Stepped Thin-Region Glass for Bendable Vehicle Displays
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Solution Overview
Problem
Glass with varying thicknesses tends to concentrate stress at thinner regions, leading to potential breakage when bent, making it insufficiently flexible for curved surface applications like on-vehicle display devices.
Innovation Solution
A glass structure with a thick region and an adjacent thin region, featuring a recessed surface on the thinner side, where the thin region includes a flat bottom and a stepped region between the bottom and thick regions, satisfying specific length ratios to distribute stress effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If glass having different thicknesses is bent, then the glass can achieve curved surface shape, but stress concentrates on the thinner region and the glass may break
Solution Approach 1:
The glass is designed with a thin region having a recessed surface and a stepped region, creating local structural variations. The thin region (satisfying Gw-2Ga≥5mm) provides flexibility for bending, while the stepped region (with width Ga≥3mm) acts as a stress-distributing transition zone, preventing stress concentration at the thickness change interface and enabling curved surface formation without breakage
2Adaptability or versatility
If glass having different thicknesses is bent, then the glass can achieve flexibility, but the glass may not be sufficiently bent due to breakage risk
Solution Approach 1:
The glass structure incorporates a thin region with recessed surface and stepped configuration, where the thin region provides the necessary flexibility for bending while the stepped region ensures structural integrity. This local structural optimization enables the glass to be sufficiently bent without breakage, achieving both flexibility and reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The glass is pre-formed with a recessed surface and stepped region structure before bending. This preliminary structural preparation creates stress distribution pathways that prevent stress concentration during subsequent bending operations, enabling sufficient bending capability while maintaining reliability
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention pertains to a glass having a first main surface and a second main surface opposite to the first main surface. The glass has a thick region and a thin region that is adjacent to the thick region, has a recessed surface in the second main surface, and is thinner than the thick region. The thin region includes: a bottom region which is flat on the second main surface side in a state where the first main surface is fixed so as to make contact with a flat surface; and a stepped region provided between the bottom region and the thick region. The thin region satisfies a specific formula (1).