Organic Layer Stress Absorption in Bent Display Substrates
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Display devices that are bent during manufacturing often suffer from defects such as disconnection and reduced lifespan due to stress concentrations at bending areas.
Innovation Solution
A display device design featuring a substrate with a first bending area, a first inorganic insulating layer with openings, and an organic material layer filling these openings, along with a conductive layer extending across the bending area, helps distribute tensile stress and reduce the likelihood of defects by using an organic material layer with uneven surfaces to absorb stress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a display device is bent to improve visibility or reduce non-display area, then the device can achieve flexible form factors, but defects such as disconnection occur and lifespan is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by introducing an organic material layer between the substrate and inorganic insulating layer at the bending area. This organic layer acts as a stress-absorbing cushion that prevents crack propagation and disconnection before they occur during the bending process, thereby maintaining reliability while enabling flexible form factors.
Solution Approach 2:
The organic material layer serves as an intermediary between the rigid substrate and inorganic insulating layer. It mediates the stress concentration at the bending area by providing a compliant interface that absorbs mechanical stress, preventing direct stress transmission to the inorganic layers and thus avoiding defects.
2Ease of operation
If a display device is bent to improve visibility from various angles, then the device achieves better viewing characteristics, but stress concentration causes defects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by placing the organic material layer specifically at the bending area rather than throughout the entire device. This localized approach provides stress absorption exactly where needed - at the bending interface - while maintaining the strength of inorganic layers in non-bending regions, thus enabling various viewing angles without compromising overall stress resistance.
3Manufacturing precision
If inorganic insulating layer is used for structural integrity, then manufacturing precision is improved, but stress concentration leads to disconnection during bending
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite materials by combining inorganic insulating layers (providing structural integrity and manufacturing precision) with an organic material layer (providing stress absorption and connection integrity). This composite structure at the bending area allows the device to maintain both manufacturing precision and connection integrity during bending operations.
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
This design enhances the lifespan of the display device by reducing defects during the bending process and improving the durability of the conductive layers, thereby maintaining the integrity of the display device.
Implementation Method 1
an organic material layer filling at least a part of the first opening or the first groove... to distribute tensile stress and reduce the likelihood of defects by using an organic material layer with uneven surfaces to absorb stress
Data Source
AI summary
A display device is disclosed. The display device includes a substrate including a first area, a second area, and a first bending area located between the first and second areas. The first bending area is bent about a first bending axis extending in a first direction. The display device also includes a first inorganic insulating layer arranged over the substrate and having a first opening or a first groove at least in the first bending area, an organic material layer filling at least a part of the first opening or the first groove, and a first conductive layer extending from the first area to the second area across the first bending area and located over the organic material layer.