Electronic Paper Unit Sealing With Angled Side Walls
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current electronic paper technologies face limitations in using flexible substrates due to material constraints, making it challenging to develop suitable fabrication methods for flexible substrates, and existing methods struggle with air bubbles and moisture protection in electronic paper units.
Innovation Solution
The method involves forming electronic paper units with a flexible substrate, a thin film transistor layer, an electronic ink layer, and a waterproof layer, where the edge surfaces of the waterproof and electronic ink layers form acute or obtuse angles, allowing for effective sealing with a sealant that reduces air bubbles and enhances moisture protection by using a cutting apparatus like a laser or blade unit to create specific angles and applying a sealant that covers these angles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a flexible substrate is used in electronic paper fabrication, then the device becomes light, thin and flexible, but material constraints prevent use of current glass substrate fabrication methods
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the substrate material parameter from rigid glass to flexible material, enabling the device to achieve light, thin, and flexible characteristics while adapting the fabrication process to accommodate this material change
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the fabrication process into distinct stages: forming electronic paper arrays on a rigid substrate first, then cutting into individual units, which allows combining glass substrate fabrication advantages with flexible substrate final product requirements
2Ease of manufacture
If sealant is coated on flat surfaces, then the process is simple, but air bubbles are trapped and moisture protection is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an inclined side wall with a specific angle (α) between the waterproof layer edge and the electronic ink layer edge, creating a curved/angled surface that prevents air bubble entrapment during sealant coating while maintaining manufacturing simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary cutting to form the inclined side wall structure before applying the sealant, ensuring that the surface geometry is optimized for bubble-free coating from the outset rather than attempting to correct issues after coating
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic paper unit including a flexible substrate, a thin film transistor layer, an electronic ink layer, a waterproof layer, and a sealant is provided. The thin film transistor layer is disposed on the flexible substrate. The electronic ink layer is disposed on a surface of the thin film transistor layer. The waterproof layer is disposed on the electronic ink layer. An edge surface of the waterproof layer and an edge surface of the electronic ink layer form a side wall where there is a first acute angle or a first obtuse angle between the side wall and the surface of the thin film transistor layer. The sealant is coated and covered on the side wall and the surface. A method for fabricating the electronic paper unit is also provided.