Flexible Display Bending-Part Protection for Foldable Housings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Foldable electronic devices with flexible displays are vulnerable to external impacts, interlayer slips, and electrostatic discharge, leading to potential damage and deterioration of the display panel.
Innovation Solution
A flexible display is supported by a hinge module with a buffer part covering the edge area and a protection member embedded between the display panel and the housing, featuring a window layer, display panel, and a bending part with control circuits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a hard molding liquid is applied to protect the bending part, then durability against external impact is improved, but interlayer slip is disturbed causing buckling and surface quality deterioration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from hard to soft molding liquid, and further develops a dual-layer structure with different hardness levels. The soft lower layer accommodates interlayer slip, while the hard upper layer provides impact protection, resolving the contradiction between durability and surface quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite molding liquid structure with two distinct layers: a soft lower layer and a hard upper layer. This composite structure combines the advantages of both material types, allowing the soft layer to handle interlayer slip while the hard layer provides external impact resistance.
2Manufacturing precision
If a soft molding liquid is applied to accommodate interlayer slip, then surface quality is maintained, but vulnerability to external impact increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite molding liquid structure with two distinct layers: a soft lower layer and a hard upper layer. This composite structure combines the advantages of both material types, allowing the soft layer to handle interlayer slip while the hard layer provides external impact resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different hardness characteristics to different regions of the molding liquid. The lower layer near the display panel is soft to accommodate interlayer slip, while the upper layer is hard to provide impact protection, resolving the contradiction through spatial differentiation of material properties.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the flexible display is folded frequently, then transformable functionality is achieved, but deformation of the flexible display increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies molding liquid to create a protective cushion around the bending part before folding operations occur. This pre-applied protective layer absorbs and distributes the stress from frequent folding, preventing deformation of the flexible display while maintaining transformable functionality.
4Device complexity
If the protection cover is omitted to simplify structure, then device complexity is reduced, but the bending part becomes vulnerable to external impact
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the protection function directly into the molding liquid that is already applied for waterproofing and dustproofing. By integrating impact protection with the existing sealing structure, the patent eliminates the need for a separate protection cover while maintaining durability.
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
Enhances durability against external impacts while allowing interlayer slip and protecting against electrostatic discharge, maintaining surface quality and functionality.
Implementation Method 1
applying and curing a molding liquid at an edge part of the extended bending part
Implementation Method 2
a bending part configured to extend from the plane part and be bent from an edge area of the flexible display
Implementation Method 3
since static electricity having entered into a space between the housings and the flexible display panel is induced along the bending part (electrostatic discharge (ESD))
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 1C
AI summary
According to various embodiments, an electronic device may include: a hinge module; a first housing connected to the hinge module; a second housing connected to the hinge module so as to be foldable against the first housing; and a flexible display disposed to be supported by the first housing and the second housing. The flexible display may include: a window layer; a display panel located under the window layer, and including a plane part and a bending part configured to extend from the plane part and be bent from an edge area of the flexible display adjacent to a side wall of the second housing toward a rear surface of the flexible display; a buffer part disposed between the display panel and the second housing to cover at least a part of the edge area together with the bending part; and at least one protection member at least partly embedded in the buffer part and disposed between the bending part and the second housing.