulus filler material is doped in the matrix material to form a composite material for the support member, such that the modulus of the support member can be increased, thus improving the reliability of the support member.

Description

Display modules, support components, and electronic devices

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202411755431.9, filed with the State Intellectual Property Office of China on November 29, 2024, entitled "Display Module, Support and Electronic Device", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of flexible displays, and more particularly to a display module, a support member, and an electronic device. Background Technology

[0003] With the continuous development of display technology, foldable display terminals are gradually becoming a development trend for future mobile electronic products. A foldable display terminal includes at least a flexible display screen. The performance of each component directly affects the performance of the flexible display screen. To maintain the flatness and rigidity of the flexible display screen, there is usually one or more layers of metal underneath as a support structure.

[0004] Existing support components are mainly made of metals: stainless steel, copper alloys, titanium alloys, and aluminum alloys, which have high density and are heavy. As consumers increasingly demand portability of electronic devices, they also require lighter support components. To address this, fiber composite materials, such as carbon fiber, glass fiber, aramid fiber, and ceramic fiber, can be used for support components. These materials have low density and offer significant weight reduction benefits. However, the stiffness of fiber materials combined with resin is relatively poor, requiring increased thickness to compensate, which is not conducive to making the product thinner and lighter.

[0005] However, existing support components use a single material and cannot meet the requirement of lightweight and reliable support. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This application provides a display module, a support component, and an electronic device, which can balance the portability and reliability of the support component and solve the problem of product thinning.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the embodiments of this application adopt the following technical solutions:

[0008] A first aspect of this application provides a display module comprising: a flexible display screen and a support member stacked together; the support member being disposed on a side opposite to the light-emitting surface of the flexible display screen; the flexible display screen including a first bent portion, a first non-bent portion, and a second non-bent portion; the first bent portion connecting the first non-bent portion and the second non-bent portion; and the support member including: a first support portion connected to the first non-bent portion, a second support portion connected to the second non-bent portion, and a third support portion connected to the first bent portion; the first support portion and the second support portion are made of the same material; the first support portion includes: a matrix material and a filler material, wherein the filler material is incorporated into the matrix material, and the modulus of the filler material is greater than that of the matrix material. Therefore, incorporating a high-modulus filler material into the matrix material as a composite material for the support member can increase the modulus of the support member, providing support for the flexible display screen, which is beneficial for improving the reliability of the support member and maintaining the rigidity of the screen. Furthermore, using two different materials can take into account other performance characteristics of the support member; for example, the weight of the support member can be reduced through material selection. In this way, both the lightweight and reliability of the support components can be taken into account.

[0009] In one alternative implementation, the density of the first support is less than or equal to 4.5 g / cm³. 3 Therefore, the first support portion obtained by using the composite material of the filler material and the matrix material has a lower density, resulting in a lighter weight for the support component, which is beneficial for reducing the weight of the support component. This allows the support component to be thinner and lighter while meeting reliability requirements, resulting in better light and shadow effects over a large area, which is conducive to the slimming down of the equipment. In this way, both the portability and reliability of the support component can be taken into account.

[0010] In one alternative implementation, the third support portion and the first support portion are made of the same material. Therefore, the support component can be integrally molded from the same material, resulting in a simple structure, reduced manufacturing complexity, and the integral structure of the support component, connected to the flexible display screen, helps improve the flatness of the flexible display screen.

[0011] In one optional implementation, both the third support portion and the substrate material are made of metal. Thus, the first and third support portions of the support member are made of different materials. The first and second support portions are made of a metal-based composite material to ensure high modulus and low density, enhancing the light and shadow effect over large areas. The third support portion is made of the same type of material as the substrate material to ensure sufficient elongation at break and avoid bending breakage.

[0012] In one alternative implementation, the third support and the base material are made of the same metal. This reduces the variety of raw materials used in the support and lowers the manufacturing complexity.

[0013] In one optional implementation, the third support portion includes a matrix material and a filler material doped into the matrix material, wherein the volume fraction of the filler material in the third support portion is less than the volume fraction of the filler material in the first support portion. This results in the third support portion having a lower modulus than the first and second support portions, thereby improving the bending performance of the third support portion.

[0014] In one alternative implementation, the third support portion is made of a different material from the first support portion, and the first support portion, the third support portion, and the second support portion are connected by splicing. This allows for different moduli to be achieved in different parts of the support member.

[0015] In one alternative implementation, the thickness of the support member is less than or equal to 0.2 mm. Therefore, the support member with this structure has a smaller thickness, reducing its weight and contributing to the thinner and lighter design of electronic devices.

[0016] In one alternative implementation, the density of the matrix material is less than or equal to 4.5 g / cm³. 3 Therefore, the density of the support component is related to the density of the matrix material and the filler material. The density of the support component can be changed by altering the materials of the matrix material and the filler material. A lower density matrix material helps to reduce the overall density of the support component, thus achieving a thinner and lighter device.

[0017] In one optional implementation, the volume fraction of the filler material in the first support portion is 20%-100%, and the volume fraction of the matrix material in the first support portion is 0%-80%. The reliability of the support component is related to the modulus of each component's material, while the thickness and weight of the support component are related to the density of each component's material. By adjusting the volume fractions of the filler material and the matrix material, the modulus, thickness, and weight of the support component can meet preset requirements, balancing the support component's lightweight nature and reliability.

[0018] In one alternative implementation, the matrix material includes at least one of titanium alloy, aluminum alloy, and magnesium alloy. Thus, by using a metallic matrix material, the composite material becomes a metal-based composite, which balances the lightweight and reliability of the support component.

[0019] In one optional implementation, the filler material includes at least one of 0-dimensional materials, one-dimensional materials, and two-dimensional materials. Therefore, the filler material can be particles, whiskers, short fibers, long fibers, continuous fibers, sheets, etc., or it can be a mixture of multiple materials. The filler material can be dispersed in the matrix material in the form of microparticles, and the matrix material can surround the dispersed phase, allowing the matrix material and the filler material to be uniformly mixed.

[0020] In one alternative implementation, the filling material comprises at least one of ceramic, carbon, and elemental materials. Therefore, the filling material has a high modulus, which can improve the modulus of the support component.

[0021] In one alternative implementation, the third support portion is provided with through holes and / or grooves. This improves the bending performance of the third support portion.

[0022] In one optional implementation, the longitudinal cross-sectional shape of the groove includes trapezoidal and rectangular shapes. Thus, when the groove is rectangular, the transition from bottom to top is rapid. When the groove is trapezoidal, the transition from bottom to top is gradual, resulting in a more uniform modulus change, which is beneficial for improving the bending reliability of the support.

[0023] In one alternative implementation, the thickness of the bottom of the groove is less than or equal to 50 μm. This reduces the thickness of the third support, which improves its bending performance.

[0024] In one optional implementation, the flexible display screen further includes a second bent portion and a third non-bent portion connected in sequence. The second bent portion connects the second non-bent portion and the third non-bent portion. The support member is provided with a second through hole and / or a second groove, which corresponds to the second bent area. Therefore, this support member can be used in three-screen foldable phones, balancing portability and reliability.

[0025] A second aspect of this application provides a support member disposed on a side opposite to the light-emitting surface of a flexible display screen. The flexible display screen includes a first bent portion, a first non-bent portion, and a second non-bent portion. The first bent portion connects the first non-bent portion and the second non-bent portion. The support member includes: a first support portion connected to the first non-bent portion, a second support portion connected to the second non-bent portion, and a third support portion connected to the first bent portion. The first and second support portions are made of the same material. The first support portion includes: a matrix material and a filler material, wherein the filler material is incorporated into the matrix material, and the modulus of the filler material is greater than that of the matrix material. Therefore, by incorporating a high-modulus filler material into the matrix material as a composite material for the support member, the modulus of the support member can be increased, providing support for the flexible display screen and helping to maintain the screen's rigidity.

[0026] In one alternative implementation, the density of the first support portion is less than or equal to 4.5 g / cm³. 3Therefore, the first support portion obtained by using the composite material of the filler material and the matrix material has a lower density, resulting in a lighter weight for the support component, which is beneficial for reducing the weight of the support component. This allows the support component to be thinner and lighter while meeting reliability requirements, resulting in better light and shadow effects over a large area, which is conducive to the slimming down of the equipment. In this way, both the portability and reliability of the support component can be taken into account.

[0027] In one alternative implementation, the third support portion and the first support portion are made of the same material. Therefore, the support component can be integrally molded from the same material, resulting in a simple structure, reduced manufacturing complexity, and the integral structure of the support component, connected to the flexible display screen, helps improve the flatness of the flexible display screen.

[0028] In one optional implementation, the third support portion is made of the same material as the matrix material. Thus, the first and third support portions of the support member are made of different materials. The first and second support portions are made of a metal matrix composite material to ensure high modulus and low density, enhancing the light and shadow effect over large areas. The third support portion is made of the same material as the matrix material to ensure sufficient elongation at break and avoid bending breakage.

[0029] In one optional implementation, the third support portion includes a matrix material and a filler material doped into the matrix material, wherein the volume fraction of the filler material in the third support portion is less than the volume fraction of the filler material in the first support portion. This results in the third support portion having a lower modulus than the first and second support portions, thereby improving the bending performance of the third support portion.

[0030] In one optional implementation, the volume fraction of the filler material in the first support portion is 20%-100%, and the volume fraction of the matrix material in the first support portion is 0%-80%. The reliability of the support component is related to the modulus of each component's material, while the thickness and weight of the support component are related to the density of each component's material. By adjusting the volume fractions of the filler material and the matrix material, the modulus, thickness, and weight of the support component can meet preset requirements, balancing the support component's lightweight nature and reliability.

[0031] In one optional implementation, the filler material includes at least one of 0-dimensional materials, one-dimensional materials, and two-dimensional materials. Therefore, the filler material can be particles, whiskers, short fibers, long fibers, continuous fibers, sheets, etc., or it can be a mixture of multiple materials. The filler material can be dispersed in the matrix material in the form of microparticles, and the matrix material can surround the dispersed phase, allowing the matrix material and the filler material to be uniformly mixed.

[0032] In one alternative implementation, the density of the matrix material is less than or equal to 4.5 g / cm³.3 Therefore, the density of the support component is related to the density of the matrix material and the filler material. The density of the support component can be changed by altering the materials of the matrix material and the filler material. A lower density matrix material helps to reduce the overall density of the support component, thus achieving a thinner and lighter device.

[0033] A third aspect of this application provides a method for preparing a support member. The method includes: compounding multiple materials to form a composite structure; the multiple materials include a matrix material and a filler material, wherein the modulus of the filler material is greater than the modulus of the matrix material; processing the composite structure into a sheet to form a support member; the support member is disposed on a side away from the light-emitting surface of the flexible display screen, and the support member includes a first support portion, a second support portion, and a third support portion; the flexible display screen includes a first bent portion, a first non-bent portion, and a second non-bent portion; the first bent portion connects the first non-bent portion and the second non-bent portion; the first support portion is connected to the first non-bent portion; the third support portion is connected to the first bent portion; and the second support portion is connected to the second non-bent portion; wherein the first support portion and the second support portion are made of the same material, and the first support portion includes a matrix material and a filler material doped in the matrix material.

[0034] In one alternative implementation, the density of the first support is less than or equal to 4.5 g / cm³. 3 .

[0035] In one optional implementation, the volume fraction of the filling material in the first support portion is 20%-100%, and the volume fraction of the matrix material in the first support portion is 0%-80%.

[0036] In one alternative implementation, the filling material includes at least one of: 0-dimensional material, 1-dimensional material, and 2-dimensional material.

[0037] In one alternative implementation, the density of the matrix material is less than or equal to 4.5 g / cm³. 3 .

[0038] In one alternative implementation, the third support and the first support are made of the same material.

[0039] In one alternative implementation, both the third support and the base material are made of metal.

[0040] In one alternative implementation, the third support and the base material are made of the same metal material.

[0041] In one alternative implementation, the third support portion comprises a matrix material and a filler material, including: a matrix material and a filler material doped in the matrix material, wherein the volume fraction of the filler material in the third support portion is less than the volume fraction of the filler material in the first support portion.

[0042] In one optional implementation, the composite structure is formed by combining multiple materials, including: combining a first block, a second block, and a third block formed from multiple materials to form the composite structure, wherein the first support portion is formed by the composite structure, the second support portion is formed by the second block, and the third support portion is formed by the third block. This allows multiple blocks to be combined to form a composite structure, reducing the difficulty of molding.

[0043] A fourth aspect of this application provides an electronic device comprising: a housing and a display module as described above, the display module being connected to the housing. Thus, by employing the aforementioned display module, the electronic device can achieve both portability and reliability.

[0044] This application provides a display module, a support member, and an electronic device. The display module includes a flexible display screen and a support member, which is disposed on the side opposite to the light-emitting surface of the flexible display screen. In some embodiments, the support member is formed from a composite material, which includes a matrix material and a filler material. The filler material is incorporated into the matrix material, and the modulus of the filler material is greater than that of the matrix material. Thus, the support member adopts an integral structure and is connected to the flexible display screen, which helps improve the flatness of the flexible display screen. Using a high-modulus filler material incorporated into the matrix material as a composite material for the support member can increase the modulus of the support member. Furthermore, since the matrix material and the filler material are different materials with different densities, the volume fraction of the matrix material and the filler material can be adjusted to increase the volume fraction of low-density materials, making the support member lighter and thus reducing its weight. This allows the support member to be thinner and lighter while meeting reliability requirements, resulting in better light and shadow effects over a large area, which is beneficial for the thinner and lighter design of the device.

[0045] In other embodiments, the support member includes: a first support portion connected to a first non-bending portion of the flexible display screen, a second support portion connected to a second non-bending portion of the flexible display screen, and a third support portion connected to the first bending portion of the flexible display screen; the volume fraction of the filler material in the first support portion is equal to the volume fraction of the filler material in the second support portion, and the volume fraction of the filler material in the third support portion is less than the volume fraction of the filler material in the first support portion. This results in the modulus of the third support portion being less than the modulus of the first and second support portions, thereby improving the bending performance of the third support portion.

[0046] In other embodiments, the flexible display screen includes a first bent portion, a first non-bent portion, and a second non-bent portion. The support member includes a first support portion connected to the first non-bent portion, a second support portion connected to the second non-bent portion, and a third support portion connected to the first bent portion. The first and second support portions are made of the same material. The first support portion includes a matrix material and a filler material, wherein the filler material is doped into the matrix material, and the modulus of the filler material is greater than that of the matrix material. Both the matrix material and the third support portion are made of metal. The third support portion has through holes and / or grooves. Thus, the first and third support portions of the support member are made of different materials. The first and second support portions are made of metal-based composite materials to ensure high modulus and low density, improving the light and shadow effect on a large surface. The third support portion is made of metal to ensure sufficient elongation at break and avoid bending breakage.

[0047] In addition, the third support portion is provided with through holes and / or grooves, which correspond to the first bending portion, thereby improving the bending performance of the support member. Attached Figure Description

[0048] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the disassembly structure of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0049] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0050] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the structure of another electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0051] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional structural diagram of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0052] Figure 5 is a structural schematic diagram of a support member;

[0053] Figure 6 is a structural schematic diagram of another type of support component;

[0054] Figure 7 is a structural schematic diagram of a support member provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0055] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of an AA cross-sectional structure of the support member in Figure 7;

[0056] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of another AA cross-sectional structure of the support member in Figure 7;

[0057] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of another AA cross-sectional structure of the support member in Figure 7;

[0058] Figure 11 is a structural schematic diagram of another support member provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0059] Figures 12A and 12B are schematic diagrams of the intermediate product structure during the fabrication of the support component;

[0060] Figure 13 is a structural schematic diagram of another support member provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0061] Figure 14 is a schematic diagram of a BB cross-sectional structure of the support member in Figure 13;

[0062] Figure 15 is a schematic diagram of another BB cross-sectional structure of the support member in Figure 13;

[0063] Figure 16 is a structural schematic diagram of another support member provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0064] Figure 17 is a schematic diagram of the CC cross-sectional structure of the support member in Figure 16;

[0065] Figures 18A and 18B are schematic diagrams of the intermediate product structure during the fabrication of the support component;

[0066] Figure 19 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a display module provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0067] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the application will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0068] In the following description, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with "first," "second," etc., may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0069] Furthermore, in this application, directional terms such as "upper" and "lower" are defined relative to the orientation of the components shown in the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that these directional terms are relative concepts, used for relative description and clarification, and can change accordingly depending on the orientation of the components in the accompanying drawings.

[0070] This application provides an electronic device. This electronic device can be a tablet computer, mobile phone, e-reader, remote control, personal computer (PC), laptop computer, personal digital assistant (PDA), in-vehicle device, smart TV, wearable device, television set, or other products with a display interface, as well as smart display wearable products such as smartwatches and smart bracelets. This application does not impose any special limitations on the form of the above-mentioned electronic device.

[0071] For example, the electronic device can be a foldable screen device, including but not limited to foldable phones, foldable tablets, etc.

[0072] For ease of explanation, the following examples all use mobile phones as an example of electronic devices.

[0073] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the disassembled structure of the electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figure 1, the electronic device 1 includes a display module 10 and a housing (or battery cover) 12. The middle frame 11 is located between the display module 10 and the housing 12.

[0074] Display module 10 is used to display images.

[0075] The display module 10, the middle frame 11, and the housing 12 can be disposed on different layers in the thickness direction of the electronic device. These layers can be parallel to each other, and the plane in which each layer is located can be called the XY plane, and the direction perpendicular to the XY plane can be called the Z direction. That is to say, the display module 10, the middle frame 11, and the housing 12 can be distributed in layers in the Z direction.

[0076] The display module 10 can be electrically connected to the PCB disposed on the middle frame 11 through a flexible printed circuit (FPC) as shown in FIG. 1, passing through the middle frame 11. This allows the PCB to transmit display data to the display module 10 to control the display module 10 to display images.

[0077] The middle frame 11 is located between the display module 10 and the housing 12. The surface of the middle frame 11 away from the display module 10 is used to mount internal components such as batteries, printed circuit boards (PCBs), cameras, and antennas. After the housing 12 is closed with the middle frame 11, the aforementioned internal components are located between the housing 12 and the middle frame 11.

[0078] The housing 12 is connected to the middle frame 11 to form a cavity for accommodating the aforementioned electronic components such as the PCB, camera, and battery. This prevents external moisture and dust from entering the cavity and affecting the performance of the electronic components.

[0079] This application does not limit the structure of the mobile phone. In some embodiments of this application, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the mobile phone can be a foldable screen phone, and the display module 10 mentioned above includes a flexible display screen 101.

[0080] Among them, the flexible display screen 101 can be an active matrix organic light emitting diode (AMOLED) flexible display screen.

[0081] As a self-emissive flexible display, AMOLED flexible displays do not require a backlight module (BLM). Therefore, when the substrate of an AMOLED flexible display is made of a flexible resin material, such as polyimide (PI) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET), the AMOLED flexible display can have bendable characteristics.

[0082] Figure 2 shows a structural diagram of a dual-screen foldable phone, which includes a first housing 12a, a second housing 12b, a flexible display screen 101, and a hinge mechanism. The flexible display screen 101 can continuously cover the first housing 12a and the second housing 12b. The first housing 12a and the second housing 12b are disposed on both sides of the hinge mechanism and are respectively connected to the hinge mechanism. Under the action of the hinge mechanism, the flexible display screen 101 can also be flattened and closed.

[0083] The flexible display screen 101 includes a first non-bending portion 1011, a first bending portion 1012, and a second non-bending portion 1013 connected in sequence, with the first bending portion 1012 connected between the first non-bending portion 1011 and the second non-bending portion 1013.

[0084] Foldable electronic devices can be unfolded into a flat state, folded into a closed state, or exist in an intermediate state between the two. Foldable electronic devices have at least two states: a flat state and a closed state. In some cases, a third state, an intermediate state between the flat and closed states, may be further included. The intermediate state is not unique; it can be any one or more states between the flat and closed states of the electronic device.

[0085] When the electronic device is in the open state, the first non-bending portion 1011, the first bending portion 1012, and the second non-bending portion 1013 of the flexible display 101 are approximately 180° apart (allowable deviation, such as 165°, 177°, or 185°).

[0086] When the electronic device is in a closed state, the first bending portion 1012 of the flexible display screen 101 bends, allowing the first non-bending portion 1011, the second non-bending portion 1013, and the third non-bending portion 1015 to be stacked. The second non-bending portion 1013 is located between the first non-bending portion 1011 and the third non-bending portion 1015. The first non-bending portion 1011 and the second non-bending portion 1013 may partially or completely overlap.

[0087] Figure 3 shows a structural diagram of a three-screen foldable phone, and the example foldable phone is a three-screen foldable phone. This three-screen foldable phone may include a first housing 12a, a second housing 12b, and a third housing 12c, as well as a flexible display screen 101. The flexible display screen 101 may continuously cover the first housing 12a, the second housing 12b, and the third housing 12c. The foldable phone may also include a first hinge mechanism and a second hinge mechanism.

[0088] The first housing 12a and the second housing 12b are disposed on both sides of the first rotating shaft mechanism and are respectively connected to the first rotating shaft mechanism. The first rotating shaft mechanism can move so that the first housing 12a and the second housing 12b are folded or unfolded relative to each other, thereby realizing the flattening and closing of the flexible display screen 101 disposed on the first housing 12a and the second housing 12b.

[0089] The second housing 12b and the third housing 12c are disposed on both sides of the second rotating shaft mechanism and are respectively connected to the second rotating shaft mechanism. The second rotating shaft mechanism can move to make the second housing 12b and the third housing 12c fold or unfold relative to each other, thereby realizing the flattening and closing of the flexible display screen 101 disposed on the second housing 12b and the third housing 12c.

[0090] The flexible display screen 101 includes a first non-bending portion 1011, a first bending portion 1012, a second non-bending portion 1013, a second bending portion 1014, and a third non-bending portion 1015 connected in sequence. The first bending portion 1012 is connected between the first non-bending portion 1011 and the second non-bending portion 1013. The second bending portion 1014 is connected between the second non-bending portion 1013 and the third non-bending portion 1015.

[0091] When the electronic device is in the open state, the first non-bending portion 1011, the first bending portion 1012, the second non-bending portion 1013, the second bending portion 1014 and the third non-bending portion 1015 of the flexible display 101 are approximately 180° apart (allowable deviation, such as 165°, 177° or 185°).

[0092] When the electronic device is in a closed state, the first bent portion 1012 and the second bent portion 1014 of the flexible display screen 101 bend, allowing the first non-bent portion 1011, the second non-bent portion 1013, and the third non-bent portion 1015 to be stacked. The second non-bent portion 1013 is located between the first non-bent portion 1011 and the third non-bent portion 1015. The first non-bent portion 1011 and the second non-bent portion 1013 partially or completely overlap. The second non-bent portion 1013 and the third non-bent portion 1015 partially or completely overlap. Figure 3 illustrates that the flexible display screen 101 is generally S-shaped.

[0093] Figures 2 and 3 above illustrate dual-screen and triple-screen foldable electronic devices. The foldable electronic devices involved in the embodiments of this application can also be devices with more screens, such as four-screen foldable, five-screen foldable, and other electronic devices.

[0094] The following explanation uses a dual-screen foldable electronic device as an example. Figure 4 shows a schematic diagram of the structure of some example electronic devices. As shown in Figure 4, in order to protect the flexible display screen 101, the electronic device also includes a support member 200, which is disposed on the backlight side of the flexible display screen 101 and is used to provide reliable support for the flexible display screen 101.

[0095] The support member can be used in foldable terminals as an under-screen support structure for flexible displays. For example, the support member 200 can be a bamboo book structure.

[0096] Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional structural diagram of an electronic device. As shown in Figure 4, the housing 12 includes a first housing 12a, a second housing 12b, and a pivot mechanism 13 located between the first housing 12a and the second housing 12b. The first housing 12a and the second housing 12b can rotate along the axis OO of the pivot mechanism 13, thereby causing the flexible display screen 101 to fold or unfold.

[0097] For example, when the included angle α between the first housing 12a and the second housing 12b is 0°, the flexible display screen 101 is in a folded state.

[0098] Alternatively, when the included angle α between the first housing 12a and the second housing 12b increases to 180°, the flexible display screen 101 is in the unfolded state.

[0099] The flexible display screen 101 includes: a first non-bending area opposite to the first housing 12a, a second non-bending area opposite to the second housing 12b, and a bending area opposite to the rotating shaft mechanism 13.

[0100] The support member 200 is disposed on the backlight side of the flexible display screen 101, that is, between the flexible display screen 101 and the housing 12. In some embodiments, the support member 200 includes: a first support portion 201 connected to a first non-bending area, a third support portion 203 connected to a bending area, and a second support portion 202 connected to a second non-bending area.

[0101] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a support member. Referring to Figure 5, in the example shown in Figure 5, the support member 200 includes a metal layer. The first support portion 201, the third support portion 203, and the second support portion 202 are all made of metal.

[0102] In some support components, the first support portion 201, the third support portion 203, and the second support portion 202 can be integrally formed. Then, regular holes can be processed in the second support portion 202 by chemical etching, so that the second support portion 202 can be repeatedly bent.

[0103] In some support components, the metal material can be stainless steel, copper alloy, titanium alloy, or aluminum alloy.

[0104] For example, when the support component 200 is made of titanium alloy, it is relatively heavy, making it difficult to achieve portability and affecting the overall weight of the machine.

[0105] To reduce the weight of the support components, some embodiments may use materials with lower density, such as aluminum alloys or magnesium alloys. However, aluminum alloys and magnesium alloys have low flexural modulus, making them more susceptible to being lifted or pulled by springs, adhesive dots, etc., under the screen, resulting in poor light and shadow on large areas and seriously affecting the appearance and refinement.

[0106] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of another type of support. Referring to Figure 6, support 200 includes a fiber layer.

[0107] In some support components, the fiber layer material can be resin-based carbon fiber composite material, such as carbon fiber, glass fiber, aramid fiber, ceramic fiber, etc., which are formed by winding, molding or pultrusion and other molding processes with the resin matrix material.

[0108] Compared to metal layers, fiber layers are lighter, but they have lower stiffness, with a flexural modulus of around 60 GPa. When a flexible display screen is repeatedly bent or unfolded, the opposite sides of the screen are constantly subjected to inward compressive forces and outward tensile forces. Over a long period of use, this can easily lead to insufficient flatness and stiffness of the flexible display screen. Stiffness, also known as elastic modulus, refers to the ability of a material or structure to resist elastic deformation under stress. The larger the elastic modulus or stiffness, the smaller the elastic deformation; the smaller the elastic modulus or stiffness, the larger the elastic deformation.

[0109] For resin-based carbon fiber composites, a thinner thickness will lead to a significant decrease in bending stiffness, resulting in poor light and shadow on large surfaces and severely affecting the appearance.

[0110] In some support components, stiffness can be compensated by increasing the thickness of the support component. For example, if the thickness of the support component is greater than or equal to 150um, it will affect the overall thickness of the machine and will not be conducive to making the product thinner and lighter.

[0111] Therefore, this application provides an improved support member with low density and high modulus, which can achieve the thinnest and lightest possible while ensuring good light and shadow on a large surface. The support member provided in the embodiments of this application will be described below.

[0112] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of a support member provided in an embodiment of this application. The support member is disposed on the side opposite to the light-emitting surface of the flexible display screen. The support member 200 includes: a first support portion 201, a third support portion 203, and a second support portion 202.

[0113] This application also provides a schematic diagram of the structure of a display module. The display module provided in this application will be described below with reference to FIG19. As shown in FIG19, the first support portion 201 is used to connect with the first non-bending portion 1011 of the flexible display screen, the second support portion 202 is used to connect with the second non-bending portion 1013, and the third support portion 203 is used to connect with the first bending portion 1012.

[0114] In some embodiments, the first support portion 201 and the second support portion 202 are made of the same material. The first support portion 201 includes a matrix material 2001 and a filler material 2002, wherein the filler material 2002 is doped into the matrix material 2001 and the modulus of the filler material 2002 is greater than the modulus of the matrix material 2001.

[0115] For example, as shown in Figure 7, the first support portion 201 includes a matrix material 2001 and a filler material 2002, wherein the matrix material 2001 is a continuous phase and the filler material 2002 is a dispersed phase, and the dispersed phase is doped into the continuous phase.

[0116] In this embodiment, the first support portion 201 and the second support portion 202 are heterogeneous systems formed by doping with two materials, wherein the filler material 2002 is a dispersed phase, and the matrix material 2001 is a continuous phase, and the filler material 2002 is doped into the matrix material 2001. The dispersed phase refers to a substance that is dispersedly distributed within the continuous phase. This embodiment does not limit the form of the dispersed phase; for example, the dispersed phase exists in the form of particles. The continuous phase refers to a substance that can surround the dispersed phase and is in a continuous state.

[0117] In this method, incorporating high-modulus filler materials into the matrix material to create a composite material for the support component can increase its modulus, providing support for the flexible display screen and improving its reliability while maintaining the screen's rigidity. Furthermore, using two different materials allows for consideration of other performance aspects of the support component; for example, material selection can reduce its weight. Thus, both lightweight and reliable support components can be achieved.

[0118] In some embodiments, the density of the first support portion 201 is less than or equal to 4.5 g / cm³. 3 Therefore, the first support portion obtained by using the composite material of the filler material and the matrix material has a lower density, resulting in a lighter weight for the support component, which is beneficial for reducing the weight of the support component. This allows the support component to be thinner and lighter while meeting reliability requirements, resulting in better light and shadow effects over a large area, which is conducive to the slimming down of the equipment. In this way, both the portability and reliability of the support component can be taken into account.

[0119] The material of the third support portion is not limited in the embodiments of this application. In some embodiments, referring to FIG8, FIG8 is a schematic diagram of a cross-sectional structure of the support member in FIG7. The third support portion 203 is made of the same material as the first support portion 201. Thus, the first support portion 201, the second support portion 202, and the third support portion 203 are all made of metal matrix composite material, for example. The support member is integrally molded from the same material, which simplifies the structure, reduces the manufacturing difficulty, and the integral structure of the support member, when connected to the flexible display screen, helps to improve the flatness of the flexible display screen.

[0120] In some embodiments of this application, the support member 200 is a single integral structure, that is, the support member 200 is a structural component formed in one piece. In this case, the connection between the first support portion 201, the third support portion 203, and the second support portion 202 is more robust. In addition, the formation steps of the first support portion 201, the third support portion 203, and the second support portion 202 are fewer, which can reduce the cost of manufacturing the support member 200.

[0121] The thickness of the support member is, for example, less than or equal to 0.2 mm, and the density of the first support portion 201 is less than or equal to 4.5 g / cm³. 3 The bending modulus of the support member is greater than or equal to 100 GPa.

[0122] For example, the thickness of the support member is less than or equal to 0.12 mm, and the density of the support member is 2.9 g / cm³. 3 The flexural modulus of the support is greater than or equal to 150 GPa. The modulus of the continuous phase can be lower, while the modulus of the dispersed phase can be higher. The support using this matrix and filler material 2002 has a flexural modulus ≥ 150 GPa.

[0123] In this embodiment, the support component has a thickness of 0.12 mm and a density of 4.5 g / cm³. 3 Compared to a titanium alloy support with a bending modulus of 100 GPa, the thickness can be the same or lower, the weight is 65% or lower, and the bending modulus is 150% or higher. The support provided in this application, compared to a titanium alloy support with the same modulus, can be thinner, significantly lighter, and has significantly better surface lighting.

[0124] The support component in this embodiment has a thickness of 0.15 mm and a density of 1.6 g / cm³. 3 Compared to a resin-based carbon fiber composite support with a flexural modulus of 60 GPa, the thickness of this support can be 80% or less of that of the resin-based carbon fiber composite, the weight can be 145% or less of that of the resin-based carbon fiber composite, and the flexural modulus can be 250% or more of that of the resin-based carbon fiber composite. The support provided in this application, compared to a resin-based carbon fiber composite support with the same modulus, is thinner, reducing the weight of the support and contributing to the lightweight and thinner design of electronic devices, while also offering significantly better light and shadow performance over large surfaces.

[0125] To improve the bending performance of the support, in some embodiments, through holes and / or grooves may be provided in the bending area of ​​the support.

[0126] In some embodiments, the third support portion 203 is provided with a through hole and / or a groove, the through hole and / or the groove corresponding to the first bending portion. This improves the bending performance of the support member.

[0127] For example, as shown in Figure 8, the third support portion 203 of the support member 200 may be provided with a first through hole 203a.

[0128] In some other embodiments, as shown in FIG9, FIG9 shows another AA cross-sectional structure of the support member in FIG7, wherein the third support portion 203 of the support member 200 may be provided with a first groove 203b.

[0129] In other embodiments, as shown in FIG10, FIG10 shows another AA cross-sectional structure of the support member in FIG7. The third support portion 203 of the support member 200 may also be provided with a first through hole 203a and a first groove 203b at the same time.

[0130] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of another support member provided in an embodiment of this application. For a dual-folding screen mobile phone, its support member can be as shown in Figure 11. The support member 200 includes a first support portion 201, a third support portion 203, a second support portion 202, a fourth support portion 204, and a fifth support portion 205 connected in sequence. That is, the third support portion 203 is connected between the first support portion 201 and the second support portion 202. The second support portion 202 is connected between the third support portion 203 and the fourth support portion 204. The fourth support portion 204 is connected between the second support portion 202 and the fifth support portion 205.

[0131] The first support portion 201, the third support portion 203, the second support portion 202, the fourth support portion 204, and the fifth support portion 205 form a single integral structure, meaning the support member 200 is a one-piece molded structural component. In this case, the connection between the first support portion 201, the third support portion 203, the second support portion 202, the fourth support portion 204, and the fifth support portion 205 is more robust. Furthermore, the formation steps of the first support portion 201, the third support portion 203, the second support portion 202, the fourth support portion 204, and the fifth support portion 205 are fewer, reducing the cost of manufacturing the support member 200. In other embodiments, the first support portion 201, the third support portion 203, the second support portion 202, the fourth support portion 204, and the fifth support portion 205 can also be formed by welding or connected by snap-fit.

[0132] For example, the third support portion 203 may be provided with a first through hole and / or a first groove. The fourth support portion 204 may be provided with a second through hole and / or a second groove. The arrangement of the first through hole and the arrangement of the second through hole can be referred to the arrangement of the first through hole in the embodiment shown in FIG7, and will not be described in detail here.

[0133] This application does not limit the material, density, and volume fraction of the matrix material 2001 and the filler material 2002 in the first support portion 201. In some embodiments, the material density of the matrix material 2001 in the first support portion 201 is less than or equal to 4.5 g / cm³. 3 The volume fraction is 20%-100%. The matrix materials 2001 include: titanium alloys, aluminum alloys, magnesium alloys and other metallic materials.

[0134] The volume fraction of the filling material 2002 in the first support portion 201 is 0%-80%. The state of the filling material 2002 in the first support portion 201 includes at least one of the following: 0-dimensional material, one-dimensional material, and two-dimensional material. The 0-dimensional material can be particles, the one-dimensional material can be whiskers, short fibers, long fibers, or continuous fibers, and the two-dimensional material can be a sheet.

[0135] The filling material 2002 in the first support section 201 includes at least one of the following: ceramics, carbon materials, and elemental materials. Specifically, ceramics include silicon carbide. Carbon materials include carbon fibers, carbon nanotubes, and graphene. Elemental materials include boron, silicon, and tungsten.

[0136] In some embodiments, the support is made of silicon carbide particle-reinforced aluminum matrix composite material. The matrix material 2001 uses 6-series aluminum alloy with a volume fraction of 58%. The filler material 2002 uses silicon carbide particles with a particle size ≤10 μm and a volume fraction of 42%. The metal matrix composite material provided in this embodiment has a thickness ≤0.12 mm and a density of 2.9 g / cm³. 3 Flexural modulus ≥150GPa.

[0137] In this embodiment of the application, during the fabrication of the support member, multiple materials can be combined to form a composite structure 2000 as shown in FIG12A. The composite structure 2000 is then processed to form the support member shown in FIG7. The first support portion and the second support portion are made of this composite structure.

[0138] Among these methods, multiple materials can be combined using liquid methods, such as casting, or solid methods, such as powder metallurgy, to form composite structures.

[0139] In some embodiments, the third support portion 203 and the first support portion 201 are made of the same material, which may be a composite material formed by combining the matrix material 2001 and the filler material 2002 to form a composite structure.

[0140] In other embodiments, the third support 203 and the first support 201 may be made of different materials, and different materials may be placed in different positions. Then, the materials in multiple positions are integrally molded to form a composite structure block.

[0141] For example, the support component is made of silicon carbide particle-reinforced aluminum matrix composite. The matrix material 2001 uses 6-series aluminum alloy. The filler material 2002 uses silicon carbide particles.

[0142] During composite processing, SiC particles and aluminum powder can be stirred and mixed first. After being mixed evenly, they can be sintered into blocks using powder metallurgy.

[0143] Figures 12A and 12B are schematic diagrams of the intermediate product structures used in the fabrication of the support component. The metal matrix composite material formed in Figure 12A can be a block material. The composite structure 2000 can be processed by thinning the block material to form a sheet material as shown in Figure 12B.

[0144] In some embodiments, the block material can be thinned to form a sheet by means of rolling, wire cutting, etc.

[0145] For example, blocks are processed into sheets using methods such as wire cutting and rolling. The sheets are then polished to precisely control their thickness, thus forming a sheet material.

[0146] In some embodiments, through holes and / or grooves may be provided on the sheet to form a support as shown in FIG7.

[0147] In some embodiments, the sheet may be ground or cut before the through holes and / or grooves are formed on the sheet.

[0148] Thickness can be precisely controlled through grinding. Shape cutting can be performed using methods such as laser cutting, etching, and machining.

[0149] In some embodiments, providing through holes and / or grooves on the sheet includes:

[0150] The sheet material is processed by laser, etching, machining or other methods to form through holes and / or grooves.

[0151] In the above embodiments, the third support portion 203 and the first support portion 201 can be made of the same material. In other embodiments, the third support portion 203 and the first support portion 201 can be made of different materials, and the first support portion 201, the third support portion 203 and the second support portion 202 can be integrally formed or connected by welding.

[0152] In some embodiments of this application, as shown in FIG13, FIG13 is a schematic diagram of another support member provided in an embodiment of this application. The support member includes: a first support portion 201, a second support portion 202, and a third support portion 203 connected to each other. The first support portion 201 and the second support portion 202 are made of the same material, while the third support portion 203 and the first support portion 201 are made of different materials.

[0153] In some embodiments of this application, referring to Figure 14, which is a schematic BB cross-sectional structure of the support member in Figure 13, the third support portion 203 is made of metal, as is the base material 2001 of the first support portion 201. The first support portion 201 and the second support portion 202 are made of metal-based composite materials to ensure high modulus and low density, thus enhancing the light and shadow effect over large areas. The first support portion 201 and the third support portion 203 of this support member are made of different materials; the third support portion 203 is made of the same type of material as the base material to ensure sufficient elongation at break and avoid bending breakage.

[0154] In some embodiments, the third support 203 may be made of the same metal material as the base material 2001 of the first support 201. This reduces the variety of raw materials required for the support and lowers the manufacturing complexity.

[0155] In some embodiments of this application, referring to FIG15, FIG15 is a schematic diagram of another BB cross-sectional structure of the support member in FIG13. The third support portion 203 includes: a matrix material 2001, and a filler material 2002 doped in the matrix material 2001. The volume fraction of the filler material 2002 in the third support portion 203 is less than the volume fraction of the filler material in the first support portion 201. As a result, the modulus of the third support portion 203 is less than the modulus of the first support portion 201 and the second support portion 202, thereby improving the bending performance of the third support portion 203.

[0156] The support component provided in this application adopts an integrated structure and is connected to the flexible display screen, which helps to improve the flatness of the flexible display screen. Using a high-modulus filler material 2002 as a composite material in the matrix material 2001 for the support component can increase the modulus of the support component. At the same time, the support component is thinner and lighter, resulting in better light and shadow performance over a large area.

[0157] The high density of the substrate material 2001 provides support for the flexible display screen and helps maintain the screen's rigidity. The low density of the filler material 2002 makes the support component lighter, which helps reduce the weight of the support component.

[0158] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG13, the first support portion 201 and the second support portion 202 are made of the same material, and the third support portion 203 and the first support portion 201 are made of different materials, so that different moduli can be achieved in different parts of the support member. There is a splice seam 200a between the first support portion 201 and the third support portion 203, and a splice seam 200b between the second support portion 202 and the third support portion 203.

[0159] The embodiments of this application do not limit the location of the seam. The seam can be located in an area with a through hole, and the seam should avoid the thinned area with a groove.

[0160] The first support portion 201 includes a matrix material and a filler material. The filler material is doped into the matrix material. The modulus of the filler material is greater than that of the matrix material. Both the matrix material and the third support portion 203 are made of metal.

[0161] In this embodiment, the first support portion 201 and the second support portion 202 are made of metal-based composite materials to ensure high modulus and low density, thereby enhancing the light and shadow effect on large surfaces. The third support portion 203 is made of metal to ensure sufficient elongation at break and avoid bending and breakage problems.

[0162] This application does not limit the material, density, and volume fraction of the matrix material 2001 and the filler material 2002. In some embodiments, the material density of the matrix material 2001 is less than or equal to 4.5 g / cm³. 3 The volume fraction is 20%-100%. The density of the support is related to the density of the matrix material 2001 and the filler material 2002. This application can change the density of the support by changing the materials of the matrix material 2001 and the filler material 2002. The matrix material 2001 has a lower density, which is beneficial to reduce the overall density of the support and achieve a thinner and lighter device.

[0163] The matrix material 2001 can be made of metals such as stainless steel, titanium alloy, aluminum alloy, and magnesium alloy. The use of metals as the matrix material makes this composite material a metal-based composite, which balances the lightweight and reliability of the support components.

[0164] The volume fraction of the filler material is 0%-80%. The reliability of the support is related to the modulus of each component of the support, and the thickness and weight of the support are related to the density of each component of the support. By adjusting the volume fraction of the filler material and the matrix material, the modulus, thickness, and weight of the support can meet the preset requirements, taking into account both the portability and reliability of the support.

[0165] The filler material can be in the following states: at least one of 0-dimensional, 1-dimensional, and 2-dimensional materials. The 0-dimensional material can be particles, the 1-dimensional material can be whiskers, short fibers, long fibers, or continuous fibers, and the 2-dimensional material can be sheets. Thus, the filler material can be particles, whiskers, short fibers, long fibers, continuous fibers, sheets, etc., or it can be a mixture of multiple materials. The filler material can be dispersed in the matrix material in the form of microparticles, and the matrix material can surround the dispersed phase, allowing the matrix material and the filler material to be uniformly mixed.

[0166] The filler material includes at least one of the following: ceramics, carbon materials, and elemental materials. Ceramics include silicon carbide. Carbon materials include carbon fibers, carbon nanotubes, and graphene. Elemental materials include boron, silicon, and tungsten. This filler material has a high modulus, which can improve the modulus of the support component.

[0167] In some embodiments, the support is made of silicon carbide particle-reinforced aluminum matrix composite material. The matrix material 2001 may be a 6-series aluminum alloy with a volume fraction of 58%. The filler material 2002 uses silicon carbide particles with a particle size ≤10 μm and a volume fraction of 42%. The metal matrix composite material provided in this embodiment has a thickness ≤0.12 mm and a density of 2.9 g / cm³. 3 Flexural modulus ≥150GPa.

[0168] This application does not limit the connection method of the first support part 201, the third support part 203, and the second support part 202. In some embodiments, the first support part 201, the third support part 203, and the second support part 202 are connected by splicing. For example, the first support part 201, the third support part 203, and the second support part 202 are spliced ​​together by powder metallurgy, bonding, welding, or other methods. This strengthens the bonding force between the first support part, the third support part, and the second support part, which is beneficial to improving the connection strength and stability between the various parts of the support component, and also improves the flatness of the flexible display screen.

[0169] The support component provided in this application embodiment uses a metal-based composite material in its non-bending areas, such as the first support portion 201 and the second support portion 202. This material offers good support performance, improving the flatness and rigidity of the flexible display screen and the housing, while also being lightweight, which is beneficial for the thinning and lightening of electronic devices. This achieves product thinning and lightness while ensuring the support performance of the component, thus improving the user experience. Furthermore, the bending areas of the support component, such as the third support portion 203, are entirely made of high-density metal material. The high density retains the modulus and strength of steel, giving the bending areas high strength and elastic deformation capacity. This allows the bending areas to withstand multiple bends, improving their reliability and extending the service life of the support component.

[0170] To further improve the bending performance of the support, in some embodiments, through holes and / or grooves may be provided in the bending area of ​​the support.

[0171] In some embodiments, referring again to FIG14, the third support portion 203 of the support member 200 may be provided with a first through hole 203a.

[0172] In some other embodiments, FIG16 is a schematic diagram of another support member provided in an embodiment of this application. As shown in FIG16, through holes may not be provided on the support member 200.

[0173] Figure 17 is a schematic diagram of the CC cross-sectional structure of the support member in Figure 16. As shown in Figure 17, the third support portion 203 of the support member 200 may be provided with a first groove 203b. For example, the first region of the third support portion 203 may be thinned to form the first groove in the first region. The thickness of the first region may be thinned by etching, machining, or other methods.

[0174] The longitudinal cross-sectional shape of the first groove 203b includes trapezoidal and rectangular shapes. Therefore, when the groove is rectangular, the transition from bottom to top is rapid. When the groove is trapezoidal, the transition from bottom to top is gradual, resulting in a more uniform modulus change, which is beneficial for improving the bending reliability of the support component.

[0175] For example, the minimum thickness of the first region is ≤50µm. This reduces the thickness of the third support, which improves its bending performance. This application does not limit the width of the first groove. For example, the width of the first groove can be equal to the width of the rotating shaft. This allows a portion of the rotating shaft to be placed within the groove, reducing the overall thickness and achieving a thinner and lighter electronic device. In other embodiments of this application, the width of the first groove can be greater than the width of the rotating shaft, or it can be less than the width of the rotating shaft.

[0176] This reduces appearance issues, creases, and reliability problems caused by extrusion and impact.

[0177] In other embodiments, as shown in FIG15, the third support portion 203 of the support member 200 may also be provided with both the first through hole 203a and the first groove 203b.

[0178] The support member provided in this embodiment can have through holes and / or grooves provided in the third support portion 203, which reduces the modulus of the third support portion 203 and improves the bending performance of the third support portion 203, thus enabling the support member to have good bending performance.

[0179] In some embodiments of this application, the fabrication process of the support member involves combining multiple materials to form a composite structure. This may include combining a first block 2000a, a second block 2000b, and a third block 2000c, all formed from multiple materials, to form the composite structure shown in Figure 18A. This composite structure is then processed into a sheet as shown in Figure 18B to obtain the support member shown in Figure 15. Figures 18A and 18B are schematic diagrams of the intermediate product structure during the fabrication of the support member.

[0180] The first block and the second block are made of the same material. The first block is made of a metal matrix composite material, which includes a matrix material and a filler material. The filler material is doped into the filler material. The filler material and the third block are made of metal material.

[0181] In this embodiment, the first support portion 201 is formed by the first block 2000a, the second support portion is formed by the second block 2000b, and the third support portion is formed by the third block 2000c.

[0182] The first and second support parts use metal-based composite materials to ensure high modulus and low density, thereby enhancing the light and shadow effect on large surfaces.

[0183] The third support component uses a metallic material, such as stainless steel, titanium alloy, aluminum alloy, or magnesium alloy. Alternatively, the third support component can use a low-volume-fraction metal-based composite material to ensure sufficient elongation at break and avoid bending fracture. The elongation at break of this metallic material / low-volume-fraction metal-based composite material is ≥0.5%.

[0184] This application does not limit the splicing process of metal materials and metal matrix composites. For example, the two materials can be spliced ​​together by powder metallurgy, bonding, welding and other methods to form a block material.

[0185] In the above embodiments, the modulus of the filler material 2002 is higher than that of the matrix material 2001. To further improve the modulus of the support, the volume fraction of the filler material 2002 in the support can be adjusted. For example, in some embodiments, a third material (not shown in the figures) can also be provided to process the composite structure. This processing can involve combining the third material with the first and second materials to form a composite. The third material includes a matrix material and a filler material doped into the matrix material. The volume fraction of the filler material in the third material is less than the volume fraction of the filler material in the first support portion. The third support portion is made of the third material.

[0186] The embodiments of this application do not limit the manufacturing process of the support components using different metal matrix composites. In some embodiments, splicing technology can be used to splice different metal matrix composites to form the first support part 201, the second support part 202 and the third support part 203.

[0187] In this embodiment, the first support portion 201, the second support portion 202, and the third support portion 203 are all made of metal-based composite materials. This allows the volume fraction of the filler material in the first support portion 201 and the second support portion 202 to be the same, while the volume fraction of the filler material in the third support portion 203 is less than that in the first support portion 201. This results in a lower modulus for the third support portion compared to the first and second support portions, thus improving the bending performance of the third support portion.

[0188] The higher the volume fraction of filler material 2002, the higher the modulus of the support, but the more brittle the support becomes, making it prone to breakage when bent. To balance the modulus and bending performance of the support, the material of the third support can be changed.

[0189] In some embodiments, the composite material can also be processed into a sheet as shown in FIG12B.

[0190] One method is to thin out bulk materials to form sheets. For example, bulk materials can be processed into sheets through wire cutting or rolling.

[0191] In some embodiments, through holes and / or grooves may be provided on the sheet to form a support member as shown in FIG13.

[0192] Before providing through holes and / or grooves on the sheet, the method further includes: grinding and cutting the sheet to form the support member.

[0193] The thickness can be precisely controlled through grinding. The shape can be cut using methods such as laser cutting, etching, and machining to form the support component.

[0194] The support member includes: a first support portion 201 connected to the first non-bending portion, a second support portion 202 connected to the second non-bending portion, and a third support portion 203 connected to the first bending portion. The first support portion 201 and the second support portion 202 are made of the same material. The first support portion 201 includes a matrix material and a filler material, wherein the filler material is doped into the matrix material, and the modulus of the filler material is greater than the modulus of the matrix material. Both the matrix material and the third support portion 203 are made of metallic materials.

[0195] In some embodiments, providing through holes and / or grooves on the sheet includes:

[0196] Through holes and / or grooves are formed in the first region 2031 of the third support 203 (shown in FIG15).

[0197] The first region 2031 can be processed by laser, etching, machining or other methods to form through holes and / or grooves.

[0198] This application embodiment does not limit the range of the first region 2031. In some implementations, as shown in FIG15, the first region 2031 may be located in the middle of the second support portion 202. For example, the central axis of the first region 2031 overlaps with the central axis of the third support portion 203.

[0199] In some embodiments, the first region 2031 may cover the entire third support portion 203, that is, the entire third support portion 203 may be thinned.

[0200] In some embodiments, the first region 2031 covers only a portion of the third support portion 203.

[0201] In other embodiments, the first region 2031 covers the entire third support portion 203, as well as a portion of the first support portion 201 and a portion of the second support portion 202.

[0202] The first region may have only a through hole, only a groove, or both a through hole and a groove. In some embodiments, the first region 2031 may have a first through hole.

[0203] In other embodiments, the first region 2031 may be provided with a first groove 203b. For example, the first region 2031 of the third support portion 203 may be thinned to form the first groove 203b in the first region 2031. The thickness of the first region 2031 may be reduced by means of etching, machining, or other methods.

[0204] For example, the minimum thickness of the first region is ≤50µm. This application embodiment does not limit the width of the first groove 203b. For example, the width of the first groove 203b can be equal to the width of the hinge, thus allowing a portion of the hinge to be placed in the groove, which helps reduce the overall thickness and achieve a thinner and lighter electronic device. In other embodiments of this application, the width of the first groove 203b can be greater than the width of the hinge, or the width of the first groove 203b can be less than the width of the hinge.

[0205] In this way, by setting grooves, bending performance can be improved, and appearance problems, crease problems, and reliability problems caused by extrusion and impact can be reduced.

[0206] In other embodiments, the first region 2031 may also be provided with both a first through hole and a first groove 203b.

[0207] The support member provided in this embodiment can have through holes and / or grooves provided in the third support portion 203, which reduces the modulus of the third support portion 203 and improves the bending performance of the third support portion 203, thus enabling the support member to have good bending performance.

[0208] When only a groove is provided in the first region, the transition method between the first region 2031 and other parts of the support member is not limited in the embodiments of this application. In some embodiments, the support member includes: a first region 2031 and a second region 2032, the thickness of the first region 2031 is uniform, the thickness of the second region 2032 is uniform, and the thickness of the first region 2031 is less than the thickness of the second region 2032.

[0209] In some embodiments, the support further includes a transition region 2033, which is disposed between the first region 2031 and the second region 2032, and the thickness of the transition region 2033 varies uniformly from the first region 2031 to the second region 2032.

[0210] This application embodiment does not limit the gradation method of the transition region 2033. The thinned transition region 2033 can be a rapid transition or a slow transition.

[0211] In some embodiments, the longitudinal cross-sectional shape of the transition region 2033 is stepped. In some embodiments, the longitudinal cross-sectional shape of the transition region 2033 is a right trapezoid.

[0212] This application also provides a display module, wherein FIG19 is a structural schematic diagram of a display module provided in this application embodiment. As shown in FIG19, the display module includes: a flexible display screen 101 and a support member 200 stacked thereon. The support member 200 is disposed on the side away from the light-emitting surface of the flexible display screen 101. The flexible display screen 101 includes a first bent portion 1012, a first non-bent portion 1011 and a second non-bent portion 1013. The first bent portion 1012 connects the first non-bent portion 1011 and the second non-bent portion 1013. The structure of the support member 200 can be referred to the description of the above embodiment.

[0213] The support member 200 may include: a first support portion 201 connected to the first non-bending portion 1011, a second support portion 202 connected to the second non-bending portion 1013, and a third support portion 203 connected to the first bending portion 1012. The first support portion 201 and the second support portion 202 are made of the same material. The first support portion 201 includes: a matrix material 2001 and a filler material 2002, wherein the filler material 2002 is doped into the matrix material 2001, and the modulus of the filler material 2002 is greater than that of the matrix material 2001.

[0214] This application embodiment does not limit the connection method between the support member 200 and the flexible display screen 101. The support member 200 can be bonded to the flexible display screen 101 through an adhesive layer. For example, the adhesive layer includes: a first part, a second part, and a third part that are connected. The first support part 201 is bonded to the first non-bending part 1011 through the first part of the adhesive layer, the second support part 202 is connected to the second non-bending part 1013 through the second part of the adhesive layer, and the third support part 203 is bonded to the first bending part 1012 through the third part of the adhesive layer.

[0215] This application provides a display module, a support member, and an electronic device, wherein the support member is disposed on a side opposite to the light-emitting surface of the flexible display screen. In some embodiments, the support member is formed from a composite material comprising a matrix material and a filler material, wherein the filler material is doped into the matrix material, the modulus of the filler material is greater than the modulus of the matrix material, and the density of the support member is less than or equal to 4.5 g / cm³. 3Therefore, this support component adopts an integrated structure, connecting with the flexible display screen, which helps improve the flatness of the flexible display screen. Using a high-modulus filler material incorporated into the matrix material as a composite material for the support component increases its modulus. Furthermore, the high density of the matrix material provides support for the flexible display screen, helping to maintain its rigidity, while the lower density of the filler material results in a lighter support component, further reducing its weight. This allows the support component to be thinner and lighter while meeting reliability requirements, resulting in better light and shadow effects over a large area and contributing to the overall thinner and lighter design of the device.

[0216] In other embodiments, the flexible display screen includes a first bent portion, a first non-bent portion, and a second non-bent portion. The support member includes a first support portion connected to the first non-bent portion, a second support portion connected to the second non-bent portion, and a third support portion connected to the first bent portion. The volume fraction of the filler material in the first support portion is equal to the volume fraction of the filler material in the second support portion, and the volume fraction of the filler material in the third support portion is less than the volume fraction of the filler material in the first support portion. This results in the modulus of the third support portion being less than the modulus of the first and second support portions, thereby improving the bending performance of the third support portion.

[0217] In other embodiments, the flexible display screen includes a first bent portion, a first non-bent portion, and a second non-bent portion. The support member includes a first support portion connected to the first non-bent portion, a second support portion connected to the second non-bent portion, and a third support portion connected to the first bent portion. The first and second support portions are made of the same material. The first support portion includes a matrix material and a filler material, wherein the filler material is doped into the matrix material, and the modulus of the filler material is greater than that of the matrix material. Both the matrix material and the third support portion are made of metal. The third support portion has through holes and / or grooves. Thus, the first and third support portions of the support member are made of different materials. The first and second support portions are made of metal-based composite materials to ensure high modulus and low density, improving the light and shadow effect on a large surface. The third support portion is made of metal to ensure sufficient elongation at break and avoid bending breakage.

[0218] In addition, the third support portion is provided with through holes and / or grooves, which correspond to the first bending portion, thereby improving the bending performance of the support member.

[0219] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A display module, characterized by The display module comprises: A flexible display screen and a support arranged in a stacked manner, the support being arranged on a side away from a light-emitting surface of the flexible display screen, the flexible display screen comprising a first bending portion, a first non-bending portion, and a second non-bending portion, the first bending portion connecting the first non-bending portion and the second non-bending portion, the support comprising a first support portion connected to the first non-bending portion, a second support portion connected to the second non-bending portion, and a third support portion connected to the first bending portion; The first support portion and the second support portion are made of the same material, the first support portion comprising a base material and a filler material doped in the base material, the modulus of the filler material being greater than the modulus of the base material.

2. The display module of claim 1, wherein, The third support portion and the first support portion are made of the same material.

3. The display module of claim 1, wherein, The volume fraction of the filler material in the third support portion is less than the volume fraction of the filler material in the first support portion.

4. The display module of claim 1, wherein, The third support portion and the base material are both made of a metal material.

5. The display module of claim 4, wherein, The third support portion and the base material are made of the same metal material.

6. The display module of any one of claims 1-5, wherein, The first support portion, the third support portion, and the second support portion are connected by splicing.

7. The display module of any of claims 1-6, wherein, The volume fraction of the base material in the first support portion is 0%-80%, and the volume fraction of the filler material in the first support portion is 20%-100%.

8. The display module of any of claims 1-7, wherein, The base material is made of at least one of titanium alloy, aluminum alloy, and magnesium alloy.

9. The display module of any of claims 1-8, wherein, The filler material is made of at least one of 0-dimensional material, 1-dimensional material, and 2-dimensional material.

10. The display module of any of claims 1-9, wherein, The filler material is made of at least one of ceramic, carbon material, and elemental material.

11. The display module of any of claims 1-10, wherein, The thickness of the support is less than or equal to 0.2 mm.

12. The display module of any of claims 1-11, wherein, The density of the first support portion is less than or equal to 4.5 g / cm 3 .

13. The display module of any of claims 1-12, wherein, The third support portion is provided with a through hole and / or a groove.

14. The display module of claim 13, wherein, The longitudinal cross-sectional shape of the groove comprises a trapezoidal shape, a rectangular shape, and an arc shape.

15. A support member characterized by, The support is arranged on a side away from a light-emitting surface of the flexible display screen, the flexible display screen comprising a first bending portion, a first non-bending portion, and a second non-bending portion, the first bending portion connecting the first non-bending portion and the second non-bending portion, the support comprising a first support portion connected to the first non-bending portion, a second support portion The first support portion and the second support portion are made of the same material, the first support 16. Support according to claim 15, characterized in that The density of the base material is less than or equal to 4.5 g / cm 3 .

17. Support according to claim 15 or 16, characterized in that The volume fraction of the base material in the first support portion is 0%-80%, and 18. Support according to any one of claims 15-17, characterized in that The filler material is made of at least one of 0-dimensional material, 1-dimensional material, 19. An electronic device, comprising: The display module comprises a housing and a display module as claimed in any one of claims 1-14, the display module being connected to the housing.

20. A method of making a support, characterized by: The method comprises: Compounding a plurality of materials to form a composite structure, the plurality of materials comprising a base material and a filler material, the modulus of the filler material being greater than the modulus of the base material; The composite structure is processed into a sheet to form a support; the support is arranged on a side away from a light-emitting surface of the flexible display screen, the support comprises a first support part, a second support part and a third support part, the flexible display screen comprises a first bending part, a first non-bending part and a second non-bending part, the first bending part connects the first non-bending part and the second non-bending part, the first support part is connected with the first non-bending part, the third support part is connected with the first bending part, and the second support part is connected with the second non-bending part; wherein the first support part and the second support part are made of the same material, the first support part comprises a base material and a filling material doped in the base material.

21. The method of producing a support according to claim 20, wherein The density of the base material is less than or equal to 4.5 g / cm 3 .

22. A method of producing a support according to claim 20 or 21, characterised in that, The volume fraction of the base material in the first support part is 0%-80%, and the volume fraction of the filling material in the first support part is 20%-100%.

23. A method of producing a support according to any one of claims 20 to 22, characterised in that, The filling material comprises at least one of a zero-dimensional material, a one-dimensional material and a two-dimensional material.

24. A method of producing a support according to any one of claims 20 to 23, characterised in that, The composite structure is formed by compounding a plurality of materials, comprising: The first block, the second block and the third block formed by the plurality of materials are compounded to form the composite structure, wherein the first support part is formed by the first block, the second support part is formed by the second block, and the third support part is formed by the third block.

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