Patent Publication Number: US-2016242702-A1

Title: Multi-Sided Display

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     Embodiments of the present invention relate to a multi-sided display. 
     BACKGROUND 
     With the expansion of application fields of display devices, the display device is no longer limited to the need for flat-panel display. Now the device design for achieving multi-sided display has been raised. The multi-sided display device is generally realized by splicing a plurality of flat-panel displays and achieving display in various directions respectively, e.g., a design of a lamp box. In the multi-sided display, images displayed on various display surfaces are relatively independent and the spliced positions of the display surfaces have edges and corners, so that the continuity of the display images in various directions cannot be achieved. 
     SUMMARY 
     Embodiments of the present invention provide a multi-sided display, which is used for achieving continuous multi-sided display. 
     An embodiment of the present invention provides a multi-sided display, which comprises: a first display panel and a second display panel, wherein two opposite edges of the first display panel are respectively bent towards the reverse side of a display area thereof, to allow the first display panel to form a U-shaped structure; two opposite edges of the second display panel are respectively bent towards the reverse side of a display area thereof, to allow the second display panel to form a U-shaped structure; the two edges of the first display panel bent towards the display area thereof are respectively encapsulated with the two edges of the second display panel bent towards the display area thereof to form a closed structure; and a display surface of the multi-sided display is an outer surface of the closed structure. 
     For example, in a possible implementation, the multi-sided display provided by the embodiment of the present invention further comprises: a first encapsulation plate configured to seal the top of the closed structure and a second encapsulation plate configured to seal the bottom of the closed structure. 
     For example, in a possible implementation, in the multi-sided display provided by the embodiment of the present invention, the first display panel and the second display panel, the first display panel and the first encapsulation plate, the first display panel and the second encapsulation plate, the second display panel and the first encapsulation plate, and the second display panel and the second encapsulation plate are assembled together by pressing the mutually matched recesses and corresponding projections, gluing the panels or the plates, or fastening the panels or the plates through screws. 
     For example, in a possible implementation, in the multi-sided display provided by the embodiment of the present invention, the two edges of the first display panel and the second display panel are respectively encapsulated through a third encapsulation plate. 
     For example, in a possible implementation, in the multi-sided display provided by the embodiment of the present invention, the third encapsulation plates, the first encapsulation plate and the second encapsulation plate form an integrated structure. 
     In a possible implementation, the multi-sided display provided by the embodiment of the present invention further comprises at least one function slot and/or physical function key, wherein the function slot and/or the physical function key is disposed at an encapsulated position of the edges of the first display panel and the second display panel; or disposed in a non-display area of the first display panel and/or the second display panel; or disposed on a surface of the first encapsulation plate and/or the second encapsulation plate. 
     For example, in a possible implementation, the multi-sided display provided by the embodiment of the present invention further comprises a health monitoring unit, wherein the health monitoring unit is disposed at an encapsulated position of the edges of the first display panel and the second display panel; or disposed in a non-display area of the first display panel and/or the second display panel; or disposed on a surface of the first encapsulation plate and/or the second encapsulation plate. 
     For example, in a possible implementation, in the multi-sided display provided by the embodiment of the present invention, the health monitoring unit includes an infrared detection unit and/or a minimally invasive detection unit; the infrared detection unit is configured to detect a body temperature; and the minimally invasive detection unit is configured to detect blood glucose. 
     For example, in a possible implementation, in the multi-sided display provided by the embodiment of the present invention, the first display panel and the second display panel are frameless at least at the encapsulated positions of the edges. 
     For example, in a possible implementation, in the multi-sided display provided by the embodiment of the present invention, the first display panel and the second display panel further include a circuit board; and the circuit board of the first display panel and the second display panel is connected with the display panels through flexible electronic skins. 
     For example, in a possible implementation, in the multi-sided display provided by the embodiment of the present invention, a transparent prism structure is disposed at least at the encapsulated position of the edges of the first display panel and the second display panel and configured to change direction of emergent light. 
     For example, in a possible implementation, in the multi-sided display provided by the embodiment of the present invention, the transparent prism structure is at least projected out of the outer surface of the closed structure; and a section of the transparent prism structure, perpendicular to the outer surface of the closed structure, is a semicircle or a positive trapezoid. 
     For example, in a possible implementation, in the multi-sided display provided by the embodiment of the present invention, the first display panel is a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel, an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display panel or an electronic paper display panel; and the second display panel is an LCD panel, an OLED display panel or an electronic paper display panel. 
     For example, in a possible implementation, in the multi-sided display provided by the embodiment of the present invention, the first display panel and the second display panel are touch display panels. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A brief description will be given below to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments to provide a more clear understanding of the technical solutions of embodiments of the present invention. It is apparent that the drawings described below only involve some embodiments of the present invention but are not intended to limit the present invention. 
         FIG. 1  is a structural exploded view I of components in a multi-sided display provided by an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2 a    is a top view of the multi-sided display provided by an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2 b    is a schematic structural exploded view of the multi-sided display provided by an embodiment of the present invention, in which the recess and projection pressing way is adopted for assembling the components; 
         FIG. 2 c    is a schematic structural exploded view of the multi-sided display provided by an embodiment of the present invention, in which the gluing way is adopted for assembling the components; 
         FIG. 2 d    is a schematic structural exploded view of the multi-sided display provided by an embodiment of the present invention, in which the screw is adopted for assembling the components; 
         FIG. 3 a    is a structural exploded view II of the components of the multi-sided display provided by an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3 b    is a structural exploded view III of the components of the multi-sided display provided by an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram I of the multi-sided display provided by an embodiment of the present invention comprising a transparent prism structure; 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram II of the multi-sided display provided by an embodiment of the present invention comprising the transparent prism structure; and 
         FIG. 6  is a structural exploded view IV of the components of the multi-sided display provided by an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Technical solutions according to embodiments of the present invention will be described clearly and completely as below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention. It is apparent that the described embodiments are only a part of but not all of exemplary embodiments of the present invention. Based on the described embodiments of the present invention, various other embodiments can be obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative labor and those embodiments shall fall into the protection scope of the present invention. 
     Detailed description will be given below to the specific implementations of the multi-sided display provided by an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     It should be noted that the shape and the size of the components in the accompanying drawings do not reflect the true scale of the multi-sided display and are only intended to illustrate the content of the present invention. 
     An embodiment of the present invention provides a multi-sided display, which comprises a first display panel  01  and a second display panel  02 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , two opposite edges of the first display panel  01  are respectively bent towards the reverse side of a display area  011  thereof, to allow the first display panel  01  to form a U-shaped structure. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , two opposite edges of the second display panel  02  are respectively bent towards the reverse side of a display area  021  thereof, to allow the second display panel  02  to form a U-shaped structure. 
     The two edges of the first display panel  01  bent towards the reverse side of the display area thereof are respectively encapsulated with the two edges of the second display panel  02  bent towards the reverse side of the display panel thereof to form a closed structure. As shown by the top view of  FIG. 2 a   , a display surface  100  of the multi-sided display is an outer surface of the closed structure, as shown by the oblique line in  FIG. 2   a.    
     For example, the display surface  100  may include the display area  011  of the first display panel  01  and the display area  021  of the second display panel  02 . The display surface may only include the display areas and may also include non-display areas (peripheral areas). The non-display area may be disposed on one side of the display area or may encircle the display area. For example, as shown in  FIG. 3 a   , a non-display area  022  encircles the display area  021  of the second display panel  02 . 
     In a multi-sided display provided by the embodiment of the present invention, the bent first display panel  01  and the bent second display panel  02  are encapsulated into a closed structure. As seen from  FIG. 1 , the closed structure is composed of four flat surfaces and four cambered or circular arc-like surfaces, and the flat surfaces and the four cambered surfaces in at least four directions (front, back, left and right) of the closed structure can all achieve the function of image display. Moreover, the first display panel  01  and the second display panel  02  adopting the bent U-shaped structures, which can achieve display surfaces in four directions (front, back, left and right), may be combined into a curved surface through the cambered surfaces. Compared with a multi-sided display formed by a plurality of planar display panels, which has a plurality of edges and corners, the multi-sided display herein can enhance the continuity of image display in various directions. It should be noted that, in  FIG. 1 , an upward sloping arrow indicates a rear surface of the closed structure; a downward sloping arrow indicates a front surface of the closed structure; a left arrow indicates a left surface of the closed structure; and a right arrow indicates a right surface of the closed structure. 
     In implementation, as shown in  FIG. 2 a   , the proportion of the length b and a of two adjacent flat surfaces in the multi-sided display may be adjusted according to an application scenario of the multi-sided display, so that an external contour of the multi-sided display is like a columnar structure of which a section is a rectangle or a columnar structure of which a section is a square. When the multi-sided display is applied in mobile terminals for displays, such as mobile phones, front and rear surfaces may be set to have large area and left and right surfaces are set to be narrow, so that the ultrathin design of the mobile phones can be conveniently achieved. Moreover, components necessary for mobile terminals, such as power supplies and circuit boards, may be mounted in the closed structure of the multi-sided display, to allow an integrated structure capable of displaying image to be formed on an outer surface of the mobile terminal. When the multi-sided display is applied for three-dimensional (3D) multi-sided display, such as a stereo display wall, the area of front and rear surfaces and left and right surfaces may be set to be substantially same. No further description will be repeated herein. 
     Moreover, an included angle between two adjacent flat surfaces of the multi-sided display may be adjusted according to actual needs. Generally, for the display surface of the multi-sided display to have good image display continuity, the included angle is generally selected to be an obtuse angle or a right angle. Illustration is given in  FIG. 2 a    by taking the case that the included angle is a right angle as an example. 
     In implementation, in a multi-sided display provided by an embodiment of the present invention, at least one display surface thereof may be set to be a main display surface according to an application scenario. For example, when the multi-sided display is applied in a mobile phone, the front and rear surfaces may be taken as main display surfaces, and the working state may be as follows. 
     1. The same content may be simultaneously displayed on the main display surfaces. For example, the same image may be simultaneously displayed on the front and rear surfaces. 
     2. Different contents may be respectively displayed on a plurality of main display surfaces. For example, an image of the front of the human body is displayed on the front surface and an image of the back of the human body is displayed on the rear surface. 
     3. The content is only displayed on one main display surface and other main display surfaces are in the off state. 
     Moreover, in a multi-sided display provided by an embodiment of the present invention, some function keys or user interface (UI) icons of application (APP) software and the like may be displayed on other display surfaces except the main display surfaces according to the settings. For example, function buttons may be displayed on the left and the right surfaces and four curved transition surfaces. 
     The description on the settings and the working states of the main display surfaces is an illustrated demonstration. In implementation, the same content may be displayed by taking the first display panel  01  and the second display panel  02  as a whole, or different contents may be displayed in different areas. The present invention is not limited thereto. 
     In implementation, in a multi-sided display provided by an embodiment of the present invention, the first display panel  01  and the second display panel  02  may be formed by touch display panels, so that users can directly adopt the touch display panels for corresponding operations when the function keys are displayed. The first display panel  01  and the second display panel  02  may also be a non-touch display panel. The present invention is not limited thereto. 
     Moreover, when the multi-sided display is applied in a display wall, the first display panel and the second display panel may also be made as a transparent display panel. In such a way, some articles may be placed in the closed structure formed by the first display panel  01  and the second display panel  02  to be exhibited conveniently, so that the corresponding first display panel  01  and the corresponding second display panel  02  may display relevant information, such as an introduction of the exhibited articles, and relevant browsing is achieved through the touch function of the multi-sided display. When the multi-sided display is applied in a mobile phone, the first display panel and the second display panel are generally set to be a non-transparent display panel. 
     In implementation, in a multi-sided display provided by an embodiment of the present invention, the first display panel  01  may be an LCD panel, an OLED display panel or an electronic paper display panel. Correspondingly, the second display panel  02  may also be an LCD panel, an OLED display panel or an electronic paper display panel. 
     Moreover, as the first display panel  01  and the second display panel  02  require bending process, a flexible substrate must be selected when the first display panel  01  and the second display panel  02  are manufactured. The flexible substrate may include a glass substrate, a plastic substrate, or the like. The plastic substrate, for example, may include resin films, or the like, but it is not limited thereto. The materials of corresponding functional layers also must have corresponding flexibility, so that specific bending process of the first display panel  01  and the second display panel  02  can be performed. 
     Moreover, as shown in  FIG. 1 , a multi-sided display provided by an embodiment of the present invention may further comprise: a first encapsulation plate  03  for sealing the top of the closed structure and a second encapsulation plate  04  for sealing the bottom of the closed structure. The first encapsulation plate  03  and the second encapsulation plate  04  must have corresponding shapes according to the sectional view of the closed structure, to allow sealing the top and the bottom of the closed structure. 
     In implementation, when the multi-sided display provided by the embodiments of the present invention is manufactured, the first display panel  01  and the second display panel  02 , the first display panel  01  and the first encapsulation plate  03 , the first display panel  01  and the second encapsulation plate  04 , the second display panel  02  and the first encapsulation plate  03 , and the second display panel  02  and the second encapsulation plate  04  may be assembled via a plurality of ways. For example, they may be assembled by pressing the mutually matched recesses and corresponding projections (as shown in  FIG. 2 b   ), or gluing together (as shown in  FIG. 2 c   ), or fastening by screws  07  (as shown in  FIG. 2 d   ). But the present invention is not limited thereto. 
     For example, when the pressing way of mutually matched recesses and corresponding projections is adopted for the assembling process, recesses may be formed on one component to be assembled and projections may be formed on the other component to be assembled. Taking the assembly of the second display panel  02  and the first encapsulation plate  03  as an example, as shown in  FIG. 2 b   , recesses  025  may be formed on the second display panel  02  and projections  035  are formed on the first encapsulation plate  03 , or projections may also be formed on the second display panel  02  and recesses are formed on the first encapsulation plate  03 . But the present invention is not limited thereto. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 c   , when the gluing way is adopted for the assembling process, an adhesion layer  023  having adhesive effect may be formed between two components to be assembled. 
     Moreover, in a multi-sided display provided by an embodiment of the present invention, to simplify the complexity of the structure, as shown in  FIG. 3 a   , two edges of the first display panel  01  and the second display panel  02  may also be respectively encapsulated through a third encapsulation plate  05 . 
     Furthermore, the third encapsulation plates  05 , the first encapsulation plate  03  and the second encapsulation plate  04  may be set to be an integral structure. In this way, when the multi-sided display provided by the embodiment of the present invention is assembled, the integral structure, the first display panel  01  and the second display panel  02  may be directly assembled. 
     For example, the adoption of the pressing or gluing way to assemble the first display panel  01  and the second display panel  02  may be favorable for the frameless design of the first display panel  01  and the second display panel  02  at the encapsulated positions of the edges. That is to say, when the first display pane  01  and the second display panel  02  are manufactured, left and right edges thereof may be set to be frameless, to allow the first display panel  01  and the second display panel  02  are at least frameless at the encapsulated positions of the edges, to allow the first display panel  01  and the second display panel  02  to be frameless at the encapsulated positions of the edges. 
     Furthermore, as shown in  FIG. 3 b   , the first display panel and the second display panel generally may further include a circuit board  017 . To ensure the connection between the circuit board  017  of the first display panel  01  and the second display panel  02  and the display panels, both (the circuit board and the display panels) may also be connected through flexible electronic skins  018  and  019 . The flexible electronic skin generally may be made from meshy conductive rubber materials. When the electronic skin is adopted to connect the display area and the circuit board, upper and lower frames and frames at the encapsulated positions of the edges of the first display panel  01  and the second display panel  02  may all achieve a frameless design, to allow the finally assembled multi-sided display to achieve real frameless circular display. 
     Moreover, in a multi-sided display provided by an embodiment of the present invention, optical design may also be added, so that viewers cannot view the encapsulated frames of the first display panel  01  and the second display panel  02  visually. For example, as shown in  FIG. 4 , a transparent prism structure  06  for changing the direction of emergent light may be formed at the encapsulated position of the edges of the first display panel  01  and the second display panel  02 . The transparent prism structure  06  may refract light at the encapsulated position of the edges of the first display panel  01  and the second display panel  02 , which is originally emitted towards the front, to the encapsulated position of the edges, so that the viewers cannot view seams visually, and the visual effect of frameless circular display can be achieved. 
     It should be noted that, when the OLED display panel is adopted to manufacture the first display panel and the second display panel, the film encapsulation technology of the OLED display panel may be utilized to achieve physical frameless effect. When the LCD panel or the electronic paper display panel is adopted to manufacture the first display panel and the second display panel, due to the encapsulation technology of the LCD panel and the e-paper display panel, real physical frameless effect cannot be achieved, so some optical designs such as a transparent prism structure must be adopted to help achieving the optical frameless effect. When the OLED display panel is adopted to manufacture the first display panel and the second display panel, some optical designs may also be adopted to help optimizing the frameless effect. 
     In implementation, a transparent prism structure  06  may be disposed only at the encapsulated position of the edges of the first display panel  01  and the second display panel  02 , or as shown in  FIG. 4 , the transparent prism structure  06  may be disposed on all the outer surfaces of the first display panel  01  and the second display panel  02 . But the present invention is not limited thereto. 
     Moreover, the transparent prism structure  06  disposed at the encapsulated position of the edges of the first display panel  01  and the second display panel  02  shall be at least partially projected out of the outer surface of the closed structure, namely shall be at least partially projected out of the outer surfaces of the first display panel  01  and the second display panel  02 , as shown in the sectional view  FIG. 5 . And a section of the transparent prism structure  06 , perpendicular to the outer surface of the closed structure, namely the outer surfaces of the first display panel  01  and the second display panel  02 , may be set to be a semicircle (as shown in  FIG. 4 ), or a positive trapezoid (as shown in  FIG. 5 ) or the like, so that the light-emitting direction can be changed. 
     Furthermore, as shown in  FIG. 6 , a multi-sided display provided by an embodiment of the present invention may further comprise: at least one function slot  015  and/or physical function key  014 . For example, the function slot may be an SD card slot, an SIM card slot, a USB slot, a headphone slot, a charging slot, or the like. The physical function key may be a switch button, a sound adjustment button, a brightness adjustment button, or the like. When a multi-sided display provided by an embodiment of the present invention has specific frame, the function slot and/or the physical function key may be disposed at the encapsulated position of the edges of the first display panel  01  and the second display panel  02 . For example, the function slot and/or the physical function key may only be disposed at the encapsulated position of one side and may also be disposed at the encapsulated positions of two edges. But the present invention is not limited thereto. The function slot and/or the physical function key may also be disposed in the non-display area(s) of the first display panel  01  and/or the second display panel  02 . When a multi-sided display provided by an embodiment of the present invention is frameless, the function slot and/or the physical function key may be disposed on the surface(s) of the first encapsulation plate  03  and/or the second encapsulation plate  04 .  FIG. 6  illustrates two physical function keys  014  disposed on the first encapsulation plate  03  and a plurality of function slots  015  formed at the encapsulated position of one side of the first display panel  01  and the second display panel  02 . 
     Furthermore, a multi-sided display provided by an embodiment of the present invention has the function of multi-sided display and may also be provided with some additional features to improve the product merit. For example, in implementation, a multi-sided display provided by an embodiment of the present invention may further comprise: a health monitoring unit  016 . The health monitoring unit may be configured to detect the health of the human body and may also realize telemedicine and achieve corresponding display on the display surface of the multi-sided display. 
     When the multi-sided display provided by the embodiment of the present invention has specific frame, the health monitoring unit is disposed at the encapsulated position of the edges of the first display panel  01  and the second display panel  02 . For example, the health monitoring unit may only be disposed at the encapsulated position of one side and may also be disposed at the encapsulated positions of two edges. But the present invention is not limited thereto. The health monitoring unit may also be disposed in the non-display area(s) of the first display panel  01  and/or the second display panel  02 . When a multi-sided display provided by an embodiment of the present invention is frameless, the health monitoring unit may be disposed on the surface(s) of the first encapsulation plate  03  and/or the second encapsulation plate  04 . 
     Generally, the health monitoring unit is provided with a data acquisition component and a data analysis and storage component. For example, the data acquisition unit generally may adopt infrared sampling, sensor sampling, or the like. For example, the health monitoring unit may adopt an infrared detection unit and/or a minimally invasive detection unit. For example, the infrared detection unit may be configured to monitor the body temperature, and the minimally invasive detection unit may be configured to monitor the blood glucose. 
     Furthermore, when a multi-sided display provided by an embodiment of the present invention is applied in products, such as IT display products, TVs and mobile phones, image acquisition devices, such as cameras, and devices, such as bluetooth devices, may also be disposed in the non-display area(s) of the first display panel  01  and/or the second display panel  02 . But the present invention is not limited thereto. 
     The multi-sided display provided by the embodiments of the present invention comprises a first display panel and a second display panel. Two opposite edges of the first display panel and the second display panel are respectively bent towards the reverse sides of display areas, to allow the first display panel and the second display panel to form U-shaped structures. The two edges of the first display panel bent towards the reverse side of the display area thereof are respectively encapsulated with the two edges of the second display panel bent towards the reverse side of the display area thereof to form a closed structure. A display surface of the multi-sided display is an outer surface of the closed structure. In the multi-sided display provided by the embodiments of the present invention, the bent first display panel and the bent second display panel are encapsulated to form a closed structure, and the function of image display can be achieved on surfaces in at least four directions of the closed structure. And in the first display panel and the second display panel adopting the bent U-shaped structures, display surfaces in four directions may be combined into a curved surface through cambered or circular arc-like surfaces. Compared with a multi-sided display formed by a plurality of planar display panels, which has a plurality of edges and corners, the multi-sided display can enhance the continuity of image display in various directions. 
     The following points should be noted: 
     (1) Unless otherwise specified, the technical terms or scientific terms used herein have normal meanings understood by those skilled in the art. The words “first”, “second” and the like used in the disclosure do not indicate the sequence, the number or the importance but are only used for distinguishing different components. 
     (2) The accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention only involve relevant structures of the embodiments of the present invention, and other structures may refer to general designs. 
     (3) The embodiments of the present invention and the characteristics in the embodiments may be combined with each other on the premise of no conflict. 
     The described above are just exemplary implementations of the present invention and the invention is not intended to be limited thereto. An ordinary skill in the art can contemplate various variations and modifications to the present invention without departure from the spirit and the scope of the present invention, and such variations and modifications shall fall in the scope of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims. 
     The present application claims the priority of Chinese patent application No. 201410771575.3 filed on Dec. 12, 2014, and entitled “MULTI-SIDED DISPLAY”, which is incorporated herein by reference entirely.