CN112462556A

CN112462556A - Display panel

Info

Publication number: CN112462556A
Application number: CN201910846612.5A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 陈谚宗
Original assignee: Hannstar Display Corp
Current assignee: Hannstar Display Corp
Priority date: 2019-09-09
Filing date: 2019-09-09
Publication date: 2021-03-09
Anticipated expiration: 2039-09-09
Also published as: CN112462556B

Abstract

The invention discloses a display panel, which is provided with an axis in a first direction and is bent into a curved surface by the axis. The display panel is provided with a first area and a second area. The display panel comprises a first substrate, a second substrate and a spacer, wherein the spacer is arranged between the first substrate and the second substrate and comprises a plurality of strip spacers, at least part of the strip spacers are arranged in a first area, and at least part of the strip spacers are arranged in a second area. The distance between the first region and the axis is smaller than the distance between the second region and the axis, and the distance between the bar spacers in the first region is larger than the distance between the bar spacers in the second region. Therefore, the gap variation between the two substrates can be avoided.

Description

Display panel

Technical Field

The invention relates to a curved surface display panel.

Background

With the development of display technology, curved liquid crystal displays have been widely used. Because the enclosed feeling and the immersion feeling of the user can be greatly improved, the method is deeply loved by the majority of users. The conventional curved liquid crystal display is generally manufactured by respectively manufacturing a color filter substrate and an array substrate in a planar state, then aligning the color filter substrate and the array substrate to form a liquid crystal panel in the planar state, and then bending the liquid crystal panel in the planar state to form a curved liquid crystal panel. Because the curvature degrees of the color filter substrate and the array substrate in the curved surface state are different, pixels on the color filter substrate and the array substrate cannot be aligned vertically due to sliding dislocation, and thus the problems of color mixing, light leakage and the like occur, and the display quality is obviously reduced.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention provides a display panel, which can prevent the gap between two substrates from varying.

An embodiment of the present invention provides a display panel, which has an axis in a first direction and is bent into a curved surface with the axis. The display panel is provided with a first area and a second area. The display panel comprises a first substrate, a second substrate and a spacer. The first substrate is provided with a data line and a gate line, and the intersection of the data line and the gate line is provided with a sub-pixel. The second substrate is disposed opposite to the first substrate. The spacer is arranged between the first substrate and the second substrate and comprises a plurality of strip spacers, wherein at least part of the strip spacers are arranged in the first region, and at least part of the strip spacers are arranged in the second region. The distance between the first region and the axis is smaller than the distance between the second region and the axis, and the distance between the bar spacers in the first region is larger than the distance between the bar spacers in the second region.

In some embodiments, the curved surface has a maximum curvature radius value R1 and a minimum curvature radius value R2, wherein the curvature radius of the first region is equal to or less than R1 or greater than (R1+ R2)/2, and the curvature radius of the second region is equal to or greater than R2 or equal to or less than (R1+ R2)/2.

In some embodiments, the stripe spacers include a first stripe spacer extending along a first direction and a second stripe spacer extending along a second direction different from the first direction. The distances between the second stripe spacers in the first region and the second region are the same. The distance between the first stripe spacers in the first region is greater than the distance between the first stripe spacers in the second region.

In some embodiments, the first stripe spacers intersect with the second stripe spacers. The number of sub-pixels surrounded by the first strip-shaped spacers and the second strip-shaped spacers in the first area is larger than that of the sub-pixels surrounded by the first strip-shaped spacers and the second strip-shaped spacers in the second area.

In some embodiments, a plurality of sub-pixels make up a pixel. A part of the first strip-shaped spacers and a part of the second strip-shaped spacers in the first area surround the plurality of sub-pixels. And part of the first strip-shaped spacers and part of the second strip-shaped spacers in the second area surround each pixel.

In some embodiments, the display panel further includes a third region, and a distance between the third region and the axis is greater than a distance between the first region and the axis and greater than a distance between the second region and the axis. The distance between the first stripe spacers in the third region is greater than the distance between the first stripe spacers in the second region.

In some embodiments, the first bar spacers and the second bar spacers are both abutted against the first substrate and the second substrate.

In some embodiments, the spacers further include column spacers, and the distribution density of the column spacers in the first region and the second region is the same.

In some embodiments, the display panel further includes a black matrix disposed on the second substrate, and a projection of a portion of the black matrix on the first substrate overlaps a portion of the stripe spacers.

In another aspect, an embodiment of the invention provides a display panel, which has an axis in a first direction and is bent to a curved surface along the axis. The display panel comprises a first substrate, a second substrate and a spacer. The first substrate is provided with a data line and a gate line, a sub-pixel is arranged at the intersection of the data line and the gate line, and the sub-pixels form a pixel. The second substrate is disposed opposite to the first substrate. The spacer is arranged between the first substrate and the second substrate and comprises a plurality of strip spacers, wherein at least part of the strip spacers surround one of the pixels.

Compared with the prior art, the display panel provided by the invention has the advantages that the problems of color mixing, light leakage and the like can not occur, and the display quality can not be reduced.

In order to make the aforementioned and other features and advantages of the invention more comprehensible, embodiments accompanied with figures are described in detail below.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a partial side view of a display panel according to an embodiment.

Fig. 2 is a schematic top-view circuit diagram of an array substrate according to an embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a schematic top view of a color filter substrate according to an embodiment.

Fig. 4A is a schematic top view illustrating the display panel when the display panel is upright and curved according to an embodiment.

Fig. 4B is a schematic side view illustrating the display panel when the display panel is upright and bent into a curved surface according to an embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating a design of black matrix and spacers in the first region and the third region according to an embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating a design of black matrix and spacers in the second region according to an embodiment.

Fig. 7 and 8 are schematic views illustrating the arrangement of spacers according to some embodiments.

Fig. 9A-9F are schematic views illustrating the placement of spacers according to some embodiments.

Description of the main reference numerals:

410-axis, 421-first region, 422-second region, 702, 712-stripe spacer, 704, 714-column spacer, D1-first direction, D2-second direction.

Detailed Description

As used herein, "first," "second," …, etc., do not denote any order or sequence, but rather are used to distinguish one element or operation from another element or operation described in the same technical language.

Fig. 1 is a partial side view of a display panel according to an embodiment. Fig. 2 is a schematic top-view circuit diagram of an array substrate according to an embodiment. FIG. 3 is a schematic top view of a color filter substrate according to an embodiment. Referring to fig. 1 to 3, the display panel 100 includes a first substrate 110 and a second substrate 120. The first substrate 110 is also referred to as an array substrate, and has a thin film transistor 111, a gate line 112, a data line 113, a pixel electrode 114, a common electrode (not shown), an insulating layer 115, and the like disposed thereon. The data line 113 has a sub-pixel (e.g., a sub-pixel P including a corresponding thin film transistor 111, a pixel electrode 114, and a common electrode) at the intersection with the gate line 112. For example, the gate line 112 may be formed of a first metal layer, the data line 113 may be formed of a second metal layer, and the pixel electrode and the common electrode are respectively formed of different transparent conductive layers. The second substrate 120 is also referred to as a color filter substrate, and a black matrix 121, a color filter 122, and the like are disposed thereon. A liquid crystal layer LC, a spacer 131, and the like are disposed between the first substrate 110 and the second substrate 120. For simplicity, all components of the display panel 100 are not shown in fig. 1, for example, the display panel 100 may further include other optical components such as a polarizer, an alignment film, a brightness enhancement film, etc., or more metal layers, transparent conductive layers, insulating layers, etc., or various optional components assigned to the backlight module.

The gate lines 112 are used to turn on/off the corresponding tfts 111, thereby transmitting signals on the data lines 113 to the pixel electrodes 114. The voltage between the pixel electrode 114 and the common electrode is used to determine the rotation direction of the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer LC. In addition, the black matrix 121 is used to shield the gate lines 112 and the data lines 113, and the color filter 112 can be red, green or blue to determine the color of the sub-pixels P. The spacer layer 131 is against the first substrate 110 and/or the second substrate 120, and elements or deposits on the first substrate 110 and/or the second substrate 120 can directly contact the spacer 131 to provide a supporting function to maintain the liquid crystal gap.

The material of the first substrate 110 and the second substrate 120 may include glass, polymer (polymer), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), Polycarbonate (PC), Polyethersulfone (PES), Triacetylcellulose (TAC), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyethylene (polyethylene), cycloolefin polymer (COP), Polyimide (PI), and a composite material of Polycarbonate (PC) and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), and the like, but the invention is not limited thereto. The material of the pixel electrode 114 and the common electrode may include Indium Tin Oxide (ITO), Indium Zinc Oxide (IZO), tin oxide (ATO), Fluorine Tin Oxide (FTO), or other conductive and substantially transparent materials, such as nano-metal wires (nano-silver wires, nano-copper wires). The gate line 112 and the data line 113 may be made of aluminum, copper, titanium, tungsten or other suitable conductive materials. The material of the spacers 131 may comprise any suitable insulating material. The material of the black matrix 121 may include any suitable opaque material.

Fig. 4A is a schematic top view illustrating the display panel when the display panel is upright and curved according to an embodiment. Fig. 4B is a schematic side view illustrating the display panel when the display panel is upright and bent into a curved surface according to an embodiment. Referring to fig. 4A and 4B, the display panel 100 has an axis 410 in the first direction D1 and is bent into a curved surface 430 with the axis 410 as a reference. Here, the first direction D1 refers to a direction of light emitted from the paper surface in fig. 4A, in other words, a direction from below to above the display panel 100. The display panel 100 may be divided into at least two regions according to a distance from the axis 410. Specifically, the distance between the first region 421 and the axis 410 is smaller than the distance between the second region 422 and the axis 410, and the distance between the second region 422 and the axis 410 is smaller than the distance between the third region 423 and the axis 410.

The curved surface 430 may have different radii of curvature within different regions. Generally, regions closer to axis 410 have larger radii of curvature, while regions further from axis 410 have smaller radii of curvature. Here, the curvature radius of the curved surface 430 may be continuously changed, that is, the curvature radius may be different even in the same region, or the curvature radius of the curved surface 430 may be the same in the same region, which is not limited in the present invention. In some embodiments, the intersection of curved surface 430 and axis 410 has a maximum radius of curvature R1, while the intersection of curved surface 430 and horizontal line 411 has a minimum radius of curvature R2. Wherein the curvature radius of the first region 421 is equal to or less than R1 or equal to or greater than (R1+ R2)/2, the curvature radius of the second region 422 is equal to or greater than R2 or equal to or less than (R1+ R2)/2, and the curvature radius of the third region 423 is also equal to or greater than R2 or equal to or less than (R1+ R2)/2. In some embodiments, the radius of curvature of the curved surface 430 may be constant, such as the same radius of curvature in each region of the surface.

In other embodiments, the area closer to the axis 410 has a smaller radius of curvature, and the area farther from the axis 410 has a larger radius of curvature, or the radius of curvature of the curved surface 430 can be arbitrarily set, and the invention is not limited to the positions of the maximum radius of curvature R1 and the minimum radius of curvature R2. In addition, fig. 4A and 4B illustrate three regions 421 to 423, but the display panel 100 may be divided into more or less regions in other embodiments, and the invention is not limited thereto. For example, in some embodiments, the third region 423 can be incorporated into the second region 422, and the present invention does not limit the sizes of the regions 421-423. In some embodiments, the radius of curvature of the curved surface 430 may be constant, such as the same radius of curvature in each region of the surface. And the area closer to the axis 410 has a lower proportion of spacers than the area further from the axis.

In particular, the spacers and the black matrix may be differently arranged in different regions. Specifically, the distribution ratio of the spacers in the first region 421 is smaller than the distribution ratio of the spacers in the second region 422. In some embodiments, the "distribution ratio" refers to the ratio of the spacers per unit area (e.g., per square centimeter, per square millimeter, or other suitable area) of the display panel, i.e., the area of the spacers is divided by the area of the corresponding region. In other embodiments, the spacers may be in a column or stripe shape, and the distribution ratio refers to the number of column or stripe spacers per unit area of the display panel, i.e. dividing the number of spacers by the area of the corresponding region. In the display panel 100, in the bending state, the first region 421 near the central axis 410 is closer to the plane, and the tensile stress in the region is smaller than that in the bending region such as 422 or 423, spacers with a lower distribution ratio may be disposed in the first region 421 to satisfy the gap variation of the region, and the following description will be given to the disposition of the spacers and the black matrix.

Referring to fig. 5 and 6, fig. 5 illustrates the design of the black matrix and the spacers (shown in a top view) in the first region 421 and the third region 423, and only the black matrix 121, the spacers and the color filter are illustrated for simplicity. In fig. 5, the spacers include a first stripe spacer 511 extending along the first direction D1 and a second stripe spacer 512 extending along the second direction D2. The second direction D2 is different from the first direction D1, e.g., perpendicular to each other or the angle between the first direction D1 and the second direction D2 is greater than 45 degrees. Fig. 6 illustrates a design of black matrix and spacers in the second region 422, wherein the spacers include a first stripe-shaped spacer 611 extending along the first direction D1 and a second stripe-shaped spacer 612 extending along the second direction D2. In fig. 5 and 6, the distances between the second bar-shaped spacers 512 are the same, the distances between the second bar-shaped spacers 612 are the same, and the distances between the second bar-shaped spacers 512 are the same as the distances between the second bar-shaped spacers 612. However, the distance between the first stripe spacers 511 is greater than the distance between the first stripe spacers 611, which makes the distribution ratio of the spacers in fig. 5 smaller than that in fig. 6.

Since the black matrix 121 is bent toward the left and right sides along the central axis 410 in this embodiment, the width of the black matrix 121 in the second direction D2 in fig. 5 is smaller than the width of the black matrix 121 in the second direction D2 in fig. 6, and the offset between the first substrate 110 and the second substrate 120 in the second region 422 is relatively large, so the wider black matrix 121 is required to avoid light leakage. It is noted that the width of the black matrix 121 in the third region 423 is smaller than the width of the black matrix in the second region 422, because the first substrate 110 and the second substrate 120 are fixed to each other at two sides of the display panel 100 by a sealant (sealant), the offset between the first substrate 110 and the second substrate 120 in the third region 423 is rather small, and a narrower black matrix 121 can be designed. However, in the width of the black matrix perpendicular to the second direction D2, since the bending deviation does not cause an influence, the width thereof may be regarded as an equal distance. In addition, the projection of the black matrix 121 on the first substrate 110 overlaps the

first stripe spacers

511 and 611 and the

second stripe spacers

512 and 612, and the width of the black matrix 121 is greater than or equal to the widths of the

first stripe spacers

511 and 611 and the

second stripe spacers

512 and 612, so as to shield the

first stripe spacers

511 and 611 and the

second stripe spacers

512 and 612.

On the other hand, in fig. 5, the first stripe spacers 511 and the second stripe spacers 512 intersect with each other, and every three sub-pixels are surrounded by the surrounding first stripe spacers 511 and the second stripe spacers 512. In fig. 6, the first stripe spacers 611 and the second stripe spacers 612 intersect each other, but each sub-pixel is surrounded by the surrounding first stripe spacers 611 and second stripe spacers 612. That is, the number of the sub-pixels surrounded by the first stripe spacers 511 and the second stripe spacers 512 in the first region 421 and the third region 423 is greater than the number of the sub-pixels surrounded by the first stripe spacers 611 and the second stripe spacers 612 in the second region 422. In another perspective, the spacer would surround one pixel (including three sub-pixels) in fig. 5, but the spacer would surround each sub-pixel in fig. 6. Because the display has the regions with different bending curvatures under the curved surface, the spacers are designed to have density difference due to different regions surrounding the pixels, so that the variation of liquid crystal molecular Gap (Gap) caused by different stresses can be better controlled, and the optical problem of the display due to the curved surface can be improved. In some embodiments, the curvature radius of the curved display may be constant, such as the same curvature radius in each of the in-plane regions, but may also be faced with stress and gap variations due to bending, so that the spacer distribution ratio may be designed to be lower in the region near the central axis than in the region far from the central axis.

Fig. 7 and 8 are schematic views illustrating the arrangement of spacers according to some embodiments, and only the spacers are illustrated herein for simplicity. In the embodiment of fig. 7, the first region 421 includes the bar-shaped spacers 702 and the column-shaped spacers 704 extending along the first direction, and the second region 422 includes the bar-shaped spacers 712 and the column-shaped spacers 714 extending along the first direction D1, wherein the column-shaped spacers 714 extend from the corresponding bar-shaped spacers 712, and in other embodiments, the bar-shaped spacers 712 may be a simple bar, or the bar-shaped spacers 714 and the bar-shaped spacers 712 may not be connected to each other. As shown in fig. 7, the distance between the stripe spacers 702 is greater than the distance between the stripe spacers 712, which makes the distribution ratio of the spacers in the first region 421 lower than the distribution ratio of the spacers in the second region 422. In addition, the distribution density of the column spacers 704 in the first region 421 is the same as the distribution density of the column spacers 714 in the second region 422. Fig. 8 is different from fig. 7 in that fig. 8 further includes stripe-shaped

spacers

811 and 812 extending along the second direction, however, the description of the spacers in fig. 8 may refer to fig. 5 and fig. 6, and is not repeated here. By arranging the strip-shaped spacers, the variation of the gap between the two substrates can be avoided, and further the liquid crystal molecules are influenced.

Fig. 9A to 9F are schematic views illustrating the arrangement of spacers according to some embodiments, wherein color filters are also illustrated to describe the distribution ratio of the spacers, and the axis 410 is located in the middle of the display panel 100 in the second direction D2 according to the present invention, and for clarity, the axis 410 is not repeatedly illustrated in fig. 9B to 9F. Referring to fig. 9A, the spacers in the first region 421 surround the pixels, and the spacers in the second region 422 surround the sub-pixels, which can be described with reference to fig. 5 and 6, and thus, the description thereof is omitted.

Referring to fig. 9B, each of the 9 sub-pixels in the region 901 is surrounded by the surrounding stripe-shaped spacers, and the 9 sub-pixels are arranged along the second direction D2. In the region 902, every 3 sub-pixels are surrounded by the surrounding stripe-shaped spacers, and the 3 sub-pixels are arranged along the second direction D2. In the region 903, each sub-pixel is surrounded by a stripe-shaped spacer.

Referring to fig. 9C, in the region 421, every 6 sub-pixels are surrounded by the surrounding stripe-shaped spacers, and the 6 sub-pixels are arranged in 3 columns (columns) and 2 rows (rows). In the region 422, every 2 sub-pixels are surrounded by the surrounding stripe-shaped spacers, and the 2 sub-pixels are arranged along the first direction D1.

Referring to fig. 9D, in the region 901, each 18 sub-pixels are surrounded by surrounding stripe spacers, and the 18 sub-pixels are arranged in 9 columns and 2 rows. Every 6 sub-pixels in the region 902 are surrounded by surrounding stripe spacers, and the 6 sub-pixels are arranged in 3 columns and 2 rows. In the region 903, every 2 sub-pixels are surrounded by the surrounding stripe spacers, and the 2 sub-pixels are arranged along the first direction D1.

Referring to fig. 9E, in the region 421, every 12 sub-pixels are surrounded by the surrounding stripe-shaped spacers, and the 12 sub-pixels are arranged in 3 columns and 4 rows. In the region 422, every 4 sub-pixels are surrounded by the surrounding stripe-shaped spacers, and the 4 sub-pixels are arranged along the first direction D1.

Referring to fig. 9F, in this embodiment, only the stripe spacers extending along the first direction D1 and not the stripe spacers extending along the second direction D2 are provided. The distance between the strip spacers in the region 901 is 9 sub-pixels, the distance between the strip spacers in the region 902 is 3 sub-pixels, and the distance between the strip spacers in the region 903 is 1 sub-pixel. In this embodiment, the stripe spacers in different regions along the second direction D2 have different corresponding distances therebetween.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the above embodiments, it should be understood that various changes and modifications can be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A display panel having an axis in a first direction and curved to a curved surface with the axis, the display panel having a first area and a second area, the display panel comprising:

the display panel comprises a first substrate, a second substrate and a display panel, wherein a data line and a gate line are arranged on the first substrate, and a sub-pixel is arranged at the intersection of the data line and the gate line;

a second substrate disposed opposite to the first substrate; and

a spacer disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, the spacer including a plurality of stripe spacers, wherein at least a portion of the stripe spacers are disposed in the first region and at least a portion of the stripe spacers are disposed in the second region,

wherein a distance between the first region and the axis is smaller than a distance between the second region and the axis, and a distance between the stripe spacers in the first region is larger than a distance between the stripe spacers in the second region.

2. The display panel according to claim 1, wherein the curved surface has a maximum curvature radius value R1 and a minimum curvature radius value R2, wherein the curvature radius of the first region is equal to or less than R1 or greater than (R1+ R2)/2, and the curvature radius of the second region is equal to or greater than R2 or equal to or less than (R1+ R2)/2.

3. The display panel of claim 1, wherein the stripe spacers comprise a first stripe spacer extending along the first direction and a second stripe spacer extending along a second direction different from the first direction,

the distances between the second stripe spacers in the first region and the second region are the same,

the distance between the first stripe spacers in the first region is greater than the distance between the first stripe spacers in the second region.

4. The display panel of claim 3, wherein the first stripe spacers intersect with the second stripe spacers,

the number of the sub-pixels surrounded by the first strip spacers and the second strip spacers in the first region is greater than the number of the sub-pixels surrounded by the first strip spacers and the second strip spacers in the second region.

5. The display panel according to claim 3, wherein a plurality of the sub-pixels constitute a pixel,

a part of the first strip-shaped spacers and a part of the second strip-shaped spacers in the first region surround a plurality of the sub-pixels,

part of the first strip-shaped spacers and part of the second strip-shaped spacers in the second area surround one sub-pixel.

6. The display panel according to claim 3, wherein the display panel further comprises a third region, a distance between the third region and the axis is greater than a distance between the first region and the axis and greater than a distance between the second region and the axis, and a distance between the first stripe spacers in the third region is greater than a distance between the first stripe spacers in the second region.

7. The display panel according to claim 3, wherein the first stripe spacers and the second stripe spacers are both abutted against the first substrate and the second substrate.

8. The display panel according to claim 1, wherein the spacers further comprise columnar spacers, and the distribution density of the columnar spacers in the first region and the second region is the same.

9. The display panel according to claim 1, further comprising a black matrix disposed on the second substrate, wherein a projection of a portion of the black matrix on the first substrate overlaps a portion of the stripe spacers.

10. A display panel having an axis in a first direction and curved to a curved surface with the axis, the display panel comprising:

the display device comprises a first substrate, a second substrate and a display panel, wherein a data line and a gate line are arranged on the first substrate, a sub-pixel is arranged at the intersection of the data line and the gate line, and a plurality of sub-pixels form a pixel;

a second substrate disposed opposite to the first substrate; and

a spacer disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, the spacer including a plurality of stripe spacers, wherein at least a portion of the stripe spacers surround one of the pixels.