Flexible display panel

• US 8,471,995 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2010
• Issued: 06/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AU Optronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: AU Optronics Corporation
• Inventors: Hung, Shih-Hsing, Hu, Chih-Jen, Tseng, Shih-Hao
• Primary Examiner(s): Glick, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHUNG, DAVID Y
• Application Number:
  US12/949,787
• Publication Number:
  US 20120062447A1
• Time in Patent Office: 949 Days
• Field of Search: 349/145, 349/147, 349/158
• US Class Current: 349/145
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133305 Flexible substrates, e.g. plastics, organic film
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/136286 Wiring, e.g. gate line, drain line
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/311 Flexible OLED
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/131 Interconnections, e.g. wiring lines or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 77/111 Flexible substrates

Abstract

A flexible display panel includes a flexible substrate, a plurality of pixels, a plurality of signal lines, a plurality of wave-like connecting lines, and a display medium. The flexible substrate has a plurality of display regions separated from one another and at least one foldable region located among the display regions. The pixels are disposed in the display regions. The signal lines are disposed on the flexible substrate and electrically connected to the pixels. The wave-like connecting lines are distributed in and across the foldable region. Each of the wave-like connecting lines is electrically connected to two of the signal lines adjacent to the wave-like connecting line. Each of the wave-like connecting lines across the foldable region has a wave-like pattern. The display medium is disposed on the flexible substrate to cover at least the display regions.

Claims

1. A flexible display panel comprising:

a flexible substrate having a plurality of display regions separated from one another and at least one foldable region located among the display regions;

a plurality of pixels disposed in the display regions;

a plurality of signal lines disposed on the flexible substrate and electrically connected to the pixels;

a plurality of wave-like connecting lines distributed in and across the at least one foldable region, each of the wave-like connecting lines being electrically connected to two of the signal lines adjacent to the each of the wave-like connecting lines, each of the wave-like connecting lines across the at least one foldable region having a wave-like pattern, wherein each of the wave-like connecting lines comprises;

a plurality of non-continuous metal conductive lines; and

a plurality of non-continuous flexible conductive materials, each of the non-continuous flexible conductive materials being connected to two of the non-continuous metal conductive lines adjacent to the each of the non-continuous flexible conductive materials; and

a display medium disposed on the flexible substrate to cover at least the display regions.

2. The flexible display panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the signal lines comprise a plurality of scan lines, a plurality of data lines, a plurality of common lines, a plurality of conductive lines for transmitting power, or a plurality of conductive lines for transmitting reference voltages.

3. The flexible display panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the wave-like connecting lines is a metal conductive line having a continuous pattern.

4. The flexible display panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the wave-like connecting lines comprises:

a metal conductive line having a continuous pattern; and

a flexible conductive material layer having a continuous pattern and being stacked onto the metal conductive line having the continuous pattern.

5. The flexible display panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the wave-like connecting lines has a square wave pattern.

6. The flexible display panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the wave-like connecting lines has a sine wave pattern.

7. The flexible display panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the wave-like connecting lines has a saw-toothed pattern.

8. The flexible display panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the wave-like connecting lines is made by performing an ink-jet printing process.

9. The flexible display panel as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a flexible cover lid and a sealant, the flexible cover lid being disposed at one side of the flexible substrate, the display medium being located between the flexible cover lid and the flexible substrate, the sealant being disposed between the flexible substrate and the flexible cover lid and surrounding the display medium.

10. A flexible display panel comprising:

a flexible substrate having a plurality of display regions separated from one another and at least one foldable region located among the display regions;

a plurality of pixels disposed in the display regions;

a plurality of signal lines disposed on the flexible substrate and electrically connected to the pixels, wherein parts of the signal lines are distributed in the display regions and cross over the at least one foldable region, and each of the signal lines has a wave-like conductive segment crossing over the at least one foldable region, wherein the wave-like conductive segment comprises;

a plurality of non-continuous metal conductive lines; and

a plurality of non-continuous flexible conductive materials, each of the non-continuous flexible conductive materials being connected to two of the non-continuous metal conductive lines adjacent to the each of the non-continuous flexible conductive materials; and

a display medium disposed on the flexible substrate to cover at least the display regions.

11. The flexible display panel as claimed in claim 10, wherein the signal lines comprise a plurality of scan lines, a plurality of data lines, a plurality of common lines, a plurality of conductive lines transmitting power, or a plurality of conductive lines transmitting reference voltages.

12. The flexible display panel as claimed in claim 10, wherein each of the signal lines is a metal conductive line having a continuous pattern.

13. The flexible display panel as claimed in claim 10, wherein each of the wave-like conductive segments comprises:

a metal conductive line having a continuous pattern; and

a flexible conductive material having a continuous pattern and being stacked onto the metal conductive line having the continuous pattern.

14. The flexible display panel as claimed in claim 10, wherein each of the wave-like conductive segments has a square wave pattern, a sine wave pattern, or a saw-toothed pattern.

15. The flexible display panel as claimed in claim 10, further comprising a flexible cover lid and a sealant, the flexible cover lid being disposed at one side of the flexible substrate, the display medium being located between the flexible cover lid and the flexible substrate, the sealant being disposed between the flexible substrate and the flexible cover lid and surrounding the display medium.