Flexible Cover Window With Shock Compensation Cylindrical Patterns

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional flexible cover windows for displays face challenges in balancing shock resistance, strength, and folding properties, with polymer films being prone to damage and glass-based solutions requiring optimal thickness to avoid image distortion and texture deterioration.

Innovation Solution

A glass-based flexible cover window with a shock compensation pattern unit, featuring cylindrical patterns etched into the folding portion to disperse shock and improve resistance, while maintaining strength and folding properties.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If glass thickness is increased to satisfy strength properties, then strength is improved, but folding properties deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestrength propertiesVSAvoidfolding properties

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The glass substrate is divided into planar portions and a folding portion, with the folding portion having a different thickness (smaller) than the planar portions. This segmentation allows the glass to have sufficient thickness for strength in the planar regions while being thin enough to fold properly in the folding region.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The glass substrate has non-uniform thickness distribution, with the folding portion having a specific thickness smaller than the planar portions. This local quality change optimizes the glass structure to simultaneously satisfy strength requirements in planar regions and folding requirements in the folding region.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Adaptability or versatility

If glass thickness is decreased to satisfy folding properties, then folding properties are improved, but strength properties deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefolding propertiesVSAvoidstrength properties

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Adaptability or versatility

If polymer film is used for flexibility, then folding properties are improved, but shock resistance and strength deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefolding propertiesVSAvoidshock resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The material type is changed from polymer film to glass substrate with modified thickness distribution. This parameter change (material composition and geometric configuration) enables the cover window to achieve both flexibility for folding and sufficient shock resistance, overcoming the limitations of polymer films.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

4Strength

If glass thickness is optimized for strength, then strength properties are satisfied, but image distortion and texture deterioration occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestrength propertiesVSAvoidimage distortion and texture

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS11765847B2Flexible cover window and method of manufacturing the same

Publication Date: 2023.09.19 UTI INC

AI summary

Disclosed are a flexible cover window and a method of manufacturing the same. A glass-based flexible cover window includes planar portions formed so as to correspond to planar regions of a flexible display and a folding portion formed so as to be connected to the planar portions, the folding portion being formed so as to correspond to a folding region of the flexible display, wherein the folding portion including a shock compensation pattern unit, and the shock compensation pattern unit has cylindrical patterns.