Bend Limiting Device for Flexible Display Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Flexible display devices, both foldable and rollable, suffer from creases and internal damage due to improper bending or rolling, which affect the viewing effect and shorten their lifespan.
Innovation Solution
A bend limiting device comprising a flexible support film with limiting chains made of rigid material, featuring prism-shaped or trapezoid-shaped limiting structures that restrict the included angle between adjacent blocks, preventing excessive bending and rolling by maintaining a minimum radius of curvature.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the flexible display panel is excessively bent to achieve smaller radius of curvature, then the folding region can be compacted, but creases appear and internal components are damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The bend limiting device is pre-installed on the flexible display panel before folding operations. The limiting structures protrude from the first surface and are positioned to prevent excessive bending before it occurs, thereby protecting the display panel from creases and internal damage while allowing normal folding operations
Solution Approach 2:
The bend limiting device acts as an intermediary mechanical structure between the flexible display panel and the folding motion. The limiting structures protrude from the first surface and interact with the folding mechanism to restrict the minimum radius of curvature, thereby mediating between the need for compact folding and the need to prevent damage
2Ease of operation
If the flexible display panel is rolled to achieve compact storage, then portability is improved, but improper rolling causes creases and shortens lifespan
Solution Approach 1:
The bend limiting device is pre-installed on the flexible display panel before rolling operations. The limiting structures protrude from the first surface and are positioned to prevent excessive bending before it occurs, thereby protecting the display panel from creases and internal damage while allowing normal folding operations
Solution Approach 2:
The bend limiting device acts as an intermediary mechanical structure between the flexible display panel and the rolling motion. The limiting structures protrude from the first surface and interact with the rolling mechanism to restrict the minimum radius of curvature, thereby mediating between the need for compact folding and the need to prevent damage
3Reliability
If limiting structures are added to prevent excessive bending, then display panel protection is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bend limiting device utilizes a flexible support film as its base structure, which maintains flexibility while providing the necessary mechanical support. The limiting structures are formed on this thin film substrate, allowing protection functionality without adding significant structural complexity or rigidity that would compromise the flexible nature of the display panel
Solution Approach 2:
The limiting structures are divided into multiple discrete segments arranged in chains around the flexible display panel. Each limiting structure consists of multiple limiting blocks connected together, allowing the protection mechanism to be distributed rather than concentrated, thereby reducing overall structural complexity while maintaining effective protection
Data Source
AI summary
A bend limiting device includes a flexible support film and limiting chains. The limiting chains are disposed on the flexible support film. Each of the limiting chains includes limiting blocks. Each of the limiting blocks includes limiting structures. One of the limiting structures of one of the limiting blocks is connected to one of the limiting structures of another one of the limiting blocks. When the bend limiting device is bent, two connected limiting structures of two adjacent limiting blocks limit a minimum value of an included angle formed between the two adjacent limiting blocks, so a radius of curvature of each of the limiting chains is limited to be greater than a preset value without being excessively bent. The bent limiting device protects a flexible display panel of a flexible display device from being improperly bent, so as to extend a lifespan of the flexible display device.