Patent Description:
With the progress of technologies and the development of electronic devices, users have greater demand for all screen display electronic devices. Therefore, an all screen has gradually become a development trend.

Installation positions of cameras, sensors, light supplement lamps and other components are main factors that restrict the development of the all screen. In order to increase the screen-to-body ratio of the electronic device, a light-transmitting area may be arranged on the display module of the electronic device, and the camera and other optical devices are arranged facing towards the light-transmitting area, so that the functions of the optical devices are realized.

Specifically, the display module may include a first substrate and a second substrate which are stacked. In order to not affect the light transmittance of the light-transmitting area, other structures are not arranged between parts of the first substrate and the second substrate located in the light-transmitting area as far as possible. Under the action of atmospheric pressure, the parts of the first substrate and the second substrate located in the light-transmitting area are prone to concave deformation, so that the optical performance of the light-transmitting area is affected, resulting in poor performance of the optical devices.

<CIT> discloses a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display apparatus, which includes forming at least one assembly for forming a plurality of finished liquid crystal display apparatuses, by opposing two glass substrates to have a space there between and sealing a periphery of the space between the two glass substrates by an outer peripheral seal member. Outer surfaces of the two glass substrates are etched by soaking the assembly in an etching solution within an etching bath while maintaining a temperature and a concentration of the etching solution within the etching bath at a substantially constant temperature and at a substantially constant concentration. The etched outer surfaces of the glass substrates are flattened by polishing the outer surfaces of the glass substrates.

<CIT> discloses a display panel, a making method thereof, a display screen assembly and electronic equipment. The display panel comprises a light-pervious area located in an effective display area of the display panel, and used for providing a light path penetrating through the display panel in the thickness direction for a non-display surface of the display panel, and the non-display face of the display panel is provided with at least a transparent conducting layer covering the light-pervious area. In this way, on the condition that the light path is not affected, a conductive path is provided for back static electricity, the static electricity is effectively dispersed and guided away, and a circuit in the display panel is protected.

<CIT> provides a liquid crystal display device for an in-screen recognition scheme. The liquid crystal display device for the in-screen recognition scheme includes a liquid crystal module, a backlight module, an in-screen sensor, and a micro LED module. The micro LED module defines a micro LED operable region. The micro LED operable region is seamlessly coupled to the liquid crystal module operable region of the liquid crystal module, thereby avoiding visual display interruption and discontinuous boundaries to achieve complete full-screen design.

<CIT> provides a display panel, a production method and a display device. The display panel comprises a first substrate, a second substrate, a liquid crystal layer and a camera-shooting component, wherein the liquid crystal layer is arranged between the first substrate and the second substrate, the camera-shooting component is arranged at the side, away from the first substrate, of the second substrate, a color filtering layer is arranged at the side, close to the second substrate, of the first substrate, a light-transmitting part is arranged at the position, corresponding to the camera-shooting component, of the color filtering layer, and a thin film transistor layer is arranged at the side, close to the first substrate, of the second substrate.

<CIT> relates to a display panel, a display device and a mobile terminal. The display panel is defined to have a display area and a camera area. A closed accommodating space is formed by a first substrate layer, a second substrate layer and frame glue, and the accommodating space is filled with a liquid crystal material to form a first liquid crystal layer, so that the phenomenon of gravity or non-uniform box thickness caused by liquid crystal box thickness height difference between the first liquid crystal layer and a second liquid crystal layer is avoided.

The claimed invention provides a preparation method of a display module as defined in claim <NUM>, a display module as defined in claim <NUM>, and an electronic device as defined in claim <NUM>, so as to solve the problem of poor performance of the optical devices.

To solve the foregoing problem, the present disclosure adopts the following technical solutions:
A preparation method of a display module includes amongst others:.

A display module is prepared by the preparation method, the display module has
amongst other features a light-transmitting area, a surface of one side of the first substrate away from the second substrate is a plane, and a surface of one side of the second substrate away from the first substrate is a plane.

An electronic device includes the display module, and further includes an optical device, wherein the optical device and the second substrate are located on two sides of the first substrate respectively, and the light-transmitting area and the optical device are arranged oppositely.

The technical solutions used by the present disclosure can achieve the following beneficial effects:
in the preparation method of the present disclosure, after the first substrate and the second substrate are bonded, the partial structure of one side of the first substrate away from the second substrate can be removed, so that the surface of one side of the first substrate away from the second substrate is a plane; meanwhile, the partial structure of one side of the second substrate away from the first substrate is removed, so that the surface of one side of the second substrate away from the first substrate is a plane; therefore, by the preparation method, the concave deformation of the parts of the first substrate and the second substrate located in the light-transmitting area can be relieved, so that the optical performance of the light-transmitting area and the performance of the optical device are improved.

The accompanying drawings described herein are used to provide further understanding of the present disclosure and constitute a part of the present disclosure. The illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure and descriptions thereof are used to explain the present disclosure, and do not constitute any improper limitation on the present disclosure. In the accompanying drawings:.

A-light-transmitting area, <NUM>-first substrate, <NUM>-second substrate, <NUM>-liquid crystal layer, <NUM>-supporting column.

To make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present disclosure clearer, the technical solutions of the present disclosure are described clearly below with reference to the specific embodiments of the present disclosure and the corresponding accompanying drawings. Apparently, the described embodiments are merely a part rather than all of the embodiments of the present invention which is defined by the appended claims.

The technical solutions disclosed by various embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The embodiments of the present disclosure disclose a preparation method of a display module. The preparation method is used to prepare the display module shown in <FIG>. The display module may be applied to an electronic device with an optical device. The display module has a light-transmitting area A, the light-transmitting area A has high light transmittance, and the optical device of the electronic device may be arranged towards the light-transmitting area A, so that light in the external environment may enter the optical device through the light-transmitting area A, or light emitted by the optical device may enter the external environment through the light-transmitting area A. Optionally, a shape of the light-transmitting area A may be designed according to the structure of the optical device. For example, the light-transmitting area A may be a circular area, the other area of the display module may be mainly used for displaying, and this area may surround the light-transmitting area A.

The preparation method disclosed by the embodiments of the present disclosure includes:.

At this time, the first substrate <NUM> and the second substrate <NUM> are stacked. Optionally, the first substrate <NUM> and the second substrate <NUM> may adopt glass plates with high light transmittance. A thin film transistor is arranged on one surface of the first substrate <NUM> facing towards the second substrate <NUM>. A plurality of thin film transistors may be provided, the thin film transistors are arranged on the first substrate <NUM> in an array, and the thin film transistors may drive the display module.

S400: removing a partial structure of one side of the first substrate <NUM> away from the second substrate <NUM>, so that a surface of one side of the first substrate <NUM> away from the second substrate <NUM> is a plane.

When a part of the first substrate <NUM> located in the light-transmitting area A is concave, one surface of the first substrate <NUM> away from the second substrate <NUM> will be concave. At this time, after the operation of removing the partial structure from the first substrate <NUM>, the surface of one side of the first substrate <NUM> away from the second substrate <NUM> is integrally changed into a plane, so that the influence on the optical performance of the light-transmitting area A by the concave surface is basically eliminated.

S500: removing a partial structure of the second substrate <NUM> away from the first substrate <NUM>, so that a surface of one side of the second substrate <NUM> away from the first substrate <NUM> is plane.

When a part of the second substrate <NUM> located in the light-transmitting area A is concave, one surface of the second substrate <NUM> away from the first substrate <NUM> will be concave. At this time, after the operation of removing the partial structure from the second substrate <NUM>, the surface of one side of the second substrate <NUM> away from the first substrate <NUM> is integrally changed into a plane, so that the influence on the optical performance of the light-transmitting area A by the concave surface is basically eliminated.

In the preparation method disclosed by the embodiments of the present disclosure, after the first substrate <NUM> and the second substrate <NUM> are bonded, the partial structure of one side of the first substrate <NUM> away from the second substrate <NUM> is removed, so that the surface of one side of the first substrate <NUM> away from the second substrate <NUM> is a plane; meanwhile, the partial structure of one side of the second substrate <NUM> away from the first substrate <NUM> is removed, so that the surface of one side of the second substrate <NUM> away from the first substrate <NUM> is a plane; therefore, by the preparation method, the concave deformation of the parts of the first substrate <NUM> and the second substrate <NUM> located in the light-transmitting area A is relieved, so that the optical performance of the light-transmitting area A and the performance of the optical device are improved.

In an optional embodiment, the step S400 of removing the partial structure of one side of the first substrate <NUM> away from the second substrate <NUM> includes:
removing the partial structure of one side of the first substrate <NUM> away from the second substrate <NUM> by a polishing process.

The processing precision of the polishing process is relatively high, so after the partial structure of the first substrate <NUM> is removed by the polishing process, the flatness of the surface of one side of the first substrate <NUM> away from the second substrate <NUM> is further improved, and the optical performance of the light-transmitting area A is better. Certainly, the partial structure of one side of the first substrate <NUM> away from the second substrate <NUM> may also be removed by a cutting process, which will not be limited in the embodiments of the present disclosure.

Further, before removing the partial structure of one side of the first substrate <NUM> away from the second substrate <NUM> by the polishing process, the method further includes:
performing etching operation on the first substrate <NUM>.

As mentioned above, the processing precision of the polishing process is high. In a case that the thickness of a to-be-removed part on the first substrate <NUM> is large, the cost of the polishing process will be increased, resulting in a relatively high forming process of the display module. The processing precision of the etching operation is relatively lower, so the operation cost is lower and the partial structure of the first substrate <NUM> can be removed. Therefore, the etching operation is performed before the polishing process, and the thickness of the part of the first substrate <NUM> removed by the polishing process can be effectively reduced, so that the polishing process can be performed at a lower cost.

In an optional embodiment, the step S500 of removing the partial structure of one side of the second substrate <NUM> away from the first substrate <NUM> includes:
removing the partial structure of one side of the second substrate <NUM> away from the first substrate <NUM> by a polishing process.

The processing precision of the polishing process is relatively high, so after the partial structure of the second substrate <NUM> is removed by the polishing process, the flatness of the surface of one side of the second substrate <NUM> away from the first substrate <NUM> is further improved, and the optical performance of the light-transmitting area A is better. Certainly, the partial structure of one side of the second substrate <NUM> away from the first substrate <NUM> may also be removed by a cutting process, which will not be limited in the embodiments of the present disclosure.

Further, before removing the partial structure of one side of the second substrate <NUM> away from the first substrate <NUM> by the polishing process, the method further includes:
performing etching operation on the second substrate <NUM>.

As mentioned above, the processing precision of the polishing process is high. In a case that the thickness of a to-be-removed part on the second substrate <NUM> is large, the cost of the polishing process will be increased, resulting in a relatively high forming process of the display module. The processing precision of the etching operation is relatively lower, so the operation cost is lower and the partial structure of the second substrate <NUM> can be removed. Therefore, the etching operation is performed before the polishing process, and the thickness of the part of the second substrate <NUM> removed by the polishing process can be effectively reduced, so that the polishing process can be performed at a lower cost.

It can be seen from the above that after the partial structure of one side of the first substrate <NUM> away from the second substrate <NUM> and the partial structure of one side of the second substrate <NUM> away from the first substrate <NUM> are removed, the influence on the optical performance of the light-transmitting area A by the concave deformation of the first substrate <NUM> and the second substrate <NUM> can be eliminated. In a case that the thickness of the removed parts of the first substrate <NUM> and the second substrate <NUM> is too small, the concave deformation of the first substrate <NUM> and the second substrate <NUM> may - in a case not according to the claimed invention - not be eliminated. In a case that the thickness of the removed parts of the first substrate <NUM> and the second substrate <NUM> is too large, the structural strength of the first substrate <NUM> and the second substrate <NUM> is too low, which easily leads to low structural strength of the display module. Based on this, according to an embodiment of the claimed invention; in the step of removing the partial structure of one side of the first substrate <NUM> away from the second substrate <NUM>, the thickness of the removed partial structure is <NUM> - <NUM>, so that the thickness of the removed part of the first substrate <NUM> is moderate, the concave deformation of the first substrate <NUM> is eliminated well, and the structural strength of the first substrate <NUM> can be ensured.

Similarly, the thickness of the removed part of the second substrate <NUM> may also be optimized:.

Based on the preparation method provided by any of the above embodiments, the embodiments of the claimed invention further disclose display module <NUM>. The display module <NUM> is prepared by the preparation method provided by any of the embodiments. The display module <NUM> has a light-transmitting area A, the first substrate <NUM> and the second substrate <NUM> are stacked, the surface of one side of the first substrate <NUM> away from the second substrate <NUM> is a plane, and the surface of one side of the second substrate <NUM> away from the first substrate <NUM> is a plane, so that the concave deformation of the parts of the first substrate <NUM> and the second substrate <NUM> located in the light-transmitting area A is relieved, and the optical performance of the light-transmitting area A and the performance of the optical device are improved.

The display module is a liquid crystal display module. Hence, the display module further includes a liquid crystal layer <NUM>, and the liquid crystal layer <NUM> is arranged between the first substrate <NUM> and the second substrate <NUM>. In a case not according to the claimed invention, the display module may also be an organic light-emitting display module. At this time, the display module further includes an organic light-emitting layer. The organic light-emitting layer is arranged between the first substrate <NUM> and the second substrate <NUM>. Relatively speaking, in a case that the display module is an organic light-emitting display module, the operation of removing the partial structure of one side of the second substrate <NUM> away from the first substrate <NUM> may affect a touch structure arranged on the second substrate <NUM>; therefore, the above solutions are more suitable for the liquid crystal display module.

In the claimed invention, the first substrate <NUM>, the second substrate <NUM> and the liquid crystal layer <NUM> have the same refractive index. When light is transmitted among the first substrate <NUM>, the second substrate <NUM> and the liquid crystal layer <NUM>, even if convex structures are generated on one surface of the first substrate <NUM> facing towards the liquid crystal layer <NUM> and one surface of the second substrate <NUM> facing towards the liquid crystal layer <NUM> due to concave deformation, and the first substrate <NUM>, the second substrate <NUM> and the liquid crystal layer <NUM> may also be regarded as an integral structure, so that during light propagation, there will be basically no excessive directional changes. Therefore, this arrangement can improve the optical performance of the light-transmitting area A, and the performance of the optical device is better. Optionally, the refractive indexes of the first substrate <NUM>, the second substrate <NUM> and the liquid crystal layer <NUM> may be set to about <NUM>.

Since the sizes of the first substrate <NUM> and the second substrate <NUM> are usually large, the first substrate <NUM> and the second substrate <NUM> are liable to deform at the light-transmitting area A and also have deformation possibility in other areas. Based on this, the display module may further include a plurality of supporting columns <NUM>, each supporting column <NUM> is arranged between the first substrate <NUM> and the second substrate <NUM>, and the supporting columns <NUM> are arranged at intervals. Each supporting column <NUM> may apply a supporting force to the first substrate <NUM> and the second substrate <NUM>, so that the substrate <NUM> and the second substrate <NUM> are not liable to deform.

Based on the display module provided by any of the above embodiments, the embodiments of the claimed invention further discloses an electronic device <NUM>. The electronic device <NUM> includes the display module <NUM> provided by any of the above embodiments, and further includes an optical device <NUM>, wherein the optical device <NUM> and the second substrate <NUM> are located on two sides of the first substrate <NUM> respectively, and the light-transmitting area A of the display module and the optical device are arranged oppositely.

Optionally, the optical device includes at least one of a fingerprint module, a camera, a sensor or a light supplement lamp, so that the corresponding fingerprint recognition, shooting, data detection and light supplement functions can be realized; and these optical devices may not occupy the display area of the electronic device, so that the screen-to-body ratio of the electronic device is higher. Certainly, the optical device may further include other devices with light receiving function or light emitting function, which will not be limited in the embodiments of the present disclosure.

The electronic device disclosed in the embodiments of the present disclosure may be a smart phone, a tablet computer, an e-book reader, or a wearable device. Certainly, the electronic device may also be other devices, which is not limited in the embodiments of the present disclosure.

The embodiments of the present disclosure focus on describing differences between the embodiments, and different optimization features of the embodiments may be combined to form better embodiments provided that they are not contradictory. Considering brevity, details are not described herein again.

Claim 1:
A preparation method of a display module, the display module comprising a light-transmitting are (A) towards which an optical device can be arranged in such a way that light received or emitted by the optical device passes through the light-transmitting area, the method comprising:
preparing (S100) a first substrate (<NUM>);
preparing (S200) a second substrate (<NUM>);
bonding (S300) the first substrate (<NUM>) and the second substrate (<NUM>), wherein the parts of the first and second substrates located in the light-transmitting area (A) are concave;
removing (S400) a partial structure of one side of the first substrate (<NUM>) away from the second substrate (<NUM>), so that a surface of one side of the first substrate (<NUM>) away from the second substrate (<NUM>) is a plane; and
removing (S500) a partial structure of one side of the second substrate (<NUM>) away from the first substrate (<NUM>), so that a surface of one side of the second substrate (<NUM>) away from the first substrate (<NUM>) is a plane.