Display Panel Laser Cutting to Prevent Lead Short Circuits

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing cutting methods for display panels often result in short-circuited leads due to high-energy laser cutting, leading to display defects like dark lines and reduced yield, especially in flexible panels where the high-temperature process causes carbonization and welding of adjacent leads.

Innovation Solution

A dual-laser beam cutting method is employed, where a first high-energy laser beam cuts the display motherboard into panels and a second, lower-energy laser beam, typically a pulsed laser, severs the short-circuited leads perpendicular to their direction, ensuring they are not welded again, thereby preventing short circuits and improving yield.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a high-energy laser beam is used to cut the display motherboard, then the cutting efficiency and speed are improved, but the leads become short-circuited due to carbonization and welding

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecutting efficiencyVSAvoidlead integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The cutting process is divided into two distinct stages: first, a high-energy laser beam performs the main cutting of the display motherboard to achieve high efficiency; second, a low-energy laser beam performs a follow-up severing operation on the leads to prevent short circuits. This segmentation of the cutting process allows each stage to optimize for its specific function without compromising the other.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The low-energy laser beam performs a preliminary severing action on the leads during or immediately after the high-energy cutting process. By preemptively severing the leads before the high-energy laser can cause carbonization and welding, the patent prevents the harmful effect while maintaining the efficiency benefit of the high-energy cutting.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Manufacturing precision

If the laser energy is increased to ensure complete cutting, then the cutting quality is improved, but the leads are damaged through carbonization and welding

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecutting qualityVSAvoidlead carbonization

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different laser energy levels to different regions of the display motherboard. The high-energy laser beam is used for cutting the rigid motherboard material where high quality is needed, while the low-energy laser beam is used specifically for the leads where high energy would cause carbonization. This localized differentiation of energy application resolves the contradiction between cutting quality and lead integrity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The low-energy laser beam acts as an intermediary that performs the delicate severing of leads without directly causing carbonization. By using this intermediate energy level, the patent achieves complete lead severing while avoiding the harmful thermal effects that would occur with high-energy direct application to the leads.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Device complexity

If a single high-energy laser is used for cutting, then the process is simple and fast, but the yield is reduced due to short-circuited leads

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecutting process simplicityVSAvoidproduction yield

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines two laser beam operations into a single integrated cutting process. The high-energy and low-energy laser beams are coordinated to work together in sequence, with the low-energy beam following the high-energy beam's cutting path. This merging of operations maintains process simplicity and speed while eliminating the yield-reducing short circuits through the additional lead severing step.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 effectively reduces short circuits and display defects, enhancing the quality and yield of cut display panels by precisely severing leads without re-welding them, thus improving the display's performance and reducing carbonization.

Implementation Method 1

cutting a display motherboard to be cut into a plurality of separate display panels by using a first laser beam

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLaser ablation: Laser Ablation

Implementation Method 2

severing at least some leads of the display panel by using a second laser beam at a position on the display panel between the conductive connectors and the cutting edge

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLaser heating: Heating

Data Source

PatentUS11529702B2Display panel and cutting method therefor, display device

Publication Date: 2022.12.20 CHENGDU BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECH CO LTD

AI summary

A cutting method for a display panel, wherein the cutting method includes: cutting a display motherboard to be cut into a plurality of separate display panels by using a first laser beam, wherein the display panels each include a plurality of leads disposed between conductive connectors and a cutting edge of the display panel formed after cutting by the first laser beam; and severing at least some leads of the display panel by using a second laser beam at a position on the display panel between the conductive connectors and the cutting edge of the display panel, the at least some leads being short-circuited leads.