Flexible Substrate Barrier Coating for Oxygen and Moisture Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Flexible display devices face challenges in preventing oxygen and moisture penetration, which reduces the lifespan of ink layers and thin film transistors, and existing protection methods increase manufacturing costs and thickness, compromising flexibility.

Innovation Solution

A flexible substrate with a barrier coating on its second surface, using organic or inorganic materials like silicon nitride, silicon oxide, or oxide-based metal layers (ITO, IZO) to prevent contaminants from reaching the display structures, eliminating the need for a separate protection sheet and maintaining flexibility.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a protection sheet is laminated on the flexible substrate to prevent oxygen and moisture penetration, then the substrate's protection against contaminants is improved, but the substrate's flexibility deteriorates and thickness increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection against oxygen and moistureVSAvoidflexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the protection function into the substrate itself by forming a barrier coating layer directly on the flexible substrate. This merges the substrate and protection layer into a single integrated structure, eliminating the need for a separate laminated protection sheet while maintaining flexibility and preventing oxygen/moisture penetration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses a thin barrier coating layer (flexible shell) formed directly on the flexible substrate. This thin film provides protection against contaminants while maintaining the overall flexibility of the substrate, avoiding the thickness and rigidity issues associated with laminated protection sheets.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Reliability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection against oxygen and moistureVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the protection function into the substrate manufacturing process itself by forming a barrier coating layer directly on the flexible substrate. This eliminates the need for a separate lamination process, reducing manufacturing steps and costs while providing effective protection against oxygen and moisture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the protection function from a separate laminated sheet and integrates it directly into the substrate structure. This eliminates the need for additional protection sheets and their associated lamination processes, thereby reducing manufacturing complexity and costs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Reliability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection against oxygen and moistureVSAvoidthickness

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a thin barrier coating layer (flexible shell) formed directly on the flexible substrate. This thin film provides protection against contaminants while adding minimal thickness, avoiding the significant thickness increase associated with laminated protection sheets.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines the protection function into the substrate itself by forming a barrier coating layer directly on the flexible substrate. This integration eliminates the need for a separate thick protection sheet, maintaining thin overall dimensions while providing effective protection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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

Effectively blocks oxygen and moisture, reducing material costs, simplifying the manufacturing process, and maintaining the substrate's flexibility while enhancing the reliability of the display device by preventing contamination of the ink and driving layers.

Implementation Method 1

a barrier coating on a second surface of the flexible base substrate to prevent contaminants from penetrating into the display structures

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectBarrier coating:

Data Source

PatentUS8841647B2Flexible substrate and flexible display device having the same

Publication Date: 2014.09.23 E INK CORP

AI summary

A flexible substrate includes: a flexible base substrate; a plurality of display structures on a first surface of the flexible base substrate; and a barrier coating on a second surface of the flexible base substrate to prevent contaminants from penetrating into the display structures.