Segmented Protective Film for Flexible Display Stress Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flexible display devices face challenges in maintaining portability and reducing thickness while preventing exfoliation when bent, rolled, or folded due to the presence of protective films that can concentrate bending stress.
Innovation Solution
A display device design featuring a protective film with an opening on the display panel's surface, allowing a functional layer to be directly exposed and reducing the thickness, and a method of manufacturing involving a protective film with specific shapes and sub-parts to minimize stress concentration during bending.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a protective film is applied on the display panel surface, then the display panel is protected from damage, but the thickness of the display device increases and bending stress is concentrated
Solution Approach 1:
The protective film is divided into multiple separate parts (first protective film part, second protective film part, third protective film part) instead of being a continuous layer. This segmentation allows the functional layer to be exposed between the parts, reducing overall thickness while maintaining protection at critical areas. The segmented structure prevents stress concentration that would occur with a continuous protective film during bending operations.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the display panel receive different levels of protection. The first protective film part covers the first region, the second protective film part covers the second region, and the third protective film part covers the third region, while the functional layer is exposed in the fourth region. This local differentiation allows protection where needed while minimizing thickness and stress concentration in bending areas.
2Strength
If a protective film is applied on the display panel surface, then the display panel is protected from damage, but bending stress is concentrated leading to potential exfoliation
Solution Approach 1:
The protective film is segmented into multiple discrete parts with spacing between them, preventing the formation of continuous stress concentration zones. The gaps between the first, second, and third protective film parts allow stress to be distributed during bending, rolling, or folding operations, eliminating the exfoliation problem associated with continuous protective films.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of applying a continuous protective film across the entire display panel surface, the invention applies protection only to specific regions (first, second, and third regions) while leaving the functional layer exposed in the fourth region. This partial protection approach provides sufficient protection against damage while eliminating stress concentration that would lead to exfoliation during bending.
3Length of moving object
If the display device is made thinner to improve portability, then flexibility and portability are enhanced, but protection against damage is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The segmented protective film structure provides protection at critical areas while maintaining overall thinness. By placing protective film parts only in specific regions rather than as a continuous layer, the device achieves adequate protection against damage while keeping the overall thickness minimized for portability and flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
Protection is applied locally to specific regions (first, second, and third regions) rather than uniformly across the entire display panel. This local quality approach ensures that protection is provided where structurally necessary while maintaining thinness in other areas, achieving a balance between damage protection and portability.
Data Source
AI summary
A display device includes a display panel having a first region, a second region spaced apart from the first region, and a bending region between the first region and the second region, the bending region being bent along a bending axis, a protective film including a first part on a first surface of the first region of the display panel, the first part having an opening at a center thereof that exposes the first surface of the display panel, and a second part on a first surface of the second region of the display panel, and a functional layer on the first surface of the display panel exposed by the opening.