Flexible Display Connection Line Layout for Bent Peripheral Regions

Solution Overview

Problem

Flexible display panels with bent signal lines experience increased resistance and power consumption due to stretching and reduced cross-sectional area, leading to deteriorated display quality and increased power consumption.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a dual-layer connection line structure with alternating first and second layers separated by an insulation layer in the bending region, which maintains electrical connectivity while reducing resistance and enhancing flexibility during bending.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If the display panel is bent at the periphery to reduce the perceivable size of the non-display region, then the displayed image appears closer to the edges, but the signal lines become stretched causing increased resistance and power consumption

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveperceivable non-display region sizeVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The signal line is divided into multiple segments (first signal line segment, second signal line segment, third signal line segment) arranged in different layers. This segmentation allows each segment to accommodate the bending stress independently, preventing uniform stretching and reducing overall resistance increase.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The signal line structure transitions from a single-plane configuration to a multi-layer three-dimensional arrangement. By stacking signal line segments across different layers with insulation layers between them, the patent creates a spatial distribution that reduces the impact of bending on any single segment, thereby minimizing resistance increase and power consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Area of stationary object

If the display panel is bent at the periphery, then the non-display region size is reduced, but the cross-sectional area of signal lines is reduced leading to increased resistance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveperceivable non-display region sizeVSAvoidsignal transmission quality

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The signal line is divided into multiple segments (first signal line segment, second signal line segment, third signal line segment) arranged in different layers. This segmentation allows each segment to accommodate the bending stress independently, preventing uniform stretching and reducing overall resistance increase.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The signal line structure uses a composite arrangement of conductive material segments separated by insulation layers. This composite structure provides both mechanical flexibility to accommodate bending and electrical continuity to maintain signal transmission quality, effectively addressing the reliability concern.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Strength

If a flexible substrate is used to enable bending, then impact resistance is improved, but signal line stretching occurs causing voltage drop and deteriorated display quality

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimpact resistanceVSAvoiddisplay quality

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The signal line is divided into multiple segments (first signal line segment, second signal line segment, third signal line segment) arranged in different layers. This segmentation allows each segment to accommodate the bending stress independently, preventing uniform stretching and reducing overall resistance increase.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The signal line structure transitions from a single-plane configuration to a multi-layer three-dimensional arrangement. By stacking signal line segments across different layers with insulation layers between them, the patent creates a spatial distribution that reduces the impact of bending on any single segment, thereby minimizing resistance increase and power consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentUS11871631B2Display device including a flexible substrate

Publication Date: 2024.01.09 SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO LTD

AI summary

A display device includes a substrate including a display area and a peripheral area disposed around the display area. The peripheral area includes a bending region and a contact region adjacent to the bending region. A first connection line includes a first portion disposed in the contact region, and a second portion disposed in both the bending region and the contact region, and including a first layer and a second layer. At least part of the second layer of the second portion overlaps the first layer of the second portion. In the contact region, the first layer of the second portion is electrically connected to the first portion, and the second layer of to the second portion is electrically connected to the first layer of the second portion.