Curved Display Manufacturing via Masked Etching and Bending
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for manufacturing curved displays face challenges such as reduced productivity due to panel breakage during bending and etchant-induced breakage, as well as difficulties in manufacturing curved displays from existing panels with attached circuit boards.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the application of acid-resistant sealant to a display module, masking specific sides to protect electrical connections, etching to reduce thickness, and bending to achieve a curved shape, with the option to attach the module to a curved cover for shaping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If the entire surface of the panel is cut to reduce thickness, then the panel can be bent into curved shape, but the regions to be gripped are reduced in thickness and the panel may be broken during bending
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different thickness characteristics to different regions of the panel. The gripping regions maintain original thickness to provide strength, while other regions are etched to reduced thickness to enable bending. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between needing thin regions for curvature and thick regions for structural integrity during bending.
2Shape
If the panel is etched to reduce thickness, then the panel can be bent more easily, but the sealing material may be etched by etchant and introduced between substrates causing breakage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies masking material to the sealing regions before the etching process. This preliminary protective action prevents the etchant from attacking the sealing material, thereby avoiding etchant introduction between substrates and panel breakage, while still allowing etching in non-masked regions to achieve the desired curved shape.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional separate completed display panels are provided with circuit boards attached, then electrical connection is achieved, but it is difficult to manufacture curved display panels
Solution Approach 1:
The patent attaches the circuit boards (taps) to the display panel before the etching and bending processes. This preliminary attachment ensures that the electrical connections are established early, and the subsequent curvature formation is performed on the already-assembled unit, making curved display manufacturing feasible without disassembling or reattaching components later.
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
This method enhances manufacturing yield by preventing panel breakage during etching and bending, allowing for easier production of curved displays from existing panels with attached taps, while ensuring uniform surfaces and improved productivity.
Implementation Method 1
applying acid resistive sealant to a circumference of the display module excluding the taps protruding from the display module to seal the circumference
Implementation Method 2
etching the display module excluding the masked portions to reduce a thickness of the display module to a predetermined thickness
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a method for manufacturing a curved display by which a display module that has a tap for electrical connection is manufactured into the curved display, the method including: a step of sealing a circumference of the display module excluding a part of the tap which projects outward from the display module with a sealing material having acid resistance; a step of performing masking by using a masking member to surround either a pair of left and right sides or a pair of upper and lower sides facing each other in the sealed display module; a step of etching the display module, excluding the masked part of the masked display module, into a preset thickness such that the thickness of the display module is decreased; a step of removing the masking member from the display module that is etched in the etching step; and a step of bending the display module from which the masking member is removed into the curved surface.