Patent Description:
With the continuous update of the display module technology, the small size panel is gradually moving toward lighter and thinner, high screen-to-body ratio, and ultra-narrow borders or even boundless development. The display panel of the conventional structure typically includes a display area and a non-display area located on the peripheral side of the display area. The non-display area is used to arrange and bind the flexible circuit, and the existence of the flexible circuit will occupy more non-display space, which is not conducive to the narrow border design Therefore, there is an urgent need for a display panel that enables narrow border design, a display device and a manufacturing method for the display panel.

<CIT> provides a display apparatus, which includes a base layer having a bend allowance section between a first portion and a second portion of the display apparatus, a plurality of organic light-emitting diode (OLED) elements disposed on the first portion of the base layer, an encapsulation over the OLED elements, a printed circuit film attached to the second portion of the base layer, and a micro-coating layer disposed over the bend allowance section of the base layer.

<CIT> discloses a liquid-crystal display device and a manufacturing method thereof. The liquid-crystal display device includes a liquid-crystal display panel and a backlight module located on one side of the liquid-crystal display panel, wherein the liquid-crystal display panel includes a first flexible substrate, a liquid-crystal layer and a second substrate, the first flexible substrate includes a planar zone and a bent zone, a circuit connecting layer is located in the bent zone of the first flexible substrate, a driving array for display is located in the planar zone of the first flexible substrate, the bent zone is bent towards the surface of the side, deviating from the liquid-crystal layer, of the first flexible substrate, and the bent zone is attached to the surface of the side, deviating from the liquid-crystal layer, of the backlight module after bending.

<CIT> discloses a flexible display device, which includes a back plate coupled to a rear surface of a flexible display panel with a bending portion and having an opening portion overlapped with the bending portion.

<CIT> provides a display device having a flexible substrate, which includes an active region and a wiring region. The active region possesses a plurality of pixels each including a display element. The wiring region has a plurality of terminals, and a plurality of wirings extends from the active region to the plurality of terminals. An insulating film included in the active region and extending from the active region has a sidewall between an edge of the flexible substrate and the wiring adjacent to the edge in the wiring region. The sidewall has a curved portion on a plane in which the plurality of wirings is arranged, and a distance between the edge and the curved portion is curvedly varied.

In one aspect, embodiments of the present application provides a display panel having a display area and a non-display area located on peripheral side of the display area, and the display panel includes: an array substrate including a first substrate and a second substrate that are laminated, wherein the second substrate is a flexible substrate, the second substrate includes a first extension portion and a second extension portion, the first extension portion is located at the display area, and the second extension portion extends from the first extension portion along a direction away from the first extension to the outside of the first substrate, via the non-display area, the second extension portion is provided with a connection circuit for being electrically connected with an external device; a package cover plate, located on one side of the second substrate away from the first substrate to encapsulate the array substrate, wherein the first substrate is a hard substrate, the package cover plate is a hard cover plate, an adhesive layer is further disposed between the package cover plate and the second substrate so that the second substrate is connected with the package cover plate through the adhesive layer, the adhesive layer is laminated on a lower surface of the package cover plate, and the adhesive layer is an optical glue layer, where the connection circuit is disposed on a surface of the second extension portion close to the first substrate.

The display panel according to the present application can solve the problem that the panel border is excessively wide. In the display panel provided in embodiments of the present application, the display panel includes an array substrate and a package cover plate, and the package cover plate provides protection to the array substrate. The array substrate includes a first substrate and a second substrate that are laminated, the second substrate being a flexible substrate, and the second extension portion of the second substrate projects out of the first substrate, and the second substrate can be disposed to bend. The second extension portion has a connection circuit for being electrically connected to an external device, so the array substrate can be connected with an external controller by a second extension portion. When the second extension portion bends to the back of the first substrate, it is possible to save the circuit binding space on the display panel to achieve the purpose of the narrow border.

In another aspect, embodiments of the present application also provides a display device including the above display panel.

In yet another aspect, embodiments of the present application also provides a method of manufacturing a display panel, and the display panel includes a display area and a non-display area disposed on at least one side of the display area, and the method comprises:.

Other features, objects, and advantages of the present application will become more apparent by reading the following detailed description of the non-limiting embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the same or similar reference signs indicate the same or similar features.

In order to better understand the present application, the display panel, the display device and the manufacturing method for the display panel according to an embodiment of the present application will be described in detail below with reference to <FIG>.

<FIG> is a schematic structural diagram of a display panel according to an embodiment of the present application, and the display panel has a display area and a non-display area located on the peripheral side of the display area. The display panel includes an array substrate <NUM> and a package cover plate <NUM>. The array substrate <NUM> includes a first substrate <NUM> and a second substrate <NUM> laminated along the first direction (the Z direction in <FIG>). The second substrate <NUM> is a flexible substrate. The second substrate <NUM> includes a first extension portion <NUM> and a second extension portion <NUM>. The first extension portion <NUM> is located in the display area. The second extension portion <NUM> extends from the first extension portion <NUM> via the non-display area to the outside of the first substrate <NUM> in a direction away from the first extension portion <NUM>. The second extension portion <NUM> is provided with a connection circuit <NUM> for being electrically connected with the external device so that the array substrate <NUM> can be electrically connected with the external device by the second extension portion <NUM>; The package cover plate <NUM> is located on one side of the second substrate <NUM> away from the first substrate <NUM> so as to encapsulate the array substrate <NUM>.

In the figures, the display area AA and the non-display area BB area are shown in the dot dash line. The dot dash line does not constitute a definition for the structure of the display panel, and the dot dash line is to show the dividing point of the AA area and the BB area.

The second substrate <NUM> can be made of any suitable material. In some embodiments, the second substrate <NUM> can be made of one or several materials selected from silicone rubber, urethane elastomer and acrylic elastomer.

In the display panel of embodiments of the present application, the display panel includes an array substrate <NUM> and a package cover plate <NUM>, and the package cover plate <NUM> provides protection for the array substrate <NUM>. The array substrate <NUM> includes a first substrate <NUM> and a second substrate <NUM> that are laminated, and the second substrate <NUM> is a flexible substrate. The second extension portion <NUM> of the second substrate <NUM> projects out of the first substrate <NUM> such that the second substrate <NUM> can be disposed to bend. The second extension portion <NUM> has a connection circuit <NUM> for being electrically connecting with an external device, and thus the array substrate <NUM> can be connected with an external device such as the controller by the second extension portion <NUM>. When the second extension portion <NUM> is bent to the back of the first substrate <NUM>, the circuit binding space on the display panel can be saved, thereby the purpose of the narrow border is attained.

The portion of the second extension portion <NUM> projecting out of the first substrate <NUM> can have any suitable shape. In some alternative embodiments, the second extension portion <NUM> includes a connecting section 122a connected with the first extension portion <NUM> and a bending section 122b that is disposed by the connecting section 122a bending in the direction closer to the first substrate <NUM>, that is, the second extension portion <NUM> includes a connecting section 122a connected with the first extension portion <NUM> and a bending section 122b that is disposed by the connecting section 122a bending in the direction away from the package cover plate <NUM> toward the display area AA. The free end of the bending section 122b away from the connecting section 122a is provided with a control circuit <NUM>. The bending section 122b is a portion of the second extension portion <NUM> projecting out of the first substrate <NUM>. The control circuit <NUM> can be disposed in any suitable location. For example, the control circuit <NUM> may be disposed on one side of the free end away from the first substrate <NUM>, or the control circuit <NUM> is located between the free end and the first substrate <NUM>, i.e., the control circuit <NUM> is located on one side of the free end close to the first substrate <NUM>.

In these embodiments, the second extension portion <NUM> includes a bending section 122b. The bending section 122b is disposed to bend and the free end of the bending section 122b is connected with the control circuit <NUM> such that the control circuit <NUM> can be connected to the back of the first substrate <NUM> by the bending section 122b and thus the binding space is saved to achieve the purpose of the narrow border. The control circuit <NUM> can be implemented by any suitable control circuit, for example, a Chip On Film (COF) circuit.

In the display panel manufactured by embodiments of the present application, the entire array substrate <NUM> does not bend, and only part of the second substrate <NUM> bends. The bending portion is thinner, which facilitates to bending treatment, and increases the bending degree appropriately, thus reducing the distance between the free end and the first substrate <NUM> after bending, and enabling the display panel to be thinner.

The connection circuit <NUM> is disposed on the surface of the second extension portion <NUM> close to the first substrate <NUM>. At this time, the connection end of the connection circuit <NUM> is exposed to the surface of the second extension portion <NUM> close to the first substrate <NUM>. The control circuit <NUM> may be disposed at the surface of the second extension portion <NUM> close to the first substrate <NUM> in order to be connected with the connection circuit <NUM>. Therefore, when the second extension portion <NUM> is disposed to bend, the control circuit <NUM> can be disposed between the free end and the first substrate <NUM>.

The first substrate <NUM> can be any suitable form of substrate, and the package cover plate <NUM> can be any suitable form of cover plate. The first substrate <NUM> is a hard substrate, and the package cover plate <NUM> is a hard cover plate.

The first substrate <NUM> is a hard substrate, and the package cover plate <NUM> is a hard cover plate, and an adhesive layer <NUM> is further disposed between the package cover plate <NUM> and the second substrate <NUM> so that the second substrate <NUM> is connected with the package cover plate <NUM> by the adhesive layer <NUM>. The adhesive layer <NUM> is laminated on a lower surface of the package cover plate <NUM> and the adhesive layer <NUM> is an optical glue layer.

In these embodiments, since the bending section 122b of the second substrate <NUM> protrudes out of the first substrate <NUM>, even if the first substrate <NUM> is disposed as a hard substrate, it does not affect the bending of the second extension portion <NUM> of the second substrate <NUM> and the purpose of the narrow border can also be achieved. The package cover plate <NUM> is a hard cover plate, at this time the flexible second substrate <NUM> is bonded to the package cover plate <NUM> via the adhesive layer <NUM>. In the present embodiment, the display panel is a hard display panel, and the hard first substrate <NUM> is connected with the package cover plate <NUM> by the flexible second substrate <NUM> and the adhesive layer <NUM>, there is no need for Frit package, i.e. there is no need for a glass glue package. It is possible to further save the side space of the panel to achieve the purpose of the narrow border.

The first substrate <NUM> can be made of any suitable material. For example, the first substrate <NUM> is glass or the like. The package cover plate <NUM> can be made of any suitable material. For example, the package cover plate <NUM> is a glass cover plate.

In any of the above embodiments, the display panel further includes a pixel layer <NUM> and a drive device layer <NUM> disposed correspondingly to the display area, and the drive device of the drive device layer <NUM> is connected to the connection circuit <NUM> so that the drive device is connected with the external device through the connection circuit <NUM>. The pixel layer <NUM> refers to a pixel definition layer for setting red green blue sub-pixel, and the drive device layer <NUM> refers to a TFT device layer for setting the drive device.

The pixel layer <NUM> and the drive device layer <NUM> can be located in any suitable location. In some alternative embodiments, the pixel layer <NUM> and the drive device layer <NUM> may simultaneously located at the first substrate <NUM> or the second substrate <NUM>, or the pixel layer <NUM> is located at the second substrate <NUM>, and the drive device layer <NUM> is located at the first substrate <NUM>.

When the pixel layer <NUM> is disposed at the second substrate <NUM>, a package layer <NUM> is further disposed on one side of the second substrate <NUM> away from the first substrate <NUM>, and the second substrate <NUM> is bonded to the adhesive layer <NUM> by the package layer <NUM>. By disposing the package layer <NUM>, the sub-pixels of the pixel layer <NUM> can be operated normally. When the pixel layer <NUM> is disposed at the second substrate <NUM>, the drive device layer <NUM> can be disposed at the second substrate <NUM> or the first substrate <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, in some alternative embodiments, both the pixel layer <NUM> and the drive device layer <NUM> are located at the second substrate <NUM>, and the drive device layer <NUM> is located on one side of pixel layer <NUM> facing the first substrate <NUM>. A package layer <NUM> is disposed on one side of the second substrate <NUM> away from the first substrate <NUM>; the connection pin <NUM> of the drive device extends from the display area to the non-display area, and is connected to the connection circuit <NUM> on the non-display area.

In these embodiments, both the pixel layer <NUM> and the driving device layer <NUM> are located at the second substrate <NUM>, and the first substrate <NUM> is a hard substrate to increase the strength of the array substrate <NUM>. When the drive device layer <NUM> is located at the second substrate <NUM>, the drive device layer <NUM> is located within the first extension portion <NUM>, and the connection pin <NUM> of the drive device extends from the first extension portion <NUM> to the second extension portion <NUM> and is connected with the connection circuit <NUM> in the second extension portion <NUM>. That is, the connection pin <NUM> of the drive device extends from the display area to the non-display area and is connected with the connection circuit <NUM> on the non-display area. The driver device can be connected to the external device by the control circuit <NUM>. For example, the drive device can be connected with the control circuit <NUM> through the connection circuit <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, in other alternative embodiments, the pixel layer <NUM> is located at the second substrate <NUM>, and the drive device layer <NUM> is located at the first substrate <NUM>. A package layer <NUM> is further disposed on one side of the second substrate <NUM> away from the first substrate <NUM>. At this time, the connection pin <NUM> of the drive device is exposed by the first surface <NUM> of the first substrate <NUM> toward the second substrate <NUM> so as to be connected with the connection circuit <NUM>.

In these embodiments, the pixel layer <NUM> and the drive device layer <NUM> are disposed at the second substrate <NUM> and the first substrate <NUM> respectively. When the first substrate <NUM> is formed, the drive device layer <NUM> can be formed within the first substrate <NUM>. When the second substrate <NUM> is formed, the pixel layer <NUM> is formed within the second substrate <NUM>, and the pixel layer <NUM> may correspond to the drive device layer <NUM>. The drive device layer <NUM> can drive the pixel layer <NUM> to display. The connection pin <NUM> of the drive device is exposed by the first surface <NUM>. When the first substrate <NUM> and the second substrate <NUM> are connected with each other, the drive device and the connection circuit <NUM> are connected with each other.

The drive device and the connection circuit <NUM> are connected with each other in many ways. As shown in <FIG>, the connection end of the connection circuit <NUM> is exposed to the surface of the second extension portion <NUM> close to the first substrate <NUM>. The connection pin <NUM> of the drive device extends from the display area to the non-display area, and is exposed to the first surface <NUM> in the non-display area to be connected with the connection circuit <NUM>.

In these embodiments, the connection end of the connection circuit <NUM> is exposed to the surface of the second extension portion <NUM>, and the connection pin <NUM> of the drive device is exposed to the first surface <NUM>. When the second substrate <NUM> is formed on the first substrate <NUM>, the connection between the connection circuit <NUM> and the drive device is attained.

In other alternative embodiments, as shown in <FIG>, the first extension portion <NUM> includes a wire layer 121a. The wire layer 121a and the connection circuit <NUM> are connected with each other, and the wire of at least part of the wire layer 121a is exposed to the surface of the second substrate <NUM> facing the first substrate <NUM>. The connection pin <NUM> of the drive device is exposed by the display area and is connected with the wire layer 121a so as to be connected to the connection circuit <NUM> through the wire layer 121a.

In these embodiments, the first extension portion <NUM> includes a wire layer 121a. A wire of the wire layer 121a is exposed to the surface of the second substrate <NUM> facing the first substrate <NUM>, and the connection pin <NUM> is exposed by the display area so that when the second substrate <NUM> is formed on the first substrate <NUM>, the drive device can be connected with the wire layer 121a, and the wire of the wire layer 121a is connected to the connection circuit <NUM>, so that the drive device can be connected with the connection circuit <NUM> by the wire layer 121a.

The driver layer <NUM> includes a gate line extending in the second direction (X direction in <FIG>) and a data line extending along the third direction (Y direction in <FIG>). The gate line and the data line intersect with each other in the drive device layer <NUM> in a grid shape. The wire layer 121a can be any suitable arrangement. As shown in <FIG>, in some alternative embodiments, the wire of the wire layer 121a has a mesh shape, and the wire in the wire layer and the data line, the gate line overlap with each other, and the wire is exposed by the surface of the second substrate <NUM> facing the first substrate <NUM>, thereby the wire is connected with the gate line and/or data line of each drive device. The overlapping of the wire and the gate line, the data line can reduce the distance between the wire and the data line /or the gate line, and does not affect the normal display of the display panel at the same time. The wire of the wire layer 121a and the data line, the gate line overlapping with each other refers to that the wire of the wire layer 121a and the data line, the gate line overlap with each other in the first direction of <FIG>.

The wire of the wire layer 121a is disposed in many ways. For example, the wire may be directly disposed at the surface of the wire layer 121a toward the first substrate <NUM>, and the connection pin <NUM> of the first substrate <NUM> is exposed to the first surface <NUM> so as to be connected with the wire. Alternatively, the wire is located within the wire layer 121a, and the wire is exposed by the surface of the wire layer 121a toward the first substrate <NUM>, and the connection pin <NUM> and the wire are connected with each other.

In still another alternative embodiment, as shown in <FIG>, the transparency of the first extension portion <NUM> is greater than or equal to <NUM>%, and the connection circuit <NUM> is exposed to the surface of the second extension portion <NUM> facing the first substrate <NUM>; the first substrate <NUM> includes a first surface <NUM> facing the second substrate <NUM>, a second surface <NUM> away from the second substrate <NUM> and a side surface <NUM> connecting the first surface <NUM> and the second surface <NUM>; the drive device layer <NUM> and the pixel layer <NUM> of the display panel are disposed correspondingly to the display area and located at the first substrate <NUM>, the drive device layer <NUM> is located on one side of the pixel layer <NUM> away from the second substrate <NUM>, and the connection pin <NUM> of the drive device is exposed by the side surface <NUM> to be connected with the connection circuit <NUM>.

In these embodiments, both the pixel layer <NUM> and the drive device layer <NUM> are disposed at the first substrate <NUM>, and the second substrate <NUM> is used as an intermediate connection layer. The first substrate <NUM> can be connected to the package cover plate <NUM> by the second substrate <NUM> and the adhesive layer <NUM>. When the second substrate <NUM> is located on one side of the pixel layer <NUM> close to the package cover plate <NUM>, the transparency of the first extension portion <NUM> on the second substrate <NUM> is greater than or equal to <NUM>%, so that the normal display of the display panel is not affected, and the light of the pixel layer <NUM> can be exposed through the first extension portion <NUM>. The connection circuit <NUM> is exposed to the surface of the second extension portion <NUM> facing the first substrate <NUM>, and the connection pin <NUM> of the drive device is exposed by the side surface <NUM>, and thus the connection pin <NUM> of the drive device can be connected to the connection circuit <NUM> on the side surface <NUM>.

The second embodiment of the present application also provides a display device including the display panel of any of the above first embodiment. The display device can be any suitable type. For example, the display device can be a mobile terminal, a mobile phone, a computer display, or a notebook display, and the like.

Since the display device of the present application includes the above-described display panel, the display device of the present embodiment has the advantageous effect of the display panel of any of the above embodiments, which will not be described herein.

Referring to <FIG>, the third embodiment of the present application also provides a method of manufacturing a display panel which is the display panel of any of the above first embodiment, and the method of manufacturing a display panel comprises:
Step S1: providing a first substrate.

The first substrate <NUM> can have any suitable characteristics. For example, the first substrate <NUM> can be a flexible substrate or a hard substrate. Preferably, the first substrate <NUM> is a hard substrate, facilitating the subsequent components evaporating or printing on a hard substrate. Step S2: forming a second substrate on the first substrate.

The second substrate <NUM> is a flexible substrate, and the second substrate <NUM> includes a first extension portion <NUM> and a second extension portion <NUM>, and the first extension portion <NUM> is located in the display area, and the second extension portion <NUM> is provided with a connection circuit <NUM>, and the display panel can be connected to an external device through the connection circuit <NUM> on the second extension portion <NUM>. The second substrate <NUM> is formed on the first substrate <NUM> by evaporating or printing or the like.

Step S3: peeling off at least part of the first substrate and the second substrate from each other from an edge of the first substrate.

Step S4: cutting off the stripped portion of the first substrate.

The stripped first substrate <NUM> is cut off, and the second extension portion <NUM> extends from the first extension portion <NUM> in the direction away from the first extension portion <NUM> to the outside of the first substrate <NUM> via the non-display area.

Step S5: disposing the package cover plate.

The package cover plate <NUM> is provided on one side of the second substrate <NUM> away from the first substrate <NUM> to encapsulate the second substrate <NUM> and the first substrate <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A display panel comprising a display area and a non-display area located on peripheral side of the display area, wherein the display panel comprises:
an array substrate (<NUM>) comprising a first substrate (<NUM>) and a second substrate (<NUM>) that are laminated,
the second substrate (<NUM>) is a flexible substrate, the second substrate (<NUM>) comprises a first extension portion (<NUM>) and a second extension portion (<NUM>), the first extension portion (<NUM>) is located at the display area, the second extension portion (<NUM>) extends from the first extension portion (<NUM>) along a direction away from the first extension portion (<NUM>) to the outside of the first substrate (<NUM>) via the non-display area, and the second extension portion (<NUM>) is disposed with a connection circuit (<NUM>) for being electrically connected with an external device;
a package cover plate (<NUM>) located on one side of the second substrate (<NUM>) away from the first substrate (<NUM>) to encapsulate the array substrate (<NUM>),
wherein the first substrate (<NUM>) is a hard substrate, the package cover plate (<NUM>) is a hard cover plate, and an adhesive layer (<NUM>) is further disposed between the package cover plate (<NUM>) and the second substrate (<NUM>) so that the second substrate (<NUM>) is connected with the package cover plate (<NUM>) through the adhesive layer (<NUM>), and
the adhesive layer (<NUM>) is laminated on a lower surface of the package cover plate (<NUM>) and the adhesive layer (<NUM>) is an optical glue layer,
characterized in that
the connection circuit (<NUM>) is disposed on a surface of the second extension portion (<NUM>) close to the first substrate (<NUM>).