Cover Member Segmentation for Flexible Display Curvature Maintenance

Solution Overview

Problem

Display devices struggle to maintain curvature when bent, as substrates are not easily bent and fail to retain the designed curvature, leading to potential damage and reduced visibility.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a cover member with separation areas and a folding area that covers the bending area of the substrate, providing protection and maintaining curvature by extending to cover the display driving unit and substrate, while being made of copper with a thickness less than the distance between the cover window and the substrate, and having a width equal to the bending area width.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a substrate is bent to improve visibility and reduce non-display area, then visibility and space utilization are improved, but the substrate is not easily bent and cannot maintain the designed curvature

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovevisibilityVSAvoidcurvature maintenance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The cover member is divided into a first cover member and a second cover member that are separately formed and then coupled together. This segmentation allows each cover member to be independently formed with appropriate thickness and flexibility, enabling the bent shape to be maintained while avoiding the substrate cracking issue that would occur with a single thick cover member.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The cover members are designed with thin film structures that can flexibly adapt to the bent shape of the substrate. The first cover member has a first thickness and the second cover member has a second thickness, creating a flexible protective layer that maintains the curved configuration without causing stress concentration that would lead to cracking.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Strength

If the cover member thickness is increased to protect the substrate, then protection is improved, but the substrate cannot be easily bent and curvature cannot be maintained

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesubstrate protectionVSAvoidbending ease

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The cover member is divided into a first cover member and a second cover member that are separately formed and then coupled together. This segmentation allows each cover member to be independently formed with appropriate thickness and flexibility, enabling the bent shape to be maintained while avoiding the substrate cracking issue that would occur with a single thick cover member.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the cover member have different thicknesses - the first cover member has a first thickness and the second cover member has a second thickness. This local quality variation provides optimized protection in different areas while maintaining overall flexibility and bendability of the substrate.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS20230038559A1Display device

Publication Date: 2023.02.09 SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO LTD

AI summary

A display device includes: a substrate including a first area, a second area, and a bending area between the first area and the second area; a display layer disposed on the first area of the substrate; a display driving unit disposed on the second area of the substrate; and a cover member including a first surface and a second surface and extending to cover a portion of the second area of the substrate, the bending area of the substrate, and a portion of the first area of the substrate, the cover member including a separation area in which the cover member is partially separated on the first surface opposite to the second surface facing the substrate.