The disclosure relates to curved stack structures, and in particular to curved stack structures having thinner glass, manufacturing methods thereof, and curved electronic devices including the curved stack structures are applied.
Curved structures have been widely used in household appliances, communication devices, and electronic information devices. Currently, curved structures can be combined with a touch panel and a display panel to use as a touch display device, the touch display device allows users to directly select images shown on the panel using a finger or a touch pen. Therefore, touch display device can provide an efficient operation system, gradually replacing physical keyboards as the input interface of choice in various electronic products.
Methods for fabricating a curved glass having a decoration layer in a conventional curved structure generally include a printing process after a bending process. However, in the processes of printing after bending, since the curved glass has a complex appearance, the subsequent printing process (and other processing) is hard to perform. Therefore, conventional curved structures have the problem of having a lower quality of appearance uniformity. Thus, conventional curved structures still have a bottleneck to break through.
In some embodiments of the disclosure, a curved stack structure is provided. The curved stack structure includes a base having a curved surface and an adhesive layer disposed on the base. The curved stack structure also includes a substrate disposed on the adhesive layer, wherein the substrate has a first thickness that is greater than or equal to 0.01 mm and less than or equal to 0.4 mm.
In some embodiments of the disclosure, a method for fabricating a curved stack structure is provided. The method provides a base having a curved surface and fabricating an adhesive layer on the base. The method also provides a substrate and attaches the substrate to the adhesive layer, wherein the substrate has a first thickness that is greater than or equal to 0.01 mm and less than or equal to 0.4 mm.
In some embodiments of the disclosure, a curved electronic device is provided. The curved electronic device includes a curved stack structure. The curved stack structure includes a base having a curved surface and an adhesive layer disposed on the base. The curved stack structure also includes a substrate disposed on the adhesive layer. The curved electronic device also includes a display panel disposed at a side of the curved stack structure, wherein the substrate has a first thickness that is greater than or equal to 0.01 mm and less than or equal to 0.4 mm.
A detailed description is given in the following embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The disclosure can be more fully understood by reading the subsequent detailed description and examples with references made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
The following description is about a curved stack structure, fabricating methods thereof and curved electronic devices including the curved stack structures are applied according to embodiments of the disclosure. However, it should be appreciated that the embodiments of the disclosure provide lots of suitable concepts of the invention and can be performed in a wide variety of specific backgrounds. The specific embodiments of the disclosure are used to explain the fabrication by specific methods and use of the invention and should not be taken in a limiting sense. The scope of the invention is best determined by reference to the appended claims. Moreover, the same or similar elements in the drawings and the description are labeled with the same reference numbers.
In the embodiments of the disclosure, a structure (a layer, an element, a substrate) located on another structure (a layer, an element, a substrate) can mean that two structures are adjacent to each other and directly connected with each other. It can also mean that the lower surface of one structure is adjacent to and directly connected with the upper surface of another structure, or it can also mean that two structures are adjacent to each other and not directly connected with each other. It can also mean that at least one interposed structure (an interposed layer, an interposed element, an interposed substrate, an interposed spacer) between two structures, and the lower surface of a structure is adjacent to or directly connected with the upper surface of the interposed structure, and the upper surface of another structure is adjacent to or directly connected with the lower surface of the interposed structure. The interposed structure can be made of a single layer or multiple layers of a physical structure or a non-physical structure, but the disclosure is not limited thereto.
The thickness of a structure described in the embodiments of the disclosure indicates a value for the average thickness of the structure after deleting outliers. The outliers can be the thickness of an edge, an obvious micro-trench, or an obvious micro-raised area. After deleting the outliers, most values of the thickness are within a range of plus or minus three standard deviations.
In some other embodiments, the material of the substrate 101 may be replaced by another non-glass material formed as single, mixed or stacked polymer material (polyimide (PI), plastic or rubber), metal or ceramic material, and transparent material is preferred, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. The material of the carrier 100 may be replaced by another non-glass material formed as single, mixed or stacked polymer material (polyimide, polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), polycarbonate (PC), plastic or rubber), metal, ceramic material or composite material, and material that has similar material characteristics as the material of the substrate 101 is preferred, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. The glass on glass process used on the carrier 100 and the substrate 101 may be vacuum adsorption, electrostatic adsorption, gluing, or another process of physical or chemical bonding, but the disclosure is not limited thereto.
In some embodiments, when there is a requirement for the substrate 101 to be strengthened and the substrate 101 is glass that is capable of being chemically strengthened, the substrate 101 may be soaked in a chemical solution such as potassium nitrate to perform ion exchange and form a chemical-strengthening layer (not shown) on the surface of the substrate 101 before the substrate 101 and the carrier 100 are attached together. Then, the strengthened substrate 101 is attached to the carrier 100.
Referring to
Then, the carrier 100 is removed, and a functional layer 103 is disposed on the second surface 101b of the substrate 101 by a deposition process (for example, a physical vapor deposition process, a chemical vapor deposition process or another suitable process), a printing process or a spraying process, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. In the embodiment, the light-shielding layer 102 and the functional layer 103 are disposed on opposite sides of the substrate 101. The substrate 101 is located between the light-shielding layer 102 and the functional layer 103. In some other embodiments, the carrier 100 may be removed or be kept, and the functional layer 103 is disposed on the light-shielding layer 102. Namely, the functional layer 103 is also on the first surface 101a of the substrate 101, and the light-shielding layer 102 is located between the substrate 101 and the functional layer 103. In some embodiments, the functional layer 103 may include an anti-scratch layer, an anti-glare layer, an anti-reflection layer, an anti-smudge layer, or a combination thereof, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. After the functional layer 103 is formed, the carrier 100 may be removed, and the substrate 101 and the related light-shielding layer 102 and the functional layer 103 are cut to the desired shape by a laser, a wheel, or another suitable cutting method, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. The profile of the substrate 101 after cutting may be a rectangle or a non-rectangular type such as a circle, oval, triangle, hexagon, octagon or another irregular shape, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. Since the light-shielding layer 102 is designed by the cutting pattern and the path of cutting may be located at an edge near the outer side of the light-shielding layer 102, the light-shielding layer 102 would still cover the peripheral area of the substrate 101. The peripheral area is located outside and adjacent to a light-transmitting area in the substrate 101.
Referring to
Then, a base (or spine) 105 is provided. The area of the base 105 may be greater than or equal to the area of the adhesive layer 104, and the boundary profile of the adhesive layer 104 may be located within the boundary profile of the base 105. The base 105 at least has a curved surface. The curved surface may be formed in a single or multiple staggered way of convex part, convex point, concave part or concave point. The exterior of the curved surface may be seen as a υ shape, ω shape, Ω shape, ν shape, σ shape or o shape in a cross section. There is a height difference Z. There is a highest point in the partial area such as a ridge point or a top point and a lowest point in the partial area such as a saddle point or a concave point, and there is a single vertical distance between a tangent plane of the highest point in the partial area and a tangent plane of the lowest point in the partial area. This distance is called the height difference or the surface height difference. The distance is the largest value of the height difference in the partial area and is disposed in a partial area of the curved surface, and may be greater than or equal to 2 cm and less than or equal to 20 cm. In some embodiments, the height difference Z may be greater than or equal to 4 cm and less than or equal to 18 cm. In some embodiments, the height difference Z may be greater than or equal to 5 cm and less than or equal to 16 cm. The base 105 has a thickness d3. The thickness d3 is greater than or equal to the thickness d2. The thickness d3 is greater than the thickness d1. In some embodiments, the thickness d3 is greater than or equal to 1 mm and less than or equal to 10 mm. The thickness d3 is greater than the thickness d1. In some embodiments, the thickness d3 is greater than or equal to 1 mm and less than or equal to 5 mm. In some embodiments, the thickness d3 is greater than or equal to 1 mm and less than or equal to 3 mm. The profile of the base 105 may be a rectangle or another non-rectangular shape such as a circle, oval, triangle, hexagon or another irregular shape, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. In some embodiments, the material of the base 105 may include glass, polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), polycarbonate (PC) or another suitable material, but the disclosure is not limited thereto.
Then, a stack structure formed by the functional layer 103, the substrate 101, the light-shielding layer 102 and the adhesive layer 104 is conformably attached to curved surface of the base 105 using a laminating process 110 to finish the curved stack structure 300 shown in
In some embodiments, the edges of all layers of the curved stack structure 300 are adjusted so that they are aligned with one another. In a cross section, when the radius (R) of curvature of the substrate 101 of the curved stack structure 300 in an area is longer than the radius (R) of curvature of the adhesive layer 104 in the area, and the radius (R) of curvature of the adhesive layer 104 in the area is longer than the radius (R) of curvature of the base 105 in the area, the length of the substrate 101 along the direction of the cross section in the area is greater than 100.1% of the length of the adhesive layer 104 along the direction of the cross section in the area, and the length of the adhesive layer 104 along the direction of the cross section in the area is greater than 100.1% of the length of the base 105 along the direction of the cross section in the area. In some embodiments, the length of the substrate 101 along the direction of the cross section in the area is 100%-100.2% of the length of the adhesive layer 104 along the direction of the cross section in the area, and the length of the adhesive layer 104 along the direction of the cross section in the area is 100%-100.2% of the length of the base 105 along the direction of the cross section in the area. In some other embodiments, the length of the substrate 101 along the direction of the cross section in the area is 100%-101% of the length of the adhesive layer 104 along the direction of the cross section in the area, and the length of the adhesive layer 104 along the direction of the cross section in the area is 100%-101% of the length of the base 105 along the direction of the cross section in the area.
In some other embodiments, the edges of all layers of the curved stack structure 300 are adjusted so that they are aligned with one another. In a cross section, when the radius (R) of curvature of the base 105 of the curved stack structure 300 in an area is longer than the radius (R) of curvature of the adhesive layer 104 in the area, and the radius (R) of curvature of the adhesive layer 104 in the area is longer than the radius (R) of curvature of the substrate 101 in the area, the length of the base 105 along the direction of the cross section in the area is greater than 100.1% of the length of the adhesive layer 104 along the direction of the cross section in the area, and the length of the adhesive layer 104 along the direction of the cross section in the area is greater than 100.1% of the length of the substrate 101 along the direction of the cross section in the area. In some embodiments, the length of the base 105 along the direction of the cross section in the area is 100%-100.2% of the length of the adhesive layer 104 along the direction of the cross section in the area, and the length of the adhesive layer 104 along the direction of the cross section in the area is 100%-100.2% of the length of the substrate 101 along the direction of the cross section in the area. In some other embodiments, the length of the base 105 along the direction of the cross section in the area is 100%-101% of the length of the adhesive layer 104 along the direction of the cross section in the area, and the length of the adhesive layer 104 along the direction of the cross section in the area is 100%-101% of the length of the substrate 101 along the direction of the cross section in the area.
In the embodiment, the above-mentioned printing process, deposition process, cutting process and the process of the adhesive layer 104 attached to the light-shielding layer 102 and the substrate 100 are all plane processes, which can be completed in a two-dimensional plane. The above-mentioned laminating process 110 is a curved surface process, which can be completed in three-dimensional (3D) space.
In the curved stack structure 300 finished in the above-mentioned laminating process 110, the light-shielding layer 102 is disposed on the surface (i.e. first surface 101a) of the substrate 101 close to the base 105 on the peripheral area. Namely, the light-shielding layer 102 is located between the substrate 101 and the adhesive layer 104. The functional layer 103 is disposed on the surface (i.e. the second surface 101b) of the substrate 101 away from the base 105. Namely, the functional layer 103 is located on the viewing surface.
Since the substrate 101 is an ultra-thin glass having a thickness d1 less than or equal to 0.4 mm, the substrate 101 has flexibility. Under the condition that the substrate 101 has flexibility, the substrate 101 can be conformably attached to the curved surface of the base 105 without using a heating process for 3D forming to finish the curved stack structure 300, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. The heating process can also be used. In addition, since the curved stack structure 300 is finished without performing a heating process for 3D forming on the substrate 101, the substrate 101 of the curved stack structure 300 can overcome restrictions in equipments for processing curved surface objects (then the height difference Z can be greater than 5 cm), and the substrate 101 can obtain a more uniform surface processing effect. Moreover, since the curved stack structure 300 is finished without a heating process for 3D forming being performed on the substrate 101, the chosen processing material (such as ink) processing on the substrate 101 of the curved stack structure 300 is less restricted by the temperature, and the light-shielding layer 102 on the substrate 101 can have a better shielding effect.
Moreover, since the curved stack structure 300 is a glued laminated structure which laminates the substrate 101, the adhesive layer 104 and the base 105 together, and the materials of the substrate 101 and the base 105 are glass, the glued laminated structure can be called laminated safety glass (LSG). Therefore, the curved stack structure 300 has better structural strength and can pass a hit impact test (HIT). The curved stack structure 300 can be used as a component in aerospace transportation, cars, boats, or another form of transportation.
Referring to
The method for fabricating the curved stack structure 400 shown in
In the embodiment, the high temperature of the laminating process 210 makes the polyvinylbutyral become adhesive, and the substrate 101, the adhesive layer 201 and the base 105 can have a better bonding force to be bonded together. The polyvinylbutyral is highly light-transmitting, and a highly light-transmitting laminated safety glass is thereby obtained. The curved stack structure 400 would have better structural strength and optical performance, and it can pass a hit impact test and meet the requirements of optical transparency.
Referring to
The method for fabricating the curved touch panel 600 shown in
Referring to
In the embodiment, the above-mentioned printing process, deposition process, cutting process and the process of the adhesive layer 104 attached to the touch-sensing electrode layer 301, the black matrix layer 302 and the substrate 100 are all plane processes completed in a two-dimensional plane. The above-mentioned laminating process 110 is a curved surface process completed in three-dimensional (3D) space.
In the curved touch panel 600, the touch-sensing electrode layer 301 and the black matrix layer 302 are disposed on the surface (i.e. first surface 101a) of the substrate 101 close to the base 105. Namely, the touch-sensing electrode layer 301 and the black matrix layer 302 are located between the substrate 101 and the adhesive layer 104 and between the substrate 101 and the base 105. The functional layer 103 is disposed on the surface (i.e. the second surface 101b) of the substrate 101 away from the base 105. Namely, the functional layer 103 is located on the viewing surface.
Since the touch-sensing electrode layer 301 is disposed on the substrate 101 of the curved touch panel 600, the curved touch panel 600 is a one-glass touch panel, or a so-called window integrated sensor (WIS). The curved touch panel 600 can have the advantages of a one-glass touch panel (such as a lighter and thinner structure) and the advantages of the above-mentioned curved stack structure 300 of
Referring to
The method for fabricating the curved touch panel 700 shown in
Referring to
In the embodiment, the curved electronic device 800 further includes a touch structure 501 disposed between the base 105 (not shown in
Referring to
The curved electronic device 900 shown in
In some other embodiments, the stack order of the curved electronic device 900 is the functional layer 103→the touch structure 501→the substrate 101→the light-shielding layer 102→the adhesive layer 104→the base 105→the display panel 502. In some other embodiments, the stack order of the curved electronic device 900 is the touch structure 501→the functional layer 103→the substrate 101→the light-shielding layer 102→the adhesive layer 104→the base 105→the display panel 502. In some other embodiments, the stack order of the curved electronic device 900 is the display panel 502→the functional layer 103→the substrate 101→the light-shielding layer 102→the adhesive layer 104→the touch structure 501→the base 105. In some other embodiments, the stack order of the curved electronic device 900 is the display panel 502→the functional layer 103→the touch structure 501→the substrate 101→the light-shielding layer 102→the adhesive layer 104→the base 105. In some other embodiments, the stack order of the curved electronic device 900 is the display panel 502→the touch structure→the functional layer 103→the substrate 101→the light-shielding layer 102→the adhesive layer 104→the base 105. In some other embodiments, the stack order of the curved electronic device 900 is the touch structure 501→the display panel 502→the functional layer 103→the substrate 101→the light-shielding layer 102→the adhesive layer 104→the base 105.
Referring to
The curved electronic device 1000 shown in
Referring to
Referring to
The curved electronic device 1200 shown in
Referring to
The curved electronic device 1300 shown in
According to some embodiments of the disclosure, since the thickness of the substrate of the curved stack structure is less than or equal to 0.4 mm, the substrate 101 has flexibility. Provided that the substrate 101 has flexibility, the substrate can be conformably attached to the curved surface of the base without using a heating process for 3D forming to finish the curved stack structure.
Since the curved stack structure can be finished without performing a heating process for 3D forming on the substrate, the processes performed on the substrate are all plane processes. Compared to conventional processes of printing after bending, the substrate of the curved stack structure can overcome restrictions in equipments for processing objects having a curved surface (such as the vertical height of the curved surface needing to be less than 5 cm), and the substrate can also obtain a more uniform surface processing effect. In addition, since the curved stack structure is finished without performing a heating process for 3D forming on the substrate, the chosen processing material (such as ink) of the processing on the substrate of the curved stack structure is less restricted by the temperature compared to conventional processes of printing after bending, and the light-shielding layer on the substrate can have a better shielding effect.
Moreover, since the curved stack structure is a glued laminated structure which laminates the substrate, the adhesive layer and the base together, and the glued laminated structure can also be called laminated safety glass (LSG). In some embodiments, the substrate, the adhesive layer and the base can have a better bonding force to be bonded together by the laminating process under high temperature. Therefore, the curved stack structure has a better structural strength and can pass the hit impact test (HIT).
While the disclosure has been described by way of example and in terms of the embodiments, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements (as would be apparent to those skilled in the art). Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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201611024496.1 | Nov 2016 | CN | national |
This Application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/394,269, filed on Sep. 14, 2016 and China Patent Application No. 201611024496.1, filed on Nov. 21, 2016, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62394269 | Sep 2016 | US |