Flexible Display Adhesive Elastomer Impact Absorption

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Flexible display devices face challenges in achieving improved impact resistance while maintaining their flexible characteristics, as existing adhesive layers are vulnerable to external impacts and may cause buckling or decoupling of layers during bending.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a flexible display device structure with adhesive layers comprising pressure-sensitive adhesive layers and elastomer layers, where the elastomer layer has a cutting pattern and is sandwiched between the adhesive layers, providing enhanced impact absorption and maintaining the device's flexibility by allowing shear deformation without buckling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a flexible adhesive layer is used to maintain device flexibility, then the device can be bent and deformed easily, but the adhesive layer becomes vulnerable to external impacts and may cause buckling or decoupling of layers

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveflexibilityVSAvoidimpact resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The adhesive system uses a composite structure combining a rigid adhesive layer and a flexible adhesive layer. The rigid layer provides impact resistance and structural stability, while the flexible layer maintains bending capability. This composite approach resolves the contradiction by integrating materials with complementary properties into a unified adhesive system that achieves both flexibility and impact resistance simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The adhesive layer is divided into multiple functional segments: a rigid adhesive portion and a flexible adhesive portion. Each segment performs its specialized function - the rigid segment resists impacts and prevents decoupling, while the flexible segment enables bending and deformation. This segmentation allows the system to overcome the limitations of using a single-material adhesive layer.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If a rigid window is used to protect the display panel, then impact resistance is improved, but the device becomes heavy and difficult to deform

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimpact resistanceVSAvoidflexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The window assembly uses a composite structure combining a rigid window layer with flexible adhesive layers. The rigid window provides impact protection, while the flexible adhesive layers enable the overall assembly to bend and deform. This composite approach allows the device to maintain both protective rigidity and operational flexibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the adhesive system have different rigidity properties - the rigid adhesive layer is positioned to provide structural support and impact resistance where needed, while the flexible adhesive layer is positioned to enable bending and deformation. This local differentiation of material properties allows the system to achieve both protection and flexibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Ease of operation

If a flexible window is used to maintain device flexibility, then the device can be easily deformed, but the window becomes more vulnerable to impacts than a rigid window

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveflexibilityVSAvoidimpact vulnerability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The window assembly uses a composite structure where a rigid window layer is combined with flexible adhesive layers. The rigid window provides impact resistance, while the flexible adhesive layers maintain the overall flexibility of the assembly. This composite approach protects the flexible window from direct impact forces.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The rigid adhesive layer acts as a protective cushion between the flexible window and external impact forces. By positioning this rigid layer strategically, the system provides beforehand protection that absorbs and distributes impact forces before they can damage the flexible window, resolving the vulnerability issue while maintaining flexibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This configuration enhances the impact resistance of flexible display devices by absorbing impacts and maintaining the original shape, while ensuring the adhesive layers behave as a single layer under stress, reducing the likelihood of buckling and decoupling, thus protecting the display panel and functional layers.

Implementation Method 1

The elastomer layer has a cutting pattern formed on at least one surface thereof... providing enhanced impact absorption and maintaining the device's flexibility

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectImpact absorption: Damping

Implementation Method 2

one or more adhesive layers disposed between the display panel and the cover window

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdhesion: Adhesive

Implementation Method 3

maintaining the device's flexibility by allowing shear deformation without buckling

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectShear deformation: Deformation

Data Source

PatentEP3690601B1Flexible display device
Publication Date: 2024.03.20 SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO LTD
  • EP3690601B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3690601B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3690601B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A flexible display device including a display panel, a cover window disposed on the display panel, and a first adhesive layer disposed between the display panel and the cover window, in which the first adhesive layer includes a first pressure sensitive adhesive layer, a second pressure sensitive adhesive layer, and a first elastomer layer disposed between the first pressure sensitive adhesive layer and the second pressure sensitive adhesive layer.