Patent ID: 12216375

REFERENCE SIGN LIST

700—array substrate,110—common electrode lead,111—hollowed-out region,211—first common electrode lead,212—second common electrode lead,221—first hollowed-out region,222—second hollowed-out region, D1—first direction;A0—display region, A1—peripheral region, A11—first peripheral region, A12—second peripheral region;200—electronic paper film,21—electronic ink capsule,22—common electrode;300—insulation layer,310—stress release groove;400—sealant;500—protection film,800—base substrate,900—base;600—buffer layer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure will be described hereinafter in conjunction with the embodiments and the drawings. Identical or similar reference numbers in the drawings represent an identical or similar element or elements having an identical or similar function. In addition, the detailed description about any know technology, which is unnecessary to the features in the embodiments of the present disclosure, will be omitted. The following embodiments are for illustrative purposes only, but shall not be used to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

Unless otherwise defined, any technical or scientific term used herein shall have the common meaning understood by a person of ordinary skills. Any term defined in a commonly-used dictionary shall be understood as having the meaning in conformity with that in the related art, shall not be interpreted idealistically and extremely.

Unless otherwise defined, such words as “one” or “one of” are merely used to represent the existence of at least one member, rather than to limit the number thereof. Such words as “include” or “including” intend to indicate that there are the features, integers, steps, operations, elements and/or assemblies, without excluding the existence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, assemblies and/or combinations thereof. In the case that one element is connected or coupled to another element, it may be directly connected or coupled to the other element, or an intermediate element may be arranged therebetween. At this time, the element may be connected or coupled to the other element in a wireless or wired manner. In addition, the expression “and/or” is used to indicate the existence of all or any one of one or more of listed items, or combinations thereof.

It is found through study that, when a flexible substrate is separated from a rigid glass substrate, or when a flexible electronic paper display module is subjected to a bending resistance test, cracks occur for an array substrate due to an excessive bending angle of the flexible substrate. This is because, stress concentration occurs at a protrusion at an edge of an electronic paper film when the flexible electronic paper display module is bent.

An object of the present disclosure is to provide an electronic paper display module, so as to solve the above-mentioned problem in the related art.

The technical solutions involved in the embodiments of the present disclosure and how to solve the above-mentioned problem through the technical solutions will be described hereinafter in details in conjunction with the embodiments.

The present disclosure provides in some embodiments an electronic paper display module which, as shown inFIGS.1,2,3,4and5, includes an array substrate and an electronic paper film200arranged opposite to each other.

As shown inFIG.1, the electronic paper film200includes an electronic ink capsule21and a common electrode22.

As shown inFIG.2, the array substrate700includes a display region A0and a peripheral region A1.

The array substrate includes an array layer100arranged at the display region A0and a common electrode lead110arranged at the peripheral region A1.

The array layer100includes a Thin Film Transistor (TFT) array layer and a pixel electrode layer arranged on a base substrate800sequentially, and the TFT array layer includes a gate metal layer, a gate insulation layer, an active layer, a source/drain metal layer and a passivation layer arranged on the base substrate800one on another.

An orthogonal projection201of the electronic paper film200onto the array substrate at least covers the display region A0, and the common electrode lead110is provided with a hollowed-out region111.

According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, the electronic paper film200is arranged opposite to the array substrate and covers at least the display region A0of the array substrate. In addition, the common electrode lead110is provided with the hollowed-out region111so as to prevent the occurrence of cracks for the common electrode lead110due to stress concentration of the electronic paper film200, thereby to prevent or reduce a risk of being broken for the common electrode lead110due to the stress, and improve the yield of the product.

In addition, through the hollowed-out region111, it is able to ensure the electrical conductivity of the product and prevent the occurrence of cracks.

In a possible embodiment of the present disclosure, the common electrode lead is hollowed out at a part of the hollowed-out region, and at the hollowed-out region, the common electrode lead is, but not limited to, a grid-shaped lead.

As shown inFIG.3, on the basis ofFIG.2, the peripheral region includes a first peripheral region A11and a second peripheral region A12. The first peripheral region A11and the second peripheral region A12are arranged at two opposite sides of the display region A0. The first peripheral region A11, the display region A0, and the first peripheral region A12are arranged in a first direction D1.

InFIG.3, A11is arranged on the left of A0, A12is arranged on the right of A0, and the first direction D1is a horizontal direction.

In a possible embodiment of the present disclosure, the array layer100and the common electrode lead110are formed on the base substrate800during actual manufacture of the electronic paper display module. After cutting, the electronic paper film200is attached, an Integrated Circuit (IC) and a Flexible Printed Circuit (FPC) are bound, and then a PI film is peeled off from a glass base of the base substrate, so as to acquire the flexible electronic paper display module.

In a possible embodiment of the present disclosure, the base substrate includes a base, a buffer layer and an insulation layer laminated one on another, the buffer layer and the insulation layer are arranged on the base sequentially, the buffer layer is arranged at a side of the common electrode lead away from the electronic paper film, and the base is arranged at a side of the buffer layer away from the common electrode lead.

In a possible embodiment of the present disclosure, the base is a glass base and the insulation layer is a PI film.

In a possible embodiment of the present disclosure, in actual use, a common electrode is electrically coupled to the common electrode lead110via a silver glue line. The common electrode lead110is electrically coupled to a TFT of the array substrate via a silver glue line.

In some embodiments of the present disclosure, as shown inFIG.4, the electronic paper film200covers only the display region of the array substrate. That is, an orthogonal projection201of the electronic paper film200onto the array substrate is separated from a region where the common electrode lead110is located.

Through defining a distance between the electronic paper film200and the common electrode lead110of the array substrate, it is able to prevent the array substrate from being adversely affected by the stress concentration during the peeling, thereby to improve the yield of the flexible electronic paper.

Based on the above considerations, in some embodiments of the present disclosure, as shown inFIGS.4,6aand6b, a minimum distance between an edge line of an orthogonal projection202of the electronic paper film200onto the base substrate800and an edge line of an orthogonal projection of the hollowed-out region111onto the base substrate800is a first predetermined spacing a.

In a possible embodiment of the present disclosure, assuming that a cutting tolerance of the electronic paper film200is X (usually within a range of ±100 μm) and an attachment tolerance of the electronic paper film200is Y (usually within a range of ±100 μm), the first predetermined spacing a is greater than X+Y.

In a possible embodiment of the present disclosure, the first predetermined spacing is greater than or equal to 10 microns and less than or equal to 200 microns.

In some embodiments of the present disclosure, as shown inFIG.5, the electronic paper film200is arranged opposite to the array substrate100, and the orthogonal projection201of the electronic paper film200onto the array substrate covers the display region and completely covers the region where the common electrode lead is located. In a possible embodiment of the present disclosure, the common electrode lead includes a first common electrode lead211arranged at the first peripheral region and a second common electrode lead212arranged at the second peripheral region.

When the orthogonal projection201of the electronic paper film200onto the array substrate completely covers the region where the common electrode lead is located, it means that the orthogonal projection202of the electronic paper film200onto the base substrate800completely covers the orthogonal projection of the common electrode lead onto the base substrate800.

In a possible embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown inFIG.7, the common electrode lead110is a patterned lead, and the patterned common electrode lead110is grid-shaped.

In a possible embodiment of the present disclosure, the peripheral region includes a first peripheral region and a second peripheral region, and the first peripheral region, the display region, and the second peripheral region are arranged in a first direction. When the orthogonal projection201of the electronic paper film onto the array substrate covers the display region and completely covers the region where the common electrode lead is located, the common electrode lead is arranged at the first peripheral region, and a minimum distance between an edge line of the orthogonal projection202of the electronic paper film onto the base substrate and an orthogonal projection of the common electrode lead onto the base substrate in the first direction is a third predetermined distance; or the common electrode lead is arranged at the second peripheral region, and a minimum distance between the edge line of the orthogonal projection202of the electronic paper film onto the base substrate and the orthogonal projection of the common electrode lead onto the base substrate in the first direction is a fourth predetermined distance; or the common electrode lead includes a first common electrode lead and a second common electrode lead, the first common electrode lead is arranged at the first peripheral region, the second common electrode lead is arranged at the second peripheral region, a minimum distance between the edge line of the orthogonal projection202of the electronic paper film onto the base substrate and an orthogonal projection of the first common electrode lead onto the base substrate in the first direction is the third predetermined distance, and a minimum distance between the edge line of the orthogonal projection202of the electronic paper film onto the base substrate and an orthogonal projection of the second common electrode lead onto the base substrate in the first direction is the fourth predetermined distance. The third predetermined distance is greater than or equal to 20 microns and less than or equal to 200 microns, and the fourth predetermined distance is greater than or equal to 20 microns and less than or equal to 200 microns.

In some embodiments of the present disclosure, as shown inFIG.5, the common electrode lead includes a first common electrode lead211arranged at the first peripheral region and a second common electrode lead212arranged at the second peripheral region. The minimum distance between the edge line of the orthogonal projection202of the electronic paper film200onto the base substrate800and the orthogonal projection of the first common electrode lead211onto the base substrate800is the third predetermined distance f1, and the minimum distance between the edge line of the orthogonal projection202of the electronic paper film200onto the base substrate800and the orthogonal projection of the second common electrode lead212onto the base substrate800is the fourth predetermined distance f2, where f1 is greater than or equal to 20 microns and less than or equal to 200 microns, and f2 is greater than or equal to 20 microns and less than or equal to 200 microns.

In a possible embodiment of the present disclosure, f1 is greater than X+Y, f2 is greater than X+Y, f1 is greater than or equal to 20 microns and less than or equal to 200 microns, and f2 is greater than or equal to 20 microns and less than or equal to 200 microns.

In a possible embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown inFIGS.4and5, the array substrate further includes a base substrate800, and the electronic paper display module further includes at least one of the following a sealant400and a protection film500.

In a possible embodiment of the present disclosure, the base substrate800is arranged at a side of the array layer100away from the electronic paper film200. The base substrate includes a buffer layer and an insulation layer arranged on a base sequentially, and the insulation layer is arranged at a side of the array layer100away from the electronic paper film200.

In a possible embodiment of the present disclosure, the protection film500is a transparent, waterproof film arranged at the side of the electronic paper film200away from the array substrate. Identically, the protection film500is also arranged at a side of the insulation layer away from the array substrate100.

In a possible embodiment of the present disclosure, the sealant400is used for encapsulating the electronic paper display module, arranged at one side of the insulation layer300, and surrounds the protection film500, the electronic paper film200, the array layer100and the common electrode lead.

In a possible embodiment of the present disclosure, the peripheral region includes a first peripheral region and a second peripheral region, and the first peripheral region, the display region, and the second peripheral region are arranged in a first direction. The common electrode lead is arranged at the first peripheral region, and a maximum distance between a side of the edge line of the orthogonal projection202of the electronic paper film onto the base substrate closest to the first peripheral region and the edge line of the orthogonal projection of the hollowed-out region onto the base substrate in the first direction is a first predetermined distance; or the common electrode lead is arranged at the second peripheral region, and a maximum distance between a side of the edge line of the orthogonal projection202of the electronic paper film onto the base substrate closest to the second peripheral region and the edge line of the orthogonal projection of the hollowed-out region onto the base substrate in the first direction is a second predetermined distance; or the common electrode lead includes a first common electrode lead and a second common electrode lead, the first common electrode lead is provided with a first hollowed-out region, the second common electrode lead is provided with a second hollowed-out region, the first common electrode lead is arranged at the first peripheral region, the second common electrode lead is arranged at the second peripheral region, a maximum distance between the side of the edge line of the orthogonal projection202of the electronic paper film onto the base substrate closest to the first peripheral region and an edge line of an orthogonal projection of the first hollowed-out region onto the base substrate in the first direction is the first predetermined distance, and a maximum distance between the side of the edge line of the orthogonal projection202of the electronic paper film onto the base substrate closest to the second peripheral region and an edge line of an orthogonal projection of the second hollowed-out region onto the base substrate in the first direction is the second predetermined distance. The first predetermined distance is greater than or equal to 200 microns and less than or equal to 500 microns, and the second predetermined distance is greater than or equal to 200 microns and less than or equal to 500 microns.

In some embodiments of the present disclosure, as shown inFIG.6a, the common electrode lead110is arranged at the first peripheral region (the first peripheral region is arranged on the left of the display region), and the first direction is a horizontal direction. The maximum distance between the side of the edge line of the orthogonal projection202of the electronic paper film200onto the base substrate closest to the first peripheral region (namely, a left side of the edge line of the orthogonal projection202of the electronic paper film200onto the base substrate) and the edge line of the orthogonal projection of the hollowed-out region111onto the base substrate in the first direction is the first predetermined distance b1. The first predetermined distance b1 is greater than or equal to 200 microns and less than or equal to 500 microns.

As shown inFIG.6b, the common electrode lead110is arranged at the second peripheral region (the second peripheral region is on the right of the display region), and the first direction is a horizontal direction. The maximum distance between the side of the edge line of the orthogonal projection202of the electronic paper film200onto the base substrate closest to the second peripheral region (namely, the right side of the orthogonal projection of the edge line of the electronic paper film200onto the base substrate) and the edge line of the orthogonal projection of the hollowed-out region111onto the base substrate in the first direction is the second predetermined distance b2.

As shown inFIG.6c, the common electrode lead includes a first common electrode lead211and a second common electrode lead212. The first common electrode lead211is provided with a first hollowed-out region221, and the second common electrode lead212is provided with a second hollowed-out region222. The first direction is a horizontal direction.

The first common electrode lead211is arranged at the first peripheral region (the first peripheral region is arranged on the left of the display region), and the second common electrode lead212is arranged at the second peripheral region (the second peripheral region is arranged on the right of the display region).

The maximum distance between the side (i.e. the left side) of the edge line of the orthogonal projection202of the electronic paper film200onto the base substrate closest to the first peripheral region and the edge line of the orthogonal projection of the first hollowed-out region221onto the base substrate in the first direction is the first predetermined distance b1. The maximum distance between the side (i.e. the right side) of the edge line of the orthogonal projection202of the electronic paper film200onto the base substrate closest to the second peripheral region and the edge line of the orthogonal projection of the second hollowed-out region222onto the base substrate in the first direction is the second predetermined distance b2.

The first predetermined distance b1 is greater than or equal to 200 microns and less than or equal to 500 microns, and the second predetermined distance b2 is greater than or equal to 200 microns and less than or equal to 500 microns.

In a possible embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown inFIGS.6aand6b, an area of the hollowed-out region111is smaller than an area of the common electrode lead110. That is, a part of the common electrode lead110is provided with the hollowed-out region111.

In a possible embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown inFIGS.6a,6band6c, the electronic paper film200is arranged opposite to the array substrate and covers only the display region of the array substrate.

In a possible embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown inFIGS.6a,6band6c, the cutting accuracy c of the electronic paper film200is ±100 μm, and the attaching accuracy d of the electronic paper film200is ±100 μm. In actual use, the first predetermined spacing a shall not be too large due to the existence of a frame, and usually it is 10 μm to 20 μm, i.e., it is impossible to completely avoid a value of c+d. Hence, in a possible embodiment of the present disclosure, the first predetermined distance b1 and the second predetermined distance b2 are each greater than or equal to a sum of an upper limit value of c and an upper limit value of d, i.e., greater than or equal to 200 μm.

InFIGS.6a,6band6c, a represents the first predetermined spacing.

In some embodiments of the present disclosure, as shown inFIG.7, the electronic paper film200is arranged opposite to the array substrate, and covers the display region and partially covers the common electrode leads110. In a possible embodiment of the present disclosure, a part of the edge line of the orthogonal projection202of the electronic paper film200onto the base substrate falls within the orthogonal projection of the hollowed-out region111onto the base substrate.

In a possible embodiment of the present disclosure, when the electronic paper film200partially covers the common electrode lead110, it means that the orthogonal projection202of the electronic paper film200onto the base substrate partially covers the orthogonal projection of the common electrode lead110onto the base substrate.

In a possible embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown inFIG.7, a width e of the hollowed-out region111in the first direction is greater than or equal to 400 microns and less than or equal to 800 microns. InFIG.7, the first direction is a horizontal direction.

In a possible embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown inFIG.8, orthogonal projections of protrusions on the electronic paper film200onto the array substrate are located at the hollowed-out region111. Hence, during the peeling, it is impossible for the stress to be completely applied to the common electrode lead110due to the existence of the hollowed-out region111, thereby to reduce the risk of the cracks.

In a possible embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown inFIG.8, the hollowed-out region111includes a plurality of openings arranged at intervals and each having a rectangular shape. In a possible embodiment of the present disclosure, the openings are arranged in rows, and the protrusions of the electronic paper film200correspond to a row of the openings, so that a part of the stress is applied to the openings, and thereby it is impossible for all the stress to be applied to the common electrode lead110. Identically, the hollowed-out region111also includes a plurality of grooves spaced apart from each other.

Based on the above-mentioned technical solutions, it is found that the yield of the electronic paper display module is increased by 20% or more.

In some embodiments of the present disclosure, an edge of the electronic paper film200close to one side of the array substrate is arc-shaped, as shown inFIG.9, so as to avoid stress concentration, thereby to further prevent or reduce the occurrence of the cracks for the common electrode lead110.

In some embodiments of the present disclosure, as shown inFIG.10, the array substrate further includes a base substrate including a base900, a buffer layer600and an insulation layer300laminated one on another. The common electrode lead110is located at a side of the insulation layer300away from the buffer layer600.

The buffer layer600is provided with a concave-convex region at a side close to the insulation layer300. In a direction perpendicular to a plane in which the buffer layer600is formed, each concave is depressed in a direction away from the common electrode lead110, and ach convex is protruded in a direction close to the common electrode lead110.

At least a part of the insulation layer300and at least a part of the common electrode lead110are deformed along with the concave-convex region of the buffer layer600so as to form the hollowed-out region111of the common electrode lead110. The hollowed-out region111is also of a concave-convex shape.

In a possible embodiment of the present disclosure, the buffer layer600and the insulation layer300are laminated one on another on the substrate900, i.e., the buffer layer600is arranged at one side of the substrate900, and the insulation layer300is arranged at a side of the buffer layer600away from the substrate900.

In a possible embodiment of the present disclosure, the edge of the common electrode lead110is wavy or serrated. Referring toFIG.11, the edge of the common electrode lead110is curved, i.e., an example of a wavy form. The edge of the common electrode lead110is also serrated. InFIG.11, the hollowed-out region111of the common electrode lead110is not shown.

In a possible embodiment of the present disclosure, through the wavy or serrated design, it is also able to avoid the stress concentration, thereby to further prevent or reduce the cracks for the common electrode lead110.

FIG.12shows a position relationship between the orthogonal projection of the insulation layer300onto the base substrate and the orthogonal projection of the common electrode lead110onto the base substrate.

In some embodiments of the present disclosure, as shown inFIG.12, the array substrate further includes a base substrate, and the base substrate further includes a base and an insulation layer300. The insulation layer300is provided with a plurality of stress release grooves310, and an orthogonal projection of each stress release groove310onto the base is arranged at a periphery of the orthogonal projection of the common electrode lead110onto the base. In a direction perpendicular to a plane where the buffer layer600is formed, each stress release groove310is depressed in a direction away from the common electrode lead. As shown inFIG.12, the orthogonal projection of each stress release groove310onto the base is rectangular.

InFIG.12, the hollowed-out region111of the common electrode lead110is not shown. The insulation layer300is a single-layered or multi-layered insulation film layer, and a specific film layer structure is adjusted according to the practical need. Through the stress release grooves310, it is able to avoid the stress concentration, thereby to further prevent or reduce the cracks for the common electrode lead110.

Based on the same inventive concept, the present disclosure further provides in some embodiments a display device including the above-mentioned electronic paper display module.

The present disclosure at least has the following beneficial effects.

(1) The common electrode lead110is provided with the hollowed-out region111, so it is able to prevent the occurrence of the cracks for the common electrode lead110due to the stress concentration no matter whether the electronic paper film200is arranged very close to the common electrode lead110or covers the common electrode lead110, thereby to prevent the common electrode lead110from being broken and improve the yield.

(2) Through the hollowed-out region111, it is impossible for the stress to be fully applied to the common electrode lead110, thereby to reduce the risk of the cracks. In addition, through the hollowed-out region, it is able to ensure the electrical conductivity of the product and prevent the occurrence of cracks.

(3) Apart from a size design, it is able to further prevent or reduce the cracks for the common electrode lead110through providing the electronic paper film200with an arc-shaped edge at a side close to the array substrate, providing the common electrode lead110with the wavy or serrated edge or providing the stress release grooves surrounding the common electrode lead110.

It should be appreciated that, steps, measures and schemes in various operations, methods and processes that have already been discussed in the embodiments of the present disclosure may be replaced, modified, combined or deleted. In a possible embodiment of the present disclosure, the other steps, measures and schemes in various operations, methods and processes that have already been discussed in the embodiments of the present disclosure may also be replaced, modified, rearranged, decomposed, combined or deleted. In another possible embodiment of the present disclosure, steps, measures and schemes in various operations, methods and processes that are known in the related art and have already been discussed in the embodiments of the present disclosure may also be replaced, modified, rearranged, decomposed, combined or deleted.

It should be further appreciated that, such words as “center”, “on”, “under”, “front”, “back”, “left”, “right”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, “top”, “bottom”, “inner” and “outer” are used to indicate directions or positions as viewed in the drawings, and they are merely used to facilitate the description in the present disclosure, rather than to indicate or imply that a device or member must be arranged or operated at a specific position.

In addition, such words as “first” and “second” may merely be adopted to differentiate different features rather than to implicitly or explicitly indicate any number or importance, i.e., they may be adopted to implicitly or explicitly indicate that there is at least one said feature. Further, such a phrase as “a plurality of” may be adopted to indicate that there are two or more features, unless otherwise specified.

Unless otherwise specified, such words as “arrange” and “connect” may have a general meaning, e.g., the word “connect” may refer to fixed connection, removable connection or integral connection, or mechanical or electrical connection, or direct connection or indirect connection via an intermediate component, or communication between two components, or wired or wireless communication connection. The meanings of these words may be understood by a person skilled in the art in accordance with the practical need.

In the above description, the features, structures, materials or characteristics may be combined in any embodiment or embodiments in an appropriate manner.

It should be further appreciated that, although with arrows, the steps in the flow charts may not be necessarily performed in an order indicated by the arrows. Unless otherwise defined, the order of the steps may not be strictly defined, i.e., the steps may also be performed in another order. In addition, each of at least parts of the steps in the flow charts may include a plurality of sub-steps or stages, and these sub-steps or stages may not be necessarily performed at the same time, i.e., they may also be performed at different times. Furthermore, these sub-steps or stages may not be necessarily performed sequentially, and instead, they may be performed alternately with the other steps or at least parts of sub-steps or stages of the other steps.

The above embodiments are for illustrative purposes only, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Obviously, a person skilled in the art may make further modifications and improvements without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure, and these modifications and improvements shall also fall within the scope of the present disclosure.