Foldable Display Support Plate Venting for Wrinkle-Free Lamination

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing foldable electronic devices face challenges in maintaining visibility and lightweight design while preventing wrinkles and deformations during the vacuum lamination process.

Innovation Solution

A foldable electronic apparatus with a display module featuring a folding portion, support plate, adhesive layer, and cover, where the cover includes through portions that align with openings in the support plate to prevent deformation during lamination, ensuring improved visibility and lightweight construction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a support plate with openings is used during vacuum lamination, then wrinkle prevention and process reliability are improved, but device complexity increases due to additional components (cover with through portions)

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocess reliabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cover acts as an intermediary component between the support plate and the external environment. It provides through portions that align with the openings, allowing vacuum to be applied uniformly through the support plate while the cover maintains structural integrity and prevents wrinkles during the lamination process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The support plate is segmented with multiple openings distributed across its surface, allowing vacuum to be applied at multiple discrete locations simultaneously. This segmentation enables uniform pressure distribution and effective wrinkle prevention across the entire lamination area.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Weight of moving object

If a lightweight cover design is used, then device weight is reduced, but structural strength may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice weightVSAvoidstructural strength
Core Design Contradiction:
Weight of moving objectVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The cover is designed as a thin-walled structure with through portions that provide sufficient structural strength for the application while minimizing material usage and overall weight. The through portions are strategically positioned to maintain structural integrity during vacuum lamination without requiring excessive material thickness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Manufacturing precision

If through portions are added to the cover, then vacuum lamination effectiveness is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevacuum lamination effectivenessVSAvoidease of manufacture
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The through portions are pre-formed in the cover during the cover manufacturing process, rather than being created separately during assembly. This preliminary action integrates the vacuum pathway creation into the base manufacturing flow, reducing the number of separate manufacturing steps and tools required.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The cover and support plate are designed to work as an integrated system where the through portions in the cover align with the openings in the support plate. This merging of functions allows the vacuum lamination process to effectively utilize both components without requiring complex separate mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP4660988A1Electronic device
Publication Date: 2025.12.10 SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO LTD
  • EP4660988A1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP4660988A1 patent drawingFigure 1B
  • EP4660988A1 patent drawingFigure 2A

AI summary

An electronic apparatus includes a display module including a folding portion, first and second non-folding portions spaced apart from each other with the folding portion interposed therebetween, a support plate disposed on a lower side of the display module and including a plurality of openings defined in a region overlapping the folding portion, an adhesive layer attached on an upper side of the support plate and overlapping the folding portion, the first non-folding portion, and the second non-folding portion on a plane, and a cover attached on a lower side of the support plate, and overlapping at least the folding portion on a plane, a through portion passing through the cover along a through direction is defined in the cover, and the through portion is connected to at least one of the openings.