Elastic Member Folding Region Width for Display Stress Distribution

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Solution Overview

Problem

Flexible or foldable display devices experience reduced lifespan and reliability due to repeated folding and unfolding, leading to stress concentration and visual wrinkles in the folding region, which deteriorates flatness and increases the risk of cracks.

Innovation Solution

An elastic member with a defined first region (folding region) and second region (unfolding region), where the width of the folding region is set to 15 mm or more, distributing compressive and tensile stress over a larger area to prevent stress concentration and maintain flatness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the folding region width is reduced to enable repeated folding and unfolding, then the device becomes more flexible and portable, but stress concentration occurs leading to cracks and reduced lifespan

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefolding capabilityVSAvoidlifespan

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent specifies that the folding region width must be 15 mm or more, changing the dimensional parameter of the folding region to distribute stress over a larger area, thereby preventing stress concentration and cracks while maintaining folding capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a specific width dimension constraint (15 mm or more) for the folding region, using dimensional control to resolve the contradiction between flexibility and reliability by ensuring sufficient stress distribution area

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the folding region width is reduced to improve portability, then the device can be folded more compactly, but flatness deteriorates and wrinkles occur visually

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveportabilityVSAvoidflatness

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The patent sets the folding region width to 15 mm or more, changing the geometric parameter to maintain sufficient flatness and prevent visual wrinkles while still enabling compact folding for portability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If the folding region width is increased to distribute stress, then reliability improves, but the device size increases reducing portability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefolding durabilityVSAvoiddevice size

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent specifies a minimum folding region width of 15 mm, optimizing the balance between reliability (stress distribution) and portability (device size) by setting a specific dimensional threshold that ensures durability without excessive size increase

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS20240357900A1Elastic member and display device comprising same

Publication Date: 2024.10.24 LG INNOTEK CO LTD

AI summary

An elastic member according to an embodiment includes: a first region and a second region, wherein a first direction defined as a width direction and a second direction defined as a longitudinal direction in the elastic member, the first region is defined as a folding region that is folded with the first direction as a folding axis, the second region is defined as an unfolding region, a width of the first region is smaller than a width of the second region, and the width of the first region is 15 mm or more.