Overlapping Power Supply and Sensor Wires in Bendable Display Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Display devices face challenges in reducing wire resistance and preventing short circuits in bendable areas, where wiring for display and touch functions are closely arranged, leading to inefficiencies and potential defects.
Innovation Solution
The design includes a substrate with a display area, non-display area, and bendable area, where power supply lines and sensor wires overlap, with increased widths and strategic placement of metal patterns to reduce resistance and prevent short circuits, using organic layers and inorganic insulating layers to manage the layout effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If power supply lines and sensor wires are arranged in parallel without overlapping, then short circuits between wires are prevented, but wire resistance increases due to longer wire paths
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a two-dimensional planar arrangement to a three-dimensional overlapping arrangement where power supply lines and sensor wires occupy different vertical layers (first and second wire layers) while overlapping in the planar view. This dimensional change allows wires to be closer in the XY-plane without increasing resistance, while maintaining separation in the Z-direction through insulating layers to prevent short circuits.
2Loss of energy
If wire width is increased to reduce resistance, then wire resistance decreases, but the area occupied by wires increases leading to layout constraints
Solution Approach 1:
By utilizing the vertical dimension with multiple wire layers separated by insulating layers, the patent allows wires to overlap in the planar view without increasing the footprint area. This enables wider effective wire paths for reduced resistance while maintaining compact layout within the display device area.
3Adaptability or versatility
If touch sensing area is increased, then touch sensitivity improves, but the complexity of wiring arrangement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the display wiring and touch sensing wiring into a unified multi-layer structure where power supply lines and sensor wires coexist in different layers. This integration allows touch sensing electrodes to extend across larger areas without requiring separate complex routing, as both display and touch wires are managed within the same layered architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
By arranging wires in multiple vertical layers, the patent simplifies the overall wiring arrangement complexity. The layered structure provides clear separation paths for different wire types while allowing overlapping projections, making it easier to manage extensive wiring for large-area touch sensing without increasing planar complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a display device including a substrate including a display area, a non-display area, which is disposed on a periphery of the display area, and a bendable area, which is disposed on one side of the non-display area, a display layer disposed on the substrate and including light-emitting elements, a sensor electrode layer disposed on the display layer, power supply lines disposed to extend from the display layer in the display area to the non-display area and the bendable area, and sensor wires disposed to extend from the sensor electrode layer to the non-display area and the bendable area, wherein in the non-display area and the bendable area, the power supply lines and the sensor wires overlap.