Cover Plate Grooves for Curved OLED Packaging

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current packaging methods for curved OLED display panels face challenges in achieving desired bendability and packaging performance while maintaining strength and preventing water and oxygen penetration, leading to reduced lifespan.

Innovation Solution

A cover plate with auxiliary bending structures, such as grooves, is used to reduce radial and tangential stress, allowing for easier curvature and improved packaging performance without increasing thickness, and filled with materials like polymer or inert gas to enhance protection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Length of moving object

If the packaging structure is made thin to maintain ultra-thin characteristics, then the manufacturing cost and difficulty are reduced, but the strength and packaging performance are significantly reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvethickness of packaging structureVSAvoidstrength of packaging structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of moving objectVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a honeycomb-shaped structural element with multiple cells separated by cell walls. This porous-like structure provides high strength-to-weight ratio and excellent bending resistance, allowing the packaging structure to maintain ultra-thin characteristics while ensuring sufficient strength and packaging performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

Solution Approach 2:

The packaging structure combines the substrate, organic tandem structure, and honeycomb-shaped structural element into a composite system. This composite structure integrates different functional components to achieve both thinness and strength requirements simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Shape

If external force is applied to bend the substrate and packaging structure for curved display, then the desired curvature is achieved, but the risk of damage to the organic tandem structure increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecurvature of display panelVSAvoidintegrity of organic tandem structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ShapeVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The honeycomb-shaped structural element with its cellular structure provides excellent bending resistance and mechanical support. This structure distributes and absorbs external forces applied during curvature formation, protecting the organic tandem structure from damage while enabling the desired curved shape.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

Solution Approach 2:

The honeycomb-shaped structural element acts as a pre-installed protective structure that cushions and absorbs external forces before they can reach the organic tandem structure. This beforehand cushioning mechanism prevents damage during the bending process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Length of moving object

If the thickness of packaging structure is reduced to lower manufacturing cost, then the ultra-thin characteristic is maintained, but the path for water and oxygen penetration is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvethickness of packaging structureVSAvoidprotection against water and oxygen
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The honeycomb-shaped structural element creates a complex three-dimensional barrier structure with multiple cell walls. This structure effectively increases the tortuous path for water and oxygen penetration, maintaining excellent barrier performance even with reduced overall thickness of the packaging structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

Data Source

PatentEP3254318B1Cover plate, and curved display apparatus
Publication Date: 2020.11.04 BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO LTD
  • EP3254318B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2A
  • EP3254318B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4A
  • EP3254318B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

A cover plate (31) for packaging a curved display apparatus is provided. The cover plate(31) includes a plate body having a plurality of grooves(311) configured to assist to bend the plate body to cause the cover plate(31) have a bending tendency for reducing a radial stress and tangential stress of the curved display apparatus.