TWM527104U - Display layer structure and display module - Google Patents

Abstract

A display layer structure and display module are provided. The display layer structure includes a flexible substrate, a plurality of microcapsules having color particles, a display electrode layer, and a transparent conductive layer. The flexible substrate has a plurality of strip-shaped grooves parallel to each other. The microcapsules are fixed in the strip-shaped grooves. The display electrode layer is disposed on a first side of the flexible substrate. The transparent conductive layer is disposed on a second side of the flexible substrate.

Description

Display layer structure and display module

The present invention relates to a display layer structure, and in particular to a display layer structure suitable for a flexible display device.

1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a conventional display module. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a process for manufacturing a display module using a roll-to-roll process. As shown in FIG. 1 , the conventional display module 100 sequentially forms a transparent conductive layer 120 , a display medium layer 130 , a sealing layer 140 and a display electrode layer 150 on one side of the substrate 110 , and the display medium layer 130 is an electrophoretic display layer. . For example, the display medium layer 130 can be fabricated in a roll-to-roll manner as shown in FIG. 2, and coated on the substrate 110 with one side of the transparent conductive layer 120, for example, by coating. The microcup material 160 is clothed, and then the microcup structure 161 is arrayed on the surface of the microcup material 160 by means of a roll 170 and a embossed layer 171 attached to the roller 170 in an embossing process. The microcup structure 161 is filled with an electrophoretic material 162 such as a microparticle and a suspension, and the microcup structure 161 is sealed, and a sealing layer 140 is formed on the surface of the opening of the microcup structure 161.

The embossed layer 171 is a layer of a structure having a microcup protrusion 172 attached to a roller 170, and is rolled by a conventional roll-to-roll method. The tex 171 is discontinuous (with gaps) at the joint 173, so the microcup structure 161 cannot be embossed at the joint 173, forming a gap 174. Conventional roll-to-roll processes cannot achieve a continuous roll-to-roll process because they do not form a continuous array of microcup structures 161, which results in wasted micro-cup material 160. In addition, the equipment of the roller 170 and the embossed layer 171 is expensive and easy to wear, which is disadvantageous for cost and fabrication of the microcup structure 161. When the embossed layer 171 is worn, the shape of the microcup structure 161 is incomplete. And the joint 173 of the embossed layer 171 on the roller 170 cannot be completely adhered, and a truly continuous roll-to-roll process cannot be achieved. Moreover, the prior art requires an additional formation of a sealing layer 140 on the surface of the opening of the microcup structure 161, which increases the difficulty of fabrication and increases the thickness of the display module 100.

One of the technical aspects of this creation is a display layer structure.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a display layer structure includes a flexible substrate, a plurality of microcapsules having colored particles, a display electrode layer, and a transparent conductive layer. The flexible substrate has a plurality of parallel grooves. These microcapsules with colored particles are fixed in these grooves. The display electrode layer is disposed on the first side of the flexible substrate. The transparent conductive layer is disposed on the second side of the flexible substrate.

One of the technical aspects of this creation is a display module.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a display module includes: the display layer structure and a substrate having a pixel electrode, and the display layer structure is disposed on the substrate.

In the above embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of mixed fluids of microcapsules having colored particles and a fixing gel are individually filled in each of the strips, and then solidified. The embodiment of the present invention does not require an additional sealing layer, simplifies the process, is easy to manufacture, and reduces the thickness of the display layer structure, making the display layer structure lighter and thinner. In addition, the present embodiment achieves a continuous roll-to-roll process, reducing consumables and expense.

100‧‧‧ display module

110‧‧‧Substrate

120‧‧‧Transparent conductive layer

130‧‧‧Display media layer

140‧‧‧ Sealing layer

150‧‧‧Display electrode layer

160‧‧‧microcup material

161‧‧‧microcup structure

162‧‧‧ Electrophoresis materials

170‧‧‧roller

171‧‧‧ embossing layer

172‧‧‧microcup protrusion

173‧‧‧ joints

174‧‧‧ gap

200‧‧‧Display layer structure

210, 310‧‧‧Soft substrate

211‧‧‧ first side

212‧‧‧ second side

220, 320‧‧‧ display electrode layer

230, 330‧‧‧ Transparent conductive layer

240, 340‧‧‧ Display media layer

241, 341‧‧‧ trench

2411‧‧‧ bottom

2412‧‧‧ openings

242, 342‧‧‧ microcapsules

2421, 3421‧‧‧ particles

243, 343‧‧‧ fixing glue

251, 351‧‧ ‧ parallel strips

252, 352‧ ‧ embossing roller

501~504, 601~604‧‧‧ steps

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a conventional display module.

2 is a schematic diagram of a process for fabricating a roll-to-roll process using a conventional display module manufacturing method.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a display layer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a display layer according to another embodiment of the present creation.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart of a method for fabricating a display layer structure according to another embodiment of the present invention.

6 is a flow chart of a method for fabricating a display module according to another embodiment of the present invention.

In the following, a plurality of embodiments of the present invention will be disclosed in the drawings. For the sake of clarity, a number of practical details will be described in the following description. However, it should be understood that these practical details are not applied to limit the creation. That is to say, in the implementation part of this creation, these practical details are not necessary. In addition, some of the conventional structures and elements are shown in the drawings in a simplified schematic manner in order to simplify the drawings.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a display layer according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the display layer structure 200 includes a flexible substrate 210, a display electrode layer 220, and a transparent conductive layer 230. The flexible substrate 210 has a plurality of parallel grooves 241. A plurality of microcapsules 242 having colored particles are fixed in the grooves 241, and the color particles may be monochromatic, two-color or multi-color. The display electrode layer 220 is disposed on the first side 211 of the flexible substrate 210. The transparent conductive layer 230 is disposed on the second side 212 of the flexible substrate 210. The first side 211 of the flexible substrate 210 is opposite to the second side 212. The trench 241 and the microcapsule 242 form a display dielectric layer 240. The flexible substrate 210 is a light-transmitting substrate, and the material of the flexible substrate 210 may include, for example, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), or polymethyl. Polymethacrylate (PMMA), but not limited to this.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of parallel grooves 241 can be formed by embossing the embossing roller 252 having the parallel strip protrusions 251 on the surface of the flexible substrate 210. The grooves 241 arranged in parallel strips are individually filled with a mixed fluid of a plurality of microcapsules 242 having color particles and a fixing gel 243 in each of the strips 241, and then cured. In the embodiment, the display medium layer 240 further includes a fixing adhesive 243. Compared with the conventional display module of FIG. 1, since the prior art requires opening in the microcup structure 161 The sealing layer 140 is additionally formed on the surface, and a process is added, which increases the difficulty of fabrication and increases the thickness of the display module 100. The embodiment of the present invention does not require an additional sealing layer after curing, simplifies the process, is easy to manufacture, and reduces the thickness of the display layer structure 200, making the display layer structure 200 lighter and thinner. Moreover, the presently-created embodiment changes the microcup protrusions 172 on the conventional roller 170 of FIG. 1 to parallel strip protrusions 251 to form a truly continuous roll-to-roll process, reducing consumables and expense.

In the embodiment of the present invention, when the outer surface of the bottom surface 2411 of the groove 241 is a viewing surface, the end of the parallel strip protrusion 251 on the embossing roller 252 is a curved surface, which is pressed against the flexible substrate 210. After the groove 241 is formed on the flexible substrate 210, the two sides of the bottom surface 2411 of the groove 241 are made higher than the middle, and the curved surface of the bottom surface 2411 of each groove 241 can be used to enhance the optical effect. When the surface of the opening 2412 of the groove 241 is a viewing surface, the cross section of the parallel strip protrusion 251 may be a flat surface or a trapezoidal shape, so that the width of the opening 2412 of the groove 241 is larger than the width of the bottom surface 2411 of the groove 214. The distance between the openings 2412 of the adjacent two grooves 241 is lowered. The width of the opening 2412 of the trench 241 is greater than or equal to the width of the sub-pixel electrode on the display electrode layer 220, and the width of the opening 2412 is approximately equal to 1/3 of the side length of one pixel electrode. The active matrix or passive matrix of the thin film transistor on glass or plastic can be used as the driving circuit, but when applied to a large size, it can also be controlled by other forms of driving circuits, such as printed circuits.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the fixing adhesive 243 can use a transparent material having a low volume change rate, such as polyimide (PI) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET), by using filling. The cohesive force of the object, when cured, creates a convex curved surface within the opening 2412 of the groove 241. Or use a material with a high volume change rate, such as a resin solution. The volumetric change produced by curing and the adhesion of the solution to the sidewalls are utilized to create a concave curved surface. A concave or convex curved surface can be used to enhance the optical effect of the visible surface. The transparent material with different refractive index or different volume change rate can be further filled in to form a flat surface, which is convenient for subsequent processes.

In other words, each strip of the groove 241 may include two transparent materials of different refractive indices, or each strip of the groove 241 may include two transparent materials of different volume change rates to form a flat surface. Conducive to the subsequent process. Specifically, if the fixing adhesive 243 uses a transparent material having a low volume change rate, such as polyimide (PI) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET), it can be further refilled. A transparent material having a different refractive index or a higher rate of volume change, such as a resin, to form a flat surface. If the fixing glue 243 uses a material having a high volume change rate, such as a resin solution, it can be further filled with a transparent material having a different refractive index or a low volume change rate, such as polyimide (PI). Or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) to form a flat surface.

The microcapsules 242 include a plurality of particles 2421 and a dielectric solvent. These particles 2421 are dispersed in an insulating solvent. In particular, in the presently described embodiment, the microparticles 2421 within the microcapsules 242 can include a plurality of colored charged particles. The colored charged particles can be red, green or blue charged particles. Alternatively, the colored charged particles may be cyan, yellow or magenta charged particles. In addition to these colored charged particles, the particles 2421 in each of the microcapsules 242 may further comprise a plurality of black charged particles or a plurality of white charged particles. In the implementation of this creation In the example, the microcapsules 242 having two-color particles filled in the adjacent grooves 241 may be white and red charged particles, white and green charged particles or white and blue charged particles, or white and cyan. Charged particles, white and yellow charged particles or a combination of white and magenta charged particles, or black and red charged particles, black and green charged particles or black and blue charged particles, or black and cyan charged particles, black A combination of yellow charged particles, black and magenta charged particles or other colored charged particles to form a color. The surface of the particles 2421 in the two-color microcapsule 242 is electrically conductive, wherein the surface of the particles of the first color has a first electrical property, and the surface of the microparticles of the second color has a second electrical property. The first electrical property is different from the second electrical property. If the required resolution is high, only one microcapsule with two-color particles can be filled at a time, so that the density of the nozzle can be reduced, the difficulty of alignment can be reduced, and the yield can be increased.

In another embodiment of the present invention, red, green, and blue (RGB) may be printed on the bottom surface 2411 of the trench 241 (the bottom surface is the viewing surface) or the opening 2412 of the trench 241 (the opening is the viewing surface). The yellow, cyan, and magenta (YCM) parallel ribbons are then imaged using microcapsules 242 that control the black and white bi-colored particles beneath the ribbon. In this embodiment, the surface of the black particles is different from the surface of the white particles.

In other embodiments of the present invention, the particles 2421 are coated with a fluorescent material such as fluorescent or phosphorescent light, and the luminous material diffuses visible light of a specific wavelength after absorbing visible light or ultraviolet light to reflect the front light application. It is also possible to coat the luminescent material with a transparent protective layer to prevent the luminous material from reacting with the fluid in the microcapsules 242. In another embodiment, a phosphorescent or fluorescent material such as phosphorescent or fluorescent light may be mixed into the flexible substrate 210 to embody the front light application.

An embodiment of the present invention further provides a display module comprising the above display layer structure 200 and a substrate having a pixel electrode, and the display layer structure 200 is disposed on the substrate.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a display layer according to another embodiment of the present creation. As shown in the figure, the transparent conductive layer 330 and the display electrode layer 320 are respectively formed on both sides of the display medium layer 340, and the transparent conductive layer 330, the display medium layer 340 and the display electrode layer 320 are formed to form a display panel. The display panel is exemplified by an electrophoretic display, wherein the display medium layer 340 is an electrophoretic display layer, the transparent conductive layer 330 is used as a common electrode of the display panel, and the display electrode layer 320 may include a plurality of switching elements or pixel electrodes for controlling The grayscale or color representation of the display panel.

For example, the display medium layer 340 can be fabricated by changing the microcup protrusions on the conventional embossing roller into parallel strip protrusions 351 to form a truly continuous roll-to-roll process. And reduce consumable costs. Referring to FIG. 4, a flexible substrate material is coated on one side of the flexible substrate 310 having the transparent conductive layer 330 by, for example, coating, and then the embossing roller 352 having the parallel strip protrusions 351 is used in a flexible manner in the flexible substrate material. The surface is embossed with grooves 341 which are arranged in parallel, and then the mixed fluid of the microcapsules 342 having the color particles and the fixing glue 343 is poured into the grooves 341, and then cured. Compared to conventional structures, a Sealing Layer is not required after curing. A display electrode layer 320 including a switching element or a pixel electrode may be formed on one surface of the flexible substrate 310 by a roll-to-roll method to fabricate a display panel. Finally, the flexible substrate 310 can be cut into a desired size by cutting or the like to complete the fabrication of the display layer structure.

The width of the opening of the groove 341 depends on the resolution required for the application, for example, between 20 um and 200 um or more. The diameter of the microcapsules 342 is smaller than the width of the grooves 341, for example, 10 um or more. The microcapsules 342 filled in the grooves 341 need not be of a single diameter, for example, microcapsules 342 of various diameters can be selected between 10 um and 100 um. The depth of the groove 341 is about 1 to 5 microcapsules 342 in diameter, for example, less than the diameter of the two microcapsules 342.

When the microparticles 3421 in the microcapsules 342 have a specific electrical property in addition to the surface, the material itself can also have ferromagnetism, and can be provided in addition to the display, and is also provided with a magnetic writing tool to provide a writing function.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart of a method for fabricating a display layer structure according to another embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 5, the manufacturing method includes the following steps: Step 501: providing a display medium layer; Step 502: forming a plurality of parallel grooves on the display medium layer by embossing rollers; Step 503: Injecting colored particles into the grooves Microcapsules and fixing materials. These grooves are individually continuous.

6 is a flow chart of a method for fabricating a display module according to another embodiment of the present invention. In addition to the roll-to-roll continuous process, embodiments of the present creation can also be accomplished in a single piece process. It can be seen from FIG. 6 that the manufacturing method of the single-chip process includes: Step 601: providing a substrate, wherein at least a pixel electrode is formed on the substrate, and the substrate is, for example, a thin film transistor substrate (TFT substrate); Step 602: providing a display layer The display layer is, for example, a soft plastic or a rigid material, and the rigid material is, for example, ruthenium oxide or acryl; step 603: forming a plurality of strip-shaped grooves on the display layer, for example, pressing or etching on the display layer. Forming a plurality of strip-shaped grooves; step 604: injecting microcapsules having colored particles and a curing agent into the grooves, wherein the microcapsules of the color particles may be monochromatic or double Microcapsules of colored or multi-colored particles. In an embodiment, the forming layer is further formed on the substrate. In another embodiment, the method further includes bonding the substrate and the display layer. In other words, the substrate and the display layer are combined in two ways, and can be separately fabricated and re-bonded, or formed directly on the substrate. After step 604, a flat layer, an upper electrode layer, and/or a protective layer may also be added. The single-chip process can reduce the alignment difficulty of the display layer and the pixel electrode layer, but may increase the cost. In summary, in the above embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of mixed fluids of microcapsules having colored particles and a fixing gel are individually filled in each of the strips, and then solidified. Compared with the conventional display module of FIG. 1 , the sealing layer is not required after curing, and the sealing layer 140 is additionally formed on the surface of the opening of the microcup structure 161 due to the prior art, and the manufacturing process is more difficult and the display is increased. The thickness of the module 100. The embodiment of the present invention does not require an additional sealing layer, simplifies the process, is easy to manufacture, and reduces the thickness of the display layer structure, making the display layer structure lighter and thinner. Moreover, the presently-created embodiment changes the microcup protrusions 172 on the conventional roller 170 of Figure 1 to parallel strip-like projections to form a truly continuous roll-to-roll process, reducing consumables and expense.

Although the present invention has been disclosed in the above embodiments, it is not intended to limit the present invention, and any person skilled in the art can make various changes and refinements without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The scope is subject to the definition of the scope of the patent application attached.

200‧‧‧Display layer structure

210‧‧‧Soft substrate

211‧‧‧ first side

212‧‧‧ second side

220‧‧‧Display electrode layer

230‧‧‧Transparent conductive layer

240‧‧‧Display media layer

241‧‧‧ trench

2411‧‧‧ bottom

2412‧‧‧ openings

242‧‧‧microcapsules

2421‧‧‧Particles

243‧‧‧Fixed adhesive

251‧‧‧Parallel strips

252‧‧‧Rolling Roller

Claims (19)

A display layer structure comprising: a flexible substrate having a plurality of parallel grooves; a plurality of microcapsules having colored particles fixed in the grooves; and a display electrode layer disposed on the first side of the flexible substrate And a transparent conductive layer disposed on the second side of the flexible substrate. The display layer structure of claim 1, wherein the groove further comprises a fixing glue, and the curing glue forms a curved surface in an opening of the groove. The display layer structure of claim 2, wherein the trench further comprises a transparent material disposed on the fixing glue and forming a substantially flat surface. The display layer structure of claim 3, wherein the transparent material has a different refractive index or volume change rate than the cured glue. The display layer structure of claim 1, wherein the groove further comprises two transparent materials having different refractive index or volume change rates. The display layer structure of claim 1, wherein one of the bottom surfaces of the trench is a curved surface. The display layer structure of claim 1, wherein a width of one of the openings of the trench is greater than a width of a bottom surface of the trench. The display layer structure of claim 7, wherein a width of the opening of the trench is greater than or equal to a width of a primary pixel on the display electrode layer, the width of the opening of the trench being substantially equal to the display electrode layer One of the pixel electrodes is 1/3 of the length of one side. The display layer structure of claim 1, wherein the diameter of the microcapsules having colored particles is smaller than the width of the groove. The display layer structure of claim 1, wherein the groove has a depth substantially equal to a diameter of 1 to 5 of the microcapsules having the color particles. The display layer structure according to claim 1, wherein the microcapsules having the color particles adjacent to the grooves include white, red, green, blue, cyan, yellow, magenta, and black charged particles. A combination of two or more charged particles. The display layer structure of claim 1, further comprising a red, green and blue ribbon or a yellow, cyan and magenta ribbon on a bottom surface of the trench or an opening of the trench, and The microcapsules having colored particles include black and white charged particles. The display layer structure according to claim 1, further comprising the color particles of the microcapsules having color particles, coated with a fluorescent material or phosphorescent materials. The display layer structure of claim 13, further comprising coating the luminous material with a transparent protective layer. The display layer structure according to claim 1, further comprising mixing a phosphorescent or fluorescent luminescent material in the flexible substrate. The display layer structure according to claim 1, wherein the color particles of the microcapsules having color particles are electrically and magnetically. A display module comprising: the display layer structure according to claim 1 and a substrate having a pixel electrode, the display layer structure being disposed on the substrate. The display module of claim 17, wherein the display layer structure is directly formed on the substrate having the pixel electrode. The display module of claim 17, wherein the display layer structure is adhered to the substrate having the pixel electrode in an adhesive manner.