Foldable Cover Window Structure for Impact-Resistant Displays
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Flexible display devices face challenges in maintaining reliability and stability as they deform, particularly in reducing thickness differences between components to enhance impact resistance and facilitate sliding or folding operations.
Innovation Solution
A display device design featuring a cover window with a first cover part made of crystallized glass overlapping non-deformation parts and a second cover part made of amorphous glass overlapping deformation parts, along with a coating layer and a third cover part with a slope, where the crystallized glass is formed by laser irradiation and the amorphous glass is etched to achieve reduced thickness differences and improved impact resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a uniform thick cover window is used across the entire display device, then impact resistance is improved, but flexibility and deformability are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The cover window employs different glass types in different regions: crystallized glass with higher strength and thickness in non-deformation areas for impact resistance, and amorphous glass with lower strength and thickness in deformation areas for flexibility. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between overall strength and local deformability.
2Strength
If crystallized glass is used in the cover window, then mechanical strength is improved, but thickness difference with deformation parts increases
Solution Approach 1:
Crystallized glass is selectively applied only in non-deformation areas where high strength is needed, while amorphous glass is used in deformation areas. This localized material selection achieves mechanical strength improvement without creating excessive thickness differences across the entire cover window.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent controls the thickness of crystallized glass in non-deformation areas to be within 10-100 μm, and adjusts the thickness of amorphous glass in deformation areas to maintain overall thickness uniformity. This parameter control resolves the thickness difference issue while preserving the mechanical strength benefits of crystallized glass.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the cover window is made thinner to facilitate folding, then deformability is improved, but impact resistance is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The cover window uses amorphous glass with thinner thickness in deformation areas to enable folding, while crystallized glass with appropriate thickness in non-deformation areas maintains impact resistance. This spatial differentiation allows the device to fold without compromising overall protection.
4Strength
If different glass types are used in different regions, then mechanical properties are optimized, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cover window is divided into distinct regions (deformation and non-deformation areas) with different glass materials. This segmentation allows each region to have optimized mechanical properties while the overall structure remains manageable through clear zone definition and specialized material application in each segment.
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 solution enhances the mechanical strength and impact resistance of the display device while allowing for easy sliding and folding operations, maintaining high optical characteristics and reliability.
Implementation Method 1
radiating laser to the preliminary first cover part to form the first cover part
Implementation Method 2
radiating laser to the amorphous glass to form the crystallized glass
Implementation Method 3
etching the preliminary second cover part to form the second cover part
Data Source
AI summary
A display device includes a display panel and a cover window disposed on the display panel. The display panel includes a deformation part, which is curvedly deformable, and a non-deformation part adjacent to the deformation part. The cover window includes a first cover part overlapping the non-deformation part and including crystallized glass, and a second cover part overlapping the deformation part and not including the crystallized glass.