Flexible Circuit Board Bending Portion for Display Alignment

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

The existing display apparatuses face challenges in ease of fabrication due to complex alignment and connection requirements between the display panel, touch panel, and circuit board, leading to potential misalignment and defects during the manufacturing process.

Innovation Solution

A display apparatus design featuring a circuit board with a bending portion that connects the first and second circuit portions, allowing for integration without additional connectors, and a flexible structure that facilitates easier alignment and bonding of the touch panel to the display panel, reducing the need for adhesives and minimizing defects.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If a rigid circuit board with separate connectors is used to connect display panel and touch panel, then electrical connection is reliable, but alignment precision deteriorates and fabrication complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealignment precisionVSAvoidfabrication complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the circuit board structure with the connection function by integrating the circuit traces directly into the flexible substrate that bonds the display panel and touch panel. This eliminates separate connectors and alignment fixtures, allowing the circuit board to serve both as structural support and electrical connection medium, thereby simplifying fabrication while maintaining alignment precision through the unified structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs a flexible circuit board made of thin flexible substrate material that can conform to the bonding surfaces of the display panel and touch panel. This flexibility enables precise alignment during the bonding process and accommodates slight variations in panel dimensions, improving manufacturing precision while reducing fabrication complexity compared to rigid connector assemblies.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Productivity

If multiple adhesives and connectors are used to assemble display panel and touch panel, then connection strength is sufficient, but the number of manufacturing steps increases and productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly efficiencyVSAvoidconnection reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple functions (structural support, electrical connection, and mechanical bonding) into a single flexible circuit board assembly. This eliminates the need for separate adhesives and connectors, reducing the number of manufacturing steps and improving productivity while maintaining connection reliability through the integrated design that ensures proper alignment and bonding.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The flexible circuit board serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural support for the assembly, establishes electrical connections between display and touch panels, and acts as the bonding interface between components. This multi-functionality reduces the total number of parts needed and simplifies the assembly process, improving productivity without compromising connection reliability.

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

3Manufacturing precision

If rigid connectors are used to connect circuit portions, then electrical connection is stable, but misalignment during assembly increases and defect rate increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealignment precisionVSAvoidconnection stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a flexible circuit board that can adapt to slight misalignments during assembly through its inherent flexibility. The flexible substrate allows for minor position adjustments and conformal bonding, ensuring precise alignment between circuit traces and contact pads while maintaining stable electrical connections, thereby improving both manufacturing precision and connection reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The flexible circuit board introduces dynamic adaptability to the assembly process, allowing the circuit traces to flex and conform to the actual positions of contact pads during bonding. This dynamic characteristic enables the system to accommodate manufacturing tolerances and achieve precise alignment, preventing misalignment defects while maintaining connection stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS9823770B2Display apparatus
Publication Date: 2017.11.21 SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO LTD
  • US9823770B2 patent drawing
  • US9823770B2 patent drawing
  • US9823770B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A display apparatus comprises: a display panel configured to display an image; a touch panel disposed on the display panel; and a circuit board electrically connected to each of the display panel and the touch panel, the circuit board including a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The circuit board includes: a first circuit portion including a first connection disposed in the first surface and electrically connected to the display panel; a second circuit portion including a second connection disposed in the second surface and electrically connected to the touch panel; and a bending portion configured to link the first circuit portion to the second circuit portion, and curving in a direction toward the first circuit portion.