Protrusion Support Plate for Flexible Display Durability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Flexible display apparatuses face durability issues due to repetitive folding and unfolding, leading to bending deformations and fatigue in the folding area, which affects their shape and display quality.
Innovation Solution
A display apparatus design featuring a support plate with protrusions and adhesion films that distribute bending deformation by overlapping and engaging with the folding area in non-folded states, and spacing apart in folded states, along with stepped layers and non-adhesion films to reduce stress and enhance rigidity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the display module is made flexible and foldable, then ease of operation and portability are improved, but durability and structural stability deteriorate due to repetitive folding causing bending deformations and fatigue
Solution Approach 1:
The support plate is divided into multiple regions with different functions: first and second support regions provide rigid support in non-folding areas, while a third support region with protrusions provides targeted support in the folding area. This segmentation allows the structure to maintain rigidity where needed while accommodating flexibility where required, resolving the contradiction between flexibility and durability.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the support plate are given different structural properties: rigid flat regions for non-folding areas and regions with protrusions for folding areas. The protrusions in the third support region specifically address the folding area's needs by providing support that adapts to bending, while other regions maintain structural stability. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by applying appropriate structural qualities to specific locations.
2Reliability
If support plates are added to improve durability, then structural stability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple support functions are merged into a single integrated support plate structure. The first, second, and third support regions are combined in one component that provides both rigid support and adaptive folding support simultaneously. This merging approach maintains structural stability without requiring multiple separate support components, thus improving reliability while controlling complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The support plate serves multiple functions: it provides rigid support in non-folding areas, adaptive support in folding areas through protrusions, and overall structural stability. This multi-functionality allows a single component to address various structural needs, improving reliability without proportionally increasing device complexity.
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 design improves the durability and display quality of flexible display apparatuses by dispersing bending deformation and reducing stress on the folding area, thereby minimizing shape changes and fatigue.
Implementation Method 1
an adhesion film between the display module and the support plate
Implementation Method 2
distribute bending deformation by overlapping and engaging with the folding area in non-folded states, and spacing apart in folded states
Data Source
AI summary
A display apparatus includes: a display module in which a folding area foldable with respect to a virtual folding axis on a plane and first and second non-folding areas adjacent to both sides of the folding area are defined and which is configured to display an image; a support plate below the display module; and an adhesion film between the display module and the support plate. The support plate includes a first support plate bonded to the adhesion film on the first non-folding area, and a second support plate bonded to the adhesion film on the second non-folding area. The first support plate includes a plurality of first protrusions protruding toward the second support plate, the second support plate includes a plurality of second protrusions protruding toward the first support plate, and the first and second protrusions are alternately arranged with respect to each other.