Foldable Display Buffer Thickness Gradient
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional foldable display devices face challenges in maintaining impact resistance and ease of folding due to limitations in buffer materials and manufacturing processes, which affect their durability and usability.
Innovation Solution
A foldable display device design featuring a buffer layer with a thickness decreasing from the center to the edge, made of a urethane acrylate-based resin, and an adhesive layer with similar thickness gradients, both formed using an inkjet process, to enhance impact resistance and facilitate folding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a buffer with uniform thickness is used to increase impact resistance, then the impact resistance is improved, but the folding performance deteriorates due to increased stiffness
Solution Approach 1:
The buffer layer is designed with non-uniform thickness, being thicker at the center and thinner at the edges. This local variation in thickness allows the center portion to provide impact resistance while the thinner edges facilitate easier folding, thus resolving the contradiction between impact resistance and folding performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The thickness parameter of the buffer layer is changed from uniform to non-uniform distribution. By adjusting the thickness parameter spatially (thicker at center, thinner at edges), the buffer achieves both high impact resistance in the center region and improved folding flexibility at the edge regions.
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional manufacturing processes are used for the buffer layer, then the manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but the precision of thickness control deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The conventional mechanical coating processes are replaced with an inkjet printing process to deposit the buffer layer. This substitution enables precise control of the buffer layer thickness through digital patterning and variable deposition parameters, achieving the desired non-uniform thickness profile with high precision while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The manufacturing process parameters are changed from conventional coating methods to inkjet printing parameters. This allows independent control of thickness at different locations through digital control, achieving precise thickness profiling without complicating the manufacturing process.
3Strength
If thick adhesive layers are used to bond the cover window, then the bonding strength is improved, but the folding flexibility deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive layer is designed with non-uniform thickness, being thicker at the center and thinner at the edges. This local variation provides strong bonding at the center while maintaining flexibility at the edges, resolving the contradiction between bonding strength and folding flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The thickness parameter of the adhesive layer is spatially varied from uniform to non-uniform distribution. This parameter change allows the adhesive to provide strong bonding where needed (center) while maintaining flexibility where folding occurs (edges).
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 increases the impact resistance of the display device by optimizing the buffer and adhesive layer thicknesses, reducing material costs, and improving folding stress, thus enhancing the device's durability and usability.
Implementation Method 1
the buffer may be formed through an inkjet process
Implementation Method 2
the buffer may include a curable resin
Data Source
AI summary
A display device includes a display panel including a first non-folding area, a second non-folding area, and a folding area disposed between the first non-folding area and the second non-folding area. A buffer is disposed on the display panel and has a thickness decreasing from a central portion thereof toward an edge thereof overlapping the display panel. A cover window is disposed on the buffer.