DISPLAY PANEL

The present disclosure provides a display panel, the display panel includes a substrate, a light-emitting layer, a first refractive layer, and a second refractive layer. The first refractive layer is arranged on a side of the light-emitting layer away from the substrate. The second refractive layer covers a side of the first refractive layer away from the substrate and fills a plurality of openings of the first refractive layer. The second refractive layer extends from a display area to a non-display area and covers a bending area to protect wirings in the bending area, and the second refractive layer may replace a protective glue layer in prior art, which is beneficial to saving processes.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present disclosure relates to a field of display technology, and particularly relates to a display panel.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

Organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display products have own waveguides and total reflection effects, resulting in a decrease in luminous efficiency. In order to improve the luminous efficiency, a first refractive layer and a second refractive layer are generally added on a light-emitting layer, and a refractive index of the first refractive layer is less than a refractive index of the second refractive layer. Differences between interface angles and refractive indices between the first refractive layer and the second refractive layer are used to improve front light-output and reduce display power consumption of screens. In addition, a narrow border is achieved by bending a bonding area of a display panel to a back of a display area. In order to prevent breakage of wirings in a bending area, it is generally necessary to set a protective glue layer in the bending area to protect the wirings in the bending area. However, an additional process is required to form the protective glue layer, resulting in increased cost.

Technical Problems

The embodiments of the present disclosure provide a display panel to solve technical problems that a protective glue layer is provided for preventing breakage of wirings in a bending area in an existing display panel requires an additional process, resulting in increased cost.

Technical Solutions

In order to solve above problems, technical solutions provided by the present disclosure are as follows:

The present disclosure provides a display panel, including a display area and a non-display area, the non-display area includes a bonding area and a bending area located between the display area and the bonding area;the display panel further includes:a substrate;a light-emitting layer arranged on a side of the substrate and located in the display area, the light-emitting layer includes a plurality of sub-pixels;a first refractive layer arranged on a side of the light-emitting layer away from the substrate, the first refractive layer includes a plurality of openings defined in the display area, and the plurality of openings are arranged corresponding to the plurality of sub-pixels;a second refractive layer covering a side of the first refractive layer away from the substrate and filling the openings, a refractive index of the second refractive layer is greater than a refractive index of the first refractive layer, and the second refractive layer extends from the display area to the non-display area and covers the bending area; anda first backplane and a second backplane, the first backplane is located on a side of the substrate facing the second backplane and located in the display area, and the second backplane is located on a side of the substrate facing the first backplane and located in the bonding area.

According to the display panel provided by the present disclosure, the first refractive layer and the bending area are spaced and are not overlapped.

According to the display panel provided by the present disclosure, a thickness of the second refractive layer in the display area is less than a thickness of the second refractive layer in the bending area.

According to the display panel provided by the present disclosure, the second refractive layer includes a main body part and a leveling part connected to each other, at least a part of the main body part is located in the display area, and the leveling part is formed by extending from the main body part along a direction from the display area to the bending area, and a thickness of the leveling part is gradually decreased accordingly, and a thickness of the main body part is equal at each position.

According to the display panel provided by the present disclosure, the leveling part is located between the bending area and the bonding area.

According to the display panel provided by the present disclosure, the display panel further includes a polarizer; the polarizer is arranged on a side of the second refractive layer away from the substrate and located in the display area, and a side surface of the main body part away from the substrate is in contact with a side surface of the polarizer close to the substrate.

According to the display panel provided by the present disclosure, the display panel further includes a retaining wall arranged between the bending area and the bonding area, and the second refractive layer covers the bending area and extends to the retaining wall.

According to the display panel provided by the present disclosure, a material of the retaining wall and a material of the first refractive layer are same.

According to the display panel provided by the present disclosure, the display panel further includes:

an encapsulation layer arranged between the light-emitting layer and the first refractive layer, the encapsulation layer covers the light-emitting layer and extends between the display area and the bending area; and

a touch stack structure arranged on a side of the encapsulation layer away from the substrate, the touch stack structure includes a first insulating layer, a first metal layer, a second insulating layer, a second metal layer, and the first refractive layer stacked in sequence, and touch electrodes are arranged in the first metal layer or the second metal layer.

The present disclosure provides a display panel, including a display area and a non-display area, the non-display area includes a bonding area and a bending area located between the display area and the bonding area;the display panel further includes:a substrate;a light-emitting layer arranged on a side of the substrate and located in the display area, the light-emitting layer includes a plurality of sub-pixels;a first refractive layer, arranged on a side of the light-emitting layer away from the substrate, the first refractive layer includes a plurality of openings defined in the display area, and the plurality of openings are arranged corresponding to the plurality of sub-pixels; anda second refractive layer covering a side of the first refractive layer away from the substrate and filling the openings, a refractive index of the second refractive layer is greater than a refractive index of the first refractive layer, and the second refractive layer extends from the display area to the non-display area and covers the bending area.

According to the display panel provided by the present disclosure, the first refractive layer and the bending area are spaced and are not overlapped.

According to the display panel provided by the present disclosure, a thickness of the second refractive layer in the display area is less than a thickness of the second refractive layer in the bending area.

According to the display panel provided by the present disclosure, the second refractive layer includes a main body part and a leveling part connected to each other, at least a part of the main body part is located in the display area, the leveling part is formed by extending from the main body part along a direction from the display area to the bending area, and a thickness of the leveling part is gradually decreased accordingly, and a thickness of the main body part is equal at each position.

According to the display panel provided by the present disclosure, the leveling part is located between the bending area and the bonding area.

According to the display panel provided by the present disclosure, the display panel further includes a polarizer; the polarizer is arranged on a side of the second refractive layer away from the substrate and located in the display area, a side surface of the main body part away from the substrate is in contact with a side surface of the polarizer close to the substrate.

According to the display panel provided by the present disclosure, the display panel further includes a retaining wall arranged between the bending area and the bonding area, and the second refractive layer covers the bending area and extends to the retaining wall.

According to the display panel provided by the present disclosure, a material of the retaining wall and a material of the first refractive layer are same.

According to the display panel provided by the present disclosure, a thickness of the retaining wall and a thickness of the first refractive layer are same.

According to the display panel provided by the present disclosure, the display panel further includes a polarizer; the polarizer is arranged on a side of the second refractive layer away from the substrate;

wherein the polarizer at least covers the first refractive layer, and the polarizer and the bending area are spaced and are not arranged overlapped.

According to the display panel provided by the present disclosure, the display panel further includes:an encapsulation layer arranged between the light-emitting layer and the first refractive layer, the encapsulation layer covers the light-emitting layer and extends between the display area and the bending area; anda touch stack structure arranged on a side of the encapsulation layer away from the substrate, the touch stack structure includes a first insulating layer, a first metal layer, a second insulating layer, a second metal layer, and the first refractive layer stacked in sequence, and touch electrodes are arranged in the first metal layer or the second metal layer.

BENEFICIAL EFFECTS

Beneficial effects of the present disclosure are: a display panel is provided by the present disclosure; by extending a second refractive layer from a display area to a non-display area and covering a bending area, and configuring the second refractive layer to protect wirings in the bending area, the second refractive layer may replace a protective glue layer located in the bending area in prior art. Since the protective glue layer does not need to be provided, the present disclosure does not need to add another process for manufacturing the protective glue layer, which is beneficial to saving a process and reducing production cost.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure will be described clearly and completely hereafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. Apparently, the described embodiments are only a part of but not all embodiments of the present disclosure. All other embodiments obtained by persons of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the present disclosure without creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present disclosure. In addition, it should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to illustrate and explain the present disclosure, but not to limit the present disclosure. In this present disclosure, unless otherwise stated, the directional words used such as “upper” and “lower” generally refer to the upper and lower parts of the device in actual use or working state, specifically the direction of the drawing in the drawings; while “inside” and “outside” refer to the outline of the device.

Referring toFIG.1A,FIG.1B, andFIG.1C,FIG.1Ais a plan schematic structural diagram of a display panel in prior art.FIG.1Bis a cross-sectional schematic structural diagram of the display panel in the prior art when unfolded.FIG.1Cis a cross-sectional schematic structural diagram of the display panel in the prior art after being bent.

A display panel100′ in the prior art includes a substrate10′, a first refractive layer201′, a second refractive layer202′, and a protective glue layer50′, and the substrate10′ includes a display area AA′ and a non-display area NA′. The non-display area NA′ includes a bonding area N1′ and a bending area N2′ located between the display area AA′ and the bonding area N1′. The second refractive layer202′ is arranged on a side of the substrate10′ and located in the display area AA′. The protective glue layer50′ is arranged on the side of the substrate10′ and located in the bending area N2′ to protect wirings located in the bending area N2′ of the display panel10′. The protective glue layer50′ needs to be manufactured by a separate process, resulting in increased cost.

In view of this, the present disclosure provides a display panel; compared with the prior art, a second refractive layer of the present disclosure extends from a display area to a non-display area and covers a bending area, the second refractive layer may be configured to protect wirings in the bending area, and the second refractive layer may replace the protective glue layer50′ in the bending area N2′ in the prior art. Since the protective glue layer50′ does not need to be provided, the present disclosure does not need to add another process for manufacturing the protective glue layer50′, which is beneficial to saving the process and reducing production cost.

In order to better understand the technical solutions and technical effects of the present disclosure, specific embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to accompanying drawings.

Referring toFIG.2,FIG.3A,FIG.3B, andFIG.4,FIG.2is a plan schematic structural diagram of a display panel provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure.FIG.3Ais a first simplified cross-sectional schematic structural diagram of the display panel provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure when unfolded.FIG.3Bis a cross-sectional schematic structural diagram of the display panel inFIG.3Aafter being bent.FIG.4is a detailed cross-sectional schematic structural diagram of the display panel provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure when unfolded.

The display panel100provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a substrate10, a light-emitting layer1023, a first refractive layer201, and a second refractive layer202. The display panel100includes a display area AA and a non-display area NA. The non-display area NA includes a bonding area N1and a bending area N2located between the display area AA and the bonding area N1. The display area AA is an area for displaying, and the bonding area N1is an area for bonding external circuits. The bending area N2may be bent for bending the bonding area N1to a back of the display area AA to achieve a narrow border. The “back” here refers to a non-display surface of the display panel100, and a surface opposite to the “back” is a display surface of the display panel100.

The light-emitting layer1023is arranged on a side of the substrate10and located in the display area AA, the light-emitting layer1023includes a plurality of sub-pixels. The first refractive layer201is arranged on a side of the light-emitting layer1023away from the substrate10. The first refractive layer201includes a plurality of openings2011defined in the display area AA, and the plurality of openings2011are arranged corresponding to the plurality of sub-pixels. The second refractive layer202covers a side of the first refractive layer201away from the substrate10and fills the openings2011. A refractive index of the second refractive layer202is greater than a refractive index of the first refractive layer201, so that light emitted by the light-emitting layer1023may be totally reflected at an interface between the first refractive layer201and the second refractive layer202, thereby the light is converged to improve a front light-output and reduce display power consumption of a screen.

The second refractive layer202extends from the display area AA to the non-display area NA and covers the bending area N2, the second refractive layer202may protect the wirings located in the bending area N2, lift a neutral layer, and prevent breakage of the wirings, therefore the second refractive layer202may replace the protective glue layer50′ located in the bending area N2′ in the prior art. Since the protective glue layer50′ does not need to be provided, the present disclosure does not need to add an additional process for manufacturing the protective glue layer50′, which is beneficial to saving the process and reducing the production cost.

The display panel100includes a flexible display panel. The display panel100further includes a driver circuit layer101and a display device layer102, the driver circuit layer101is arranged on the side of the substrate10, and the display device layer102is arranged on a side of the driver circuit layer101away from the substrate10and located in the display area AA. A material of the substrate10may be a material having good flexibility, such as polyimide, polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate, and silica gel, etc. The driver circuit layer101includes an active matrix driver circuit or a passive matrix driver circuit. The driver circuit layer101includes a plurality of wirings, and the plurality of wirings extend from the display area AA through the bending area N2to the bonding area N1. The display device layer102includes the light-emitting layer1023; specifically, the display device layer102further includes an anode1021, a pixel definition layer1022, a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, an electron transport layer, an electron injection layer, and a cathode. The light-emitting layer1023is located in a plurality of pixel openings defined by the pixel definition layer1022and located between the electron transport layer and the hole transport layer.

Furthermore, an encapsulation layer103is further arranged on a side of the display device layer102away from the substrate10for encapsulating the light-emitting layer1023. The encapsulation layer103mainly isolates the light-emitting layer1023from an external environment to prevent intrusion of moisture, harmful gases, dust, and rays, and to prevent a failure of organic light-emitting materials caused by external force damage to stabilize various parameters of devices and further improve a service life of the display panel100.

A touch stack structure104is further arranged on a side of the encapsulation layer103away from the substrate10, the touch stack structure104is located in the display area AA. The touch stack structure104includes a first insulating layer1041, a first metal layer1042, a second insulating layer1043, a second metal layer1044, and the first refractive layer201stacked in sequence, and touch electrodes are arranged in the first metal layer1042or the second metal layer1044. In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the first refractive layer201is a part of the touch stack structure104, that is, the first refractive layer201is multiplexed as an insulating layer in the touch stack structure104. Therefore, there is no need to provide another insulating layer covering the second metal layer1044between the first refractive layer201and the second metal layer1044, which may reduce an overall thickness of the display panel100. The touch stack structure104may adopt a direct cell touch (DOT) method on the screen.

It should be noted that, although not shown in figures, the display panel100further includes other film layer structures not shown in the figures, such as a cover plate, a barrier layer, etc.

Continue to refer toFIG.3B, the display panel100further includes a first backplane50and a second backplane60for supporting the substrate10and above film layers. The first backplane50and the second backplane60are arranged opposite to each other; the first backplane50is located on a side of the substrate10facing the second backplane60and located in the display area AA, and the second backplane60is located on a side of the substrate10facing the first backplane50and located in the bonding area N1. The first backplane50and the second backplane60are disconnected.

The display panel100further includes a buffer layer70and a reinforcing plate80. The buffer layer70and the reinforcing plate80is located between the first backplane50and the second backplane60, and the reinforcing plate80is located between the second backplane60and the buffer layer70.

The second refractive layer202extends from the display area AA to the bending area N2. A material of the second refractive layer202is transparent flowing liquid; while ensuring that the light-output is not affected, a part of the second refractive layer202extending to the bending area N2may play a role of the protective glue layer50′ in the prior art.

In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the first refractive layer201and the bending area N2are spaced and are not overlapped; that is, the first refractive layer201is only located in the display area AA, and the first refractive layer201is not arranged in the bending area N2.

Since in the display area AA, there are film layers, such as the encapsulation layer103, the touch stack structure104, and the first refractive layer201, etc., between the light-emitting layer1023and the second refractive layer202, and the film layers above are only located in the display area AA, but not provided in the bending area N2, therefore, between the light-emitting layer1023and the second refractive layer202, a number of film layers located in the display area AA is substantially less than a number of film layers located in the bending area N2. Then, a thickness of the second refractive layer202in the display area AA is less than a thickness of the second refractive layer202in the bending area N2.

The second refractive layer202includes a main body part2021and a leveling part2022connected to each other; at least a part of the main body part2021is located in the display area AA, the leveling part2022is formed by extending the main body part2021along a direction from the display area AA towards the bending area N2, and a thickness of the leveling part2022is gradually decreased accordingly. The second refractive layer202is manufactured by an inkjet printing process, and due to process reasons, a thickness of a print cut-off end of the second refractive layer202(that is, the leveling part2022) is gradually reduced; and the main body part2021is a part without being leveled, and a thickness thereof at each position is equal.

The display panel100further includes a polarizer30to increase light transmission and reduce reflection of external light. The polarizer30is arranged on a side of the second refractive layer202away from the substrate10and located in the display area AA. Wherein the polarizer30at least covers the first refractive layer201, and the polarizer30and the bending area N2are spaced and are not overlapped. A photosensitive adhesive layer may further be arranged between the polarizer30and the second refractive layer202.

Continue to refer toFIG.1A,FIG.1B, andFIG.1Cagain, applicants further found that, in the prior art, a part of the leveling part2022′ of the second refractive layer202′ is located inside the polarizer30′, and another part is located outside the polarizer30′. Since a thickness of the leveling part2022′ tends to decrease gradually in a direction along the display area AA′ pointing to the bending area N2′, a gap exists between the leveling part2022′ located inside the polarizer30′ and the polarizer30′, making bubbles accumulate easily in the gap, thereby causing a display effect of the display panel100′ to become worse.

However, the leveling part2022of the present disclosure is located in the bending area N2, but not arranged in the display area AA; that is, all the leveling part2022is located outside the polarizer30, and only the main body part2021is located inside the polarizer30. And since the thickness of the main body part2021is equal at each position, making a side surface of the main body part2021away from the substrate10be in contact with a side surface of the polarizer30close to the substrate10. Therefore, the gap between the second refractive layer202′ and the polarizer30′ in the prior art is eliminated, and the bubbles do not exist between the polarizer30and the second refractive layer202, which is conducive to improving a display effect of the display panel100.

A first plane area N3is arranged between the bending area N2and the bonding area N1, and two ends of the first plane area N3are respectively connected with the bending area N2and the bonding area N1. In order to limit a leveling distance of the leveling part2022, and to prevent printing solvents from diffusing into the bonding area N1during inkjet printing to cause pollution and damage to a driving chip901and a flexible circuit board902arranged in the bonding area N1, the display panel100further includes a retaining wall40; the retaining wall40is arranged in the first plane area N3, and the second refractive layer202covers the bending area N2and extends to the retaining wall40; that is, an end of the leveling part2022away from the main body part2021is in contact with the retaining wall40, and printing of the leveling part2022is cut off at the retaining wall40. Compared with the retaining wall40′ located in the bending area N2′ or an area between the display area AA′ and the bending area N2′ (that is, the second plane area N4′) in the prior art, a distance between the retaining wall40in the present disclosure and the display area AA is increased to make the leveling part2022be formed outside the display area AA, the gap existing between the second refractive layer202′ and the polarizer30′ may be eliminated, and the display effect of the display panel100is improved.

In an actual manufacturing process, the retaining wall40may be formed in the bending area N2by photolithography, then, the first refractive layer201and the second refractive layer202are formed. Certainly, a manufacturing process of the retaining wall40is not limited thereto. In the present disclosure, a material of the retaining wall40and a material of the first refractive layer201are same; that is, the retaining wall40and the first refractive layer201are arranged in a same layer, and the retaining wall40and the first refractive layer201are manufactured by a same process, which is beneficial to further saving the process. Specifically, after the touch stack structure104is manufactured, firstly, the first refractive layer201and the retaining wall40are formed, and then the second refractive layer202is formed on the first refractive layer201. In this case, a thickness of the retaining wall40is same as a thickness of the first refractive layer201.

Furthermore, the retaining wall40is located at an edge of the first plane area N3near the bonding area N1, and coverage of a printing area may be increased to make room for the leveling part2022, thereby ensuring that the leveling part2022is not formed in the display area AA. Generally, a size of the leveling part2022in a direction of the display area AA pointing to the bonding area N1ranges from 2.5 mm to 3 mm. Therefore, a size of the the first plane area N3of the present disclosure in the direction of the display area AA pointing to the bonding area N1ranges from 3 mm to 4 mm, to ensure that a sufficient space may be reserved for the leveling part2022without increasing a lower border of the display panel100at a same time.

Furthermore, referring toFIG.5,FIG.5is a second simplified cross-sectional schematic structural diagram of the display panel provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure when unfolded.FIG.5differs fromFIG.3Ain that, the leveling part2022is located between the bending area N2and the bonding area N1to make the thickness of the second refractive layer202located in the bending area N2uniform, thereby the wirings located in the bending area N2are evenly stressed to prevent breakage from happening.

Continue to refer toFIG.3A, the retaining wall40may have a variety of specific arrangements; specifically, a height of the retaining wall40may range from 1 μm to 3 μm, and a width of the retaining wall40may be range from 10 μm to 20 μm. A specific value of the height of the retaining wall40may be set according to actual demands, so that ink does not splash to an area outside a preset printing area during the inkjet printing process.

Specifically, a material with high viscosity is selected for the second refractive layer202to reduce a size of the leveling part2022in the direction of the display area AA pointing to the bonding area N1.

Specifically, a material of the retaining wall40may be an organic material, such as anyone of organic materials of acrylic series, epoxy resin series, and silicon-based series.

Referring toFIG.1A,FIG.1B, andFIG.1Cagain, applicants further found that, in the prior art, printing of the second refractive layer202′ located in a central area is cut off at an inside of the polarizer30′, while printing of the second refractive layer202′ located in left and right borders is cut off at an outside of the polarizer30′. A part of the protective glue layer50′ overlaps the second refractive layer202′ located on an outside, and another part of the protective glue layer50′ does not overlap the second refractive layer202′; therefore, a thickness of an overlapping part of the protective glue layer50′ is greater than a thickness of a non-overlapping part of the protective glue layer50′, resulting in an uneven thickness of the protective glue layer50′ in the bending area N2′, thereby causing uneven stress on the wirings in the bending area N2′ and breakage occurs easily.

However, the second refractive layer202of the present disclosure replaces the protective glue layer50′ in the prior art, therefore, there is no part where the protective glue layer50′ overlaps the second refractive layer202of the present disclosure, and since the thickness of the leveling part2022of the present disclosure shows a gentle thinning trend, compared with the prior art, it is possible to improve an undesirable situation that the wirings located in the bending area N2are easy to break due to uneven stress.

In an embodiment, referring toFIG.6,FIG.6is a third simplified cross-sectional schematic structural diagram of the display panel provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure when unfolded.FIG.6differs fromFIG.3Ain that, both the first refractive layer201and the second refractive layer202extend from the display area AA to the non-display area NA and cover the bending area N2. The retaining wall40may be located on the side of the first refractive layer201away from the substrate10, or may be also located on the substrate10. The first refractive layer201and the second refractive layer202jointly replace the protective glue layer50′ in the prior art; while reducing a process effect, thickness unevenness of the protective glue layer50′ in the bending area N2′ in the prior art may be improved, and the gap between the second refractive layer202′ and the polarizer30′ is eliminated; for details, please refer to the above descriptions.

Beneficial effects are: the display panel is provided by the present disclosure; by extending the second refractive layer from the display area to the non-display area and covering the bending area, and configuring the second refractive layer to protect the wirings in the bending area, the second refractive layer may replace the protective glue layer located in the bending area in the prior art. Since the protective glue layer does not need to be provided, the present disclosure does not need to add another process for manufacturing the protective glue layer, which is beneficial to saving the process and reducing the production cost.

In summary, although the present disclosure has been disclosed in the above preferred embodiments, the above preferred embodiments do not intend to limit the present disclosure. Various modifications and changes may be made by ordinary person skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application is subject to the scope defined by the claims.