Flexible OLED Panel Thinned Region Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current flexible OLED panels face challenges in resisting moisture and external forces due to their design, which compromises their structural strength and reliability, leading to shorter service life and increased manufacturing costs.
Innovation Solution
A flexible OLED panel design featuring a substrate with a thinned region containing a ductile material, metal wires, a light emitting layer, and an encapsulation layer with a ductile material, enhancing structural strength and moisture resistance while allowing for improved folding and extending capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the disconnecting regions are formed by hollowing out the periphery of light emitting regions to increase folding and extending capabilities, then the flexibility of the OLED panel is improved, but the resisting moisture and external force capabilities are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a thinned region with different structural properties at the boundary between light emitting and wiring regions, while maintaining the original structure in other areas. This localized modification allows the panel to flex at specific locations without compromising the overall structural integrity and moisture resistance of the complete panel.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the panel structure by dividing it into distinct regions: light emitting regions, wiring regions, and thinned regions. The thinned region acts as a separate functional zone that accommodates flexing movements, isolating the stress from the rest of the panel structure and preventing moisture ingress pathways.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the disconnecting regions are formed by hollowing out the periphery of light emitting regions, then the folding and extending capabilities are increased, but the structural strength is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The thinned region creates a localized area with reduced material thickness specifically at the boundary zones, allowing flexing without affecting the structural strength of the main panel areas. This localized thinning provides mechanical compliance where needed while preserving rigidity where required for display functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The thinned region acts as a pre-designed cushioning zone that absorbs and distributes mechanical stress from folding and extending operations. By preparing this compliant region in advance, the patent prevents stress concentration that would otherwise compromise the structural strength of the complete panel during flexing operations.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the disconnecting regions are formed by hollowing out the periphery of light emitting regions, then the folding and extending capabilities are improved, but additional processes and masks are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the formation of the thinned region with the existing manufacturing processes for creating wiring regions and pixel structures. By integrating the thinned region creation into the standard fabrication sequence using existing photolithography and etching steps, the design avoids requiring separate dedicated processes and masks solely for creating flex zones.
Solution Approach 2:
The thinned region structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it enables folding and extending capabilities, defines boundary regions between pixels and wiring, and provides stress distribution zones. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate structural elements and simplifies the overall manufacturing process by consolidating multiple requirements into a single design feature.
Data Source
AI summary
A flexible organic light emitting diode (OLED) panel is provided. The flexible OLED panel includes a flexible substrate including a light emitting region, a thinned region, and a wiring region, wherein the light emitting region is adjacent to the wiring region, the thinned region is disposed between the light emitting region and the wiring region, and the thinned region includes: a substrate groove; and a first ductile material disposed in the substrate; a plurality of metal wires disposed on the light emitting region and the wiring region of the flexible substrate; a light emitting layer disposed on one of the metal wires, and the light emitting layer located in the light emitting region; and an encapsulation layer disposed on the light emitting layer, and the encapsulation layer including an encapsulation-layer groove located in the thinned region, wherein the encapsulation-layer groove is opposite to the substrate groove.