Flexible Display Auxiliary Spacer for Impact and Folding Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Flexible display devices, particularly organic light emitting display devices, face issues with impact resistance and folding reliability, leading to cracks in touch electrodes and dents during external impacts or folding.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating shock-proof pattern units on the protective layer to overlap metal lines in the touch sensor layer, enhancing impact resistance and foldability by relieving stress during folding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If the flexible display device uses thin organic films and self-emitting elements to achieve flexibility and lightness, then the device can be manufactured to be light and thin with superior flexibility, but the impact resistance deteriorates causing cracks in touch electrodes and dents during external impacts or folding
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a shock-proof pattern unit with a buffer layer positioned between the protective layer and the touch sensor layer. This buffer layer acts as a cushioning mechanism that absorbs impact energy before it reaches the fragile touch electrode, preventing cracks and dents during external impacts or folding operations while maintaining the lightweight and flexible characteristics of the OLED device
2Adaptability or versatility
If the flexible display device is folded repeatedly to achieve foldability, then the device can be implemented with various shapes and configurations, but the touch electrode and wiring line crack due to external impact during folding
Solution Approach 1:
The shock-proof pattern unit with buffer layer is positioned in advance to protect the touch electrode during folding operations. The buffer layer absorbs stress and impact forces generated during repeated folding, preventing cracks in the touch electrode and wiring lines while maintaining the device's foldability and adaptability for various configurations
3Reliability
If the protective layer is added to protect the touch sensor layer, then the device gains additional protection, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the protective function with the shock-proof pattern unit that includes both the buffer layer and the protective layer as an integrated structure. This combined unit provides impact protection while minimizing additional complexity compared to having separate protective components, as the shock-proof pattern unit serves multiple functions: cushioning, protection, and structural support
Data Source
AI summary
A flexible display device can include a display area in which a plurality of sub pixels is disposed and a non-display area which encloses the display area, a flexible substrate including a folding area and a non-folding area with a folding axis, a thin film transistor disposed on the flexible substrate, an organic light emitting diode disposed on the thin film transistor, and an encapsulation layer disposed on the organic light emitting diode. Also, a touch buffer layer is disposed on the encapsulation layer, a touch sensor layer which is disposed on the encapsulation layer and includes a plurality of touch electrodes, and a dam is disposed on the flexible substrate corresponding to the non-display area. Further, an auxiliary spacer is disposed on the flexible substrate so as to overlap at least a part of an outer circumference of the dam.