Display Device
Patent No. US10869388 (titled "Display Device") was filed by Lg Display Co Ltd on Apr 5, 2019.
What is this patent about?
’388 is related to the field of display devices, specifically addressing the challenge of reducing the bezel width in flexible displays. Traditional designs often involve bending a flexible circuit board around the edge of the display panel, which undesirably increases the overall bezel size. This patent seeks to overcome this limitation by improving the mechanical structure of the display.
The underlying idea behind ’388 is to physically bend the flexible substrate of the display itself, routing the connection pads to the back of the device. This is achieved by creating a bending part in the flexible substrate. A supporting member with a rounded edge guides the bending of this part. This allows for a more compact design, minimizing the bezel width.
The claims of ’388 focus on a display device comprising a flexible substrate with a display area, a bending section, and connection pads; a backing film attached to the display and pad areas; a rigid support under the display area where the flexible substrate bends around an edge of the support; and a second substrate facing the display area. Crucially, the backing film is split into two sections separated by a gap at the bending section.
In practice, the flexible substrate is manufactured with the display elements. A backing film, pre-cut with a separation, is then applied to the back of the substrate, covering both the display area and the pad area. The substrate is then bent around the rounded edge of the supporting member, allowing the pad area to be positioned behind the display. The split in the backing film accommodates the bending without causing wrinkles or stress.
This design differentiates itself from prior approaches by avoiding the need to bend the circuit board around the display's edge. The split backing film is also key, as it allows the bending to occur smoothly without the need for additional adhesives or stiffeners. The rounded edge of the supporting member is also important, as it guides the bending process and prevents damage to the flexible substrate.
How does this patent fit in bigger picture?
Technical landscape at the time
In the early 2010s when ’388 was filed, flat panel displays were being incorporated into a wide variety of electronic devices. At a time when reducing the bezel width of such displays was a common goal, systems commonly relied on flexible substrates and adhesive films to achieve thinner and more compact designs. When hardware or software constraints made precise alignment and adhesion of these components non-trivial, manufacturers were exploring various methods to improve manufacturing processes and device performance.
Novelty and Inventive Step
The examiner approved the claims because the specific arrangement of a back film including first and second films separated from each other, along with a top adhesive layer, positioned between the display part of a flexible substrate and a supporting member, was not disclosed or suggested by the prior art. The examiner also stated that the arrangement of a back film including a first film and a top adhesive first part provided on the first film, a second film and a top adhesive second part provided on the second film, and a gap between the first and second films and between the top adhesive first part and the top adhesive second part, wherein the flexible first substrate is adhered to the top adhesive first part and the top adhesive second part so that the first film corresponds to the display part, the gap corresponds to the bending part, and the second film corresponds to the pad part; and a supporting member adhered to a bottom surface of the first film below the display part, wherein the supporting member is not bent and extends beyond an outer edge of the display part was not disclosed or suggested by the prior art.
Claims
This patent includes 20 claims, with claims 1 and 12 being independent. The independent claims are directed to a display device comprising a flexible substrate, a back film, and a supporting member. The dependent claims generally add further details or features to the display device described in the independent claims.
Key Claim Terms New
Definitions of key terms used in the patent claims.
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Date
Description
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US10869388
- Application Number
- US16376884
- Filing Date
- Apr 5, 2019
- Status
- Granted
- Expiry Date
- Jul 30, 2034
- External Links
- Slate, USPTO, Google Patents