Foldable Display Screen Cover With Layered Impact Buffering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Flexible foldable displays suffer from inadequate impact resistance due to the use of polymer materials with lower rigidity and strength compared to inorganic materials, leading to issues like weak resistance to impact and deformation, which compromises user experience.
Innovation Solution
A screen cover design incorporating a buffer layer with elastic deformation capabilities, coupled with film layers of higher modulus bonded by adhesive layers, to absorb and distribute impact stress, enhancing the structural integrity and preventing damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If flexible polymer materials are used in the screen cover of a foldable display module, then the display module achieves flexibility and foldability, but the rigidity and strength of the screen cover become significantly lower than inorganic materials
Solution Approach 1:
The screen cover uses a composite structure combining polymer buffer layers with inorganic film layers (glass or transparent resin). The polymer layers provide flexibility and foldability, while the inorganic film layers provide high rigidity and strength, resolving the contradiction between flexibility and strength by integrating both material types in a laminated configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The screen cover is divided into multiple functional layers: buffer layers for impact absorption and film layers for structural strength. This segmentation allows each layer to perform its specific function optimally - the polymer buffer layers deform to absorb impact energy while the inorganic film layers maintain structural integrity, together solving the contradiction.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the screen cover uses polymer materials with lower rigidity, then the display module can be folded, but the resistance to impact and deformation becomes weak
Solution Approach 1:
The screen cover incorporates polymer buffer layers positioned between the outer environment and the flexible display module. These buffer layers are designed to deform elastically under impact, absorbing impact energy before it reaches the display module. This beforehand cushioning protects the display while allowing the overall structure to remain foldable.
Solution Approach 2:
By combining flexible polymer materials with inorganic film layers of high rigidity, the screen cover achieves both foldability and impact resistance. The inorganic film layers provide the necessary structural strength and impact resistance, while the polymer layers maintain flexibility, resolving the contradiction between foldability and reliability.
3Strength
If inorganic materials like cover glass are used to improve strength, then impact resistance increases, but the display module loses flexibility and foldability
Solution Approach 1:
The screen cover is segmented into distinct functional zones: inorganic film layers provide localized strength and impact resistance where needed, while polymer buffer layers provide flexibility and deformation capability. This segmentation allows the structure to be strong where required while remaining flexible overall, resolving the contradiction between strength and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The laminated structure combines inorganic materials (glass or transparent resin) with flexible polymer materials. The inorganic film layers provide high impact resistance, while the polymer layers maintain flexibility and foldability. This composite approach allows both properties to coexist, resolving the contradiction between strength and adaptability.
4Device complexity
If a single-layer screen cover is used, then the structure is simple, but impact resistance and deformation resistance are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The screen cover is divided into multiple layers with distinct functions: polymer buffer layers for impact absorption and inorganic film layers for structural strength. This segmentation increases reliability by distributing impact forces across multiple layers, with each layer contributing its specific protective function, while maintaining reasonable structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The multi-layer laminated structure uses composite materials to achieve superior impact resistance compared to a single layer. The combination of flexible polymer materials and inorganic film materials creates a synergistic protective system that absorbs and distributes impact energy more effectively than any single material could alone.
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 proposed screen cover design significantly improves impact resistance, reducing tensile strain on the display and preventing scratches, while maintaining flexibility and folding performance.
Implementation Method 1
a buffer layer, where the buffer layer absorbs stress of impact through elastic deformation
Implementation Method 2
the first film layer is bonded to the buffer layer by using a first adhesive layer
Implementation Method 3
the first adhesive layer can generate shear deformation to alleviate conduction of tensile strain
Data Source
AI summary
A screen cover includes a buffer layer, a first film layer, and a second film layer. The buffer layer absorbs stress of impact through elastic deformation. The first film layer covers a side that is of the buffer layer and that is away from the flexible display, a modulus of the first film layer is greater than a modulus of the buffer layer, and the first film layer is bonded to the buffer layer by using a first adhesive layer. The second film layer covers a side that is of the buffer layer and that is close to the flexible display, a modulus of the second film layer is greater than the modulus of the buffer layer, and the second film layer is bonded to the buffer layer by using a second adhesive layer.