Display device having force sensing function

• US 10,256,278 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2017
• Issued: 04/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AU Optronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: AU Optronics Corporation
• Inventors: Lai, Chun-Chi, Lin, Feng-Sheng, Wang, Tsang-Hong, Chu, Chia-Hsien
• Primary Examiner(s): Amadiz, Rodney
• Application Number:
  US15/851,914
• Publication Number:
  US 20180190722A1
• Time in Patent Office: 473 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2101/00 Properties of the organic materials covered by group H10K85/00
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/84 Passivation; Containers; Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/8426 Peripheral sealing arrangements, e.g. adhesives, sealants
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/8428 Vertical spacers, e.g. arranged between the sealing arrangement and the OLED
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/844 Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/00 Integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one organic light-emitting element covered by group H10K50/00
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/122 Pixel-defining structures or layers, e.g. banks
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/131 Interconnections, e.g. wiring lines or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/40 OLEDs integrated with touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/8723 Vertical spacers, e.g. arranged between the sealing arrangement and the OLED

Abstract

A display device includes a frame, a protrusion, a display panel, a protective substrate, and a buffer material. The frame includes a bottom plate and a side plate; and the bottom plate has an inner surface, and the side plate is on the inner surface of the bottom plate. The protrusion is disposed on the inner surface of the bottom plate. The display panel is disposed on the protrusion and includes a force sensitive layer. A protection substrate is disposed on the display panel. The buffer material is connected with the protection substrate and the side plate of the frame, and the buffer material has a greater elastic coefficient than the protrusion.

Claims

1. A display device, comprising:

a frame, including a bottom plate and a side plate, wherein the bottom plate has an inner surface, and the side plate is on the inner surface of the bottom plate;

a protrusion, disposed on the inner surface of the bottom plate;

a display panel, disposed on the protrusion, and comprising a force sensitive layer;

a protective substrate, disposed on the display panel; and

a buffer material, disposed between the protective substrate and the side plate of the frame, wherein the buffer material has a greater elastic coefficient than the protrusion.

2. The display device according to claim 1, wherein a ratio of the elastic coefficient of the buffer material to the elastic coefficient of the protrusion is greater than 10.

3. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the elastic coefficient of the protrusion is greater than 0 mm/(gf/mm^2) and less than 0.00655 mm/(gf/mm^2).

4. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the elastic coefficient of the buffer material is greater than 0.0655 mm/(gf/mm^2).

5. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion and the frame are formed integrally.

6. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion is disposed on a support layer and the support layer is disposed on the bottom plate.

7. The display device according to claim 1, wherein a height of the protrusion is higher than 0.7 mm and less than 5 mm.

8. The display device according to claim 1, wherein a size of the protrusion is greater than 0.5 mm and less than 5 mm.

9. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the display panel comprises:

a first substrate, disposed on the protrusion;

a display medium, disposed on the first substrate; and

a second substrate, disposed on the display medium;

wherein a ratio of an overlapped projection area of the protrusion on the first substrate to an area of the first substrate is greater than 0.02% and less than 2%.

10. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the display panel comprises:

a first substrate, disposed on the protrusion;

a display medium, disposed on the first substrate and comprising;

a lower electrode layer, disposed on the first substrate;

a light-emitting material, disposed on the lower electrode layer; and

an upper electrode layer, disposed on the light-emitting material;

a first insulator, disposed on the upper electrode layer; and

a second substrate, disposed on the force sensitive layer,

wherein the force sensitive layer is disposed between the first insulator and the second substrate.

11. The display device according to claim 10, wherein the force sensitive layer and the upper electrode layer constructs a capacitor.

12. The display device according to claim 10, further comprising a spacer disposed between the upper electrode layer and the first substrate, and the first insulator is overlapped with the spacer in a direction vertical to the first substrate.

13. The display device according to claim 12, further comprising a second insulator, disposed between the force sensitive layer and the second substrate, and the second insulator, the first insulator, and the spacer are overlapped with each other in the direction vertical to the first substrate.

14. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the display panel comprises:

a first substrate, disposed on the protrusion;

a display medium, disposed on the first substrate and comprising;

a lower electrode layer, disposed on the first substrate;

a light-emitting material, disposed on the lower electrode layer; and

the force sensitive layer, disposed on the light-emitting material;

a first insulator, disposed on the force sensitive layer; and

a second substrate, disposed on the first insulator,

wherein the protrusion is a metal.

15. The display device according to claim 14, further comprising a protective layer, disposed between the first substrate and the protrusion, wherein the force sensitive layer and the protrusion constructs a capacitor.

16. The display device according to claim 14, wherein the protrusion is disposed on a flexible circuit board, and the flexible circuit board is disposed on the bottom plate of the frame.

17. The display device according to claim 14, further comprising a touch sensitive layer disposed between the display panel and the protective substrate, wherein a flexible circuit board is coupled to the touch sensitive layer and extends above the bottom plate of the frame and between the display panel and the protective substrate, and the protrusion is disposed between the flexible circuit board and the first substrate.

18. The display device according to claim 14, further comprising a touch sensitive layer disposed between the second substrate and the first insulator.

19. The display device according to claim 18, further comprising a conductive glue and a flexible circuit board;

wherein the conductive glue is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, and the conductive glue is electrically coupled to the touch sensitive layer; and

wherein the flexible circuit board is electrically coupled to the force sensitive layer and conductive glue, and extends between the first substrate and the second substrate to the inner surface of the frame, and the protrusion is disposed between the flexible circuit board and the first substrate.