Display panel, fabricating method thereof and display device

A display panel includes an array substrate, a first flexible circuit board, a non-flexible circuit board, a control circuit board and a second flexible circuit board; the first flexible circuit board is electrically connected to the array substrate; the non-flexible circuit board is electrically connected to the first flexible circuit board; the control circuit board is provided on the non-flexible circuit board and is electrically connected with the non-flexible circuit board; the second flexible circuit board is electrically connected to the non-flexible circuit board.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is based upon and is a § 371 national phase application of PCT Patent Application No. PCT/CN2019/112589, filed on Oct. 22, 2019, which claims the benefit of and priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 201910013115.7, filed on Jan. 7, 2019, the contents of which being incorporated by reference in their entireties herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to the field of display technologies, and in particular, to a display panel, a fabricating method thereof, and a display device provided with the display panel.

BACKGROUND

In the display field, a high screen-to-body ratio of a display device is a development trend, and one direction of the trend is to use a display panel with narrow frame.

At present, the frame of the display device is wide, which makes it impossible to achieve a high screen-to-body ration. Although the frames of some display devices can be narrowed, the accuracy and yield are low due to the limitation of the fabricating process.

Therefore, it is necessary to research on a new display panel, a fabricating method thereof and a display device provided with the display panel.

The above information disclosed in the background section is only used to enhance the understanding of the background of the present disclosure, and therefore may include the information that does not constitute the prior art known to those of ordinary skill in the art.

SUMMARY

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a display panel including:

an array substrate;

a first flexible circuit board, electrically connected to the array substrate;

a non-flexible circuit board, electrically connected to the first flexible circuit board;

a control circuit board, provided on the non-flexible circuit board and electrically connected with the non-flexible circuit board; and

a second flexible circuit board electrically connected to the non-flexible circuit board.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the non-flexible circuit board is a printed circuit board.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a difference between a thermal expansion coefficient of the control circuit board and a thermal expansion coefficient of the non-flexible circuit board is smaller than a preset threshold.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the preset threshold is 40% of the thermal expansion coefficient of the control circuit board.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the first flexible circuit board is provided between the array substrate and the non-flexible circuit board to realize the array substrate is electrically connected with the non-flexible circuit board and the first flexible circuit board and is configured to bend when the display panel is packaged.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, there is a set distance between the array substrate and the non-flexible circuit board to provide a bending space for the first flexible circuit board.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the display panel further includes:

a first anisotropic conductive film provided between the array substrate and the first flexible circuit board.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the display panel further includes:

a second anisotropic conductive film provided between the first flexible circuit board and the non-flexible circuit board.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the display panel further includes:

a third anisotropic conductive film provided between the control circuit board and the non-flexible circuit board.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the display panel further includes:

a fourth anisotropic conductive film provided between the non-flexible circuit board and the second flexible circuit board.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a first connection portion of the first flexible circuit board is adhered on the array substrate.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a second connection portion of the first flexible circuit board is adhered on the non-flexible circuit board.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a connection portion of the second flexible circuit board is adhered on the non-flexible circuit board.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the display panel further includes:

a connector electrically connected to the second flexible circuit board.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a display device, including:

a display panel of any display panels as described above.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method for fabricating a display panel, including:

providing an array substrate;

providing a first flexible circuit board so that the first flexible circuit board is electrically connected to the array substrate;

providing a non-flexible circuit board so that the non-flexible circuit board is electrically connected to the first flexible circuit board;

providing a control circuit board so that the control circuit board is electrically connected to the non-flexible circuit board; and

providing a second flexible circuit board so that the second flexible circuit board is electrically connected to the non-flexible circuit board.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Exemplary embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, exemplary embodiments can be implemented in various forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that the present disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the concept of exemplary embodiments to those skilled in the art. The same reference numerals in the drawings denote the same or similar structures, and thus detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted.

Referring to the structural schematic diagram of the display panel of one embodiment in the related art shown inFIG.1andFIG.2, the dotted lines in these figures are dividing lines between the display region and the frame region; the display panel includes an array substrate1′, a color filter substrate2′ provided on the array substrate1′, a first polarizer sheet3′ disposed below the array substrate1′, a second polarizer sheet4′ disposed on the color filter substrate2′, a control circuit board8′ provided on the array substrate1′ and connected with the array substrate1′, and a flexible circuit board13′ connected with the array substrate1′, where the flexible circuit board13′ is a main flexible circuit board. The flexible circuit board13′ can be bent during the packaging without affecting the frame width of the display panel. A connector14′ is disposed on the flexible circuit board13′. The frame width on the terminal side of the display panel (the width from the display region of the display panel to the outermost edge of the display panel) is constituted by adding the five dimensions A, B, C, D and E, where the dimension A is a dimension of the distance from the display region to the outermost edge of the color filter substrate2′, the dimension B is a dimension of the distance from the outermost edge of the color filter substrate2′ to the control circuit board8′, the dimension C is the width of the control circuit board8′, the dimension D is the a dimension of the distance from the control circuit board8′ to the flexible circuit board13′, and the dimension E is the width of the portion of the flexible circuit board13′ adhered on the array substrate1′ of the display panel. According to the current process limit, the width of the frame is ≥3.7 mm. It can be understood fromFIG.1that the frame width of the display panel is the width of the portion of the array substrate1′ protruded out of the display region, and both the control circuit board8′ and the flexible circuit board13′ need to be connected to the array substrate1′, therefore, the display panel cannot realize an ultra-narrow frame design and thus a higher screen-to-body ratio.

FIG.3andFIG.4are structural schematic diagrams of the display panel another embodiment of in the related art, in which dotted lines are dividing lines between the display region and the frame region; the display panel includes an array substrate1″, a color filter substrate2″ provided on the array substrate1″, a first polarizer sheet3″ disposed below the array substrate1″, a second polarizer sheet4″ disposed on the color filter substrate2″, a first flexible circuit board5″ provided on the array substrate1″ and connected with the array substrate1″, a control circuit board8″ provided on the first flexible circuit board5″, and a second flexible circuit board6″ connected with the first flexible circuit board5″, and the second flexible circuit board6″ is a main flexible circuit board. A connector14″ is disposed on the second flexible circuit board6″. The first flexible circuit board5″ and the second flexible circuit board6″ can be bent during the packaging without affecting the frame width of the display panel. The frame width on the terminal side of the display panel (the width from the display region of the display panel to the outermost edge of the display panel) constituted by adding the three dimensions F, G, and H, where the dimension F is a dimension of the distance from the display region to the outermost edge of the color filter substrate2″, the dimension G is a dimension of the distance from the outermost edge of the color filter substrate2″ to the first flexible circuit board5″, and the dimension H is the width of the portion of the first flexible circuit board5″ adhered on the array substrate1″ of the display panel. Compared with the embodiment inFIG.1, the width of the control circuit board8″ and the dimension of the distance of the control circuit board8″ from the flexible circuit board are saved. The frame width can be reduced by about 1.5 mm, so that a narrow frame design and thus a higher screen-to-body ratio can be realized. However, the control circuit board8″ and the first flexible circuit board5″ need to be continuously heated to 400° C. during their roll-to-roll adhesion production process, and the thermal expansion coefficient of the first flexible circuit board5″ is about 16 um/m/° C., while the thermal expansion coefficient of the control circuit board8″ is about 2.49 um/m/° C. As the difference between the two is large, it is unstable after the adhesion process, the manufacturing yield is low, and the precision requirement on the adhesion machine is high. Moreover, the first flexible circuit board5″ and the second flexible circuit board6″ are soft-to-soft attaching, and the attaching precision is not easy to control, and the requirement to the equipment precision is very high, therefore, the existing equipment cannot meet this process requirement, and the equipment investment cost needs to be increased.

First, the present disclosure provides a display panel. Referring to the structural schematic diagrams of a display panel in one embodiment of the present disclosure shown inFIG.5andFIG.6, dotted lines are dividing lines between the display region and the frame region. The display panel may include an array substrate1, a first flexible circuit board5, a non-flexible circuit board7, a control circuit board8, and a second flexible circuit board6. The first flexible circuit board5is electrically connected to the array substrate1; the non-flexible circuit board7is electrically connected to the first flexible circuit board5; the control circuit board8is provided on the non-flexible circuit board7and is electrically connected with the non-flexible circuit board7where the control circuit board8may be a driver integrated circuit (Driver IC); and the second flexible circuit board6is electrically connected to the non-flexible circuit board7.

In the exemplary embodiment, a color filter substrate2is disposed on the array substrate1, and a first polarizer sheet3is disposed below the array substrate1; a second polarizer sheet4is disposed on the color filter substrate2. On the terminal side of the display panel, one side of the array substrate1is protruded from the color filter substrate2, and the first flexible circuit board5is provided at an end of the array substrate1that is protruded from the color filter substrate2.

In the exemplary embodiment, a first connection portion51and a second connection portion52are disposed on the first flexible circuit board5, the first connection portion51and the second connection portion52are both disposed on the lower surface of the first flexible circuit board5, and the first connection portion51and the second connection portion52are located at the opposite end portions of the first flexible circuit board5. The first connection portion51of the first flexible circuit board5is adhered to the upper surface of the array substrate1through a first anisotropic conductive film9. The second connection portion52of the first flexible printed circuit board5is adhered to the upper surface of the non-flexible circuit board7through a second anisotropic conductive film10. The first flexible circuit board5can be bent during the packaging, there is a set distance between the array substrate1and the non-flexible circuit board7, and the set distance is sufficient to ensure that the first flexible circuit board5can be bent. In other exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, the first connection portion51and the second connection portion52may be disposed on the upper surface of the first flexible circuit board5, respectively, so that the first flexible circuit board5is connected with the lower surfaces of the array substrate1and the non-flexible circuit board7.

In the exemplary embodiment, the lower surface of the control circuit board8is adhered to the upper surface of the non-flexible circuit board7through a third anisotropic conductive film11. The control circuit board8is a printed circuit board. In other exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, the upper surface of the control circuit board8may be adhered to the lower surface of the non-flexible circuit board7through the third anisotropic conductive film11. The non-flexible circuit board7may be a printed circuit board which is made of hard materials.

In the exemplary embodiment, the frame width on the terminal side of the display panel (the width from the display region of the display panel to the outermost edge of the display panel) is constituted by adding the three dimensions M, N and L, where the dimension M is a dimension of the distance from the display region to the outermost edge of the color filter substrate2, the dimension N is a dimension of the distance from the outermost edge of the color filter substrate2to the first flexible circuit board5, and the dimension L is the width of the portion of the first flexible circuit board5adhered on the array substrate1of the display panel. The array substrate1is connected with the first flexible circuit board5, the first flexible circuit board5can be bent during the packaging, and the control circuit board8is not disposed on the array substrate1, so that the width of the array substrate1can be reduced, that is to say, a narrow frame can be realized.

In the exemplary embodiment, a connection portion61is also disposed on the second flexible circuit board6, the connecting portion is located on the lower surface of the second flexible circuit board6, the connection portion61of the second flexible circuit board6is adhered to the upper surface of the non-flexible circuit board7through a fourth anisotropic conductive film12, and the second flexible circuit board6is located at an end of the non-flexible circuit board7away from the first flexible circuit board5. The connection portion61is located at an end of the second flexible circuit board6close to the non-flexible circuit board7. The second flexible circuit board6is a main flexible circuit board, a connector14is disposed on the second flexible circuit board6, and the second flexible circuit board can be connected with an external signal source through the connector14, so that the external input signal can realize circuit control on the display panel. The connector14may be a snap-fit connector, and it may in turn be connected to an external device by means of a snap-fit; a plug-in connector can also be adopted, and it may in turn be connected to an external device by means of plug-in; this is not particularly limited in the exemplary embodiment. The first flexible circuit board5and the second flexible circuit board6are connected through the non-flexible circuit board7, so that soft-to-soft attaching is avoided, and attaching precision is improved, and the requirement to the equipment precision is not high, the existing equipment can meet this process requirement, and there is no need to increase the equipment investment cost. The control circuit board8is provided on the non-flexible circuit board7, and the difference between the thermal expansion coefficients of the control circuit board8and the non-flexible circuit board7is small, the thermal expansion coefficient of the control circuit board is about 2.49 um/m/° C., the non-flexible circuit board7is generally made of glass of 3-3.5 um/m/° C., the difference between the thermal expansion coefficients of the control circuit board and the non-flexible circuit board is smaller than a preset threshold, the preset threshold is 40% of the thermal expansion coefficient of the control circuit board, so that instability and low manufacturing yield caused by large difference between the thermal expansion coefficients are avoided.

In the display panel of the present disclosure, the array substrate is connected with the non-flexible circuit board through the first flexible circuit board, the first flexible circuit board is connected with the second flexible circuit board through the non-flexible circuit board, and the control circuit board is provided on the non-flexible circuit board. On one hand, the array substrate is connected with the first flexible circuit board, the first flexible circuit board can be bent during the packaging, and the control circuit board is not provided on the array substrate, so that the width of the array substrate can be reduced, and narrow frame can be realized; on the other hand, the first flexible circuit board and the second flexible circuit board are connected through the non-flexible circuit board, so that soft-to-soft attaching is avoided, and attaching precision is improved; still on the other hand, the control circuit board is provided on the non-flexible circuit board, so that instability and low manufacturing yield caused by the large difference in thermal expansion coefficients are avoided.

Further, the present disclosure also provides a method for fabricating the display panel, which refers to a flow diagram of the method for fabricating the display panel of the present disclosure shown inFIG.7; the fabricating method can include the following steps:

Step S10, providing an array substrate1.

Step S20, providing a first flexible circuit board5so that the first flexible circuit board5is electrically connected to the array substrate1.

Step S30, providing a non-flexible circuit board7so that the non-flexible circuit board7is electrically connected to the first flexible circuit board5.

Step S40, providing a control circuit board8so that the control circuit board8is electrically connected to the non-flexible circuit board7.

Step S50, providing a second flexible circuit board6so that the second flexible circuit board6is electrically connected to the non-flexible circuit board7.

In the exemplary embodiment, first, the array substrate1and the non-flexible circuit board7are provided to maintain a set distance between the array substrate1and the non-flexible circuit board7, and the first flexible circuit board5is adhered between the array substrate1and the non-flexible circuit board7through an anisotropic conductive adhesive under heating and pressing conditions. Then, the control circuit board8is adhered on the non-flexible circuit board7through an anisotropic conductive adhesive under heating and pressing conditions. Finally, the second flexible circuit board6is adhered on the non-flexible circuit board7through an anisotropic conductive adhesive under heating and pressing conditions. In other exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, the first connection portion51of the first flexible circuit board5may also be firstly adhered on the array substrate1, and then the second connection portion52of the first flexible circuit board5may be adhered to the non-flexible circuit board7; then, the control circuit board8is adhered on the non-flexible circuit board7; finally, the second flexible circuit board6is adhered on the non-flexible circuit board7. The first flexible circuit board5may also be adhered to the array substrate1after the adhesion of the first flexible circuit board5, the non-flexible circuit board7, the control circuit board8and the second flexible circuit board6is completed.

Further, the present disclosure also provides a display device, which includes the display panel described above. The specific structure of the display panel has been described in detail above, so it will not be repeated here.

The features, structures or characteristics described above may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments, and the features discussed in the various embodiments are interchangeable if possible. In the above description, numerous specific details are provided to give a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the technical solution of the present disclosure may be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or other methods, components, materials, and the like may be employed. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring various aspects of the present disclosure.

The phrase “about” or “approximately” as used in the specification generally means within 20%, preferably within 10%, and more preferably within 5% of a given value or range. The quantities given here are approximate quantities, meaning that the meaning of “about”, “approximately” and “probably” may be implied, unless otherwise specified.

Although the relative terms such as “upper” and “lower” are used in the specification to describe the relative relationship of one component of the icon to another component, these terms are used in the specification for convenience only, for example, the direction of the example described according to the accompanying drawing. It can be understood that if the device of the icon is flipped upside down, the component described “above” will become the component “below”. Other relative terms such as “high”, “low”, “top”, and “bottom” also have similar meanings. When a structure is “on” another structure, it may mean that a structure is integrally formed on another structure, or that a structure is “directly” disposed on another structure, or that a structure is “indirectly” disposed through another structure.

In the specification, the terms “a”, “an”, “the”, and “said” are used to mean the presence of one or more elements/components, etc.; the terms “comprising”, “including” and “having” are used to represent the meaning of openness and means that there may be additional elements/components/etc. in addition to the listed elements/components/etc.; the terms “first”, “second” and “third”, etc. are used only as marks, not a limit on the number of objects.

It should be understood that the present disclosure does not limit its application to the detailed structure and arrangement of the components as set forth in the specification. The present disclosure is capable of having other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. The foregoing variations and modifications are intended to fall within the scope of the present disclosure. It should be understood that the present disclosure disclosed and defined herein extends to all alternative combinations of two or more individual features that are mentioned or apparent in the specification and/or drawings. All of these different combinations constitute a number of alternative aspects of the present disclosure. The embodiments described in the specification are illustrative of the best mode of the present disclosure, and will enable those skilled in the art to utilize the present disclosure.