Flexible Display Substrate Bending Pattern Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional flexible display devices face challenges in achieving a narrow bezel or bezel-free design due to stress and peeling issues when bending, which restricts design flexibility and immersive viewing experiences.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a flexible display device with a multi-layered substrate structure, including a support film and a flexible substrate, where the support film features a bending pattern with holes or a half-cut channel to reduce rigidity and facilitate bending, while a polarizer and encapsulation layer are strategically positioned to manage stress and enhance flexibility.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the flexible display substrate is bent to achieve narrow bezel or bezel-free design, then the design flexibility and viewing experience are improved, but stress and peeling issues occur that restrict the design

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedesign flexibilityVSAvoidstructural integrity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The support film is divided into a bending area with a first pattern (holes or grooves) and a non-bending area with a second pattern, allowing different regions to serve different functions. The bending area is segmented to reduce rigidity and facilitate bending, while the non-bending area maintains structural support, resolving the contradiction between flexibility and integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the support film are given different properties: the bending area has reduced rigidity through patterns of holes or grooves to enable flexibility, while the non-bending area maintains higher rigidity for structural support. This local differentiation allows the device to achieve both bending capability and structural integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Stability of the object's composition

If a rigid support substrate is used to maintain structural integrity, then the structural stability is improved, but the bending capability and design flexibility are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidbending capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The support film is segmented into bending and non-bending areas with different patterns. The non-bending area provides structural stability similar to a rigid substrate, while the bending area with holes or grooves enables flexibility, combining the benefits of both rigid and flexible structures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The support film uses a composite structure combining regions of different rigidity. The non-bending area provides rigid-like stability while the bending area with patterns provides flexibility, creating a composite structure that exhibits both rigid and flexible characteristics in different regions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Adaptability or versatility

If the support film rigidity is reduced to facilitate bending, then the bending flexibility is improved, but the structural strength and damage resistance are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebending flexibilityVSAvoiddamage resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The support film is segmented into bending and non-bending areas. The bending area has reduced rigidity for flexibility, while the non-bending area maintains higher strength for damage resistance. This segmentation allows the device to be both flexible where needed and strong where required.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the support film have different mechanical properties: the bending area has local quality of reduced rigidity for flexibility, while the non-bending area has local quality of higher rigidity for strength. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between flexibility and strength.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP2939228B1Flexible display device
Publication Date: 2020.08.26 LG DISPLAY CO LTD
  • EP2939228B1 patent drawingFigure 1a~1c
  • EP2939228B1 patent drawingFigure 1d~1g
  • EP2939228B1 patent drawingFigure 1h~2b

AI summary

A flexible display device and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The flexible display device comprises a first flexible substrate including a display area including an organic light emitting layer, and a peripheral circuit area, and a second flexible substrate coming in contact with the first flexible substrate and including a pattern for facilitating bending thereof, wherein the second flexible substrate has a certain shape according to the pattern, and the first flexible substrate has a shape corresponding to the certain shape. Various embodiments of the present invention provide a flexible display device capable of realizing a narrow bezel-type or bezel-free display device and simultaneously realizing improved types of design, facilitating bending of a bezel area so as to realize a narrow bezel-type or bezel-free display device, and minimizing damage to an area to be bent.