Flexible Display Cover Shrinkage Alignment to Prevent Panel Bending
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Solution Overview
Problem
Display devices with flexible panels face unwanted bending due to thermal shrinkage of protective cover members or films, which can lead to damage when in a spread-out state.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a cover member and a circularly polarizing plate with controlled thermal shrinkage rates, aligned to minimize bending in specific directions, to prevent or reduce unwanted bending of the display panel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a cover member is used to protect the display panel, then protection is improved, but thermal shrinkage causes unwanted bending
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the thermal shrinkage parameters of the cover member by controlling the orientation of its molecular chains. The cover member is designed with different thermal shrinkage rates in different directions, specifically making the thermal shrinkage rate in the bending direction smaller than in the perpendicular direction. This parameter adjustment allows the cover member to maintain protective function while compensating for thermal deformation to prevent unwanted bending of the display panel.
2Shape
If the display panel is pulled tight to prevent bending, then shape stability is improved, but damage risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful thermal shrinkage effect into a beneficial force by designing the cover member with anisotropic thermal shrinkage characteristics. The cover member is oriented such that its smaller thermal shrinkage direction aligns with the bending direction of the display panel. This allows the thermal shrinkage to naturally counteract unwanted bending without requiring excessive tensile force on the display panel, thus preventing damage while maintaining shape stability.
3Shape
If thermal shrinkage rate in bending direction is reduced, then bending prevention is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating directional differences in the thermal shrinkage properties of the cover member. Rather than uniformly reducing thermal shrinkage in all directions (which would require complex material development), the invention orients the molecular chains of the cover member material to achieve different thermal shrinkage rates in different directions. This allows bending prevention through simple orientation control during assembly rather than complex material synthesis.
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
Prevents or reduces unwanted bending of the display panel while minimizing the risk of damage, by aligning thermal shrinkage rates to match bending directions, thus maintaining the panel's integrity in a spread-out state.
Implementation Method 1
a thermal shrinkage rate of the cover member in a bending direction along which the display panel is bent when the display panel is rolled up is smaller than a thermal shrinkage rate of the cover member in a perpendicular direction that is perpendicular to the bending direction
Implementation Method 2
a thermal shrinkage rate of the circularly polarizing plate in a bending direction along which the display panel is bent when the display panel is rolled up is smaller than a thermal shrinkage rate of the circularly polarizing plate in a perpendicular direction that is perpendicular to the bending direction
Data Source
AI summary
A display device includes a display panel capable of being rolled up or folded and a cover member that is placed upon the display panel and that is capable of being rolled up or folded together with the display panel. A thermal shrinkage rate of the cover member in a bending direction along which the display panel is bent when the display panel is rolled up is smaller than a thermal shrinkage rate of the cover member in a perpendicular direction that is perpendicular to the bending direction, or a thermal shrinkage rate of the cover member in a bending direction along which the display panel is bent when the display panel is folded is smaller than a thermal shrinkage rate of the cover member in a perpendicular direction that is perpendicular to the bending direction.