Mesh Touch Electrode Layout for Crack-Resistant Flexible Displays
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic devices lack flexible display options beyond flat panel designs, limiting their ability to accommodate various shapes and forms.
Innovation Solution
A flexible display device with a display panel and touch screen configuration that includes specific conductive and insulating layers, conductive patterns, and color filters, allowing for enhanced flexibility and adaptability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a flat panel display device is used, then the manufacturing process is simple and reliable, but the device cannot be bent, rolled, or curved to accommodate various shapes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies flexible shells and thin films by replacing the rigid glass substrate with a flexible plastic substrate (such as polyimide or polyester) that can be bent, rolled, or curved. The display panel is constructed with thin-film structures including organic light-emitting layers, transparent conductive oxide layers, and flexible electrode patterns that conform to curved surfaces, enabling the display to adapt to various shapes while maintaining functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamics by designing a display structure that transitions from a static flat configuration to a dynamic flexible configuration. The display panel incorporates movable and deformable components including flexible substrates, bendable conductive patterns, and adaptable encapsulation layers that allow the display to change its physical form while maintaining operational capability throughout the transformation.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the display panel is made flexible to enable bending and rolling, then shape adaptability is improved, but the structural stability and reliability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by constructing the display panel with multiple layered materials having different properties. The structure includes a flexible plastic substrate, transparent conductive oxide layers, organic light-emitting materials, protective encapsulation layers, and adhesive layers. Each material is selected for its specific properties (flexibility, transparency, conductivity, protection) and the composite structure works together to provide both flexibility and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements beforehand cushioning by incorporating protective encapsulation layers and buffer structures that prevent damage before it occurs. The encapsulation layers protect the fragile organic light-emitting materials and conductive patterns from mechanical stress, moisture, and degradation during bending and rolling operations, ensuring long-term reliability of the flexible display.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional touch screen structures are used, then manufacturing is straightforward, but the touch screen cannot function properly on curved or flexible surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the touch screen into separate functional layers including transparent conductive oxide patterns, conductive patterns, insulating layers, and touch sensing structures. Each layer is independently patterned and manufactured, allowing the complex touch functionality to be achieved through modular assembly of simpler components that can be fabricated using standard semiconductor processing techniques adapted for flexible substrates.
Data Source
AI summary
A flexible display device including a display panel providing a base surface and a touch screen disposed on the base surface. The display panel may include a plurality of light emitting areas and a non-light emitting area disposed adjacent to the light emitting areas. A plurality of touch electrodes and a plurality of insulating layers of the touch screen may have a mesh shape through which openings corresponding to the plurality of light emitting areas are defined. Accordingly, a flexibility of the flexible display device is improved, and the touch electrode is prevented from being cracked.