KR20200007372A - Flexible display module and image display device including the same - Google Patents

Abstract

A flexible display module of the embodiments of the present invention comprises: a display panel; a touch sensor layer arranged on the display panel and including sensing electrodes and traces branching from the sensing electrodes; a coupling layer for bonding the display panel and the touch sensor layer; a flexible circuit board electrically connected with traces at one end of the touch sensor layer; and a support structure which commonly and partially covers the flexible circuit board and the touch sensor layer. The ends of the display panel and the touch sensor layer are curved together with the support structure. Therefore, provided is the flexible display module having improved electrical and mechanical reliability and flexibility.

Description

FLEXIBLE DISPLAY MODULE AND IMAGE DISPLAY DEVICE INCLUDING THE SAME}

The present invention relates to a flexible display module and an image display device including the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a flexible display module having a touch sensor coupled thereto and an image display device including the same.

Recently, with the development of information technology, the demand for the display field is also presented in various forms. For example, a flat panel display device having features such as thinness, light weight, and low power consumption, for example, a liquid crystal display device, a plasma display panel device, Electro luminescent display devices and organic light-emitting diode display devices have been studied.

Meanwhile, a touch panel or a touch sensor, which is an input device attached to the display device and inputs a user's command by selecting an instruction displayed on the screen with a human hand or an object, is combined with the display device to display an image display function Electronic devices in which information input functions are implemented are being developed.

In addition, recently, a flexible display having a flexibility that can be folded or bent has been developed. Accordingly, the touch sensor also needs to be developed to have a proper physical property, design, and structure to be applied to a flexible display.

For example, when the touch sensor is bent or folded, interlayer peeling around the touch sensor, damage to an electrode or a connection wire, and the like may be caused. In addition, when the touch sensor is bent to connect a circuit of the touch sensor, the degree of bending may be increased to increase the display area area. In this case, the interlayer peeling and mechanical damage may be further intensified.

For example, as disclosed in Korean Patent Laid-Open No. 2014-0092366, recently, a touch sensor or a touch screen panel coupled to various image display devices has been developed.

Korean Patent Publication No. 2014-0092366

One object of the present invention is to provide a flexible display module having improved electrical, mechanical reliability and flexibility.

One object of the present invention is to provide an image display device including a flexible display module having improved electrical, mechanical reliability and flexibility.

1. Display panel; A touch sensor layer disposed on the display panel, the touch sensor layer including sensing electrodes and traces branching from the sensing electrodes; A bonding layer bonding the display panel and the touch sensor layer to each other; A flexible circuit board electrically connected to the traces at one end of the touch sensor layer; And a support structure in common, partially covering the flexible circuit board and the touch sensor layer, wherein ends of the display panel and the touch sensor layer are bent together with the support structure.

2. In the above 1, the curvature of the bent portion of the display panel and the touch sensor layer is 0.1R to 0.5R with respect to the radius of curvature, flexible display module.

3. The flexible display module of 1 above, wherein the touch sensor layer includes an active region in which the sensing electrodes are arranged and a trace region in which the traces are arranged, and starts to bend at a portion of the active region adjacent to the trace region. .

4. The flexible display module of 3 above, wherein the active area includes a display area, and bending starts at a portion of the active area between the display area and the trace area.

5. The flexible display module of claim 4, further comprising an optical layer selectively disposed on the display area of the touch sensor layer.

6. The flexible display module of claim 5, wherein the support structure covers the active area and the trace area together with an unformed optical layer.

7. The flexible display module of claim 5, wherein the ends of the display panel and the touch sensor layer are bent such that the flexible circuit board faces the optical layer.

8. The flexible display module of claim 7, further comprising a fixing structure inserted between portions of the display panel overlapping the optical layer and the flexible circuit board facing each other.

9. In the above 8, wherein the bonding layer and the fixing structure comprises a viscous adhesive material, flexible display module.

10. In the above 5, wherein the optical layer comprises a polarizer, a polarizing plate, a retardation film, a reflective sheet, a brightness enhancement film or a refractive index matching film, a flexible display module.

11. The flexible display module of claim 5, wherein the bonding layer includes a first portion overlapping the optical layer and a second portion overlapping the trace area.

12. The flexible display module of above 11, wherein a gap is formed between the first portion and the second portion.

13. The flexible display module of 12 above, wherein the gap is disposed between the bent ends of the touch sensor layer and the display panel.

14. The flexible display module of 1 above, wherein the display panel comprises an organic light emitting diode (OLED) panel.

15. Flexible display module according to any one of 1 to 14 above; And a window substrate disposed on the flexible display module.

16. The image display apparatus of 15, further comprising a main board disposed below the flexible display module, wherein the flexible circuit board of the flexible display module is electrically connected to the main board.

In the flexible display module according to the embodiments of the present invention, the display panel and the touch sensor layer may be integrated through a bonding layer. The touch sensor layer may be made of, for example, a substrate-less thin film and combined with the display panel. Therefore, the display panel and the touch sensor layer may be bent together to reduce the area of the bezel part or the light blocking part, and to enlarge the size of the display area.

The display module may include a support structure that partially covers the touch sensor layer and the flexible printed circuit board together. The support structure may prevent peeling of the flexible printed circuit board when the flexible display module is folded or bent, and may prevent damage of the sensing electrode or trace in the bending area. In addition, even if bent at a radius of curvature of about 0.5 R or less, high reliability circuit connection can be realized without the occurrence of interlayer delamination.

1 and 2 are cross-sectional views illustrating a schematic structure of a flexible display module according to example embodiments.
3 and 4 are cross-sectional views illustrating a schematic structure of a flexible display module according to some example embodiments.
5 is a schematic plan view illustrating a structure of a touch sensor layer according to exemplary embodiments.
6 is a schematic plan view illustrating a structure of a touch sensor layer according to some exemplary embodiments.
7 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating an image display device including a flexible display module according to example embodiments.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a display panel and a touch sensor layer integrated with each other by a bonding layer, a flexible circuit board connected to one end of the touch sensor layer, and a support partially covering the touch sensor layer and the flexible circuit board together. Comprising a structure, the display panel and the touch sensor layer provides a flexible display module is bent together.

Further, embodiments of the present invention provide an image display device including the flexible display module.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the following drawings attached to the present specification are intended to illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention, and together with the contents of the present invention serves to further understand the technical spirit of the present invention, the present invention described in such drawings It should not be construed as limited to matters.

In the following drawings, for example, two directions that are parallel to the upper surface of the display panel or the touch sensor layer and cross, for example, perpendicular to each other, are defined as the first direction and the second direction. For example, the first direction may correspond to the longitudinal direction of the flexible display module, and the second direction may correspond to the width direction of the flexible display module. In addition, a direction perpendicular to the first and second directions is defined as a third direction. For example, the third direction may correspond to a thickness direction of the flexible display module.

1 and 2 are cross-sectional views illustrating a schematic structure of a flexible display module according to example embodiments.

Referring to FIG. 1, the flexible display module includes a display panel 100, a coupling layer 110, and a touch sensor layer 120, and is connected to one end of the touch sensor layer 120. And the support structure 150 partially covering the flexible circuit board 140 and the touch sensor layer 120 together.

The display panel 100 may include, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel or an organic light emitting diode display (OLED) panel. Preferably, the display panel 100 may comprise an OLED panel. In the case of the OLED panel, since a back-plane structure such as a backlight unit may be omitted, as described with reference to FIG. 2, bending or bending together with the touch sensor layer 120 may be easily implemented. Can be.

The structure and configuration of the display panel 100 will be described later in more detail with reference to FIG. 7.

The bonding layer 110 may be formed on the top surface of the display panel 100. For example, the bonding layer 110 may be formed on the upper encapsulation layer of the display panel 100.

In example embodiments, the bonding layer 110 may include a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) or an optical transparent adhesive (OCA) including an acrylic resin.

The touch sensor layer 120 may be stacked on the coupling layer 110. The touch sensor layer 120 may be coupled to the display panel 100 through the coupling layer 110. Therefore, the display panel 100 and the touch sensor layer 120 may be integrated into one module.

The touch sensor layer 120 may include conductive patterns such as a sensing electrode and the traces extending from the sensing electrode, and may further include an insulating layer for mutual insulation of the conductive patterns. The structure and structure of the touch sensor layer 120 will be described later in more detail with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6.

According to example embodiments, the touch sensor layer 120 may be manufactured in a substantially substrate type. For example, an intermediate layer may be formed on a carrier substrate, and the sensing electrode, trace, etc. may be formed on the intermediate layer. Thereafter, after removing the carrier substrate from the intermediate layer, the carrier substrate may be directly attached to the display panel 100 through the bonding layer 110.

The intermediate layer may include a polymer organic film capable of promoting peeling with the carrier substrate. As a non-limiting example, the intermediate layer may be a polyimide-based polymer, a polyvinyl alcohol-based polymer, a polyamic acid-based polymer, a polyamide-based polymer, or a polyethylene-based polymer. Polymer, polystylene polymer, polynorbornene polymer, phenylmaleimide copolymer polymer, polyazobenzene polymer, polyphenylenephthalamide polymer, poly Polyester polymer, polymethyl methacrylate polymer, polyarylate polymer, cinnamate polymer, coumarin polymer, phthalimidine It may include a polymer material such as a polymer, a chalcone (chalcone) polymer, an aromatic acetylene polymer. These can be used individually or in combination of 2 or more types.

The flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) 140 may be disposed on one end of the touch sensor layer 120 and electrically connected to the traces included in the touch sensor layer 120. In one embodiment, a terminal portion or a pad portion formed at an end of the trace and a circuit wiring included in the flexible circuit board 140 may be formed by a conductive intermediate structure such as an anisotropic conductive film (ACF). It can be electrically connected to each other.

The flexible circuit board 140 may include, for example, a core layer including a resin or a liquid crystal polymer and the circuit wiring printed on the core layer. In addition, the cover layer may further include a coverlay layer covering the circuit wiring on the core layer. A portion of the coverlay layer may be removed to expose a portion of the circuit wiring connected to the terminal portion or the pad portion of the touch sensor layer 120.

The touch sensor layer 120 may further include a passivation layer protecting the sensing electrode and the traces. In this case, the passivation layer portion formed in the connection region where the traces of the flexible circuit board 140 and the touch sensor layer 120 are connected may be removed.

The support structure 150 may be formed on a portion of the flexible circuit board 140 and a portion of the touch sensor layer 120 disposed on the connection area. Accordingly, the support structure 150 may partially and partially cover the ends of the touch sensor layer 120 and the flexible circuit board 140.

The support structure 150 suppresses peeling of the flexible circuit board 140 caused by external stress in the connection area, and prevents peeling or cracking of the sensing electrode or trace generated during folding or bending operation. It may be provided in a protective pattern.

The support structure 150 may have a multilayer structure. For example, the support structure 150 may include a base layer 152 and a support layer 154 formed on the surface of the base layer 152. The support layer 154 includes, for example, an acrylic, silicon, urethane, and / or rubber based adhesive material, and ends at the connection area of the flexible circuit board 140 and the touch sensor layer 120. It can be held in contact with them.

The base layer 152 may include, for example, a polymer film. For example, the polymer film may be a cyclic olefin polymer (COP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyacrylate (PAR), polyetherimide (PEI), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) , Polyallylate, polyimide (PI), cellulose acetate propionate (CAP), polyethersulfone (PES), cellulose triacetate (TAC), polycarbonate (PC), cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) , Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), and the like.

The flexible display module may further include an optical layer 130. The optical layer 130 may include a film or layer structure known in the art for improving image visibility implemented from the pixel portion of the display panel 100. Non-limiting examples of the optical layer 130 include a polarizing plate, a polarizer, a retardation film, a reflection sheet, a brightness enhancement film, a refractive index matching film, and the like. These may be included alone or in two or more layers.

In example embodiments, the optical layer 130 may substantially overlap the display area of the display panel 100 or the touch sensor layer 120. The optical layer 130 may be located at substantially the same layer or at the same level as the support structure 150.

In some embodiments, an adhesive layer for bonding the optical layer 130 may be further formed on the top surface of the touch sensor layer 120.

Referring to FIG. 2, an end (eg, an end in the first direction) of the flexible display module to which the flexible circuit board 140 is coupled may be bent and disposed under the optical layer 130.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, end portions of the display panel 100 and the touch sensor layer 120 that do not overlap the optical layer 130 may be integrated and bent together by the coupling layer 110. The ends may be bent in the third direction to extend in the first direction to face the optical layer 130 in the third direction. Accordingly, the flexible circuit board 140 may be electrically connected to the main board 160 disposed under the display panel 100 under the optical layer 130. For example, the flexible circuit board 140 and the driving circuit included in the main board 160 may be connected through the bonding pads 165 formed on the bottom surface of the main board 160. Accordingly, the traces included in the driving circuit and the touch sensor layer 120 may be electrically connected to each other so that the touch sensing signal / drive signal may be transferred to each other.

According to example embodiments, the support structure 150 may be bent together with the curved ends of the display panel 100 and the touch sensor layer 120. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the peeling of the touch sensor layer 120 due to the bending stress, damage to the electrodes and the wirings. In addition, the flexible circuit board 140 may be fixed by the support structure 150 while bending is performed. Therefore, the connection between the flexible circuit board 140 and the traces of the touch sensor layer 120 in the connection region can be stably maintained.

In addition, since the bonding layer 110 is continuously formed and bent together between the curved ends of the display panel 100 and the touch sensor layer 120, the display panel 100 and the touch sensor layer 120 are integrated together. Bending can be implemented.

In some embodiments, the curvature in the curved area or the curved portion of the display panel 100 and the touch sensor layer 120 may be about 0.1R to 0.5R (R refers to the radius of curvature). Even when a sudden curvature of about 0.5 R or less is applied, interlayer peeling and mechanical damage of the touch sensor layer 120 and the display panel 100 may be prevented by the support structure 150 and the bonding layer 110.

In some embodiments, the thickness of the coupling layer 110 may be greater than that of each of the touch sensor layer 120 and the display panel 100 to secure bending reliability. In addition, the thickness of the support structure 150 may also be greater than the thickness of each of the touch sensor layer 120 and the display panel 100.

In an embodiment, the thickness of the touch sensor layer 120 may be smaller than the thickness of each of the display panel 100 and the optical layer 130. Therefore, bending with the curvature in the above-described range can be easily implemented. As described above, the touch sensor layer 120 may be included as a thin film of an inorganic material type.

In some embodiments, the fixing structure 155 may be disposed between the curved end of the display panel 100 and the unbended portion of the display panel 100 under the optical layer.

The fixing structure 155 may include, for example, a PSA-based, OCA-based, or rubber-based adhesive material. The fixing structure 155 may be bent to fix portions of the display panel 100 that face each other so that bending reliability may be maintained.

3 and 4 are cross-sectional views illustrating a schematic structure of a flexible display module according to some example embodiments. Repeated descriptions of structures and structures substantially the same as or similar to those described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 will be omitted.

Referring to FIG. 3, the bonding layers 115 (115a and 115b) may be formed discontinuously. For example, the bonding layer portion below the portion of the touch sensor layer 120 in contact with the support structure 150 may be substantially removed. Accordingly, a gap 117 may be formed under a portion of the touch sensor layer 120 in contact with the support structure 150.

In some embodiments, the bonding layer may include a first portion 115a disposed under the optical layer 130 and a second portion 115b disposed under the flexible circuit board 140. In this case, a gap 117 may be formed between the first portion 115a and the second portion 115b.

Referring to FIG. 4, the bonding layer 115 may be substantially removed from the bending region, so that bending or bending may be more easily applied. The first portion 115a and the second portion 115b of the bonding layer 115 respectively support both ends of the curved region, and the support structure 150 substantially protects the exposed surface of the touch sensor layer 120. can do. Therefore, structural reliability can be maintained even if the portion of the bonding layer 115 in the bending region is omitted.

5 is a schematic plan view illustrating a structure of a touch sensor layer according to exemplary embodiments.

Referring to FIG. 5, the touch sensor layer 120 may include sensing electrodes 60 and 70 and traces 80 and 90. According to example embodiments, the sensing electrodes 60 and 70 may be arranged to enable driving by a mutual capacitance method.

Sensing electrodes 60, 70 and traces 80, 90 may be arranged on intermediate layer 50. As described above, the intermediate layer 50 may be included, for example, for exfoliation from the carrier substrate, and may comprise an organic polymeric material.

The touch sensor layer 120 may include an active area A and a trace area T. The active area A may be an area where a user's touch can be input and sensed by the sensing electrodes 60 and 70. In the trace area T, traces 80 and 90 branching from the sensing electrodes 60 and 70 are disposed, and a portion of the trace area T is connected for electrical connection with the flexible circuit board 140. May be provided as an area.

The active area A may include the display area D. FIG. For example, the display area D may correspond to the center portion of the active area A. FIG. The display area D may be an area in which an image of the image display device is implemented to the user. According to example embodiments, an area where the optical layer 130 illustrated in FIG. 1 overlaps may correspond to the display area D. FIG.

The sensing electrodes 60 and 70 may be arranged in the active area A of the touch sensor layer. According to example embodiments, the sensing electrodes 60 and 70 may include the first sensing electrodes 60 and the second sensing electrodes 70.

The first sensing electrodes 60 may be arranged along the second direction (eg, the width direction), for example. Accordingly, a first sensing electrode row extending in the second direction may be formed by the plurality of first sensing electrodes 60. In addition, a plurality of the first sensing electrode rows may be arranged along the first direction.

In some embodiments, the first sensing electrodes 60 neighboring in the second direction may be physically or electrically connected to each other by the connection part 65. For example, the connection part 65 may be integrally formed with the first sensing electrodes 60 at the same level.

The second sensing electrodes 70 may be arranged along the first direction (eg, the longitudinal direction). In some embodiments, the second sensing electrodes 70 may be physically separated from each other by island electrodes. In this case, the second sensing electrodes 70 neighboring in the first direction may be electrically connected to each other by the bridge electrode 75.

As the plurality of second sensing electrodes 70 are connected to each other by the bridge electrodes 75 and arranged in the first direction, a second row of sensing electrodes extending in the first direction may be formed. In addition, a plurality of the second sensing electrode columns may be arranged along the second direction.

The sensing electrodes 60, 70 and / or the bridge electrode 75 may include a metal, an alloy, or a transparent conductive oxide.

For example, the sensing electrodes 60 and 70 and / or the bridge electrode 75 may include silver (Ag), gold (Au), copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), platinum (Pt), and palladium (Pd). , Chromium (Cr), titanium (Ti), tungsten (W), niobium (Nb), tantalum (Ta), vanadium (V), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni) , Zinc (Zn), tin (Sn) or alloys thereof (eg silver-palladium-copper (APC)). These may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

The sensing electrodes 60, 70 and / or the bridge electrode 75 may be formed of, for example, indium tin oxide (ITO), indium zinc oxide (IZO), zinc oxide (ZnO), indium zinc oxide (IZTO), or cadmium. It may also include a transparent conductive oxide such as tin oxide (CTO).

In some embodiments, the sensing electrodes 60 and 70 and / or the bridge electrode 75 may include a stacked structure of a transparent conductive oxide and a metal. For example, the sensing electrodes 60 and 70 and / or the bridge electrode 75 may have a three-layer structure of transparent conductive oxide layer-metal layer-transparent conductive oxide layer. In this case, while the flexible property is improved by the metal layer, the signal transmission speed may be improved by lowering the resistance, and the corrosion resistance and transparency may be improved by the transparent conductive oxide layer.

In some embodiments, the bridge electrode 75 may be formed on an insulating layer (not shown). The insulating layer may at least partially cover the connecting portion 65 included in the first sensing electrode row, and at least partially cover the second sensing electrodes 70 around the connecting portion 65. The bridge electrode 75 may pass through the insulating layer and be electrically connected to the second sensing electrodes 70 adjacent to each other with the connection part 65 therebetween.

The insulating layer may include an inorganic insulating material such as silicon oxide or silicon nitride, or an organic insulating material such as acrylic resin or siloxane resin.

Traces 80 and 90 may include a first trace 80 extending from each of the first sensing electrode rows and a second trace 90 extending from each of the second sensing electrode columns.

As shown in FIG. 5, the traces 80 and 90 may extend from the periphery of the active area A or the display area D and be aggregated into the trace area T. FIG.

For example, the first traces 80 may branch from each side of the first sensing electrode row from both sides of the touch sensor layer and extend in the first direction. The first traces 80 may be bent while entering the trace area T to extend in the second direction. The first traces 80 may be bent in the first direction again and may extend into the connection area.

In some embodiments, the first traces 80 may be alternately distributed on both sides of the touch sensor layer 120. Since the first traces 80 are evenly distributed on both sides of the touch sensor layer 120, the stresses generated when bending or bending are applied may be uniformly distributed. In addition, since the first traces 80 are alternately disposed at both sides, an alignment margin between neighboring first traces 80 may be increased.

The second traces 90 may branch from each of the second sensing electrode rows to extend in the second direction in the trace area T. FIG. Thereafter, it may be bent again in the first direction to extend in the first direction toward the connection region.

The distal ends of the traces 80 and 90 may be provided as a connection that is collected in the connection area and electrically connected to the flexible circuit board 140. A first contact portion 85 and a second contact portion 95 may be defined from the first trace 80 and the second trace 90, respectively, and disposed in the connection area.

Traces 80 and 90 may comprise a conductive material substantially the same as or similar to sensing electrodes 60 and 70.

According to example embodiments, the flexible circuit board 140 may be electrically connected to the connections 85 and 95 on the connection area. In some embodiments, a conductive intermediate structure such as an anisotropic conductive film (ACF) may be disposed between the flexible circuit board 140 and the connections 85 and 95.

1 to 4, the support structure 150 covers the trace area T in the planar direction and may cover a portion of the active area A. FIG. In example embodiments, a portion between the display area D and the trace area T of the active area A may be covered together by the support structure 150.

The portion of the active region A covered by the support structure 150 (eg, the portion of the active region A not covered by the optical layer 130) is shown in FIG. 2 together with the trace region T. Can be bent together.

As the active area A, which is substantially provided as the bezel part or the non-display area, is bent together with the display panel 100, the area of the bezel part that is visible to the user may be reduced. Therefore, even when the total area of the image display device is reduced, the display area D can be expanded.

6 is a schematic plan view illustrating a structure of a touch sensor layer according to some exemplary embodiments.

Referring to FIG. 6, the sensing electrodes 67 and the traces 87 of the touch sensor layer 120 may be arranged to be driven by a self capacitance method.

The touch sensor layer 120 may include sensing electrodes 67 provided in independent island patterns, respectively. In addition, the traces 87 may branch to each sensing electrode 67 and extend to the trace area T. FIG. The distal ends of the traces 87 may be collected in a connection area disposed at one end of the trace area T to be electrically connected to the flexible circuit board 140.

As described above, the support structure 150 may cover a portion of the trace area T and the active area A and support the touch sensor layer 120 and the flexible circuit board 140 together. In addition, bending starts from the active area A except for the display area D. After the bending, the trace area T may be disposed to substantially face the display area D. FIG.

7 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating an image display device including a flexible display module according to example embodiments.

The image display device may be a flexible display device, and may include a window substrate 180 and the aforementioned flexible display module.

The flexible display module may include, for example, the display panel 100 and the touch sensor layer 120 integrated with each other by the coupling layer 110 as described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. The optical layer 130 may be stacked on the display area D of the touch sensor layer 120. In FIG. 7, the support structure 150 and the flexible circuit board 140 are omitted for convenience of description.

The window substrate 180 may include, for example, a hard coating film. In one embodiment, the light blocking pattern 185 may be formed on a periphery of one surface of the window substrate 180. The light blocking pattern 185 may include, for example, a color printing pattern, and may have a single layer or a multilayer structure. The bezel part or the non-display area of the image display device may be defined by the light blocking pattern 185.

The optical layer 130 may include various optical films or optical structures included in the image display device, and in some embodiments, may include a coated polarizer or a polarizing plate. The coated polarizer may include a liquid crystal coating layer including a polymerizable liquid crystal compound and a dichroic dye. In this case, the optical layer 130 may further include an alignment layer for imparting orientation to the liquid crystal coating layer.

For example, the polarizing plate may include a polyvinyl alcohol polarizer and a protective film attached to at least one surface of the polyvinyl alcohol polarizer.

The optical layer 130 may be directly bonded to the one surface of the window substrate 180 or may be attached through the second adhesive layer 114. In one embodiment, the optical layer 130 may be combined with the touch sensor layer 120 through the first adhesive layer 112.

As shown in FIG. 7, the window substrate 180, the optical layer 130, and the touch sensor layer 120 may be disposed in order from the user's visual recognition side. In this case, since the sensing electrodes of the touch sensor layer 120 are disposed under the optical layer 130 including the polarizer or the polarizing plate, the electrode visibility may be more effectively prevented.

The display panel 100 may include a pixel electrode 210, a pixel defining layer 220, a display layer 230, an opposite electrode 240, and an encapsulation layer 250 disposed on the panel substrate 205. Can be.

The panel substrate 205 may include a flexible resin material, in which case the image display device may be provided as a flexible display.

A pixel circuit including a thin film transistor TFT may be formed on the panel substrate 205, and an insulating layer covering the pixel circuit may be formed. The pixel electrode 210 may be electrically connected to the drain electrode of the TFT, for example.

The pixel defining layer 220 may be formed on the insulating layer to expose the pixel electrode 210 to define a pixel region. The display layer 230 is formed on the pixel electrode 210, and the display layer 230 may include, for example, a liquid crystal layer or an organic emission layer.

The opposite electrode 240 may be disposed on the pixel defining layer 220 and the display layer 230. The counter electrode 240 may be provided as, for example, a common electrode or a cathode of the image display device. An encapsulation layer 250 for protecting the display panel 200 may be stacked on the opposite electrode 240.

50: intermediate layer 60: first sensing electrode
65: connecting portion 70: second sensing electrode
75: bridge electrode 80: first trace
90: second trace 100: display panel
110: bonding layer 120: touch sensor layer
130: optical layer 140: flexible circuit board
150: support structure 155: fixed structure
160: main board 165: bonding pads

Claims (16)

Display panel;
A touch sensor layer disposed on the display panel, the touch sensor layer including sensing electrodes and traces branching from the sensing electrodes;
A bonding layer bonding the display panel and the touch sensor layer to each other;
A flexible circuit board electrically connected to the traces at one end of the touch sensor layer; And
A support structure that commonly, partially covers, the flexible circuit board and the touch sensor layer,
And ends of the display panel and the touch sensor layer are bent together with the support structure.
The flexible display module of claim 1, wherein a curvature of the bent portion of the display panel and the touch sensor layer is 0.1R to 0.5R with respect to a radius of curvature R. 3.
The flexible display module of claim 1, wherein the touch sensor layer includes an active region in which the sensing electrodes are arranged and a trace region in which the traces are arranged, and the bending starts at a portion of the active region adjacent to the trace region.
4. The flexible display module of claim 3, wherein the active area comprises a display area, wherein bending starts at a portion of the active area between the display area and the trace area.
The flexible display module of claim 4, further comprising an optical layer selectively disposed on the display area of the touch sensor layer.
The flexible display module of claim 5, wherein the support structure covers the active region portion and the trace region together with the optical layer unformed.
The flexible display module of claim 5, wherein the ends of the display panel and the touch sensor layer are curved such that the flexible circuit board faces the optical layer.
The flexible display module of claim 7, further comprising a fixed structure inserted between portions of the display panel overlapping the optical layer and the flexible circuit board facing each other.
The flexible display module of claim 8, wherein the bonding layer and the fixing structure include an adhesive material.
The flexible display module of claim 5, wherein the optical layer comprises at least one of a polarizer, a polarizing plate, a retardation film, a reflective sheet, a brightness enhancing film, or a refractive index matching film.
The flexible display module of claim 5, wherein the bonding layer includes a first portion overlapping the optical layer and a second portion overlapping the trace area.
The flexible display module of claim 11, wherein a gap is formed between the first portion and the second portion.
The flexible display module of claim 12, wherein the gap is disposed between the touch sensor layer and the curved ends of the display panel.
The flexible display module of claim 1, wherein the display panel comprises an organic light emitting diode (OLED) panel.
The flexible display module according to any one of claims 1 to 14; And
And a window substrate disposed on the flexible display module.
The method of claim 15, further comprising a main board disposed below the flexible display module,
And the flexible circuit board of the flexible display module is electrically connected to the main board.

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