Flexible Display Bending Region Sensor Lines for Crack Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Display devices with flexible base layers can experience stress and crack formation in signal lines and conductive patterns when bent, leading to functional failures that may not be detected during manufacturing inspection, resulting in potential failures when used by users.
Innovation Solution
A display device design that divides the bending region into multiple sub-regions with resistor lines and sensor lines to detect changes in resistance, allowing for the identification of bending failures and improving product reliability by sensing changes in resistance across these regions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the base layer is bent to enable flexible display, then adaptability is improved, but the signal lines and conductive patterns are subjected to stress that causes cracks and functional failure
Solution Approach 1:
The bending region is divided into multiple sub-regions with resistor lines and sensor lines distributed across them. This segmentation allows the system to detect bending stress locally in each sub-region, enabling early identification of cracks before they propagate to cause functional failure, thus maintaining reliability while preserving flexibility.
2Manufacturing precision
If inspection processes are performed during manufacturing, then manufacturing precision is improved, but fine cracks that gradually propagate over time cannot be detected
Solution Approach 1:
Resistor lines and sensor lines are pre-installed in the bending regions during manufacturing. These sensor lines continuously monitor for crack formation and propagation throughout the product's lifetime, enabling detection of fine cracks that would escape traditional manufacturing inspection processes.
3Measurement precision
If resistor lines are disposed on multiple bending regions to detect resistance changes, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor lines serve multiple functions: they act as both structural elements within the display device and as detection elements for crack monitoring. By integrating the sensing function into existing conductor patterns rather than adding separate dedicated sensors, the measurement precision is improved without proportionally increasing device complexity.
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
The solution enables precise detection of bending failures and enhances product reliability by accurately identifying resistance changes across the bending regions, preventing undetected cracks from propagating and causing functional failures.
Implementation Method 1
resistor lines may be respectively disposed on each of the divided bending regions to detect changes in resistance for each bending regions
Data Source
AI summary
A display device including: a base layer including a first region, a second region, and a bending region, the bending region including a first bending region adjacent to the first region and a second bending region adjacent to the second region; pixels disposed on the first region; pads disposed on the second region; signal lines electrically connected to the pixels and disposed on the first region, the bending region, and the second region; a first sensor line disposed on the first bending region; first sensor connection lines electrically connected to the first sensor line, extending through the first bending region, the second bending region, and the second region; a second sensor line disposed on the second bending region and between the first sensor line and the second region; and second sensor connection lines electrically connected to the second sensor line, extending through the second bending region and the second region.