Foldable Display Screen Stress Relief via Organic Layer Filling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Foldable display screens face issues with stress-induced cracks in inorganic layers, leading to poor display quality and reliability due to the fragility of these layers during the folding process, which can extend into functional areas causing defects and image abnormalities.
Innovation Solution
A foldable display screen design featuring a stacked structure with a metal layer sandwiched between inorganic layers, accompanied by through-holes filled with a patterned organic layer, which provides stress relief and prevents crack propagation into functional areas by utilizing the toughness and stress resistance properties of metal and organic layers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If inorganic layers are used in foldable display screens, then water/oxygen blocking properties are improved, but stress resistance deteriorates causing cracks during folding
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by creating a stacked structure comprising inorganic layers, organic layers, and metal layers. The inorganic layers provide water and oxygen blocking properties, while the organic and metal layers provide stress resistance and flexibility. This composite structure allows the display screen to maintain both protection against environmental factors and resistance to stress-induced cracking during folding operations.
2Reliability
If inorganic layers are made thicker to improve protection, then water/oxygen blocking is improved, but crack susceptibility worsens due to increased brittleness
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of increasing the thickness of individual inorganic layers, the patent uses a composite stacked structure with multiple thin layers of inorganic, organic, and metal materials. This approach maintains effective water and oxygen blocking while preventing crack propagation through the alternating flexible and protective layers, thereby reducing overall crack susceptibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates flexible organic layers and thin metal layers within the stacked structure. These flexible components allow the overall structure to bend and flex during folding without causing the brittle inorganic layers to crack, while still maintaining the necessary barrier properties against water and oxygen.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional planar display structure is used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but adaptability to foldable design deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the display screen structure into multiple distinct functional layers (inorganic layers, organic layers, metal layers) stacked together. Each layer can be manufactured and optimized independently using conventional techniques, yet their combination creates a structure specifically adapted for foldable applications, thus maintaining manufacturing simplicity while achieving foldable design adaptability.
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 effectively prevents cracks from extending into functional areas, enhancing the display quality and reliability of foldable screens by leveraging the water/oxygen blocking properties of inorganic layers and the stress resistance of metal and organic layers.
Implementation Method 1
A foldable display screen design featuring a stacked structure with a metal layer sandwiched between inorganic layers, accompanied by through-holes filled with a patterned organic layer, which provides stress relief and prevents crack propagation into functional areas
Implementation Method 2
enhancing the display quality and reliability of foldable screens by leveraging the water/oxygen blocking properties of inorganic layers
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a foldable display screen and a method for manufacturing same. The foldable display screen includes a substrate; a plurality of inorganic layers disposed on the substrate; a patterned metal layer sandwiched between any two of the inorganic layers; a first through-hole and a second through-hole disposed in the inorganic layers, wherein the first through-hole is disposed on the patterned metal layer, the second through-hole is positioned between two adjacent patterned metal layers, and a footprint of the first through-hole is smaller than a footprint of the patterned metal layer; and a patterned organic layer disposed on the inorganic layers to fill up the first through-hole and the second through-hole.