Conductive module and display device

A conductive module includes spaced conductive layers and connecting lines. Adjacent conductive layers are electrically connected by one connecting line. Each connecting line includes a contact portion and an extending portion, the contact portion is electrically connected to one conductive layer and the extending portion. The extending portion is very stretchable in effective length to render the conductive module stretchable and deformable. A projection of the contact portion on a plane where the extending portion extends is a square, a width of the extending portion is equal to a side length of the contact portion.

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is based on, and claims priority from, China application number 202111075476.8, filed Sep. 14, 2021, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

FIELD

The subject matter herein generally relates to flexible conductive module technology, and particularly relates to a conductive module and a display device, including the conductive module.

BACKGROUND

A conventional electronic device (such as a wearable display, or a curved touch device) may deform when working. The electronic device can include a conductive structure which is flexible to achieve the deformation. The stretchable conductive structure may electrically connected to a non-stretchable conductive structure. A junction between the stretchable conductive structure and the non-stretchable conductive structure is susceptible to breaking, causing non- or mal-function.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As shown inFIG.1, a display device100of the present embodiment is used to display images. The display device100may be a light emitting diode display, an organic light emitting display, or a liquid crystal display, etc. In this exemplary embodiment, the display device100is a light emitting diode display. The display device100includes a plurality of pixels11arranged in an array including a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns. Each pixel11is provided with a light emitting diode (LED). The LEDs in the pixels11are driven to emit light to enable the display device100to display the images.

As shown inFIG.2, the display device100includes a plurality of conductive layers12. Each pixel11is provided with a conductive layer12. That is, the number of conductive layers12is equal to the number of pixels11. The conductive layers12are also arranged in an array including a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns. In this embodiment, each conductive layer12is an electrode of one of the LEDs a pixel11. In other embodiments, each conductive layer12may be a pixel electrode when the display device100is a liquid crystal display. In other embodiments, the conductive layers12may be located outside the pixels11. For example, each conductive layer12may be a terminal of a chip and be in a non-display area of the display device100.

The display device100also includes a plurality of connecting lines13. Each connecting line13is configured to electrically connect two adjacent conductive layers12. There is one connection line13between adjacent conductive layers12in each row, and there is one connection line13between adjacent conductive layers12in each column. In this exemplary embodiment, connection lines13connecting conductive layers12in a same row are used to transmit gate driving signals, and connection lines13connecting conductive layers12in a same column are used to transmit data signals. The display device100is used to display the images according to the gate driving signals and the data signals.

The display device100also includes a substrate14, wherein the conductive layers12and the connection lines13are on a same surface of the substrate14.

As shown inFIG.2andFIG.3, each connecting line13includes a contact portion131and an extending portion132. The contact portion131is electrically connected to one of the conductive layers12and the extending portion132so that the conductive layer12and the extending portion132are electrically connected. In this embodiment, each connecting line13includes two contact portions131and one extending portion132. The extending portion132is electrically connected between the two contact portions131. The two contact portions131are used to electrically connect different conductive layers12.

In the display device100of the present embodiment, each conductive layer12itself is made of rigid and inflexible material. In the display device100of the present embodiment, each connecting line13is also made of rigid material. The extending portion132is flexible and is made in the shape of a curve (such as wavy or in a sine wave shape). That is, the extending portion132is not straight in a nature state. When the display device100is pulled (that is, subjected to a tensile force), neither the conductive layers12nor the contact portions131deform to a significant extent, while the extending portions132do deform. The extending portions132being flexible allow the whole display device100to stretch and deform even though the conductive layers12and the contact portions131are not themselves flexible. Therefore, an area between adjacent conductive layers12in the display device100(that is, an area crossed by each connecting line13) is defined as a stretchable area of the display device100, and the area where each conductive layer12is located in the display device100is defined as a non-stretchable area of the display device100.

The conductive layers12and the contact portions131are not stretchable, so reducing a risk of fracture of the conductive layers12and the contact portions131. In other embodiments, the conductive layers12and the contact portions131may in fact stretch to a certain extent, which increases overall deformation capacity of the whole display device100.

In this exemplary embodiment, the conductive layers12, the extending portions132, and the contact portions131are formed by a patterning process (such as etching, laser cutting, etc.). A same material can be formed in a same patterning process. For example, in this embodiment, if material of the extending portions132and the contact portions131are the same, the extending portions132and the contact portions131may be formed in a same patterning process. In other embodiments, the conductive layers12are may made of stretchable material, if material of the conductive layers12, the extending portions132, and the contact portions131are the same, the conductive layers12, the extending portions132, and the contact portions131can be formed in a same patterning process, which simplifies manufacturing process of display device.

In this embodiment, the conductive layers12have a same structure, the extending portions132have a same structure, and the contact portions131have a same structure. Only one conductive layer12, one extending portion132, and one contact portion131are shown inFIG.3, being examples only to illustrate structures and electrical connection relationships of the conductive layers12, the extending portions132, and the contact portions131.

In this embodiment, the connecting lines13are made of rigid conductive materials such as gold, copper, aluminum, molybdenum, and titanium or other metal. In other embodiment, the connecting lines13are made of conductive paste such as silver paste, carbon paste, or copper paste. In other embodiments, the connecting lines13may be made of conductive material with deformation ability. Further, the connecting lines13are made in form of wave, which itself improves the deformability of the connecting lines13and the display device100.

In some embodiment, the substrate is made of materials with deformability so that the whole display device100is stretchable.

In this exemplary embodiment, each extending portion132is curved as a natural state, and each extending portion132will become straighter and increase in effective length when pulled or stretched by a tensile force.

When the display device100is subjected to a tensile force (tensile force F), neither of the conductive layers12and the contact portions131deform, while the extending portions132are stretched in deformation, so that the whole display device100can deform. If the conductive layer12was directly electrically connected to the extending portion132, the tensile force F would cause stress at each junction between the conductive layers12and the connecting lines13when the display device100was subjected to the tensile force F, increasing the fracture risk of the connecting lines13. In this embodiment, the contact portions131serve to reduce the fracture risk of the connecting lines13when pulled.

In one exemplary embodiment, each extending portion132has a uniform width (width d). A projection of each contact portion131on a plane where the extending portions132extend is a square. That is, the extending portions132is on the plane, and a pattern of the projection is a square. Therefore, each contact portion131includes four sides. One of the four sides is utilized as the electrical connection to one extending portion132and the other one of the four sides adjacent to the one of the four sides is electrically connected to one conductive layer12. Since a side length L of the projection is equal to the width d of each extending portion132, sizes of the contact portions131match sizes of the extending portions132. Then, when the extending portions132are stretched, intensity of stress at the junctions of the contact portions131and the extending portions132is reduced so as to render the connecting lines13almost unbreakable. Therefore, the contact portions131improve connection strength between the conductive layers12and the connecting lines13. In other embodiments, all extending portions132do not have a uniform width, the side length L of each contact portion131is equal to a width where the extending portions132connect the contact portions131.

As shown inFIG.4, in this embodiment, since the extending portions132are wave-like in shape, each arc or curve has tangent lines, a tangent line at a connection location between each extending portion132and each contact portion131being defined as a tangent line L1. Each contact portion131is connected to the conductive layer12at an edge of the conductive layer12, a straight line of such edge being defined as a contact line L2. In this embodiment, an included angle θ between the tangent line L1and the contact line L2is less than 30°. Therefore, each extending portion132and each contact portion131are smoothly connected, which is conducive to smoother absorption of stress when the connecting lines13are stretched.

As shown inFIG.5, in a comparative embodiment, an included angle θ between a tangent line L1and a contact line L2is greater than 30°. As shown inFIG.6, the included angle θ between the tangent line L1and the contact line L2in this embodiment is less than 30°. When tensile force F is applied, a stress measured on the connecting line23inFIG.5is 423.1 MPa, while a stress measured on the connecting line13inFIG.6is 337.1 MPa. When the included angle θ between the tangent L1and the contact line L2is reduced, the stress on the connecting line13is also significantly reduced. This embodiment promotes reduction of the impact of stress by making the included angle θ between the tangent line L1and the contact line L2less than 30°, which also improves the connection strength between the extending portions132and the contact portions131and the electrical connection between the extending portions132and the conductive layers12.

As shown inFIG.7, in a modified embodiment, a projection of each contact portion131on a plane where the extending portions132extend is smooth in contour and not square. That is, at least two edges of each contact portion131are curved. In this way, the contact portions131and the extending portions132flow smoothly shape-wise into each other, reducing stress at the junction between each extending portion132and each contact portion131.

As shown inFIG.8, in a comparative embodiment, the contact portions331and the extending portions332do not flow smoothly into each other shape-wise but form an angle α, which increases stress at the junction of each extending portion332and each contact portion331. When tensile force F is applied, a stress on the connecting line33of the comparative embodiment is 474.7 MPa, while a stress on the connecting line13inFIG.7is 423.1 MPa. A smooth transition in shape reduces stress at the junction of each extending portion132and each contact portion131, which again improves the connection strength between the extending portions132and the contact portions131and improves the quality of electrical connection between the connecting lines13and the conductive layers12.

Structures shown inFIG.3can be applied as a conductive module for any device which must undergo deformation. For example, such device may include a touch panel. When the conductive module10is inside the touch panel, each conductive layer12may be a touch electrode, or a touch chip, etc. When the conductive module10is used in such touch panel, all beneficial effects of the display device100are realized.