KR102280524B1 - Flexible Display apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a flexible display device, in which a base substrate, a plurality of electrode lines formed along the surface of the base substrate, and a plurality of LEDs are mounted on the base substrate along the electrode lines, and the LEDs individually control light emission An LED array that realizes an image while being turned on, a reinforcing board coupled to the base board in an edge region of the base board to reinforce the base board, and a plurality of first connectors formed on the reinforcing board while being supported by the reinforcing board; and a connection module having a connection electrode connecting the electrode line and the first connector to connect the base substrate to a control module.

Description

Flexible Display Apparatus

The present invention relates to a flexible display device, and more particularly, to a display device having an improved connection structure with a control module in a display device in which a plurality of LEDs are mounted on a substrate made of a flexible material.

In general, a display device is a device that receives and displays an image signal, and is provided on a TV, monitor, billboard, smart phone, etc., and is an organic light emitting device (OLED: Organic Light Emitting Display), a liquid crystal display device as a means for displaying an image. Various devices such as (LCD: Liquid Crystal Display Device) and PDP (Plasma Display Panel) are being used.

In recent years, as the information society develops, the demand for display devices is also changing in various forms, and is gradually becoming lighter, larger, and slimmer. In addition, there is an increasing demand for flexible display devices in order to meet various buildings, interiors, exhibitions, and the like.

As an example of the flexible display device, there is a film-type substrate made of a transparent or opaque material, and a display device in which a plurality of LEDs are arranged in an array form on one or both sides of the substrate to produce various images according to the light emission of each LED.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a flexible display device according to the related art, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the I-I direction showing a connection structure of the flexible display device of FIG. 1 . As shown in these figures, in the flexible display device, a plurality of LEDs 12 are mounted on a substrate 11 made of a transparent or opaque material at predetermined intervals and are mounted in horizontal and vertical directions, and on the surface of the substrate 11 An electrode line 13 for transmitting power and data signals to each LED 12 is formed. In addition, in the display device, the electrode pads 14 connected to the connector 22 are formed on the surface of the substrate 11 on one side, and each LED 12 according to the power and data signals supplied through the electrode pads 14 . emits light to create an overall harmonious image.

On the other hand, since it is difficult to implement a large-screen display device with one display device, the above-described display device is configured as one unit module, and a large screen is realized by connecting a plurality of unit modules. In this case, in the display device of the large screen implemented through the connection of the unit modules, power and data signals must be connected for each unit module. Accordingly, a control module provided with a power supply and a control board is coupled to one side of the display device of each unit module.

The control module is located on the front or rear surface of the display device, and the edge of the substrate 11 on which the electrode pads 14 are formed is coupled to the control module. To this end, the flexible substrate 11 has its edges bent in a vertical direction and inserted into the housing 21 of the control module, and the electrode pad 14 is electrically connected to the connector 22 inside the housing 21 . do. Therefore, in the conventional display device, as the flexible substrate 11 is bent at 90°, cracks may be generated in the electrodes 13 and 14 formed on the surface of the substrate 11 or may be easily disconnected, and Joule according to the bending. There are also concerns about overheating or fire due to the generation of heat.

In addition, the control module forms a bezel area on the front or side surface of the display apparatus, and as the display apparatus becomes larger, the width of the control module, ie, the bezel area, is narrowed to several mm or less.

Therefore, in the conventional display device, it is very difficult to connect the electrode pad 14 to the connector 22 inside the housing 21 having a narrow width w, and the substrate 11 is made of a flexible material. A control board, various drives, power supplies, and a large number of wires 23 are disposed inside the housing 21 along with the connector 22, making it more difficult to connect the electrode pads 14 and work There is a problem that time increases.

Korean Patent No. 10-1764409 (Registered on July 27, 2017, FLED display device based on transparent PCB and manufacturing method thereof) Korean Patent No. 10-1849313 (Registered on April 10, 2018, method of manufacturing a buffer reinforced structure provided in a chip-on-board type display unit)

The present invention has been proposed to solve the above problems, and in a flexible display device having a slimmer bezel area, it is possible to easily connect to a control module and to solve problems caused by bending. An object of the present invention is to provide a transparent display device having a connected structure.

The display device of the present invention for achieving the above object is a base substrate, a plurality of electrode lines formed along the surface of the base substrate, a plurality of LEDs are mounted on the base substrate along the electrode lines, the LEDs an LED array for implementing an image while individually controlling light emission, a reinforcing substrate coupled to the base substrate in an edge region of the base substrate to reinforce the base substrate, and a plurality of first connectors formed on the reinforcing substrate; a connection module having a connection electrode connecting the electrode line and the first connector to connect the base substrate to a control module, and a data signal for supplying power to the LED array and controlling light emission of each LED and a control board for supplying and the control module coupled to the control board and having a plurality of second connectors, wherein the base board is connected to the control module by connection of the first connector and the second connector do.

Also, in the display device of the present embodiment, the base substrate may be formed of a sheet or film made of a flexible material.

Also, in the display device of the present embodiment, the reinforcing substrate may be coupled to a front surface or a rear surface of the base substrate.

In addition, in the display device of this embodiment, a plurality of the display devices are arranged to form a unit module, and the connection modules of the neighboring display devices are connected to a control module accommodated and arranged in a housing to constitute a unit module. A plurality of display devices may be connected via the housing to realize a large screen.

In addition, in the display device of the present embodiment, the connection module may further include a reinforcing frame formed on the entire surface of the base substrate above the connection electrode.

In addition, in the display device of this embodiment, the reinforcing frame is configured such that the thickness h1 of the head exposed on the front surface of the base substrate satisfies h2 ≤ h1 ≤ D*tan(90°-θ)+h2 (here, h2 is the thickness of the LED, D is the distance between the LED and the cover frame, and θ is the emission angle of the LED centered in the vertical direction).

In the present invention, since the flexible substrate has a defect in the reinforcing substrate for reinforcing mechanical rigidity, it can be attached and detached as a simple insertion structure between the connection module and the control module, so that the installation, maintenance and repair of the display module can be made quickly and easily.

In addition, since the present invention does not bend the flexible base substrate, it is possible to minimize the occurrence of problems such as connection failure and noise due to damage to the electrodes or an increase in resistance during the connection process.

In addition, since connection is possible even when the width of the housing forming the control module is further reduced according to the present invention, the bezel width can be further reduced and visibility on the screen can be improved.

1 is a perspective view showing a flexible display device according to the prior art;
2 is a cross-sectional view showing a connection structure of the flexible display device of FIG. 1;
3 is a perspective view showing a flexible display device according to an embodiment of the present invention;
4 is an exploded cross-sectional view illustrating a connection structure of a flexible display device according to an embodiment of the present invention;
5 is a cross-sectional view showing a connection structure of the flexible display device of FIG. 4;
6 is a cross-sectional view showing a large-screen display device according to an embodiment of the present invention;
7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a connection structure of a flexible display device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

The present invention and the technical problems achieved by the practice of the present invention will be made clear by the preferred embodiments described below. Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

It should be understood that the differences between the embodiments described below are not mutually exclusive. That is, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, the specific shapes, structures, and characteristics described may be implemented in other embodiments in relation to one embodiment, and the specific shapes, structures, and characteristics of individual components within each disclosed embodiment may be embodied in other embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. It should be understood that the position or arrangement may be changed, and similar reference numerals in the drawings refer to the same or similar functions in various aspects, and the length, area, thickness, and the like may be exaggerated for convenience. In the description of the present embodiment, expressions such as first, second, inner, outer, before, after, etc. indicate a relative order, position, direction, etc., and their technical meaning is not necessarily limited to the dictionary meaning.

3 is a perspective view showing a flexible display device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4 is an exploded cross-sectional view showing a connection structure of the flexible display device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is the flexible display device of FIG. As a cross-sectional view showing the connection structure of FIG. 3 , the II-II direction is shown.

As shown in these figures, in the display apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, an electrode line 120 is formed on at least one surface of the base substrate 110 , and a plurality of electrode lines 120 on the base substrate 110 are formed along the electrode line 120 . of the LED 130 is mounted. In addition, a connection module 140 for connecting the base substrate 110 to the control module 150 is formed on the edge of the other surface of the base substrate 110 . In addition, a control module 150 for controlling an image is disposed and coupled to the rear surface of the base substrate 110 at a position corresponding to the connection module 140 .

Specifically, the base substrate 110 functions as a base member of the display apparatus 100 by mounting a plurality of LEDs 130 along the electrode line 120 printed on the surface. The base substrate 110 may be formed of a rectangular sheet or film having flexibility, and the shape may be formed in various shapes such as a circular shape or an oval shape.

In addition, the base substrate 110 is made of a material having sufficient heat resistance so that a circuit is printed along the surface and the LED 130 can be mounted. For example, the base substrate 110 may be composed of a film using a polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyimide (PI) resin, and in addition, various types of transparent or opaque films may be used. there is.

The electrode line 120 is a circuit that transmits power and data signals to the LED 130 , and may be formed by bonding a fine wire to the surface of the substrate or by printing a conductive paste on the surface of the base substrate 110 .

The LED 130 is mounted on the surface of the base substrate 110 while being electrically connected to the electrode line 120 , and the light emission of the plurality of LEDs 130 is in harmony with each other as a whole to realize an image. The LED 130 may be mounted on the base substrate 110 by a chip-based COB (Chip On Board) method or a package-based SMT (Surface Mounting Technology) method.

In addition, the LED 130 may be configured as a light emitting device of a single color or a light emitting device emitting various colors including red, green, and blue, and each LED 130 functions as one pixel. The LED 130 may be composed of individual elements emitting light in red (R), green (G) or blue (B). In this case, the red, green, and blue LEDs will function as one pixel.

The connection module 140 is configured to connect the base substrate 110 to the control module 150 , and a reinforcing substrate 141 for firmly fixing the flexible base substrate 110 and the reinforcing substrate 141 while being supported by the reinforcing substrate 141 . It includes a first connector 142 electrically connected to the control module 150 and a connection electrode 143 that passes through the base substrate 110 and electrically connects the electrode line 120 and the first connector 142 to the first connector 142 . do.

The reinforcing substrate 141 reinforces and maintains the mechanical properties of the base substrate 110 , and allows the first connector 142 to be stably connected and fixed to the base substrate 110 . The reinforcing substrate 141 may be coupled to the front surface or the rear surface in the edge region of the base substrate 110 .

In addition, the reinforcing substrate 141 is made of a material having a rigid characteristic unlike the base substrate 110 . As an example, the reinforcing substrate 141 may be composed of a PCB of FR4 material, and as long as it is a material capable of reinforcing and maintaining the mechanical rigidity of the base substrate 110 having ductility, it may be composed of various materials such as plastic or flexible PCB. there is.

The first connector 142 is configured to fix the connection of the connection module 140 while electrically connecting the connection module 140 to the control module 150 . The first connector 142 may have a pin connector structure, one end of which passes through the reinforcing substrate 141 and contacts the base substrate 110 to be connected to the connection electrode 143 , and the other end has a predetermined length. It protrudes to the surface of the reinforcing substrate 141 . That is, the first connector 142 connects each electrode line 120 of the base substrate 110 to the control board 152 of the control module 150 . In the present embodiment, the configuration of the first connectors 142 is exemplified in one row, but a configuration in which two or more rows are arranged in multiple rows is also possible if necessary.

The connection electrode 143 passes through the base substrate 110 and connects the electrode line 120 and the first connector 142 . The connection electrode 143 may be formed by filling the via hole formed in the base substrate 110 with a conductive paste that enables electrical connection.

Although the configuration in which the reinforcing substrate 140 is coupled to the rear surface of the base substrate 110 in the connection module 140 according to the present embodiment has been exemplified, a configuration in which the reinforcing substrate 140 is coupled to the front surface of the base substrate 110 is also possible. , In this case, the first connector 142 may be directly connected to the electrode line 120 through the base substrate 110 .

The control module 150 controls the image to be realized by driving the LED 130 of the base substrate 110 while accommodating the control board 152 therein. The control module 150 for this purpose, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 , includes a control board 152 having a second connector 151 , and the control board 152 is accommodated in the housing 160 . do.

The second connector 151 is mounted on the control board 152 to transmit power and data signals to the first connector 142 . The second connector 151 may be configured as a hole connector corresponding to the first connector 142 , and the first connector 142 is inserted and in contact with each other to electrically connect the connection module 140 and the control module 150 . connect

In this embodiment, the first connector 142 has a pin structure and the second connector 151 has a hole structure, but the first connector 142 and the second connector 151 are not limited thereto. Various connection structures can be formed. In addition, although the configuration in which the first connector 142 having a pin structure is provided in the connection module 140 and the second connector 151 having a hole structure in the control module 150 is exemplified, the connection module 140 is A configuration in which the second connector 151 having a hole structure is provided and the control module 150 is provided with the first connector 142 having a pin structure is also possible.

The control board 152 mounts the second connector 151 and includes a circuit for supplying power and generating and supplying data signals. The control board 152 is disposed inside the housing 160 having a predetermined size.

Since the display device 100 as described above is connected while the first connector 142 of the connection module 140 is inserted into the second connector 151 of the control module 150, even in a display device having a narrow bezel width. Connection work of the connector can be made easily, and work time can be shortened remarkably. In addition, since the base substrate 110 is not bent during the connection process in the display apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, malfunctions or defects caused by damage to the electrodes 110 and 120 , disconnection, an increase in resistance, etc. can be prevented.

6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a large-screen display device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a display device constitutes one unit module, and a plurality of unit modules are connected to implement a display device of a large screen.

Referring to these drawings, the connection module 140 of the display device 100 on one side constituting the unit module is connected to the control module 150 on the side, and the connection module 140 of the display device 100 on the other side. It is also connected to the control module 150 of the other side. In addition, the control modules 150 on both sides are accommodated in the housing 160 to implement a large-screen display device to which a plurality of unit modules are connected.

In the display apparatus of the present embodiment, a plurality of display apparatuses 100 of each unit module may be connected in the horizontal and vertical directions via the housing 160 , thereby realizing a large-screen display apparatus of various sizes.

7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a connection structure of a flexible display device according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The display device of the present embodiment may further include a reinforcing frame 144 formed on the connection electrode 143 on the front surface of the base substrate 110 .

The reinforcing frame 144 enhances the binding force of the connection electrode 143 and facilitates the workability of connecting the base substrate 110 to the control module 150 . A separate frame of the reinforcing frame 144 may be coupled to the base substrate 110 or the connection electrode 143 may be formed to protrude toward the front surface of the base substrate 110 .

Meanwhile, the reinforcing frame 144 is formed to have a predetermined thickness (or height, h1) on the surface of the base substrate 110 . That is, the reinforcement frame 144 is configured to have a thickness equal to or greater than the thickness (or height, h2) of the LED 130 (h1≥h2). A high-transparency protective cover (not shown) for protecting the image area of the display device may be further coupled to the front surface of the LED 130 . The reinforcing frame 144 supports the protective cover to maintain a predetermined gap between the protective cover and the LED 130 , and prevents damage to the LED 130 due to contact between the protective cover and the LED 130 .

In addition, since the image of the display device should not be distorted by the reinforcing frame 144 , it should have a thickness of less than a predetermined range. That is, the reinforcing frame 144 of the present embodiment has a thickness h1 that satisfies the following conditions.

h1 ≤ D*tan(90°-θ)+h2

Here, D is the distance between the LED and the reinforcement frame, and θ is the emission angle of the LED centered in the vertical direction. When the reinforcing frame 144 has a thickness exceeding the above conditions, it may interfere with the light emitted from the LED 130 and cause distortion of the entire image.

Although exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described as described above, various modifications and other embodiments may be made by those skilled in the art. All such modifications and other embodiments are intended to be contemplated and included in the appended claims without departing from the true spirit and scope of the present invention.

100: display device
110: base substrate
120: electrode line
130: LED
140: connection module 141: reinforcing board
142: first connector 143: connection electrode
150: control module 151: second connector
152: control board
160: housing
144: reinforcement frame

Claims (6)

A display device having a bezel area, the display device comprising:
base substrate;
a plurality of electrode lines formed along the surface of the base substrate;
an LED array in which a plurality of LEDs are mounted on the base substrate along the electrode line, and the LEDs individually control light emission to realize an image;
A connection module having a connection structure adapted to enable connection in the bezel region, wherein the first connector of a pin structure is coupled to the base substrate in an edge region of the base substrate to reinforce the base substrate and at the same time A reinforcing substrate supporting the reinforcing substrate, a plurality of first connectors having the pin structure formed on the reinforcing substrate, and a connection electrode connecting the electrode line and the first connector to connect the base substrate to a control module, the connection module; and
A control board for supplying power to the LED array and generating and supplying a data signal for controlling light emission of each LED, and the control module including a plurality of second connectors coupled to the control board,
The connection module further includes a reinforcing frame formed on the entire surface of the base substrate above the connection electrode,
In the reinforcement frame, the thickness h1 of the head exposed on the front surface of the base substrate satisfies h2 ≤ h1 ≤ D*tan(90°-θ)+h2 (where h2 is the thickness of the LED, D is the LED and distance to the reinforcement frame, where θ is the emission angle of the LED centered in the vertical direction),
and the base board is connected to the control module by a connection between the first connector and the second connector. According to claim 1, wherein the base substrate,
A display device comprising a sheet or film of a flexible material. According to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing substrate,
A display device coupled to the front or rear surface of the base substrate. The method of claim 1,
A plurality of the display devices are arranged to form a unit module, and the connection modules of the neighboring display devices are connected to a control module that is accommodated and disposed in a housing,
A plurality of display devices constituting the unit module are connected via the housing to realize a large screen. delete delete

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