IP Library Granted Patent US 11,612,065
Granted Patent B2
US 11,612,065 · App. 17/348,948 · Granted Mar 21, 2023

Foldable display module and formation method thereof, and foldable display device

Inventor: Shouzheng Wu (Shanghai, CN)
Assignee: SHANGHAI TIANMA MICRO-ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
H05K5/0017H05K5/0226
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,612,065
App. No.
17/348,948
Granted
Mar 21, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A foldable display module and its formation method, and a foldable display device are provided in the present disclosure. The module includes a foldable display panel and a support plate which are disposed oppositely. The support plate includes a first support part and a second support part; the first support part is made of a first material; and the second support part is made of a second material; the foldable display module includes a bendable region and a non-bendable region; the foldable display panel includes a bendable portion and a non-bendable portion; the bendable portion is at the bendable region; and the non-bendable portion is at the non-bendable region; the first support part includes a first portion configured to support the bendable portion of the foldable display panel; and the second support part is configured to support the non-bendable portion of the foldable display panel.

Claims (66)

1. A foldable display module, comprising:

a foldable display panel and a support plate which are disposed oppositely, wherein:

the support plate is on a side away from a light-exiting surface of the foldable display panel;

the support plate includes a first support part and a second support part; the first support part is made of a first material; and the second support part is made of a second material;

the foldable display module includes a bendable region and a non-bendable region;

the foldable display panel includes a bendable portion and a non-bendable portion; the bendable portion is at the bendable region; and the non-bendable portion is at the non-bendable region;

the first support part includes a first portion configured to support the bendable portion of the foldable display panel;

the second support part is configured to support the non-bendable portion of the foldable display panel; and

the first support part is in contact with the second support part, and a first support surface of the first portion of the first support part facing toward a side of the foldable display panel does not overlap with a second support surface of the second support part facing toward the side of the foldable display panel.

2. The module according to claim 1 , wherein:

a density of the first material is greater than a density of the second material.

3. The module according to claim 1 , wherein:

an elastic modulus of the first material is less than an elastic modulus of the second material.

4. The module according to claim 1 , wherein:

the first material includes a metal material, and the second material includes a plastic material.

5. The module according to claim 1 , wherein:

the first material includes a metal material, and the second support part includes a biaxially stretched thin film.

6. The module according to claim 1 , wherein:

the first support part includes the first support surface facing toward a side of the foldable display panel;

the second support part includes the second support surface facing toward the side of the foldable display panel; and

the first support surface does not overlap the second support surface.

7. The module according to claim 6 , wherein:

the first support surface and the second support surface are in a same plane.

8. The module according to claim 1 , wherein:

the first support part and the second support part form a single piece structure.

9. The module according to claim 1 , wherein:

the first support part further includes a second portion; the second portion is connected to the first portion; and the second portion includes a portion at the non-bendable region.

10. The module according to claim 9 , wherein:

the second support part is fitted with the second portion of the first support part.

11. The module according to claim 10 , wherein:

a groove is formed on a side of the second support part facing toward the foldable display panel, and the second portion of the first support part is at the groove.

12. The module according to claim 9 , wherein:

the second portion includes a plurality of sub-portions discretely disposed at the non-bendable region; and the plurality of sub-portions is strip-shaped and extends in an arrangement direction along the bendable region and the non-bendable region; or

the second portion includes a plurality of sub-portions discretely disposed at the non-bendable region; each sub-portion of the plurality of sub-portions includes a main portion and a plurality of branches connected to the main portion; and the main portion is strip-shaped and extends in an arrangement direction along the bendable region and the non-bendable region; or

the second portion is mesh-shaped, and a position of a mesh-shaped grid exposes the second support part.

13. The module according to claim 12 , wherein:

the second support part includes a single piece structure.

14. The module according to claim 1 , wherein:

the first portion of the first support part is disposed with a plurality of hollowed structures.

15. The module according to claim 1 , wherein:

a thickness of the second support part is greater than or equal to a thickness of the first support part.

16. The module according to claim 15 , wherein:

the thickness of the first support part is from about 100 μm to about 300 μm, and the thickness of the second support part is from about 100 μm to about 1000 μm.

17. A foldable display device, comprising:

a housing; and

a foldable display module comprising a foldable display panel and a support plate which are disposed oppositely, wherein:

the support plate is on a side away from a light-exiting surface of the foldable display panel;

the support plate includes a first support part and a second support part; the first support part is made of a first material; and the second support part is made of a second material;

the foldable display module includes a bendable region and a non-bendable region;

the foldable display panel includes a bendable portion and a non-bendable portion; the bendable portion is at the bendable region; and the non-bendable portion is at the non-bendable region;

the first support part includes a first portion configured to support the bendable portion of the foldable display panel;

the second support part is configured to support the non-bendable portion of the foldable display panel;

the first support part is in contact with the second support part, and a first support surface of the first portion of the first support part facing toward a side of the foldable display panel does not overlap with a second support surface of the second support part facing toward the side of the foldable display panel; and

the foldable display module is fixed to the housing.

18. The display device according to claim 17 , further including:

a hinge, wherein:

the housing includes a first housing and a second housing; and the first housing is connected to the second housing through the hinge;

the foldable display module includes two non-bendable regions and one bendable region between the two non-bendable regions;

the support plate of the foldable display module includes two second support parts which are respectively at two non-bendable regions; and

the two second support parts are fixedly connected to the first housing and the second housing by screws, respectively.

19. A formation method of a foldable display module, comprising:

providing a first film layer made of a first material and patterning the first film layer to form a first support part;

providing a second material to form a second support part through an injection molding process, wherein the second support part is in contact with the first support part; a first support surface of the first portion of the first support part facing toward a side of the foldable display panel does not overlap with a second support surface of the second support part facing toward the side of the foldable display panel; and the first support part and the second support part form a support plate; and

providing a foldable display panel and attaching the foldable display panel to the support plate.

20. The method according to claim 19 , before attaching the foldable display panel to the support plate, further including:

disposing a plurality of screw holes in the second support part, configured to fix the second support part.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 16, 2021
From: WU, SHOUZHENG
To: SHANGHAI TIANMA MICRO-ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 056560/0104 →
Priority Claims (1)
CN 202110347947.X · Mar 31, 2021 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220322542A1 · Oct 6, 2022
Cited By (3)
US 12,457,286 US 12,563,680 US 12,704,877