Flexible Substrate Layer Reduction for Bend Reliability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing flexible substrates for large area display screens are thick and prone to fracture during bending due to multiple film layers, making them inconvenient for use in smart terminals.

Innovation Solution

A flexible substrate design that includes a hard layer, an organic functional layer, and a Touch Panel layer with a glass substrate and conductive layer, where the Polarizer layer and adhesive layers are strategically positioned to reduce thickness and layer count, and an encapsulation layer is used to protect against moisture and oxygen, along with ultra-thin glass and silicone oil layers for enhanced flexibility.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If multiple film layers are attached to each other to form a flexible substrate, then the substrate can provide necessary functional layers, but the screen becomes thick and the film layers are easily broken during bending

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflexibility and anti-fracture performanceVSAvoidnumber of film layers and thickness

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the Touch Panel layer and Polarizer layer with the flexible substrate by directly forming them on the flexible substrate surface, eliminating the need for separate adhesive layers between these components. This integration reduces the total number of layers and thickness while maintaining functionality, directly resolving the contradiction between providing necessary functional layers and reducing overall complexity and thickness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs ultra-thin glass substrates (thickness of 25-70 μm) and thin film structures to replace traditional thick rigid components. The flexible substrate itself uses thin polymer layers that can bend without fracturing, enabling the overall structure to be both thin and flexible, thus resolving the contradiction between thickness and flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Adaptability or versatility

If traditional multiple film layer structure is used, then all necessary functions can be included, but the overall thickness increases making it inconvenient for carrying

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefunctional completenessVSAvoidoverall thickness

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple functional layers (Touch Panel, Polarizer) directly onto the flexible substrate, eliminating intermediate adhesive layers and reducing overall thickness. This merging approach maintains all necessary functions while significantly reducing the z-direction thickness, directly addressing the contradiction between functional completeness and thickness reduction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the thickness parameter of the glass substrate to ultra-thin dimensions (25-70 μm), which is a significant reduction from traditional glass thickness. This parameter change enables the display to maintain structural integrity while achieving the thinness required for portable applications, resolving the contradiction between functional completeness and thickness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Stability of the object's composition

If conventional adhesive layers are used between film layers, then proper bonding is achieved, but the number of layers increases and flexibility decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelayer bondingVSAvoidnumber of adhesive layers

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent eliminates separate adhesive layers by directly forming the Touch Panel layer and Polarizer layer on the flexible substrate surface. The flexible substrate itself serves as the bonding substrate, reducing the total layer count while maintaining proper adhesion through direct deposition or integration processes, thus resolving the contradiction between layer bonding stability and reduction of layer complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS10892428B2Flexible substrate and manufacturing method thereof

Publication Date: 2021.01.12 SUZHOU GOVISIONOX INNOVATION TECHNOLOGY CO LTD

AI summary

A flexible substrate and a manufacturing method thereof are provided according to embodiments of the present application. The flexible substrate includes a hard layer, an organic functional layer and a backplane layer which are stacked. The organic functional layer is attached to the backplane layer. A POL layer and a TP layer are included between the hard layer and the organic functional layer, and the TP layer includes a glass substrate and a conductive layer coated on a surface of the glass substrate.