Anti-Pollution Layer for Sensor Openings in Display Cover Windows
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Solution Overview
Problem
The adhesive used for protective films on display device cover windows often spreads into openings for sensors, causing damage and interfering with light reception, which deteriorates the sensing ability of light receiving sensors during the assembly process.
Innovation Solution
A cover window design featuring a transparent layer, a light blocking layer with openings for sensors, and an anti-pollution layer with a low surface energy, which prevents adhesive residue from adhering to the sensor openings by having a surface energy lower than the light blocking and transparent layers, and includes a fluorine material and an adhesion improving layer to enhance attachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If adhesive is applied to protective films on the cover window, then the protective films can be attached and removed during assembly, but the adhesive spreads into sensor openings and deteriorates sensor functionality
Solution Approach 1:
An anti-pollution layer is introduced as an intermediary between the light blocking layer (with sensor openings) and the adhesive of protective films. This intermediate layer prevents adhesive from directly contacting and contaminating the sensor openings, thereby resolving the contradiction between ease of assembly and sensor reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The anti-pollution layer has intentionally low adhesion properties that are normally considered undesirable, but this very property is beneficial in preventing adhesive contamination of sensor openings. The harmful characteristic (low adhesion) is converted into a useful function (adhesive barrier)
2Reliability
If the anti-pollution layer has very low surface energy to prevent adhesive adhesion, then adhesive residue is prevented from entering sensor openings, but adhesion to underlying layers may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The anti-pollution layer exhibits different adhesion characteristics for different substances: it has low adhesion to adhesive materials (preventing contamination) while maintaining sufficient adhesion to the light blocking layer and transparent layer (ensuring structural integrity). This spatial and functional differentiation resolves the contradiction between preventing adhesive residue and maintaining layer attachment
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The anti-pollution layer effectively prevents adhesive residue from entering sensor openings, ensuring reliable sensor functionality and maintaining light transmission, thereby enhancing the reliability and performance of display devices.
Implementation Method 1
The anti-pollution layer has a surface energy lower than each of a surface energy of the transparent layer and a surface energy of the light blocking layer
Implementation Method 2
The anti-pollution layer may include a fluorine material
Data Source
AI summary
A cover window of a display device includes: a transparent layer; a light blocking layer disposed on the transparent layer, the light blocking layer defining an opening therein, the opening exposing a portion of the transparent layer which corresponds to a sensor of the display device; and an anti-pollution layer disposed corresponding to the portion of the transparent layer which corresponds to the sensor of the display device and is exposed by the opening. The anti-pollution layer has a surface energy lower than each of a surface energy of the transparent layer and a surface energy of the light blocking layer.