Bending Support Structure for Display Touch Member Stress Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

Display devices with touch input functions face damage due to excessive stress during bending, particularly affecting the touch member and its components like anisotropic conductive films and substrate attachment portions.

Innovation Solution

A display device design that includes a bending support structure on the display module, which supports the touch driving substrate and reduces stress by distributing it across the display panel supporting portions, thereby minimizing the risk of separation or cracking in the touch member.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If the touch member is bent in a downward direction to reduce the bezel size, then the bezel size is reduced, but the touch member may be damaged due to excessive stress

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebezel sizeVSAvoidtouch member integrity
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies beforehand cushioning by introducing a bending support structure (comprising bending support protrusions and recesses) that is pre-configured to cushion and distribute the stress during the bending process. The bending support protrusions extend beyond the substrate attachment portions and work with the bending recesses to create a stress-distributing mechanism before the actual bending occurs, preventing excessive stress concentration on the touch member and its components.

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

Solution Approach 2:

The bending support structure acts as an intermediary between the bending force and the touch member components. The bending support protrusions and recesses create an intermediate layer that mediates the stress transmission, distributing the bending stress across multiple points rather than concentrating it on the substrate attachment portions and anisotropic conductive films, thereby protecting the touch member integrity while enabling the bezel reduction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Device complexity

If the touch driving substrate is bent to achieve a compact display structure, then the display structure becomes more compact, but stress concentration may cause separation or cracking of the touch member components

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisplay structure compactnessVSAvoidcomponent bonding strength
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The bending support structure is segmented into multiple bending support protrusions and corresponding bending recesses distributed along the bending region. This segmentation allows the stress to be distributed across multiple discrete support points rather than concentrated at a single location, enabling compact folding while maintaining component bonding strength through distributed stress management.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The bending support protrusions are strategically positioned to extend beyond the substrate attachment portions specifically in the bending region, creating localized support where it is most needed. This local quality enhancement provides targeted stress distribution at the critical bending zones while maintaining the overall compact structure, preventing separation and cracking at the substrate attachment portions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP3537257B1Display device
Publication Date: 2023.08.16 SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO LTD
  • EP3537257B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3537257B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3537257B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A display device includes a display module, a touch member, and a first driving substrate. The display module includes a display panel. The touch member is disposed on the display module. The first driving substrate is attached on substrate attachment portions of the touch member, the substrate attachment portions being provided near a first edge of the touch member near a first side of the display device. the first driving substrate is bent in a downward direction with respect to the display module. The display module includes a bending support structure disposed on a first edge of the display module near the first side, the bending support structure protruding outwardly beyond the substrate attachment portions of the touch member.