Flexible Support Hinge Points for OLED Bending Strain
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Solution Overview
Problem
Flexible electronic components, such as OLED displays, face damage due to bending as the brittle inorganic layers buckle or crack under strain, while traditional mechanical support structures shift the neutral plane, reducing the component's bending ability.
Innovation Solution
A flexible support structure with hinge points is coupled to the electronic component, allowing it to bend dynamically while limiting local bending beyond its minimum radius, maintaining the component's original bending range by positioning hinge points close to the neutral plane.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a flexible electronic component is bent beyond its minimum bending radius, then the component can achieve greater flexibility and adaptability to curved surfaces, but the brittle inorganic layers will buckle or crack causing component damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-positioning the neutral plane of the support structure at the same location as the neutral plane of the flexible electronic component before bending occurs. This pre-alignment ensures that during subsequent bending operations, the neutral planes remain coincident, preventing strain concentration in the brittle inorganic layers and avoiding buckling or cracking. The support structure is designed in advance with specific geometric parameters (thickness, material properties) to achieve this neutral plane alignment.
Solution Approach 2:
The support structure acts as an intermediary element between the flexible electronic component and the external environment. By positioning its neutral plane at the component's neutral plane, the support structure mediates the bending stresses, allowing the component to flex without transferring excessive strain to the vulnerable inorganic layers. This intermediary positioning enables the component to achieve greater flexibility while maintaining reliability.
2Reliability
If a traditional mechanical support structure is attached to the flexible electronic component, then the component is protected from excessive bending, but the neutral plane shifts to the support structure reducing the component's flexibility
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies preliminary action by designing the support structure with predetermined geometric and material parameters before attachment. The thickness and material composition are calculated in advance to ensure that when the support structure is attached to the flexible electronic component, the combined structure's neutral plane coincides with the component's original neutral plane. This pre-calculated design prevents neutral plane shifting and maintains the component's flexibility while providing protection from damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs parameter changes by adjusting the support structure's thickness and material properties to achieve neutral plane alignment. By changing these physical parameters of the support structure, the neutral plane position can be controlled to match the component's neutral plane, thereby maintaining flexibility while providing protective support against excessive bending.
3Strength
If the neutral plane shifts to the mechanical support structure, then the minimum bending radius increases significantly, but this reduces the bending ability and flexibility of the flexible electronic component
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-positioning the support structure's neutral plane at the component's neutral plane before bending occurs. This pre-alignment ensures that the minimum bending radius remains small and the component retains its bending ability. By calculating and setting the support structure's parameters in advance, the neutral plane shift is prevented, allowing the component to maintain both strength and bending flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention addresses the neutral plane positioning problem by operating in the dimensional space of the support structure's geometry and material properties. By adjusting parameters in this dimensional space (thickness, material composition), the neutral plane position can be controlled to coincide with the component's neutral plane, thereby maintaining small bending radius and high bending ability.
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
The flexible support structure prevents damage to flexible electronic components by allowing controlled bending while maintaining the component's original flexibility, ensuring the bending range meets product specifications without reducing the component's ability to flex.
Implementation Method 1
The flexible support defines a plurality of hinge points configured to facilitate movement of the article between the first position and the second position
Implementation Method 2
The plurality of hinge points are positioned such that the article has a desired bending range
Data Source
AI summary
An article includes a flexible electronic component and a flexible support coupled to the flexible electronic component. The flexible support is configured to support the flexible electronic component but also limit local bending of the flexible component. The flexible support defines a plurality of hinge points configured to facilitate movement of the article. The plurality of hinge points are positioned such that the article has a desired bending range.