Foldable Display Rigid Functional Layer Flatness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional flexible display devices suffer from uneven flatness and aesthetic issues due to support plates in non-bending areas and decorative strips, leading to a non-aesthetically pleasing appearance and poor touch experience.
Innovation Solution
A foldable display device design featuring a rigid foldable functional layer made of extremely thin glass (10 μm to 300 μm) integrated with a frame-shaped connecting component, which supports the flexible display module and serves as a decorative element, eliminating the need for support plates and ensuring flatness by being attached to the housing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If support plates are used in non-bending areas, then structural strength is improved, but height difference and uneven flatness occur in the bending area
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the support plates from the non-bending areas entirely. Instead of using thick support plates (about 0.3 mm) that cause height differences, the invention extracts this supporting function and replaces it with a thin rigid layer (10-300 μm) that maintains strength without creating uneven surfaces in the bending area.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the thickness parameter of the rigid supporting layer from conventional thick support plates (0.3 mm) to an extremely thin layer (10-300 μm). This parameter change allows the layer to provide necessary structural support while eliminating the height difference problem that causes uneven flatness in the bending area.
2Strength
If front frame and decorative strips are used to cover edges, then structural support is provided, but height difference and aesthetic issues occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the front frame, decorative strips, and edge coverage functions into a single integrated rigid foldable functional layer. This layer extends to the edges of the flexible display panel and provides both structural support and aesthetic coverage simultaneously, eliminating the need for separate components that create height differences.
Solution Approach 2:
The rigid foldable functional layer serves multiple functions: it provides structural support, covers the edges of the flexible display panel, and acts as a decorative element. This multi-functional design replaces the conventional separate front frame and decorative strips, achieving both structural support and aesthetic appearance without creating height differences.
3Shape
If thin rigid layer is used instead of support plates, then flatness is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a thin rigid layer (10-300 μm) made of flexible yet rigid material that can be directly integrated with the flexible display panel. This thin film approach simplifies manufacturing compared to assembling multiple thick support plates and decorative strips, as it can be applied as a single layer that conforms to the flexible substrate.
Data Source
AI summary
A foldable display device is provided and includes: a first housing, a second housing rotatably connected to the first housing, a flexible display module, and a rigid foldable functional layer. A side of the flexible display module is disposed on the first housing and the second housing, and the rigid foldable functional layer is disposed on another side of the flexible display module. Furthermore, the rigid foldable functional layer is disposed on a light-emitting side of the flexible display module.