Foldable Display Support Plate With Staggered Stress-Relief Pattern

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Solution Overview

Problem

Foldable display devices face issues with bending stress accumulation leading to film printing due to aligned connecting portions in hollowed-out patterns, which increases weight and contradicts the trend of lightweight and thin designs.

Innovation Solution

A support plate with staggered connecting portions in adjacent rows and optional grooves in the bending area to distribute bending stress evenly, reducing the risk of film printing and maintaining a lightweight design.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the thickness of glue is increased to prevent film printing, then the reliability is improved, but the device thickness increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefilm printing preventionVSAvoiddevice thickness
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The support plate is segmented with multiple hollowed-out patterns arranged in rows and columns, creating a distributed stress relief structure. This segmentation allows the plate to maintain structural integrity while providing multiple stress dispersion points, preventing film printing without requiring increased glue thickness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The support plate features local quality variations through hollowed-out patterns with different configurations in odd and even rows. The connecting portions between adjacent hollowed-out patterns create localized stress relief zones, allowing the structure to prevent film printing through distributed local modifications rather than uniform thickness increase.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If additional support plates are added to prevent film printing, then the reliability is improved, but the device weight increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefilm printing preventionVSAvoiddevice weight
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of adding multiple support plates, the invention segments a single support plate with hollowed-out patterns arranged in a specific staggered configuration. This segmentation provides multiple stress relief functions within one component, eliminating the need for additional support plates and reducing overall device weight.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The hollowed-out patterns on the support plate serve multiple functions: they reduce the plate's weight, provide stress dispersion points to prevent film printing, and maintain structural integrity. This multi-functionality replaces the need for additional dedicated support plates.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Manufacturing precision

If hollowed-out patterns are arranged in straight lines, then the manufacturing precision is improved, but the bending stress accumulates causing film printing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepattern arrangement precisionVSAvoidfilm printing prevention
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention introduces asymmetry in the arrangement of hollowed-out patterns by staggering the connecting portions between adjacent hollowed-out patterns in odd and even rows. This asymmetric staggered arrangement prevents the formation of straight stress accumulation lines while maintaining manufacturable precision, thereby preventing film printing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The solution moves from a one-dimensional straight line arrangement to a two-dimensional staggered grid pattern. By distributing connecting portions across multiple dimensions and rows with offset positions, the design eliminates linear stress paths while maintaining precise manufacturing tolerances.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentUS12613558B2Support plate and display device
Publication Date: 2026.04.28 CHENGDU BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECH CO LTD
  • US12613558B2 patent drawing
  • US12613558B2 patent drawing
  • US12613558B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A support plate (001) and a display device including the support plate (001) are provided. The support plate (001) is used for supporting a flexible display module (002). The support plate (001) includes a bending area (BA). The bending area (BA) includes a plurality of hollowed-out patterns (101) arranged in an array. A connecting portion (102) is arranged between two adjacent hollowed-out patterns (101) in the same row. The connecting portions (102) in at least three adjacent rows are staggered in a column direction, which is beneficial for uniform distribution of bending stress.