Display module and electronic device
By adjusting the position of the neutral layer in the bending area of the display panel and setting a groove, the problem of high stress in the metal layer of the bending area of the display module was solved, resulting in a smaller bending radius and a higher screen ratio, thus improving the display effect.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-11-28
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-04
AI Technical Summary
The metal layer in the bending area of the display module is under greater stress, which can easily cause breakage, affecting the display effect and limiting the screen-to-body ratio of full-screen devices.
By adjusting the position of the neutral layer in the area corresponding to the bend of the display panel, making it close to or located within the metal layer, the stress on the metal layer is reduced. A thickness gradient design and grooves are set on the substrate to adjust the position of the neutral layer, thereby reducing the risk of metal layer breakage.
The bending radius of the display panel's bending area has been reduced, lowering the risk of metal layer breakage, increasing screen-to-body ratio, and improving display performance.
Smart Images
Figure CN2025138783_04062026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
Display modules and electronic devices
[0001] [Amended 12.12.2025 according to Rule 91] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202411757166.8, filed with the State Intellectual Property Office of China on November 29, 2024, entitled “Display Module and Electronic Device”, and to Chinese Patent Application No. 202511787898.6, filed with the State Intellectual Property Office of China on November 28, 2025, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field
[0002] This application relates to the field of electronic device technology, and more particularly to a display module and an electronic device. Background Technology
[0003] Currently, full-screen technology is increasingly being used in mobile devices and other electronic devices, allowing display modules to achieve a larger visual experience within a fixed area. This includes, for example, a bezel area. The display module can connect to a driver chip located on the light-emitting side away from the display module through the bezel area. This allows the display module portion to be bent and set within the bezel, reducing the occupied display area and minimizing the black border area. This design helps to increase the display area and achieve a full-screen design.
[0004] Among these factors, the width of the bezels, especially the bottom bezel, greatly limits the improvement of the screen-to-body ratio and restricts the further development of full-screen display devices.
[0005] To reduce the width of the bottom bezel, the bending radius of the display module bezel area is getting smaller and smaller. As the bending radius decreases, the stress in the metal layer within the bezel area increases dramatically, making it prone to breakage and affecting the display effect. Summary of the Invention
[0006] This application provides a display module and an electronic device that solves the problem of high stress in the bending area of the display module.
[0007] To achieve the above objectives, this application adopts the following technical solution:
[0008] A first aspect of this application provides a display module, comprising: a first stacked layer, a display panel, and a second stacked layer; the display panel includes: a pixel definition layer, a second planarization layer, a metal layer, a first planarization layer, and a substrate stacked together, the metal layer including: a first portion, a first bent portion, and a second portion connected in sequence; wherein, the first stacked layer, the first portion, the second stacked layer, and the second portion are stacked together, the first portion and the second portion are respectively disposed on opposite sides of the second stacked layer, and the pixel definition layer, the second planarization layer, and the substrate are disposed in the regions of the display panel corresponding to the first portion, the first bent portion, and the second portion, that is, the orthogonal projection of the metal layer and the second planarization layer onto the substrate can coincide with the substrate; the first planarization layer includes: a third portion and a fourth portion, the third portion being stacked with the first portion, and the fourth portion being stacked with the second portion. Therefore, by setting the first flat layer only in the non-bending portion, the neutral layer of the display panel corresponding to the first bending portion can be adjusted to be inside the metal layer, or the neutral layer of the display panel corresponding to the first bending portion can be made close to the metal layer, thereby reducing or eliminating the stress borne by the metal layer, such as the first bending portion of the metal layer, in the area corresponding to the first bending portion of the display panel, reducing the risk of metal layer breakage, which is beneficial to reducing the bending radius of the area corresponding to the first bending portion of the display panel, increasing the screen ratio, and improving the display effect.
[0009] In one optional implementation, the display panel includes a display area, and the third part includes a first sub-part disposed in the display area. The first planarization layer further includes a second bending portion, which is stacked with the first bending portion. The second bending portion includes a second sub-part, the thickness of which is less than the thickness of the first sub-part. Therefore, by providing the second bending portion, the step difference of the first planarization layer can be reduced, resulting in a more uniform stress change in the first planarization layer under bending conditions, which is beneficial to improving the bending performance of the planarization layer. Furthermore, by making the thickness of the first planarization layer in the second sub-part, i.e., the bending area of the display panel, less than the thickness of the first planarization layer in the first sub-part, i.e., the display area of the display panel, the neutral layer of the corresponding area of the display panel and the second sub-part can be adjusted to be within the metal layer, or the neutral layer of the corresponding area of the display panel and the second sub-part can be made close to the metal layer, thereby reducing or eliminating the stress borne by the first bending portion of the metal layer in the corresponding area of the display panel and the second sub-part, and reducing the risk of metal layer fracture.
[0010] In one alternative implementation, the thickness of the second sub-section gradually increases along the bending axis away from the second bend. Thus, the second bend, with its gradually varying thickness, further reduces the step differences between different regions of the first flat layer, resulting in a more uniform stress distribution in the first flat layer under bending conditions and reducing the risk of metal layer fracture.
[0011] In one optional implementation, the second sub-part is symmetrical about the bending axis of the second bend. The bending axis of the second bend is located at the apex of the arc when the second bend is in a bent state. At the apex, the strain generated in the metal layer is the greatest. This allows the thinned second sub-part to be situated in this region of maximum stress, and its symmetry about the bending axis allows for sufficient adjustment of the position of the neutral layer within this region, reducing the stress on the metal layer at that location and providing better protection for the metal layer.
[0012] In one optional implementation, the thickness of the second sub-part ranges from 0 to 1.2 μm. When the thickness of the second sub-part is 0 μm, no first planarization layer is provided at this location, and the planarization layer is a single-layer structure in the region corresponding to the second sub-part. The thinner thickness of the second sub-part facilitates adjusting the neutral layer of the display panel and the corresponding region of the second sub-part into the metal layer, or making the neutral layer of the display panel and the corresponding region of the second sub-part close to the metal layer, thereby reducing or eliminating the stress borne by the metal layer in the region of the display panel and the second sub-part, i.e., the first bending portion of the metal layer, and reducing the risk of metal layer fracture.
[0013] In one optional implementation, the substrate includes a third bend corresponding to the first bend, and the surface of the third bend facing away from the first bend has a groove. Therefore, the groove can be used to adjust the position of the neutral layer in the area corresponding to the third bend of the display panel. This can be achieved by adjusting the neutral layer in the area corresponding to the third bend of the display panel to be within the metal layer, or by bringing the neutral layer in the area corresponding to the third bend of the display panel closer to the metal layer, thereby reducing or eliminating the stress borne by the first bend of the metal layer in the area corresponding to the third bend of the display panel, and reducing the risk of fracture of the metal layer.
[0014] In one alternative implementation, the substrate includes: a first substrate, a barrier layer, and a second substrate stacked together. The first substrate is disposed close to the first planarization layer, and the groove is disposed on the surface of the second substrate facing away from the first substrate. Thus, the substrate employs multiple layers, which can better support the remaining layers, and the barrier layer can prevent impurities from diffusing.
[0015] In one optional implementation, the substrate includes a fifth portion and a sixth portion, the fifth portion corresponding to the third portion and the sixth portion corresponding to the fourth portion. A first back film is provided on the side of the fifth portion facing away from the third portion, and a second back film is provided on the side of the sixth portion facing away from the fourth portion. Therefore, by removing the back film of the display panel on the substrate side corresponding to the first bend, the neutral layer of the display panel in the area corresponding to the first bend can be adjusted to be within the metal layer, or the neutral layer of the display panel in the area corresponding to the first bend can be brought close to the metal layer, thereby reducing or eliminating the stress borne by the metal layer in the area corresponding to the first bend and lowering the risk of metal layer breakage.
[0016] In one optional implementation, the display panel further includes a first inorganic layer and a second inorganic layer. The first inorganic layer is disposed between the fifth portion and the third portion, and the second inorganic layer is disposed between the sixth portion and the fourth portion. Therefore, by removing the inorganic layer in the region corresponding to the first bend of the display panel, the neutral layer in that region can be adjusted to be within the metal layer, or the neutral layer in that region can be brought closer to the metal layer. This reduces or eliminates the stress on the metal layer in the region corresponding to the first bend, thereby lowering the risk of metal layer breakage.
[0017] In one optional implementation, the first inorganic layer includes: an interlayer insulating layer, a dielectric layer, and a buffer layer stacked together, wherein the buffer layer is connected to the substrate. Therefore, the first inorganic layer has multiple layers. By removing the inorganic layer in the region corresponding to the first bend in the display panel, the stress borne by the metal layer in the region corresponding to the first bend in the display panel can be effectively reduced or eliminated, thus lowering the risk of metal layer breakage.
[0018] In one optional implementation, the first layer is disposed on the side of the first portion opposite to the second layer, and the first layer includes: a polarizing film, an adhesive layer, and a cover plate stacked together, the polarizing film being connected to the display panel. Thus, the first layer can protect the display area of the display panel.
[0019] A second aspect of this application provides a display module, comprising: a first stacked layer, a display panel, and a second stacked layer; the display panel includes: a pixel definition layer, a second planarization layer, a metal layer, a first planarization layer, and a substrate, all stacked together; the metal layer includes: a first portion, a first bent portion, and a second portion connected sequentially, the first portion and the second portion being respectively disposed on opposite sides of the second stacked layer; the pixel definition layer, the second planarization layer, the metal layer, the first planarization layer, and the substrate are disposed in the area corresponding to the display panel and the metal layer; the substrate includes: a third bent portion stacked with the first bent portion, the surface of the third bent portion facing away from the first bent portion having a groove. Thus, the groove can be used to adjust the position of the neutral layer in the area corresponding to the third bent portion of the display panel, adjusting the neutral layer in the area corresponding to the third bent portion of the display panel to be within the metal layer, or making the neutral layer in the area corresponding to the third bent portion of the display panel closer to the metal layer, thereby reducing or eliminating the stress borne by the first bent portion of the metal layer in the area corresponding to the third bent portion of the display panel, and reducing the risk of metal layer breakage.
[0020] In one alternative implementation, the substrate includes: a first substrate, a barrier layer, and a second substrate stacked together. The first substrate is disposed close to the first planarization layer, and the groove is disposed on the surface of the second substrate facing away from the first substrate. Thus, the substrate employs multiple layers, which can better support the remaining layers, and the barrier layer can prevent impurities from diffusing.
[0021] In one alternative implementation, the groove extends from the surface of the first substrate into the interior of the first substrate. Thus, by creating the groove only in the first substrate, the impact on the remaining layers can be reduced.
[0022] In one alternative implementation, the groove extends from the surface of the first substrate into the interior of the second substrate. This increases the depth of the groove, effectively reducing or eliminating the stress on the metal layer in the area corresponding to the third bend in the display panel, i.e., the first bend in the metal layer, thus lowering the risk of metal layer breakage.
[0023] In one alternative implementation, the length direction of the groove is parallel to the bending axis of the third bend. Therefore, by having the groove positioned along the length direction of the third bend, the stress on the metal layer in the area corresponding to the third bend of the display panel, i.e., the first bend of the metal layer, can be effectively reduced or eliminated, thus lowering the risk of metal layer breakage.
[0024] In one alternative implementation, the angle between the length direction of the groove and the bending axis of the third bend is greater than 0° and less than or equal to 90°. Therefore, the groove can be distributed in various directions, effectively dispersing stress in multiple directions.
[0025] In one alternative implementation, the cross-sectional shape of the groove includes at least one of the following: straight line, polygonal line, curved line, and grid shape. Therefore, a suitable groove shape can be selected based on the shape of the substrate.
[0026] In one optional implementation, the longitudinal cross-sectional shape of the groove includes at least one of trapezoidal, triangular, rectangular, and arc-shaped. Therefore, when the longitudinal cross-sectional shape of the groove is trapezoidal, triangular, or arc-shaped, compared to using a rectangle, the substrate thickness variation is more uniform, reducing the step differences in different areas of the substrate, resulting in more uniform stress variation of the substrate under bending conditions, and reducing the risk of metal layer fracture.
[0027] A third aspect of this application provides an electronic device, comprising: a housing and a display module as described above, wherein the housing is connected to the display module. Therefore, by employing the aforementioned display module, the electronic device can effectively reduce the stress in the bending area of the display module, further reduce the risk of metal layer fracture, and is beneficial for reducing the bending radius of the display panel's bending area, increasing the screen-to-body ratio, and improving the display effect.
[0028] This application provides a display module and an electronic device. The electronic device includes the display module, which includes a first stack, a display panel, and a second stack. The display panel includes a second planarization layer, a metal layer, a first planarization layer, and a substrate stacked together. The metal layer includes a first portion, a first bent portion, and a second portion connected in sequence. The first portion and the second portion are respectively disposed on opposite sides of the second stack. The substrate and the second planarization layer are distributed in the areas of the display panel corresponding to the first portion, the first bent portion, and the second portion, that is, the orthographic projection of the metal layer and the second planarization layer on the substrate can coincide with the substrate. Specifically, the thickness of the first flat layer in the area corresponding to the first bending portion of the display panel can be adjusted, and / or a groove can be provided on the substrate in the area corresponding to the first bending portion of the display panel to adjust the neutral layer in the area corresponding to the first bending portion of the display panel into the metal layer, or to make the neutral layer in the area corresponding to the first bending portion of the display panel close to the metal layer, thereby reducing or eliminating the stress borne by the first bending portion of the metal layer in the area corresponding to the first bending portion of the display panel, reducing the risk of metal layer breakage, which is beneficial to reducing the bending radius of the area corresponding to the first bending portion of the display panel, increasing the screen ratio, and improving the display effect.
[0029] Adjusting the thickness of the first flat layer in the area corresponding to the first bend of the display panel can be done by removing the first flat layer in the area corresponding to the first bend of the display panel or by retaining the first flat layer in the area corresponding to the first bend of the display panel, such that the thickness of the first flat layer in at least a portion of the area corresponding to the first bend of the display panel is less than the thickness of the first flat layer in the display area of the display panel.
[0030] In some embodiments, the first flat layer in the area corresponding to the first bending portion and the groove on the substrate can both adopt a thickness gradient design to reduce the step difference between different areas, so that the stress change of the display panel and the area corresponding to the first bending portion in the bending state is more uniform, and further reduces the risk of metal layer fracture. Attached Figure Description
[0031] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application;
[0032] Figure 2 is a structural schematic diagram of a candybar mobile phone provided in an embodiment of this application;
[0033] Figure 3 is a structural schematic diagram of a flexible screen mobile phone provided in an embodiment of this application;
[0034] Figure 4 is a schematic cross-sectional structure diagram of a display module;
[0035] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a display module;
[0036] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the NN module shown in Figure 5;
[0037] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the display module shown in Figure 6 when it is in a bent state;
[0038] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a display panel within a border area;
[0039] Figure 9 is a structural schematic diagram of the display module provided in the embodiment of this application when it is in a bent state;
[0040] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a display panel within a border area provided in an embodiment of this application;
[0041] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of another display panel within the border area provided in an embodiment of this application;
[0042] Figures 11A, 11B, 11C, and 11D are schematic diagrams of the intermediate product structure in the fabrication of display panels.
[0043] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a display module provided in an embodiment of this application;
[0044] Figure 13 is a structural schematic diagram of the display module provided in the embodiment of this application when it is in a bent state;
[0045] Figure 14 is a schematic diagram of another display panel provided in an embodiment of this application;
[0046] Figures 15A, 15B, 15C, 15D, 16A, and 16B are schematic diagrams of the structure of the groove 1010 provided in the embodiments of this application.
[0047] Figure 17 is a schematic diagram of another display panel within the bezel area provided in an embodiment of this application;
[0048] Figure 18 is a schematic diagram of another display panel within the border area provided in an embodiment of this application;
[0049] Figure 19 is a schematic diagram of stress simulation results for a display panel within a bezel area according to an embodiment of this application;
[0050] Figure 20 is a schematic diagram of stress simulation results for another display panel within the bezel area provided in an embodiment of this application;
[0051] Figure 21 is a schematic diagram of another display panel within the border area provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation
[0052] 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.
[0053] 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.
[0054] 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.
[0055] 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. For ease of explanation, the following embodiments all use a mobile phone as an example for illustration.
[0056] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figure 1, the electronic device 1 includes a display module 10, a middle frame 11, and a battery cover (or housing) 12. The middle frame 11 is located between the display module 10 and the housing 12.
[0057] Display module 10 is used to display images.
[0058] 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, and these layers can be parallel to each other.
[0059] 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.
[0060] 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.
[0061] 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.
[0062] This application does not limit the structure of the mobile phone. In some embodiments of this application, as shown in FIG2, FIG2 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a candybar mobile phone provided in this application embodiment. The mobile phone can be a candybar mobile phone, which includes: a display screen 10a, and the display screen 10a of the candybar mobile phone cannot be bent.
[0063] Alternatively, the phone can also be a foldable screen phone. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG3, FIG3 is a structural schematic diagram of a flexible screen phone provided in an embodiment of the present application, the phone can also be a foldable screen phone. The foldable screen phone includes: a flexible display screen 10b, the flexible display screen 10b including a first non-bending area 10b1, a second non-bending area 10b2, and a bending area 10b3 located between the first non-bending area 10b1 and the second non-bending area 10b2.
[0064] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional structural diagram of a display module. As shown in Figure 4, the display module 10 includes: a support layer 104, a display panel 101, a polarizer 102 (POL), and a cover plate 103 stacked together.
[0065] The cover plate 103 is disposed on top of the polarizer 102. The polarizer 102 is disposed between the cover plate 103 and the display panel 101, and the display panel 101 is disposed between the polarizer 102 and the support layer 104. The polarizer 102 is used to convert unpolarized light into polarized light, or to change the polarization direction of polarized light.
[0066] The display panel 101 is a layer used to implement display functions, which can convert electrical signals into visual information. In some embodiments, the display panel 101 is a screen display control panel (PNL). The support layer 104 is disposed below the display panel 101 and can play a role in buffering and protection.
[0067] In some embodiments, the support layer 104 includes a back film (BF). Exemplarily, the material of the support layer 104 may include at least one of thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU), polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), or polyimide (PI).
[0068] In other embodiments, the support layer 104 includes a protective layer 1041 and a support member 1042 (Bracket). The protective layer 1041 may be a back film (BF). For example, the material of the protective layer 1041 may be polyethylene terephthalate (PET).
[0069] In some embodiments, the display module 10 further includes an adhesive layer 105 disposed between the cover plate 103 and the polarizer 102 for bonding the cover plate 103 and the polarizer 102. For example, the adhesive layer 105 may be made of optical adhesive or the like.
[0070] It is understood that the stacked structure of the display panel 101 shown in Figure 4 is merely exemplary. The stacked structure of the display panel 101 may vary for different types of electronic devices, and will not be described in detail here.
[0071] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a display module. As shown in Figure 5, the display module includes a display area AA (active area) and a border area 100. The display area is located in the central area of the display module and corresponds to the screen display area of the display panel, used for image display. The border area 100 is located on the periphery of the display module and does not have a display function. The display module can be applied to electronic devices, such as the aforementioned mobile phones, tablet computers, and other electronic devices capable of display and touch functions.
[0072] The border area 100 is housed within a border 1000, as shown in Figure 5, which is a schematic diagram of the border area 100 in its un-housed state. The border 1000 protects the border area 100 from external impacts, thereby ensuring effective signal transmission. The border area 100 is electrically connected to a driver chip in the electronic device. Signals emitted by the driver chip are transmitted through the border area 100 to the display area, causing the display area to emit light and display an image.
[0073] In some electronic devices, the bezel area 100 can be made of a flexible material. The flexible bezel area 100 includes a bending area, which can be bent and set within the bezel 1000 to reduce the projected area of the bezel area 100 in the display area and also reduce the black border area, thereby increasing the screen ratio of the display area of the display module of this application and thus improving the display effect of the display module of this application.
[0074] In some electronic devices, see Figure 5, taking a candybar phone as an example, the border area 100 is set in the border area corresponding to the lower border a.
[0075] In other electronic devices, the phone can also be a foldable screen phone, and the bezel area 100 can also be set in the bezel area corresponding to the left and right side bezels.
[0076] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the display module shown in Figure 5. As shown in Figure 6, the display module includes a first stack, a display panel 101, and a second stack.
[0077] The first layer includes a cover plate 103, an adhesive layer 105, and a polarizing film 102 stacked together, the polarizing film 102 being connected to the display panel 101. The second layer may be a support layer 104.
[0078] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the display module shown in Figure 6 when it is in a bent state. As shown in Figure 7, the support layer 104 has a first surface a1 and a second surface a2 that are opposite to each other. The support layer 104 is used to support the display panel 101 and allows the display panel 101 to be bent around the support layer 104 and respectively attached to the first surface a1 and the second surface a2 of the support layer 104.
[0079] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG8, FIG8 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a display panel within a bezel area. The display panel within the bezel area includes: a substrate 1001, a first planarization layer 1002, a metal layer 1003, a second planarization layer 1004, and a pixel definition layer 1005 sequentially stacked along the y-direction. The metal layer 1003 includes: a first portion 1003A, a first bending portion 1003B, and a second portion 1003C sequentially connected along the x-direction.
[0080] When the display module is in a bent state, the first portion 1003A is located near the first surface a1 of the support layer 104, and the second portion 1003C is located near the second surface a2 of the support layer 104. The first portion 1003A is closer to the first stack than the second portion 1003C, meaning the first stack is located on the side of the first portion 1003A away from the support layer 104. In other words, the first portion 1003A and the second portion 1003C are respectively located on opposite sides of the second stack (support layer 104). The first bent portion 1003B connects the first portion 1003A and the second portion 1003C.
[0081] The second part 1003C can be electrically connected to the driver chip (not shown in Figure 8). When the driver chip inputs a signal to the second part 1003C, the signal can be transmitted through the first bend 1003B to the first part 1003A, and then from the first part to the display panel's display-functional stacked structure. The display-functional stacked structure is not shown in Figure 8; this part includes more layers and is located on the left side of the structure shown in Figure 8. When the signal emitted by the driver chip is transmitted to the display-functional stacked structure, it can drive the display panel to achieve the display function.
[0082] In this embodiment, the first part 1003A, the first bending part 1003B, and the second part 1003C correspond to the structure of the border area shown in FIG5.
[0083] The substrate 1001, the second planarization layer 1004, and the pixel definition layer 1005 are disposed in the area of the display panel 101 corresponding to the metal layer. That is, the orthographic projection of the metal layer 1003, the second planarization layer 1004, and the pixel definition layer 1005 on the substrate 1001 coincides with the substrate 1001.
[0084] In this embodiment, the second planarization layer 1004 can be deposited on the surfaces of the first portion 1003A, the first bent portion 1003B, and the second portion 1003C. The substrate 1001 is also deposited in the display panel corresponding to the areas of the first portion 1003A, the first bent portion 1003B, and the second portion 1003C. Within the first portion 1003A and the second portion 1003C, the planarization layer 1002 is used to encapsulate and protect the metal layer 1003.
[0085] However, the relatively large width of the bezel 1000 used to accommodate the bezel area 100 limits the improvement of the screen-to-body ratio and restricts the further development of full-screen display devices. To reduce the width of the bezel 1000, the bending radius of the display module's bending area is becoming smaller and smaller. As the bending radius decreases, the stress in the metal layer within the bending area increases sharply, making it prone to breakage and affecting the display effect.
[0086] Furthermore, the first bending portion 1003B is subjected to a bending moment during bending. In this embodiment, referring to Figure 8, the first bending portion 1003B has an upward convex bending tendency. The first bending portion 1003B has a neutral layer L. The neutral layer L is a mechanical concept layer; the first bending portion 1003B is subjected to neither tensile nor compressive stress at the neutral layer L. This can also be understood as the first bending portion 1003B not elongating or shortening due to bending at the neutral layer L.
[0087] The position of the neutral layer L can be calculated based on relevant theories of materials mechanics, and in practical applications, it can be calculated using a simulation platform. When using the simulation platform to simulate the first bending part 1003B of the display module, the following can be input: the three-dimensional model of the first bending part 1003B, the material modulus and thickness of the planarization layer 1002, the material modulus and thickness of the metal layer 1003, the material modulus and thickness of the substrate 1001, the bending radius of the first bending part 1003B, and the bending arc length.
[0088] When the metal layer 1003 is far from the neutral layer, the metal layer 1003 will be subjected to tensile stress or compressive stress. The metal layer 1003 may break due to excessive stress, making it difficult or impossible for the signal transmitted from the second part 1003C to be transmitted to the first part 1003A.
[0089] Therefore, this application provides an improved display module, which can adjust the position of the neutral layer in the bending area of the display module so that the neutral layer is located within the metal layer, or so that the neutral layer is close to the metal layer, thereby optimizing the stress on the metal layer in the bending area of the display module, improving bending stability, and better reducing the bending radius of the bending area, narrowing the bezel, and increasing the screen ratio.
[0090] In some embodiments, in order to reduce the stress borne by the metal layer 1003, the neutral layer position of the first bent portion 1003B can be adjusted by using the planarization layer 1002 and / or the substrate 1001, so that the neutral layer is located within the metal layer 1003, or so that the neutral layer is close to the metal layer 1003.
[0091] When the neutral layer L is located within the metal layer 1003, the overall stress value within the metal layer 1003 is relatively small, and the internal compressive stress is reduced in some parts of the metal layer 1003 (the part near the substrate 1001). This structure can effectively reduce the risk of breakage of the metal layer 1003 in the area corresponding to the first bending portion 1003B of the display panel.
[0092] In some embodiments, the thickness of the first flattening layer 1002 can be adjusted so that the neutral layer L inside the first bending portion 1003B is close to the metal layer 1003.
[0093] This application does not limit the structure of the planarization layer. In some embodiments, the planarization layer adopts a single-layer structure in the area corresponding to the first bend 1003B. For example, in the area of the display panel corresponding to the first bend 1003B, only a second planarization layer may be provided.
[0094] Figure 9 is a structural schematic diagram of the display module provided in the embodiment of this application when it is in a bent state. Figure 10 is a structural schematic diagram of a display panel in the bezel area provided in the embodiment of this application. Referring to Figures 9 and 10, the first flat layer 1002 includes: a third part 1002A and a fourth part 1002C.
[0095] As shown in Figure 9, the third part 1002A is stacked with the first part 1003A, and the fourth part 1002C is stacked with the second part 1003C. The first stack (103, 105, 102), the first part 1003A, the second stack (support layer 104), and the second part 1003C are stacked.
[0096] Thus, by removing the first planarization layer 1002 from the side of the first bend 1003B of the metal layer 1003 near the substrate 1001, the neutral layer L of the area corresponding to the first bend 1003B of the display panel can be adjusted into the metal layer 1003, or the neutral layer L of the area corresponding to the first bend 1003B of the display panel can be made close to the metal layer 1003, thereby reducing or eliminating the stress borne by the metal layer 1003 in the area corresponding to the first bend 1003B of the display panel and reducing the risk of breakage of the metal layer 1003.
[0097] In other embodiments, the position of the neutral layer in the bending region can be adjusted by the first planarization layer 1002. For example, the thickness of the first planarization layer 1002 can be reduced such that the thickness of the first planarization layer 1002 at the second bending portion 1002B is less than the thickness of the second planarization layer 1004 in the display area AA (shown in FIG. 5), so that the neutral layer L in the first bending portion 1003B is close to the metal layer 1003.
[0098] For example, as shown in Figure 11, Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of another display panel structure within the bezel area provided in an embodiment of this application. The first flat layer 1002 includes: a third part 1002A, a second bent part 1002B, and a fourth part 1002C connected in sequence. The third part 1002A is stacked with the first part 1003A, and the fourth part 1002C is stacked with the second part 1003C.
[0099] The third part 1002A includes: a first sub-part (not shown in the figure) disposed in the display area AA. The first flat layer 1002 further includes: a second bending part 1002B, which is stacked with the first bending part 1003B. The second bending part 1002B includes: a second sub-part 1002B1, the thickness of which is less than the thickness of the first sub-part.
[0100] When adjusting the position of the neutral layer L inside the first bending section 1003B, the thinner the first flat layer 1002, the smaller the space occupied by the flat layer in the electronic device, and the smaller the bending radius, which is beneficial to reducing the width of the frame.
[0101] This application does not limit the position and thickness of the second sub-part 1002B1. In some embodiments, the thickness of the second sub-part 1002B1 is between 0 μm and 1.2 μm. When the thickness of the second sub-part 1002B1 is 0, the planarization layer is a single-layer structure in the region corresponding to the second sub-part 1002B1.
[0102] In some embodiments, the bending axis of the second bending portion 1002B is the apex position of the second bending portion 1002B when it is in a bent state. At the apex position, the strain generated by the metal layer 1003 is the greatest, which allows the thinned second sub-part 1002B1 to be located in the region of maximum stress. This allows for sufficient adjustment of the position of the neutral layer L in this region, reducing the stress of the metal layer 1003 at this position and better protecting the metal layer 1003.
[0103] For example, the second sub-part 1002B1 can be made symmetrical about the bending axis relative to the second bent portion 1002B. In this way, the stress in the metal layer 1003 in the region corresponding to the second sub-part 1002B1 can be reduced, and the metal layer can be better protected.
[0104] In some embodiments, the second sub-part 1002B1 covers the entire area of the second bend portion 1002B, that is, the entire second bend portion 1002B can be thinned.
[0105] In some embodiments, the thickness of the second sub-part 1002B1 gradually increases along the direction away from the bending axis of the second bent portion 1002B. Thus, the thickness of the second sub-part 1002B1 is designed to be gradual, reducing the step difference between different planar layers, resulting in a more uniform stress change in the first planar layer under bending conditions, which is beneficial for improving the bending performance of the planar layer.
[0106] In some embodiments, a strain test is conducted on a display module with a second bending portion 1002B of the first flat layer 1002 having a thickness of 0 μm and 1 μm, respectively. Figure 20 is a schematic diagram of the stress simulation results of the display panel in the frame area of the display module with a thickness of 0 μm and 1 μm of the second bending portion 1002B of the first flat layer 1002.
[0107] In Figure 20, the horizontal axis represents the bending radius, and the vertical axis represents the strain value. The white squares correspond to the strain of the metal layer 1003 as a function of the bending radius R when the thickness of the second bending portion 1002B of the first flattening layer 1002 is 1 μm. The black squares correspond to the strain of the metal layer 1003 as a function of the bending radius R when the thickness of the second bending portion 1002B of the first flattening layer 1002 is 0 μm. Line 3 corresponds to the strain of the metal layer 1003 when the second bending portion 1002B of the first flattening layer 1002 is not thinned.
[0108] As shown in Figure 20, the strain of the metal layer 1003 when the second bending portion 1002B of the first flat layer 1002 is not thinned is 2.44%, and the bending radius is 0.22 mm.
[0109] When the bending radius R is 0.22 mm and the thickness of the second bending portion 1002B is 1 μm, the strain of the metal layer is 2.19%. When the bending radius R is 0.22 mm and the thickness of the second bending portion 1002B is 0 μm, the strain of the metal layer is 1.98%. As the bending radius gradually decreases, the strain of the metal layer 1003 gradually increases.
[0110] When the thickness of the second bend 1002B of the first planarization layer 1002 is reduced from 1.6 μm to 1 μm, the bending radius is expected to be reduced to 0.195 mm. When the thickness of the first planarization layer 1002 is 0, the bending radius is expected to be reduced to 0.17 mm.
[0111] As can be seen from the above, the smaller the thickness of the second bending portion 1002B of the first flat layer 1002, the smaller the force on the metal layer 1003, and the smaller the bending radius of the display module.
[0112] In some embodiments, referring again to FIG9, the display panel 101 further includes a back film. The back film includes a first back film 111 and a second back film 112. The first back film 111 and the second back film 112 are spaced apart from each other. The first back film 111 is disposed on the side of the fifth portion 1001A opposite to the metal layer 1003, and the first back film 111 is attached to the upper surface of the support layer 104. The second back film 112 is located between the sixth portion 1001C and the lower surface of the support layer 104. That is, the first back film 111 and the second back film 112 are respectively attached to opposite sides of the support layer 104.
[0113] The first back film 111 and the second back film 112 are spaced apart, and there is no back film structure in the area corresponding to the display panel 101 and the first bending portion 1003B. It is understood that the back film has a certain material modulus and thickness. When the display panel 101 within the first bending portion 1003B has a back film structure, the back film will affect the position of the neutral layer L in the area corresponding to the display panel and the first bending portion 1003B, causing the neutral layer L to move towards the substrate 1001, thus causing the metal layer 1003 to bear stress. In this embodiment, the display module reduces the risk of metal layer 1003 breakage by not providing a back film structure within the first bending portion 1003B.
[0114] During the manufacturing process of the display module, a complete back film can be formed on the side of the display panel 101 away from the stacked structure. Then, laser peeling technology is used to cut and peel off the back film located at the first bend 1003B, thereby forming a back film with a first back film 111 and a second back film 112 arranged at intervals.
[0115] In another embodiment, the spacing between the first back film 111 and the second back film 112 can also be fabricated using a U-Film process. In this process, before fabricating the back film on the display panel 101, the back film is first cut with holes, and then it is attached to the side of the display panel 101 away from the stacked structure, thereby directly forming a back film with the first back film 111 and the second back film 112 arranged at intervals (as shown in Figure 12).
[0116] The display module provided in this application embodiment can adjust the neutral layer L in the area corresponding to the display panel and the first bending portion 1003B, which has a high modulus and a relatively thick back film, into the metal layer 1003, or make the neutral layer L in the area corresponding to the display panel and the first bending portion 1003B close to the metal layer 1003, thereby reducing or eliminating the stress borne by the metal layer 1003 in the area corresponding to the display panel and the first bending portion 1003B, and reducing the risk of breakage of the metal layer 1003.
[0117] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG11, the display panel may further include a first inorganic layer 1006 and a second inorganic layer 1007, wherein the first inorganic layer 1006 is disposed between the fifth portion 1001A and the third portion 1002A, and the second inorganic layer 1007 is disposed between the sixth portion 1001C and the fourth portion 1002C.
[0118] In some embodiments, the first inorganic layer 1006 includes: a first interlayer insulating layer 1064, a first dielectric layer 1063, a second dielectric layer 1062, and a first buffer layer 1061 stacked together, wherein the first buffer layer 1061 is connected to the fifth portion 1001A.
[0119] In some embodiments, the second inorganic layer 1007 includes: a second interlayer insulating layer 1074, a third dielectric layer 1073, a fourth dielectric layer 1072, and a second buffer layer 1071 stacked together, wherein the second buffer layer is connected to the sixth portion 1001C.
[0120] The display module provided in this application embodiment can adjust the neutral layer L in the area corresponding to the display panel and the first bending portion 1003B, which has a high modulus and a relatively thick inorganic layer, into the metal layer 1003, or make the neutral layer L in the area corresponding to the display panel and the first bending portion 1003B close to the metal layer 1003, thereby reducing or eliminating the stress borne by the metal layer 1003 in the area corresponding to the display panel and the first bending portion 1003B, and reducing the risk of fracture of the metal layer 1003.
[0121] In some embodiments, the second planarization layer 1004 has a coating 113 on the side facing away from the metal layer. The coating 113 is, for example, disposed on the surface of the pixel definition layer 1005 facing away from the metal layer. The coating 113 covers the area of the display panel corresponding to the first bend 1003B, and its opposite ends extend toward the areas of the display panel corresponding to the first portion 1003A and the second portion 1003C, respectively. The coating 113 can be a micro coating layer (MCL), which can be made using photosensitive adhesive (UV adhesive).
[0122] In the region corresponding to the first portion, the thickness of the coating 113 gradually increases in the direction away from the bending region; in the region corresponding to the second portion, the thickness of the coating 113 gradually decreases in the direction away from the first bending portion.
[0123] This application embodiment improves the bending performance of the bending area of the display panel by providing a coating 113 in the bending area.
[0124] Taking the display panel shown in Figure 11 as an example, the fabrication process of the display panel shown in Figure 11 will be explained below with reference to Figures 11A-11D. Among them, Figures 11A, 11B, 11C, and 11D are schematic diagrams of the intermediate product structure of the display panel fabrication.
[0125] In the process of fabricating the above-mentioned display panel, an inorganic layer 1008 can be formed on the substrate 1001, as shown in FIG11A. The inorganic layer 1008 includes: an interlayer insulating layer 1084, a first dielectric layer 1083, a second dielectric layer 1082, and a buffer layer 1081 stacked together, wherein the buffer layer 1081 is connected to the substrate 1001. In some embodiments, a portion of the inorganic layer 1006 can be removed, leaving only the substrate 1001. This portion can serve as a bending region, as shown in FIG11B, resulting in a first inorganic layer 1006 and a second inorganic layer 1007. The first inorganic layer 1006 includes: a first interlayer insulating layer 1064, a first dielectric layer 1063, a second dielectric layer 1062, and a first buffer layer 1061 stacked together. The second inorganic layer 1007 includes: a second interlayer insulating layer 1074, a third dielectric layer 1073, a fourth dielectric layer 1072, and a second buffer layer 1071 stacked together. In some embodiments, a first planarization layer 1002 can be formed on the exposed surfaces of the inorganic layer and the substrate 1001, as shown in FIG11C. In some examples of this embodiment, the first planarization layer 1002 in a certain area can be formed by a half-tone mask (HTM) process, so that the thickness of the first planarization layer 1002 formed by the HTM process in that area is less than the thickness in other areas. In other examples of this embodiment, a mask can also be used to cover a certain area, and the first planarization layer 1002 can only be formed in other areas not covered by the mask.
[0126] In some embodiments, a metal layer 1003, a second flattening layer 1004, a pixel definition layer 1005, etc., can be sequentially formed on a first flattening layer 1002 to obtain a display panel as shown in FIG11D. In some embodiments, the first stacked layer and the second stacked layer can be respectively bonded to the display panel to obtain a display module as shown in FIG6.
[0127] The above embodiment adjusts the position of the neutral layer L in the bending region of the display panel by using a planarization layer. In other embodiments, the position of the neutral layer L in the bending region of the display panel can also be adjusted by using a substrate.
[0128] In some embodiments of this application, as shown in Figures 12 and 13, a groove 1010 can be provided in the bending area of the display panel. The groove 1010 is used to adjust the position of the neutral layer L in the bending area of the display panel, so that the neutral layer L in the bending area is close to the metal layer. Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a display module provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 13 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the display module provided in an embodiment of this application when it is in a bent state.
[0129] Figure 14 is a schematic diagram of another display panel structure provided in an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figure 14, the substrate 1001 includes: a fifth portion 1001A corresponding to the first portion 1003A, a third bent portion 1001B corresponding to the first bent portion 1003B, and a sixth portion 1001C corresponding to the second portion 1003C, wherein the fifth portion 1001A, the third bent portion 1001B, and the sixth portion 1001C are connected sequentially. A groove 1010 may be provided on the side of the third bent portion 1001B facing away from the metal layer 1003. The groove 1010 is used to adjust the position of the neutral layer L in the area corresponding to the third bent portion 1001B of the display panel, so that the neutral layer L in the first bent portion 1003B is close to the metal layer 1003.
[0130] In the process of manufacturing the display panel, laser grooving technology can be used to create a groove 1010 on the side of the third bend 1001B that is away from the metal layer 1003.
[0131] This application does not limit the structure of the substrate. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG10, the substrate 1001 of the display panel 101 includes a first substrate 1011, a barrier layer 1012, and a second substrate 1013 stacked sequentially. The first substrate 1011 is attached to the support layer 104 (see FIG4), and the first substrate 1011 and the second substrate 1013 cooperate to support the remaining layers and components. The barrier layer 1012 is located between the first substrate 1011 and the second substrate 1013 to prevent contamination caused by the diffusion of impurities between the first substrate 1011 and the second substrate 1013.
[0132] In this embodiment, the first substrate 1011 and the second substrate 1013 may be made of polyimide (PI). In other embodiments, the first substrate 1011 and the second substrate 1013 may also be made of at least one of glass, quartz, sapphire, and transparent resin materials. In this embodiment, the barrier layer 1012 may be made of silicon oxide. In other embodiments, the barrier layer 1012 may also be made of other materials that can be used to prevent the diffusion of impurities between the first substrate 1011 and the second substrate 1013. The applicant does not impose any particular limitation on this.
[0133] The structure of the groove in this application embodiment is not limited. The structure of the groove 1010 provided in this application embodiment will be described below with reference to Figures 15A, 15B, 15C, 15D, 16A, and 16B. Figures 15A, 15B, 15C, 15D, 16A, and 16B are schematic diagrams of the structure of the groove 1010 provided in this application embodiment.
[0134] The length direction of the groove 1010 is not limited in this embodiment. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG15A, the length direction of the groove 1010 is parallel to the bending axis z of the third bending portion 1001B, as shown in the z direction of FIG15A. The bending axis z of the third bending portion 1001B may be perpendicular to the xy plane shown in FIG13.
[0135] In other embodiments, the angle between the length direction of the groove 1010 and the bending axis of the third bend 1001B is greater than 0° and less than or equal to 90°. For example, as shown in FIG15B, the length direction of the groove 1010 is perpendicular to the bending axis z of the third bend 1001B, as shown in the x direction of FIG15B.
[0136] The shape of the groove 1010 is not limited in the embodiments of this application. In some embodiments, the cross-sectional shape of the groove 1010 includes at least one of the following: a straight line shape shown in FIG. 16A(b), a broken line shape shown in FIG. 16A(a), and a curved shape shown in FIG. 16A(d).
[0137] In some embodiments, the longitudinal cross-sectional shape of the groove 1010 includes at least one of the following: a triangle, a rectangle, a trapezoid as shown in FIG. 15D, and an arc as shown in FIG. 15C. When the longitudinal cross-sectional shape of the groove 1010 is triangular, trapezoidal, or arc-shaped, the groove 1010 can be a groove with unequal thickness. The depth of the groove can gradually decrease along the bending axis z away from the third bend portion 1001B. The groove 1010 adopts a depth-gradient design, which can further reduce the step difference between different regions of the substrate 1001, making the stress change of the substrate 1001 more uniform under bending conditions and reducing the risk of metal layer fracture.
[0138] This application does not limit the arrangement of the grooves 1010. In some embodiments, there are multiple grooves 1010, as shown in Figures 16A(c) and 16A(e). The multiple grooves 1010 are arranged periodically. For example, as shown in Figure 16A(c), the multiple grooves 1010 can be arranged in a grid, and the spacing between multiple groups of adjacent grooves 1010 is the same. In other embodiments, as shown in Figure 16B, the multiple grooves 1010 can be arranged non-periodically, and the spacing between multiple groups of adjacent grooves 1010 can be different.
[0139] The depth of the groove 1010 is not limited in this embodiment. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG14, the groove 1010 extends from the surface of the first substrate 1011 into the first substrate 1011.
[0140] In other embodiments, as shown in FIG17, FIG17 is a schematic diagram of another display panel structure within a bezel area provided in an embodiment of this application. The groove 1010 may extend from the surface of the first substrate 1011 into the second substrate 1013.
[0141] This application does not limit the width of the groove 1010. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG18, FIG18 is a schematic diagram of another display panel structure in the bezel area provided by this application. The entire surface of the base 1001 and the area corresponding to the third bending portion 1001B is provided with the groove 1010.
[0142] This application performs stress simulation on a display module with grooves 1010 of different depths and widths set in the corresponding areas of the substrate 1001 and the third bending portion 1001B. The simulation results of the stress changes in the corresponding areas of the metal layer 1003 and the second flat layer 1004 and the third bending portion 1001B are shown in Table 1.
[0143] Table 1
[0144] As shown in Table 1, when the depth of the groove 1010 is 0, that is, when no groove is provided on the substrate, the strain generated by the metal layer 1003 is greater than the stress of the second planarization layer 1004.
[0145] When the depth of the groove 1010 remains constant and the width increases, the strain generated by the metal layer 1003 and the second planarization layer 1004 increases, while the strain generated by the metal layer 1003 is less than the strain generated by the second planarization layer 1004.
[0146] When the width of the groove 1010 remains constant and the depth increases, the strain generated by the metal layer 1003 and the second planarization layer 1004 decreases, and the strain generated by the metal layer 1003 is less than the strain generated by the second planarization layer 1004.
[0147] There are no restrictions on the width and depth of the groove 1010. Compared with continuous grooving, the strain generated by the metal layer 1003 and the second flat layer 1004 is reduced when the groove is not provided.
[0148] The wider and deeper the slot of the substrate 1001 provided in the embodiment of this application, the smaller the stress it receives, and the smaller the strain of the metal layer 1003 and the second planarization layer 1004.
[0149] In some embodiments, a strain test is conducted on a display module with a groove 1010 on the substrate having a width of 0.6912 mm and a depth of 5 μm. Figure 19 is a schematic diagram of the stress simulation results of the display panel in the frame area with the groove.
[0150] In Figure 19, the horizontal axis represents the bending radius, and the vertical axis represents the strain value. The white squares correspond to the strain of the metal layer 1003 as a function of the bending radius R, the black squares correspond to the strain of the second planarization layer 1004 as a function of the bending radius R, line 1 corresponds to the strain of the metal layer 1003 when the substrate 1001 is not grooved, and line 2 corresponds to the strain of the second planarization layer 1004 when the substrate is not grooved.
[0151] As shown in Figure 19, the strain of the metal layer 1003 when the substrate 1001 is not grooved is 2.6%, and the strain of the second planarization layer 1004 when the substrate 1001 is not grooved is 4.4%.
[0152] When the bending radius R is 0.22 mm, the strain of the metal layer is 1.72%, and the strain of the second planarization layer is 3.57%. As the bending radius gradually decreases, the strain of the metal layer 1003 and the strain of the second planarization layer 1004 gradually increase. The minimum bending radius of the metal layer 1003 can reach 0.14 mm, corresponding to a metal layer strain of 2.54% and a second planarization layer strain of 5.18%.
[0153] As can be seen from the above, the wider and deeper the base groove, the less stress the metal layer 1003 and the second planarization layer 1004 will experience, and the smaller the bending radius of the display module will be.
[0154] The embodiments of this application do not limit the aperture of each part in the groove 1010. The first base 1011 includes a first through hole, the barrier layer 1012 includes a second through hole, and the second base 1013 includes a first blind hole. The first through hole, the second through hole, and the first blind hole surround the groove 1010.
[0155] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 14 and 17, the diameters of the first through hole, the second through hole, and the first blind hole are all the same.
[0156] In other embodiments, at least one of the diameters of the first through hole, the second through hole, and the first blind hole is different from the other diameters.
[0157] For example, as shown in Figure 18, the diameters of the first through hole, the second through hole, and the first blind hole are all different.
[0158] Figure 21 is a schematic diagram of another display panel structure in the bezel area provided in an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figure 21, the diameter of the first through hole is d1, the diameter of the second through hole is d2, and the diameter of the first blind hole is d3. The diameter of the first through hole d1 is equal to the diameter of the first blind hole d3, and the diameter of the second through hole d2 is greater than the diameter of the first through hole d1.
[0159] The embodiments of this application do not limit the aperture of each part in the groove 1010. The aperture of the first through hole, the aperture of the second through hole, and the aperture of the first blind hole can be the same or different, and these are all within the protection scope of this application.
[0160] In the groove 1010 shown in Figures 14, 17 and 18, the connection positions of the barrier layer 1012 with the first substrate 1011 and the second substrate 1013 are exposed to the air in the groove. This position is affected by impurities in the air and is prone to delamination, which affects the connection stability of the substrate 1001.
[0161] To improve the connection stability of the substrate 1001, in some embodiments, the barrier layer 1012 may be recessed near the edge of the groove 1010 at the edge of the first substrate 1011 near the edge of the groove 1010 and the edge of the second substrate 1013 near the edge of the groove 1010.
[0162] For example, as shown in FIG21, the second base 1013 includes: a first sub-part 1013a, and a second sub-part 1013b connected to the first sub-part 1013a. The first sub-part 1013a is stacked with the barrier layer 1012. The second sub-part 1013b is located within the second through hole, and the second sub-part 1013b includes: a third through hole. The first blind hole is located in the first sub-part 1013a, and the diameter of the third through hole is the same as the diameter of the first blind hole. In this way, the edges of the first base 1011 near the groove 1010 and the edges of the second base 1013 near the groove 1010 both protrude from the edges of the barrier layer 1012 near the groove 1010.
[0163] In the display module provided in this embodiment, the edge of the barrier layer 1012 is recessed within the edges of the first substrate 1011 and the second substrate 1013, which can avoid direct exposure to the outside world, reduce the impact of the external environment on the barrier layer 1012, reduce the risk of display module breakage, and improve the stability of the display module.
[0164] This application provides a display module and an electronic device. The electronic device includes the display module, which includes a first stack, a display panel, and a second stack. The display panel includes a second planarization layer, a metal layer, a first planarization layer, and a substrate stacked together. The metal layer includes a first portion, a first bent portion, and a second portion connected in sequence. The first portion and the second portion are respectively disposed on opposite sides of the second stack. The orthographic projections of the metal layer and the second planarization layer on the substrate coincide. The second planarization layer is disposed on the metal layer. Specifically, the thickness of the first flat layer in the area corresponding to the first bending portion of the display panel can be adjusted, and / or a groove can be provided on the substrate in the area corresponding to the first bending portion of the display panel to adjust the neutral layer in the area corresponding to the first bending portion of the display panel into the metal layer, or to make the neutral layer in the area corresponding to the first bending portion of the display panel close to the metal layer, thereby reducing or eliminating the stress borne by the first bending portion of the metal layer in the area corresponding to the first bending portion of the display panel, reducing the risk of metal layer breakage, which is beneficial to reducing the bending radius of the area corresponding to the first bending portion of the display panel, increasing the screen ratio, and improving the display effect.
[0165] Adjusting the thickness of the first flat layer in the area corresponding to the first bend of the display panel can be done by removing the first flat layer in the area corresponding to the first bend of the display panel or by retaining the first flat layer in the area corresponding to the first bend of the display panel, such that the thickness of the first flat layer in at least a portion of the area corresponding to the first bend of the display panel is less than the thickness of the first flat layer in the display area of the display panel.
[0166] In some embodiments, the first flat layer in the area corresponding to the first bending portion and the groove on the substrate can both adopt a thickness gradient design to reduce the step difference between different areas, so that the stress change of the display panel and the area corresponding to the first bending portion in the bending state is more uniform, and further reduces the risk of metal layer fracture.
[0167] 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 in that, include: First stack, display panel, and second stack; The display panel includes: a pixel definition layer, a second planarization layer, a metal layer, a first planarization layer and a substrate stacked together. The metal layer includes: a first part, a first bent part and a second part connected in sequence. The pixel definition layer, the second planarization layer and the substrate are disposed in the area of the display panel corresponding to the metal layer. The first part and the second part are respectively disposed on opposite sides of the second stack, and the first stack is disposed on the side of the first part away from the second stack; The first flattening layer includes a third part and a fourth part, wherein the third part is stacked with the first part, and the fourth part is stacked with the second part.
2. The display module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The display panel includes a display area, and the third part includes a first sub-part disposed in the display area. The first flat layer further includes a second bent portion, which is stacked with the first bent portion. The second bent portion includes a second sub-part, and the thickness of the second sub-part is less than the thickness of the first sub-part.
3. The display module according to claim 2, characterized in that, The thickness of the second sub-part gradually increases along the bending axis away from the second bend.
4. The display module according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The second sub-part is symmetrical about the bending axis of the second bend.
5. The display module according to any one of claims 2-4, characterized in that, The thickness of the second sub-part ranges from 0 to 1.2 μm.
6. The display module according to any one of claims 2-5, characterized in that, The substrate includes a third bending portion corresponding to the first bending portion, and the surface of the third bending portion opposite to the first bending portion is provided with a groove.
7. The display module according to claim 6, characterized in that, The substrate includes: a first substrate, a barrier layer, and a second substrate stacked together, wherein the first substrate is disposed close to the first flat layer, and the groove is disposed on the surface of the second substrate opposite to the first substrate.
8. The display module according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The substrate includes a fifth part and a sixth part, wherein the fifth part is stacked with the third part, and the sixth part is stacked with the fourth part. The fifth part has a first back film on the side opposite to the third part, and the sixth part has a second back film on the side opposite to the fourth part.
9. The display module according to claim 8, characterized in that, The display panel further includes a first inorganic layer and a second inorganic layer, wherein the first inorganic layer is disposed between the fifth part and the third part, and the second inorganic layer is disposed between the sixth part and the fourth part.
10. The display module according to claim 9, characterized in that, The first inorganic layer includes: an interlayer insulating layer, a dielectric layer, and a buffer layer stacked together, wherein the buffer layer is connected to the substrate.
11. The display module according to any one of claims 1-10, characterized in that, The first stack is disposed on the side of the first portion opposite to the second stack, and the first stack includes: a polarizing film, an adhesive layer and a cover plate stacked together, wherein the polarizing film is connected to the display panel.
12. A display module, characterized in that, include: A first stacked layer, a display panel, and a second stacked layer are configured in a stacked manner. The display panel includes: a pixel definition layer, a second planarization layer, a metal layer, a first planarization layer, and a substrate stacked together. The metal layer includes: a first portion, a first bent portion, and a second portion connected in sequence. The first portion and the second portion are respectively disposed on opposite sides of the second stacked layer. The pixel definition layer, the second planarization layer, the metal layer, the first planarization layer, and the substrate are distributed in the display panel within the areas corresponding to the first portion, the first bent portion, and the second portion. The substrate includes a third bending portion corresponding to the first bending portion, and the surface of the third bending portion opposite to the first bending portion is provided with a groove.
13. The display module according to claim 12, characterized in that, The substrate includes: a first substrate, a barrier layer, and a second substrate stacked together, wherein the first substrate is disposed close to the first flat layer, and the groove is disposed on the surface of the second substrate opposite to the first substrate.
14. The display module according to claim 13, characterized in that, The groove extends from the surface of the first substrate into the interior of the first substrate.
15. The display module according to claim 14, characterized in that, The groove extends from the surface of the first substrate into the second substrate.
16. The display module according to claim 15, characterized in that, Along a direction parallel to the surface of the substrate, the first substrate near the edge of the groove and the second substrate near the edge of the groove protrude from the edge of the barrier layer near the edge of the groove.
17. The display module according to claim 16, characterized in that, The second substrate includes: a first sub-part and a second sub-part connected to each other, the first sub-part being stacked with the barrier layer, and the second sub-part being located on the side of the barrier layer near the groove.
18. The display module according to any one of claims 12-17, characterized in that, The length direction of the groove is parallel to the bending axis of the third bend.
19. The display module according to any one of claims 12-18, characterized in that, The angle between the length direction of the groove and the bending axis of the third bend is greater than 0° and less than or equal to 90°.
20. The display module according to any one of claims 12-19, characterized in that, The cross-sectional shape of the groove includes at least one of the following: straight line, broken line, curved line, and grid.
21. The display module according to any one of claims 12-20, characterized in that, The longitudinal cross-sectional shape of the groove includes at least one of the following: trapezoidal, triangular, rectangular, and arc-shaped.
22. An electronic device, characterized in that, include: The housing and the display module as described in any one of claims 1-21, wherein the housing is connected to the display module.