Display module and display apparatus

Abstract

A display module comprises a support member, the support member comprises a first support film and a second support film, and the thickness of the first support film and the thickness of the second support film are both between 20 μm and 75 μm. The first support film is provided with a plurality of first through holes that are spaced apart from each other and located in a bending area of the display module, and the second support film is provided with a plurality of second through holes that are spaced apart from each other and located in the bending area. The first support film covers at least some of the plurality of second through holes, and the second support film covers at least some of the plurality of first through holes.

Description

Display module and display device

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to Chinese patent application No. 202411946412.4, filed on December 26, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This application relates to the field of display technology, specifically to a display module and display device. Background Technology

[0004] In related technologies, flexible display modules typically include a flexible display panel and a support member for supporting the flexible display panel. The support member has through holes to reduce the stress on the display module during bending.

[0005] However, since the support component has through holes, it is usually necessary to design the support component to be thicker to prevent the display module from failing during bending. Although this can improve the bending reliability of the display module, it is not conducive to the thinner design of the display module. Invention Overview

[0006] This application provides a display panel and a display device, which aims to at least solve the problem in the related art that display modules are difficult to balance bending reliability and thin design.

[0007] On one hand, this application provides a display module with a bending area. The display module includes a flexible display panel and a support member. The support member is disposed on one side of the flexible display panel and includes a first support film and a second support film arranged sequentially along a direction away from the flexible display panel. The thickness of the first support film and the second support film is greater than or equal to 20 μm and less than or equal to 75 μm. The first support film has a plurality of mutually spaced first through holes located within the bending area, and the second support film has a plurality of mutually spaced second through holes located within the bending area. Along the direction from the first support film to the second support film, the first support film covers at least a portion of the plurality of second through holes. Along the direction from the second support film to the first support film, the second support film covers at least a portion of the plurality of first through holes.

[0008] On the other hand, embodiments of this application also provide a display device, which includes a display module having a bending region. The display module includes a flexible display panel and a support member. The support member is disposed on one side of the flexible display panel and includes a first support film and a second support film sequentially disposed along a direction away from the flexible display panel. The thickness of the first support film and the second support film is greater than or equal to 20 μm and less than or equal to 75 μm. The first support film has a plurality of mutually spaced first through holes located within the bending region, and the second support film has a plurality of mutually spaced second through holes located within the bending region. Along the direction from the first support film to the second support film, the first support film covers at least a portion of the plurality of second through holes. Along the direction from the second support film to the first support film, the second support film covers at least a portion of the plurality of first through holes. Beneficial effects

[0009] For the display module provided in this application embodiment, since the support member includes a first support film and a second support film, and the thickness of both support films is between 20μm and 75μm, the total thickness of the two support films can be effectively reduced, and the weight of the two support films can be effectively reduced, thereby facilitating the reduction of the display module's thickness and weight. Furthermore, the first and second support films respectively have first and second through holes in the bending area, which reduces the stress on the support member during bending, thus ensuring the bending reliability of the support member. In addition, since at least a portion of the first through holes are located in the solid portion of the first support film, and at least a portion of the second through holes are located in the solid portion of the second support film, the support of the support member can be effectively enhanced, thereby compensating for the impact of the reduced total thickness of the two support films and the opening of the through holes on the overall support performance of the support member, and thus ensuring the impact resistance of the display module. In addition, since at least a portion of the first through-hole is located on the solid portion of the first support film, and at least a portion of the second through-hole is located on the solid portion of the second support film, this can, to a certain extent, prevent external dust and moisture from sequentially contacting the flexible display panel through the second through-hole and the first through-hole, thereby extending the service life of the flexible display panel. Attached Figure Description

[0010] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a display module provided in some embodiments of this application;

[0011] Figure 2 is a structural schematic diagram of a display module provided in some other embodiments of this application;

[0012] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a support member in a bent state according to some embodiments of this application;

[0013] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the support member in an unfolded state according to some embodiments of this application;

[0014] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a first support membrane according to some embodiments of this application;

[0015] Figure 6 is an enlarged view of position E in Figure 5;

[0016] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a second support membrane according to some embodiments of this application;

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

[0018] Figure 9A is a comparison diagram of the ball drop risk of display modules in related technologies and display modules provided in some embodiments of this application;

[0019] Figure 9B is a comparison diagram of the pen-writing risks of display modules in related technologies and display modules provided in some embodiments of this application;

[0020] Figure 9C is a comparison diagram of the ball drop risk of display modules in related technologies and display modules provided in other embodiments of this application;

[0021] Figure 9D is a comparison diagram of the pen-writing risks of display modules in related technologies and display modules provided in other embodiments of this application. Embodiments of the present invention

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

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

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

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

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

[0027] Some embodiments of this application provide a display module, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The display module 100 has a bending region BA and includes a flexible display panel 10 and a support member 20. The support member 20 is disposed on one side of the flexible display panel 10 and is used to support the flexible display panel 10. The support member 20 may be disposed on the backlight side of the flexible display panel 10 to avoid affecting the light emission of the flexible display panel 10.

[0028] The support member 20 includes a first support film 21 and a second support film 22 sequentially disposed along a direction away from the flexible display panel 10. The thickness of both the first support film 21 and the second support film 22 is greater than or equal to 20 μm and less than or equal to 75 μm. The first support film 21 has a plurality of mutually spaced first through holes 210 located within the bending region BA, and the second support film 22 has a plurality of mutually spaced second through holes 220 located within the bending region BA. Along the direction from the first support film 21 to the second support film 22, the first support film 21 covers at least a portion of the plurality of second through holes 220. Along the direction from the second support film 22 to the first support film 21, the second support film 22 covers at least a portion of the plurality of first through holes 210.

[0029] In related technologies, after the support component is provided with through holes, in order to ensure its bending reliability, the thickness of the support component is usually set to more than 160μm. This makes the thickness of the support component large, which in turn makes the thickness of the display module to which the support component is used too large.

[0030] Regarding the display module provided in this embodiment, since the support member 20 includes a first support film 21 and a second support film 22, and the thickness of both support films is between 20μm and 75μm, the total thickness of the two support films can be effectively reduced, and the weight of the two support films can be effectively reduced, thereby facilitating the reduction of the thickness and weight of the display module 100. Furthermore, the first support film 21 and the second support film 22 have first through holes 210 and second through holes 220 respectively in the bending area BA, which reduces the stress on the support member 20 during bending, thereby ensuring the bending reliability of the support member 20. In addition, since at least a portion of the first through holes 210 are located on the solid portion of the first support film 21, and at least a portion of the second through holes 220 are located on the solid portion of the second support film 22, the support of the support member 20 can be effectively enhanced, thereby compensating for the impact of the reduced total thickness of the two support films and the opening of the through holes on the overall support performance of the support member, and thus ensuring the impact resistance of the display module 100. In addition, since at least a portion of the first through-hole 210 is located on the solid portion of the first support film 21, and at least a portion of the second through-hole 220 is located on the solid portion of the second support film 22, external dust and moisture can be prevented from contacting the flexible display panel 10 through the second through-hole 220 and the first through-hole 210 in sequence, thereby extending the service life of the flexible display panel 10.

[0031] In some examples, the thickness of the first support film 21 may be 20 μm, 25 μm, 30 μm, 35 μm, 40 μm, 45 μm, 50 μm, 55 μm, 59 μm, 65 μm, 70 μm, 75 μm or other values ​​between 20 μm and 75 μm that are not listed.

[0032] The thickness of the second support film 22 can be 20μm, 25μm, 30μm, 35μm, 40μm, 45μm, 50μm, 55μm, 59μm, 65μm, 70μm, 75μm or other values ​​between 20μm and 75μm that are not listed.

[0033] In some examples, the first support film 21 and the second support film 22 can have the same thickness. This facilitates the fabrication of the first support film 21 and the second support film 22 using the same equipment. Furthermore, since the first support film 21 and the second support film 22 have the same thickness, the depths of the first through hole 210 and the second through hole 220 are also the same, further facilitating the fabrication of the first through hole 210 and the second through hole 220 using the same equipment. Therefore, the manufacturing cost of the support member 20 can be effectively controlled.

[0034] In other examples, the thicknesses of the first support film 21 and the second support film 22 may also be different. For example, the thickness of the first support film 21 may be greater than or less than the thickness of the second support film 22, and this embodiment of the application is not limited in this respect.

[0035] In some embodiments, the first support film 21 and the second support film 22 are integrally formed. That is, blind holes of a certain depth are respectively formed on opposite sides of the support member 20 to form a first through hole 210 and a second through hole 220. This can effectively ensure the overall structural stability of the support member 20, thereby improving the support performance of the support member 20 for the flexible display panel 10.

[0036] In other embodiments, the first support film 21 and the second support film 22 can be bonded together using a first adhesive layer. This arrangement allows for the creation of a first through-hole 210 and a second through-hole 220 in the first support film 21 and the second support film 22, respectively, before they are bonded together to form the support member 20. Therefore, the first support film 21 and the second support film 22 can simultaneously have the first through-hole 210 and the second through-hole 220 created on different devices, which improves the manufacturing efficiency of the support member 20.

[0037] In some examples, the first adhesive layer may be made of materials such as optically transparent adhesive or pressure-sensitive adhesive. At least one of the first support film 21 and the second support film 22 may be made of materials such as stainless steel, titanium alloy, or carbon fiber.

[0038] As one implementation method, the first through-hole 210 and the second through-hole 220 can be fabricated using an etching process. Etching processes include dry etching and wet etching, which can be flexibly selected according to the actual situation.

[0039] In some embodiments, the thickness of the first support film 21 and the second support film 22 is greater than or equal to 20 μm and less than 60 μm.

[0040] In related technologies, the presence of through-holes in a 120μm thick support component reduces its support performance. However, the display module 100 provided in this embodiment reduces the thickness of the support component by setting the thickness of the first support film 21 and the second support film 22 to be greater than or equal to 20μm and less than 60μm. This reduces the total thickness of the two support films to less than 120μm. Furthermore, since at least a portion of the first through-hole 210 is located on the solid portion of the first support film 21, and at least a portion of the second through-hole 220 is located on the solid portion of the second support film 22, the support of the support component 20 is effectively enhanced. This compensates for the impact of the reduced total thickness of the two support films and the presence of through-holes on the overall support performance of the support component, thereby ensuring the impact resistance of the display module 100. In addition, the misalignment of the first through hole 210 and the second through hole 220 can prevent external dust and moisture from coming into contact with the flexible display panel 10 through the second through hole 220 and the first through hole 210 in sequence, thereby extending the service life of the flexible display panel 10.

[0041] In some embodiments, the thickness of the first support film 21 and the second support film 22 is greater than or equal to 20 μm and less than or equal to 40 μm.

[0042] As an example, the thickness of the first support film 21 and the second support film 22 can both be equal to 30μm. This reduces the total thickness of the two support films by 1 / 2 compared to the thickness of the support member of 120μm in the related technology, thereby achieving a significant reduction in the thickness of the support member, which in turn plays an important role in reducing the thickness of the display module 100.

[0043] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG1, the bending area BA includes a first bending area BA1 and second bending areas BA2 located on both sides of the first bending area BA1, and the bending center axis P of the display module 100 is located within the first bending area BA1. During the folding process of the display module 100 along its bending center axis P, the flexible display panel 10 and the support member 20 are simultaneously bent along the bending center axis P. For example, the bending center axis P may be located at the middle position of the first bending area BA1, and if the two second bending areas BA2 have the same shape and size, the two second bending areas BA2 can be aligned.

[0044] The second through-hole 220 covered by the first support film 21 is located within the first bending region BA1, and the first through-hole 210 covered by the second support film 22 is also located within the first bending region BA1. With this design, the first through-hole 210 and any of the second through-holes 220 can be non-connected within the first bending region BA1. The first through-hole 210 and the second through-hole 220 are not aligned within the first bending region BA1, which effectively improves the support of the support member 20 within the first bending region BA1, thereby preventing the display module 100 from easily bending and failing due to insufficient support within the first bending region BA1.

[0045] In some examples, the second through-hole 220 covered by the first support film 21 is located within the first bending region BA1 and on both sides of the bending center axis P, and the first through-hole 210 covered by the second support film 22 is located within the first bending region BA1 and on both sides of the bending center axis P. This arrangement can effectively improve the stability of the support member 20 when bending along the bending center axis P and the support of the support member 20 for the flexible display panel 10.

[0046] As an example, the second through-hole 220 covered by the first support membrane 21 is symmetrically arranged about the bending center axis P, and the first through-hole 210 covered by the second support membrane 22 is symmetrically arranged about the bending center axis P. This can further improve the bending performance and support performance of the support member 20.

[0047] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG2, the first support film 21 covers all the second through holes 220 along the direction from the first support film 21 toward the second support film 22, and the second support film 22 covers all the first through holes 210 along the direction from the second support film 22 toward the first support film 21.

[0048] This configuration can effectively improve the support of the support member 20 in the bending area BA, thereby ensuring the reliability of the support member 20 for the flexible display panel 10 while reducing its thickness.

[0049] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG3, the bending area BA includes a third bending area BA3 and a fourth bending area BA4 located on both sides of the third bending area BA3, and the fourth bending area BA4 is adjacent to the third bending area BA3. The support member 20 includes a first bending portion 201 located in the third bending area BA3 and a second bending portion 202 located in the fourth bending area BA4. The bending directions of the first bending portion 201 and the second bending portion 202 are opposite when the display module 100 is in a folded state. The portions of the first support film 21 and the second support film 22 located in the third bending area BA3 together constitute the first bending portion 201, and the portions of the first support film 21 and the second support film 22 located in the fourth bending area BA4 together constitute the second bending portion 202. When the display module 100 is folded along its bending center axis P, the first support film 21 and the second support film 22 also bend synchronously, and the bending direction of the first bending portion 201 during bending is opposite to that of the second bending portion 202 during bending. For example, the first bend 201 bends inward, and the second bend 202 bends outward.

[0050] When the display module 100 is in a folded state, the first bending portion 201 is located within the third bending region BA3, and the second bending portion 202 is located within the fourth bending region BA4. The curvature of the second bending portion 202 is less than the curvature of the first bending portion 201, resulting in a less pronounced bending degree for the second bending portion 202 compared to the first bending portion 201. Furthermore, the bending direction of the first bending portion 201 faces inwards towards the display module 100, while the bending direction of the second bending portion 202 faces outwards towards the display module 100.

[0051] In this configuration, multiple first through holes 210 and multiple second through holes 220 are located within the third bending zone BA3. The thickness of the first support film 21 is equal at every position within the fourth bending zone BA4, and the thickness of the second support film 22 is equal at every position within the fourth bending zone BA4. In this configuration, no openings are provided in the fourth bending zone BA4, thus reducing the manufacturing process for the corresponding openings and saving on the manufacturing cost of the support member 20.

[0052] Furthermore, since the support member 20 includes two support films, and the thickness of the two support films is effectively reduced, the bending stiffness of the second bending portion 202 is reduced, ensuring that the second bending portion 202 can bend smoothly during the folding process of the display module 100. In addition, since the second bending portion 202 (i.e., the portion of the first support film 21 located within the fourth bending region BA4 and the portion of the second support film 22 located within the fourth bending region BA4) does not have openings, the stiffness distribution on the second bending portion 202 is uniform, thereby effectively avoiding problems such as cracking and peeling of the flexible display panel or peeling of the adhesive layer on the second bending portion 202.

[0053] In some examples, the display module 100 also includes flat areas PA located on both sides of the bending area BA, and the support 20 also includes two flat portions 203, one of which is located within a corresponding flat area PA.

[0054] In some examples, the shape and size of the third bending region BA3 are the same as those of the first bending region BA1, and the shape and size of the fourth bending region BA4 are the same as those of the second bending region BA2.

[0055] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG2, the difference between the number of first through holes 210 and the number of second through holes 220 in the first direction X is 1. For example, in the first direction X, the number of first through holes 210 and the number of second through holes 220 may be equal, or the number of first through holes 210 may be one more than the number of second through holes 220, or the number of first through holes 210 may be one less than the number of second through holes 220.

[0056] This arrangement allows for a more reasonable number and placement of through holes, ensuring that the first through hole 210 and the second through hole 220 are staggered, which in turn improves the bending reliability and support reliability of the support member 20.

[0057] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG2, both the first support film 21 and the second support film 22 extend along a first direction X. The first direction X may be perpendicular to the thickness direction Z of the display module 100. Along the first direction X, the first spacing D1 between any two adjacent first through holes 210 is equal to the second spacing D2 between any two adjacent second through holes 220. That is, the plurality of first through holes 210 and the plurality of second through holes 220 are respectively arranged along the first direction X, and along the first direction X, the first spacing D1 between any two adjacent first through holes 210 is equal, the second spacing D2 between any two adjacent second through holes 220 is equal, and the first spacing D1 and the second spacing D2 are also equal.

[0058] Along the first direction X, the first dimension M1 of the first through hole 210 is equal to the second dimension M2 of the second through hole 220. In this case, by shifting the position of the first through hole 210 relative to the position of the second through hole 220 along the first direction X, the first through hole 210 and the second through hole 220 are misaligned (i.e., the first through hole 210 and the second through hole 220 are not connected to each other). This achieves the following: along the direction from the first support film 21 to the second support film 22, the first support film 21 covers all the second through holes 220, and along the direction from the second support film 22 to the first support film 21, the second support film 22 covers all the first through holes 210.

[0059] This arrangement facilitates a good positional arrangement between the first through hole 210 and the second through hole 220, thereby ensuring the uniformity of the first support membrane 21 and the second support membrane 22, and thus improving the support and bending reliability of the support member 20.

[0060] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG2, along the first direction X, the spacing D1 between two adjacent first through holes 210 is at least twice the size M1 of the first through hole 210. Correspondingly, along the first direction X, the spacing D2 between two adjacent second through holes 220 is at least twice the size M2 of the second through hole 220.

[0061] In this case, on the one hand, the size M1 of the first through hole 210 in the first direction X is relatively small, which helps to ensure the bending reliability of the support member 20; on the other hand, the part of the second support membrane 22 used to cover the first through hole 210 has a relatively large area, which ensures the support performance of the support member 20.

[0062] In some examples, both the first through hole 210 and the second through hole 220 extend along the second direction Y, which intersects the first direction X. For example, the second direction Y is perpendicular to the first direction X. By extending the first through hole 210 and the second through hole 220 along the second direction Y, the area of ​​the through holes can be widened, thereby further reducing the stress during the bending process of the support member 20 and ensuring that the display module 100 can be bent smoothly.

[0063] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 4 to 6, a plurality of first through holes 210 are arranged in multiple columns, and the arrangement direction of the multiple columns of first through holes 210 is the same as the first direction X. The first through holes 210 in adjacent columns are staggered. As an example, the first through holes 210 in adjacent columns include a first target through hole 2101 and a second target through hole 2102 arranged along the first direction X and spaced apart from each other. The first target through hole 2101 and the second target through hole 2102 are staggered from each other. For example, the first target through hole 2101 and the second target through hole 2102 both extend along the second direction Y, and the endpoints of the first target through hole 2101 and the second target through hole 2102 are located at the vertices of a parallelogram.

[0064] In some examples, the first target via 2101 and the second target via 2102 have the same shape and size.

[0065] In some embodiments, along the first direction X, the first target through hole 2101 and the second target through hole 2102 are of equal size and are both of the third size M3, and the third distance D3 between adjacent first target through holes 2101 and second target through holes 2102 is greater than or equal to twice the third size M3.

[0066] As an example, the third dimension M3 is less than or equal to 0.1 mm, which effectively improves the impact resistance of the display module 100. The third pitch D3 is greater than or equal to 0.2 mm. This effectively ensures that the first support film 21 has a large solid area to cover the second through hole 220.

[0067] In some examples, the first target through-hole 2101 includes a body segment and an end portion, the end portion having an arcuate surface. For example, the cross-sectional shape of the arcuate surface can be a semicircle, and the diameter of the semicircle is equal to the third dimension M3. As another example, the cross-sectional shape of the arcuate surface can be a semiellipse, and the minor axis of the semiellipse is greater than the third dimension M3 and less than or equal to twice the third dimension M3.

[0068] In some examples, the dimensions of each first target through hole 2101 and each second target through hole 2102 in the second direction Y are greater than or equal to 6mm, which can ensure the bending reliability of the display module 100 when the bending radius is less than R1.5.

[0069] In some examples, the distance between the first target through hole 2101 (or the second target through hole 2102) near the long side of the first support membrane 21 and the long side is less than or equal to 2 mm. Of course, this distance can also be set according to actual needs, and this application embodiment does not limit it.

[0070] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG7, a plurality of second through holes 220 are arranged in multiple columns, and the arrangement direction of the multiple columns of second through holes 220 is the same as the first direction X. The second through holes 220 in adjacent columns are staggered. As an example, the second through holes 220 in adjacent columns include a third target through hole 2201 and a fourth target through hole 2202 arranged along the first direction X and spaced apart from each other. The third target through hole 2201 and the fourth target through hole 2202 are staggered from each other. For example, the third target through hole 2201 and the fourth target through hole 2202 both extend along the second direction Y, and the endpoints of the third target through hole 2201 and the fourth target through hole 2202 are located at the vertices of a parallelogram.

[0071] In some examples, the third target via 2201 and the fourth target via 2202 have the same shape and size.

[0072] Furthermore, the specific arrangement of the third target through hole 2201 and the fourth target through hole 2202 can refer to the arrangement of the first target through hole 2101 and the second target through hole 2102, and will not be elaborated here.

[0073] In some examples, in the first direction X, the difference between the sum of the number of multiple first target through holes 2101 and multiple second target through holes 2102 and the sum of the number of multiple third target through holes 2201 and multiple fourth target through holes 2202 is 1. This makes the number and position arrangement of the above-mentioned through holes relatively reasonable, thereby helping to improve the bending reliability and support reliability of the support member 20.

[0074] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG2, at least a portion of the first through hole 210 near the bending center axis P is a selected through hole, and the opening area of ​​one end of the selected through hole is larger than the opening area of ​​the ends of the other first through holes 210.

[0075] As an example, for one or more first through holes 210 near the bending center axis P, the opening area of ​​the end of the first through hole 210 is larger than the opening area of ​​the end of the other first through holes 210.

[0076] For example, multiple first through holes 210 are arranged in multiple rows, and each row of first through holes 210 contains multiple first through holes 210. The multiple rows of first through holes 210 include a row of selected through holes (hereinafter referred to as selected first through holes 2100 for easy distinction in this embodiment) near the bending center axis P and multiple rows of other first through holes away from the bending center axis P. That is, for the row of first through holes 210 located near the bending center axis P, multiple first through holes 210 in that row are all selected first through holes 2100, and multiple rows of other first through holes are located on the side of the row of selected first through holes 2100 away from the bending center axis P. The opening area of ​​the end of the selected first through hole 2100 is larger than the opening area of ​​the end of the other first through holes 210.

[0077] By increasing the area of ​​a local location of the selected first through hole 2100, the bending reliability at the bending center axis P position can be improved, thereby reducing the risk of bending stress.

[0078] In some examples, the multiple rows of first through holes 210 include two rows of selected first through holes 2100, which are located on either side of the bending center axis P and are symmetrical about the bending center axis P. As an example, each row of selected first through holes 2100 can be the row of first through holes 210 closest to the bending center axis P among the multiple rows of first through holes 210. The bending center axis P does not pass through the selected first through holes 2100.

[0079] In other embodiments, the opening area of ​​at least one end of the second through hole 220 near the bending center axis P is greater than the opening area of ​​the ends of the other second through holes 220.

[0080] As an example, multiple second through holes 220 are arranged in multiple rows, with each row containing multiple second through holes 220. The multiple rows of first through holes 210 include a selected row of second through holes near the bending center axis P and multiple rows of other second through holes away from the bending center axis P. That is, for a row of second through holes 220 located near the bending center axis P, all the second through holes 220 in that row are selected second through holes, and the multiple rows of other second through holes are located on the side of the selected second through hole row away from the bending center axis P. The opening area of ​​the end of the selected second through hole is larger than the opening area of ​​the ends of the other second through holes 220.

[0081] By increasing the area of ​​a selected local location of the second through hole, the bending reliability at the bending center axis P can be improved, thereby reducing the risk of bending stress.

[0082] In some examples, the multiple rows of second through holes 220 include two selected rows of second through holes, which are located on either side of the bending center axis P and are symmetrical about the bending center axis P. As an example, each selected row of second through holes can be the row of second through holes 220 closest to the bending center axis P. The bending center axis P does not pass through any of the selected second through holes.

[0083] In some embodiments, the length of the selected first through hole 2100 is the same as the length of the other first through holes 210. That is, along the second direction Y, the size of the selected first through hole 2100 is the same as the size of the other first through holes 210.

[0084] In some examples, as shown in Figure 6, along the first direction X, the opening size of the end of the selected first through hole 2100 is greater than or equal to the opening size of the end of the other first through holes 210.

[0085] As an example, along the first direction X, the opening size M4 of the selected end of the first through hole 2100 is greater than or equal to 1.5 times the opening size M3 of the ends of other first through holes.

[0086] This configuration increases the opening area of ​​the selected first through hole 2100 by enlarging the opening size of the selected first through hole 2100 in the first direction X, thereby improving the bending reliability at the bending center axis P position and reducing the risk of bending stress.

[0087] In some examples, the selected first through hole 2100 and the first target through hole 2101 can be set side by side. In this case, the endpoints of the selected first through hole 2100 and the first target through hole 2101 can be the vertices of a rectangle.

[0088] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG6, the size D4 of the opening at the end of the selected first through hole 2100 along the second direction Y is greater than or equal to three times the size M4 of the opening along the first direction X.

[0089] This can further increase the opening size of the selected first through hole 2100 end in the first direction X to increase the opening area of ​​the selected first through hole 2100 end, thereby improving the bending reliability at the bending center axis P position and reducing the bending stress risk.

[0090] As an example, the selected first through hole 2100 includes a main body segment and an end portion disposed along the second direction Y. The main body segment has equal dimensions at all positions along the first direction X. The end portion includes a transition segment, a linear segment, and an arc segment connected in sequence. The transition segment is connected to the main body segment, and the linear segment has equal dimensions at all positions along the first direction X. The dimension of the linear segment along the second direction Y is greater than or equal to twice the dimension of the main body segment along the first direction X, and the dimension of the linear segment along the first direction X is greater than or equal to 1.5 times the opening size M3 of the end portion of the other first through holes 2101.

[0091] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG8, the support member 20 further includes a first adhesive layer 23 located between the first support film 21 and the second support film 22, and the display module further includes a second adhesive layer 30 located between the first support film 21 and the flexible display panel 10.

[0092] The first adhesive layer 23 can be used to bond the first support film 21 and the second support film 22, while the second adhesive layer 30 can be used to bond the support member 20 and the flexible display panel 10, which is beneficial for assembling the display module 100.

[0093] In some examples, the second adhesive layer 30 may be made of materials such as optically transparent adhesive or pressure-sensitive adhesive.

[0094] In some examples, the flexible display panel 10 may include a substrate, a third adhesive layer, a backplate, a fourth adhesive layer, and a display panel arranged sequentially along its thickness direction. The display panel may include an array substrate layer, a light-emitting device layer, and an encapsulation layer. The side of the display panel furthest from the support member 20 is its display side. The display side of the display panel may also be provided with components such as a polarizer and a cover plate.

[0095] In some examples, the flexible display panel may also include a touch layer located on the display panel, enabling touch operation when the flexible display panel has the function of displaying images, and also enabling touch operation when the display module is bent or deformed, thereby improving the functionality and flexibility of the display module.

[0096] The inventors evaluated the risks of ball and pen falling on display modules in related technologies and the display module provided in the embodiments of this application through simulation. For the display module in the related technologies, the thickness of its support member is 120 μm, and through holes are provided in the bending area of ​​the support member; while for the display module 100 provided in the embodiments of this application, the thickness of the first support film 21 and the second support film 22 in its support member 20 is 30 μm, and the first through hole 210 on the first support film 21 and the second through hole 220 on the second support film 22 are not connected.

[0097] As shown in Figures 9A to 9D, letter A in the figures represents a display module in the related art, letter B represents a display module with a selected first through-hole in some embodiments of this application, and letter C represents a display module with a selected second through-hole in some embodiments of this application. ARRAY represents the array substrate layer, TFE represents the encapsulation layer, and DOT represents the touch layer. In the simulation, the bending shape of the above display modules is a teardrop-shaped inward fold (as shown in Figure 3).

[0098] As shown in Figures 9A and 9B, the bending radius of both display modules is R1.6. Compared with display modules in related technologies, referring to Figure 9A, the average reduction in ball drop risk of display module A provided in this application embodiment is 32.9%, and referring to Figure 9B, the average reduction in pen drop risk of display module A provided in this application embodiment is 20.9%. Therefore, display module A provided in this application embodiment can significantly improve its own support and mechanical reliability. In addition, the inventors also tested the bending reliability of display module A. The test results show that the extreme value of simulated bending stress of display module A is 1656 MPa, which is lower than the yield strength of stainless steel, thus ensuring that its bending risk is controllable.

[0099] As shown in Figures 9C and 9D, the bending radius of both display modules is R1.6. Compared with display modules in related technologies, referring to Figure 9C, the average reduction in ball drop risk of display module B provided in this application embodiment is 32.9%, and referring to Figure 9D, the average reduction in pen drop risk of display module B provided in this application embodiment is 21.4%. Therefore, display module B provided in this application embodiment can significantly improve its own support and mechanical reliability. In addition, the inventors also tested the bending reliability of display module B. The test results show that the extreme value of simulated bending stress of display module B is 1730 MPa, which is also lower than the yield strength of stainless steel, thus ensuring that its bending risk is controllable.

[0100] Some embodiments of this application provide a display device, which includes the display module 100 described in any of the above embodiments.

[0101] Since it includes the display module 100, the display device has all the technical effects of the aforementioned display module 100, which will not be repeated here.

[0102] In some examples, the display device also includes a driver for driving the flexible display panel in the display module 100 to display an image.

[0103] Display devices can be electronic devices that require simultaneous opening and closing, such as foldable phones, tablet personal computers, e-book readers, laptop computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), personal computers, notebooks, in-vehicle devices, and wearable devices (e.g., watches).

[0104] The embodiments of this application have been described in detail above. Specific examples have been used to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this application. The description of the above embodiments is only for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core ideas of this application. At the same time, for those skilled in the art, there will be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scope based on the ideas of this application. Therefore, the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

Claims

1. A display module having a bending area, the display module comprising: Flexible display panel; as well as A support member is disposed on one side of the flexible display panel. The support member includes a first support film and a second support film arranged sequentially in a direction away from the flexible display panel. The thickness of the first support film and the second support film is greater than or equal to 20 μm and less than or equal to 75 μm. The first support film has a plurality of mutually spaced first through holes located within the bending area, and the second support film has a plurality of mutually spaced second through holes located within the bending area; along the direction from the first support film to the second support film, the first support film covers at least a portion of the plurality of second through holes. Along the direction of the second support film toward the first support film, the second support film covers at least a portion of the plurality of first through holes.

2. The display module according to claim 1, wherein, The thickness of both the first support film and the second support film is greater than or equal to 20 μm and less than 60 μm.

3. The display module according to claim 1, wherein, The bending area includes a first bending area and a second bending area located on both sides of the first bending area, and the bending center axis of the display module is located within the first bending area; The second through-hole covered by the first support film is located within the first bending area, and the first through-hole covered by the second support film is located within the first bending area.

4. The display module according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein, Along the direction from the first support film to the second support film, the first support film covers all the second through holes, and along the direction from the second support film to the first support film, the second support film covers all the first through holes.

5. The display module according to claim 4, wherein, Both the first support membrane and the second support membrane extend along a first direction; along the first direction, the distance between any two adjacent first through holes is equal to the distance between any two adjacent second through holes, and the size of the first through hole is equal to the size of the second through hole.

6. The display module according to claim 5, wherein, Along the first direction, the spacing between two adjacent first through holes is at least twice the size of the first through hole.

7. The display module according to claim 5, wherein, At least a portion of the first through hole near the bending center axis of the display module is a selected through hole, and the opening area of ​​one end of the selected through hole is larger than the opening area of ​​the ends of the other first through holes.

8. The display module according to claim 7, wherein, Each of the first through holes extends along a second direction, which intersects the first direction; the length of the selected through hole is the same as the length of the other first through holes; along the first direction, the opening size of the end of the selected through hole is greater than or equal to 1.5 times the opening size of the end of the other first through holes.

9. The display module according to claim 4, wherein, In the first direction, the difference between the number of the first through holes and the number of the second through holes is less than or equal to 1.

10. The display module according to claim 4, wherein, Both the first support membrane and the second support membrane extend along the first direction; Multiple first through holes are arranged in multiple columns, and the arrangement direction of the multiple columns of first through holes is the same as the first direction, with the first through holes in adjacent columns being staggered. as well as Multiple second through holes are arranged in multiple columns, and the arrangement direction of multiple columns of first through holes is the same as the first direction, with the second through holes in adjacent columns being staggered.

11. The display module according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein, The bending area includes a third bending area and a fourth bending area located on both sides of the third bending area, the fourth bending area being adjacent to the third bending area; the portions of the first support film and the second support film located in the third bending area together constitute a first bending portion, the portions of the first support film and the second support film located in the fourth bending area together constitute a second bending portion, the bending directions of the first bending portion and the second bending portion are opposite when the display module is in a folded state; Multiple first through holes and multiple second through holes are located within the third bending region; the thickness of the first support film is equal at each position within the fourth bending region, and the thickness of the second support film is equal at each position within the fourth bending region.

12. The display module according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein, The support member further includes a first adhesive layer located between the first support film and the second support film, and the display module further includes a second adhesive layer located between the first support film and the flexible display panel.

13. A display device comprising a display module having a bending area, the display module comprising: Flexible display panel; as well as A support member is disposed on one side of the flexible display panel. The support member includes a first support film and a second support film arranged sequentially in a direction away from the flexible display panel. The thickness of the first support film and the second support film is greater than or equal to 20 μm and less than or equal to 75 μm. The first support film has a plurality of mutually spaced first through holes located within the bending area, and the second support film has a plurality of mutually spaced second through holes located within the bending area; along the direction from the first support film to the second support film, the first support film covers at least a portion of the plurality of second through holes. Along the direction of the second support film toward the first support film, the second support film covers at least a portion of the plurality of first through holes.

14. The display device according to claim 13, wherein, The thickness of both the first support film and the second support film is greater than or equal to 20 μm and less than 60 μm.

15. The display device according to claim 13, wherein, The bending area includes a first bending area and a second bending area located on both sides of the first bending area, and the bending center axis of the display module is located within the first bending area; The second through-hole covered by the first support film is located within the first bending area, and the first through-hole covered by the second support film is located within the first bending area.

16. The display device according to any one of claims 13-15, wherein, Along the direction from the first support film to the second support film, the first support film covers all the second through holes, and along the direction from the second support film to the first support film, the second support film covers all the first through holes.

17. The display device according to claim 16, wherein, Both the first support membrane and the second support membrane extend along a first direction; along the first direction, the distance between any two adjacent first through holes is equal to the distance between any two adjacent second through holes, and the size of the first through hole is equal to the size of the second through hole.

18. The display device according to claim 17, wherein, Along the first direction, the spacing between two adjacent first through holes is at least twice the size of the first through hole.

19. The display device according to claim 17, wherein, At least a portion of the first through hole near the bending center axis of the display module is a selected through hole, and the opening area of ​​one end of the selected through hole is larger than the opening area of ​​the ends of the other first through holes.

20. The display device according to claim 19, wherein, Each of the first through holes extends along a second direction, which intersects the first direction; the length of the selected through hole is the same as the length of the other first through holes; along the first direction, the opening size of the end of the selected through hole is greater than or equal to 1.5 times the opening size of the end of the other first through holes.

Images