Display Device Supporting Film for Flat Surface Quality

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing flexible display devices face challenges in maintaining a high surface quality of the display module, which can be compromised by sagging or uneven support.

Innovation Solution

A supporting film is disposed flat on the supporting bars that support the display module, ensuring a flat surface for the display module to improve its surface quality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If the display module is supported by supporting bars directly, then the supporting structure is simple, but the surface quality of the display module deteriorates due to sagging or uneven support

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesurface qualityVSAvoidsupporting structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A supporting film is introduced as an intermediary component between the supporting bars and the display module. The supporting film is disposed on the supporting bars and extends to cover the regions between adjacent supporting bars, providing continuous surface support that prevents sagging while maintaining structural simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention uses a thin supporting film that conforms to the underlying supporting structure while providing a flat upper surface. This thin film approach maintains the simplicity of the supporting bars while adding the necessary surface quality improvement through the film's spanning capability between bars.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Shape

If supporting bars are used to support the display module, then the supporting function is achieved, but the surface flatness deteriorates due to gaps between bars

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveflatnessVSAvoidsupporting structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ShapeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The supporting film acts as a mediator that spans across the gaps between supporting bars, creating a continuous flat upper surface. The film is disposed on the supporting bars and extends between them, effectively hiding the discrete bar structure and providing uniform surface flatness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The supporting film adds a new dimensional element by introducing a continuous two-dimensional surface that covers the one-dimensional supporting bars. This film layer transforms the discrete bar support into a continuous surface support system.

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

Data Source

PatentEP3842895B1Display device
Publication Date: 2025.01.29 SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO LTD
  • EP3842895B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3842895B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3842895B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A display device includes a display module, a supporting plate disposed under the display module, supporting bars disposed under the display module and arranged in a first direction with the supporting plate, a supporting film disposed between the display module and the supporting plate and between the display module and the supporting bars, a first case accommodating the display module, the supporting plate, the supporting film, and the supporting bars, and a second case coupled to the first case to move in a direction to be close to or to be far away from the first case along the first direction. Opposite sides of the supporting bars are respectively inserted into first guide grooves defined in inner side surfaces of the first case, which face each other in a second direction crossing the first direction, and the supporting bars move along the first guide groove.