Patent Application
20210405265
This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2020-0080247, filed on Jun. 30, 2020, and all the benefits accruing therefrom under 35 U.S.C. § 119, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
The disclosure relates to a window and a method of providing the same. More particularly, the disclosure relates to a window of an electronic display device including a hard coating layer and a method of providing the window.
An electronic apparatus that provides images, such as a display monitor, a smartphone, a tablet computer or the like, includes a display device and a window. The display device generates the images, and the window transmits the images generated by the display device to outside the electronic apparatus and protects the display device. The window has a level of hardness to protect the display device, and to this end, the window includes a hard coating layer.
With the technological development of the display device, a curved display device including an edge area is being developed. The curved display device includes a front surface having a flat shape and a side surface which has a curved shape at the edge area. The window of the display device including a curved side surface protects both the front surface and the side surface.
One or more embodiment provides a window including a hard coating layer on a side surface of an electronic device which is curved.
One or more embodiment provides a method of manufacturing or providing the window having a hard coating layer corresponding to the curved side surface of the window.
Embodiments provide a method of providing a window. The method of providing the window includes providing a base substrate including a first upper surface and a first lower surface opposing the first upper surface, providing a protective film including a second upper surface and a second lower surface opposing the second upper surface, providing the second upper surface of the protective film removably attached to the first lower surface of the base substrate, providing a processed base substrate and a processed protective film by removing a portion of the base substrate and a portion of the protective film to provide an exposed upper surface of the processed protective film which is between the second lower surface than the second upper surface, providing a first surface protection layer on both the first upper surface of the processed base substrate and the exposed upper surface of the processed protective film, and providing the processed protective film separated from the processed base substrate to provide the window which is attachable to a display device of the electronic apparatus and includes the processed base substrate having the first surface protection layer.
The removing of the portion of the base substrate and the portion of the protective film may include defining within the processed base substrate a width of the first upper surface which is smaller than a width of the first lower surface, and a side surface which connects the first upper surface and the first lower surface to each other, and defining within the processed protective film an overlap portion which corresponds to the width of the first lower surface of the processed base substrate, a non-overlap portion which extends further than the width of the first lower surface of the processed base substrate and defines the exposed upper surface of the processed protective film, and an exposed side surface which connects the exposed upper surface to the second upper surface.
The providing of the first surface protection layer may include providing a protection layer material on the first upper surface and the side surface of the processed base substrate and on the non-overlap portion and the exposed side surface of the processed protective film, and curing the protection layer material.
The providing of the protection layer material may include a spraying method or a slit coating method.
The curing of the protection layer material may include a heat curing method or an ultraviolet curing method.
The providing of the processed protective film separated from the processed base substrate may include separating from the processed base substrate having the first surface protection layer, both the non-overlap portion together with the protection layer material which is cured on the non-overlap portion and on the exposed side surface of the processed protective film, and the overlap portion.
The method may further include after the providing of the first surface protection layer, providing a second surface protection layer on the first surface protection layer, where the second surface protection layer is further from the first lower surface of the processed base substrate than the first surface protection layer.
The method may further include after the providing of the processed protective film separated from the processed base substrate, providing a third coating layer on the first lower surface of the processed base substrate.
Embodiments provide a window of an electronic apparatus, including a base substrate including an upper surface which corresponds to a transmission area of a display device of the electronic apparatus, a lower surface facing the upper surface, and a side surface which corresponds to a bezel area of the display device and connects the upper surface and the lower surface to each other, and a first surface protection layer on the upper surface and the side surface of the base substrate. The first surface protection layer includes a first portion on the upper surface and having a first thickness, and a second portion on the side surface and having a second thickness different from the first thickness. The first thickness and the second thickness are minimum distances in a normal line direction with respect to the upper surface and the side surface, respectively.
The side surface may include a curved surface.
The upper surface may have a width smaller than a width of the lower surface.
The side surface may have a width that decreases from the lower surface toward the upper surface.
The base substrate may include a polymer resin.
The first portion may have a hardness corresponding to a pencil hardness equal to or greater than about 8H and equal to or smaller than about 9H.
A ratio of the second thickness to the first thickness may be equal to or greater than about 0.5 and smaller than about 1.
The first thickness may be equal to or greater than about 20 micrometers and equal to or smaller than about 50 micrometers, and the second thickness may be equal to or greater than about 10 micrometers and equal to or smaller than about 25 micrometers.
The second portion may have a thickness which decreases from the upper surface toward the lower surface.
The window may further include a second surface protection layer on the first portion.
The window may further include a third surface protection layer under the lower surface.
The third surface protection layer has a thickness equal to or greater than about 1 micrometer and equal to or smaller than about 10 micrometers.
According to one or more embodiment of the method of providing the window, the protective film includes the exposed upper surface having the difference in height with respect to the attachment surface between the base substrate and the protective film, and thus, the first surface protection layer is stably on the side surface of the base substrate.
In addition, according to one or more embodiment of the window, the first surface protection layer has different thicknesses at the upper surface and the side surface of the base substrate, and thus, damage to the first surface protection layer is reduced or effectively prevented.
The above and other advantages of the invention will become readily apparent by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings where:
In the disclosure, it will be understood that when an element or layer is referred to as being related to another element such as being “on,” “connected to” or “coupled to” another element or layer, it can be directly on, connected or coupled to the other element or layer or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element or layer is referred to as being related to another element such as being “directly on,” “directly connected to” or “directly coupled to” another element or layer, no other element or layer or intervening elements or layers are present.
The invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which various embodiments are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms, and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numerals refer to like elements throughout. In the drawings, the thickness, ratio, and dimension of components are exaggerated for effective description of the technical content.
It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, “a”, “an,” “the,” and “at least one” do not denote a limitation of quantity, and are intended to include both the singular and plural, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. As used herein, the singular forms, “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. “At least one” is not to be construed as limiting “a” or “an.” “Or” means “and/or.” As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
Spatially relative terms, such as “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” “upper” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures.
“About” or “approximately” as used herein is inclusive of the stated value and means within an acceptable range of deviation for the particular value as determined by one of ordinary skill in the art, considering the measurement in question and the error associated with measurement of the particular quantity (i.e., the limitations of the measurement system). For example, “about” can mean within one or more standard deviations, or within ±30%, 20%, 10% or 5% of the stated value.
Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.
It will be further understood that the terms “includes” and/or “including”, when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
Hereinafter, a window WM of an electronic apparatus EA and a method of providing the window WM will be explained in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The electronic apparatus EA displays an image IM through a transmission area TA. The image IM includes at least one of a still image and a motion image.
The transmission area TA may have a quadrangular planar shape in a plane which is substantially parallel to a plane defined by a first directional axis DR1 (e.g., first direction) and a second directional axis DR2 (e.g., second direction) crossing each other, however, is not limited thereto. The transmission area TA may include a variety of planar shapes and should not be particularly limited.
A bezel area BZA is defined adjacent to the transmission area TA. In an embodiment, the bezel area BZA surrounds the transmission area TA. The transmission area TA and the bezel area BZA may together define a front surface FS (e.g., display surface) of the electronic apparatus EA. Various layers or components of the electronic apparatus EA may include a transmission area TA and a bezel area BZA corresponding to those features described above.
A normal line direction of the front surface FS corresponds to a thickness direction (hereinafter, referred to as a “third directional axis DR3”) of the electronic apparatus EA. In the disclosure, front (or upper) and rear (or lower) surfaces of each member are defined with respect to a direction in which the image IM is displayed. The front and rear surfaces are opposite to each other along the third directional axis DR3.
Hereinafter, first, second and third directions are respectively indicated by the first, second and third directional axes DR1, DR2 and DR3 and assigned with the same reference numerals as the first, second and third directional axes DR1, DR2 and DR3. The directions indicated by the first, second and third directional axes DR1, DR2 and DR3 are relative to each other and may be changed to other directions.
The electronic apparatus EA may have an appearance that is defined by a window WM and an external case HU. The front surface FS of the electronic apparatus EA may be defined in and/or by the window WM.
Referring to
Referring to
The base substrate SUB includes a polymer resin with a light transmissivity. The base substrate SUB includes at least one of polyethylene (“PET”), polypropylene (“PP”), polyamide (“PAM”), polyacetal (“POM”), polycarbonate (“PC)”, polymethyl methacrylate (“PMMA”), polybutylene terephthalate (“PBT”), polycarbonate blend series, cellulose, moisture-proof cellophane, and low refractive index resin. However, material of the base substrate SUB should not be limited thereto or thereby.
Referring to
The side surface SA1 may have a third width along the first directional axis DR1 taken from an end of the first upper surface UA1 to a corresponding end of the first lower surface BA1. The width of the side surface SA1 of the base substrate SUB which is processed gradually decreases in a direction from the first lower surface BA1 to the first upper surface UA1.
The processing of the protective film PF (S502) includes providing or forming an exposed side surface SA2 disposed between the attachment surface CA and an exposed upper surface DCA of the protective film PF which is processed. The exposed side surface SA2 connects the attachment surface CA to the exposed upper surface DCA. The exposed upper surface DCA of the protective film PF is disposed closer to the second lower surface BA2 than the second upper surface UA2 or the attachment surface CA defined between the base substrate SUB and the protective film PF. A width of the protective film PF at the exposed side surface SA2 may increase as a distance from the exposed upper surface DCA decreases, however, is not limited thereto.
The protective film PF includes an overlap portion SPP that overlaps or corresponds to the base substrate SUB which is processed and a non-overlap portion NSPP that does not overlap or correspond to the base substrate SUB which is processed. The non-overlap portion NSPP extends further than an end of the base substrate SUB which is processed, that is, further than the first lower surface BA1. In an embodiment, the processed protective film includes the overlap portion SPP which corresponds to the width of the first lower surface BA1 of the processed base substrate, a non-overlap portion NSPP which extends further than the width of the first lower surface BA1 of the processed base substrate and defines the exposed upper surface DCA of the processed protective film, and an exposed side surface SA2 which connects the exposed upper surface DCA to the second upper surface UA2. The non-overlap portion NSPP is provided in plural disposed at opposite sides of the protective film PF which is processed, with the overlap portion SPP interposed therebetween. The non-overlap portion NSPP is exposed to outside the base substrate SUB by the processing of the base substrate SUB and the protective film PF. The non-overlap portion NSPP is a portion of the protective film PF which is recessed in a direction toward the second lower surface BA2 of the protective film PF with respect to the attachment surface CA. The exposed upper surface DCA corresponds to an upper surface of the non-overlap portion NSPP.
Referring to
Referring to
In an embodiment, when the base substrate SUB is processed alone or separately from the protective film PF, or when the exposed upper surface DCA is provided in the protective film PF without reference from the attachment surface CA, the hard coating solution is not fixed on the curved surface, and providing of the hard coating layer HC having a thickness sufficient for protecting the side surface SA1 may be impossible.
In comparison, according to one or more embodiment of the method of providing the window WM, the hard coating solution is coated extending from the base substrate SUB and to the exposed upper surface DCA of the protective film PF to stably provide the hard coating solution on an entirety of the side surface SA1 of the base substrate SUB. Thus, the first hard coating layer HC1 as cured hard coating solution is provided on an entirety of the side surface SA1 that is the curved surface of the window WM.
A first portion PA1 of the first hard coating layer HC1 has a uniform thickness taken in a direction normal to the base substrate SUB which is processed. The thickness of a second portion PA2 of the first hard coating layer HC1 is not uniform taken in a direction normal to a respective surface covered by the hard coating layer HC. However, the invention should not be limited thereto or thereby. That is, the thickness of the first portion PA1 may not be uniform, and the thickness of the second portion PA2 may be uniform. In an embodiment, both the thickness of the first portion PA1 and the thickness of the second portion PA2 may be uniform or may not be uniform.
Referring to
As the protective film PF is removed from the base substrate SUB, the window WM that includes the first hard coating layer HC1 disposed on the upper and side surfaces UA1 and SA1 of the base substrate SUB may be provided.
Hereinafter, a method of providing a window WM-1 will be described with reference to
Referring to
The providing of the second hard coating layer HC2 (S800) is performed by providing the second hard coating layer HC2 on the first hard coating layer HC1. That is, the second hard coating layer HC2 faces the base substrate SUB with the first hard coating layer HC1 therebetween. The second hard coating layer HC2 is provided on the first portion PA1. In an embodiment, the second surface protection layer (e.g., second hard coating layer HC2) is further from the lower surface of the base substrate SUB than the first surface protection layer (e.g., first hard coating layer HC1). The second hard coating layer HC2 may terminate at a boundary between the first portion PA1 and the second portion PA2. The first portion PA1 of the window WM-1 is defined by the second hard coating layer HC2, which overlaps or corresponds to the first upper surface UA1 of the base substrate SUB. The second portion PA2 of the window WM-1 is defined by the first hard coating layer HC1 which overlaps or corresponds to the side surface SA1 of the base substrate SUB.
In an embodiment, the second hard coating layer HC2 is provided by stacking the hard coating layer HC two times on the first upper surface UA1 to secure a hardness which prevents the window WM-1 from being damaged. The structure in
The thickness of the second hard coating layer HC2 is relatively smaller than the thickness of the first hard coating layer HC1, at corresponding locations along the base substrate SUB. The second hard coating layer HC2 has a uniform thickness along the base substrate SUB, however, should not be limited thereto or thereby. In an embodiment, the thickness of the second hard coating layer HC2 may be relatively larger than the thickness of the first hard coating layer HC1, and/or the thickness of the second hard coating layer HC2 may not be uniform.
Hereinafter, a method of providing a window WM-2 will be described with reference to
Referring to
The providing of the third hard coating layer HC3 is performed by providing a coating layer on the first lower surface BA1 of the base substrate SUB. The third hard coating layer HC3 reduces or effectively prevents scratches from being generated when the window WM-2 is combined with the display device DD.
The thickness of the third hard coating layer HC3 is smaller than a thickness of the first hard coating layer HC1 and/or the second hard coating layer HC2. The thickness of the third hard coating layer HC3 is uniform, however, should not be limited thereto or thereby. In an embodiment, the thickness of the third hard coating layer HC3 may be the same as or greater than the thickness of the first hard coating layer HC1 and/or the second hard coating layer HC2, and/or the thickness of the third hard coating layer HC3 may not be uniform.
Hereinafter, the window WM will be described in detail with reference to
The window WM includes the base substrate SUB and the first hard coating layer HC1 which is disposed on the base substrate SUB. The window WM may include only the first hard coating layer HC1, without being limited thereto.
The first hard coating layer HC1 is disposed to overlap or correspond to the first upper surface UA1 and the side surface SA1 of the base substrate SUB. The first hard coating layer HC1 includes a first portion PA1 overlapping the first upper surface UA1 and having a first thickness T1 and a second portion PA2 overlapping the side surface SA1 and having a second thickness T2. The first thickness T1 and the second thickness T2 are minimum distances in a normal line direction with respect to the upper surface and the side surface SA1 of the base substrate SUB, respectively.
The first thickness T1 is greater than the second thickness T2. A ratio of the second thickness T2 to the first thickness T1 is equal to or greater than about 0.5 and smaller than about 1. The first thickness T1 is equal to or greater than about 20 micrometers and equal to or smaller than about 50 micrometers. The second thickness T2 is equal to or greater than about 10 micrometers and equal to or smaller than about 25 micrometers.
When the first thickness T1 is smaller than about 20 micrometers, the hardness which protects the front surface FS of the window WM is not secured. When the first thickness T1 is greater than about 50 micrometers, the surface hardness increases, however, wrinkles or curls increase due to hardening shrinkage of the hard coating layer HC, and cracks or detachment of the hard coating layer HC occur.
The thickness of the first hard coating layer HC1 may not be uniform within a range from a boundary point between the first portion PA1 and the second portion PA2 to an end point (e.g., distal end) of the second portion PA2. In detail, the second thickness T2 of the second portion PA2 decreases in a direction from the first upper surface UA1 to the first lower surface BA1 of the base substrate SUB.
The first portion PA1 of the first hard coating layer HC1 has the hardness corresponding to a pencil hardness equal to or greater than about 8H and equal to or smaller than about 9H. The pencil hardness may be a grade scale of the pencil, which is the hardest and does not damage a surface, obtained when the pencil is moved at an angle of about 45 degrees and with a certain force. When the hardness of the first hard coating layer HC1 is smaller than the pencil hardness of about 8H, the hardness which provides protection for the window WM is not secured, and protection of the display device DD is difficult. When the hardness of the first hard coating layer HC1 is greater than the pencil hardness of about 9H, wrinkles or curls are generated due to hardening shrinkage of the hard coating layer HC, and cracks or detachment of the hard coating layer HC occur.
Referring to
Referring to
Additionally stacking the second hard coating layer HC2 on the first hard coating layer HC1 may define a hardness of the window WM-1. In
Referring to
Referring to
The third hard coating layer HC3 may be a hard coating layer HC which is disconnected from the first hard coating layer HC1.
In an embodiment, the third hard coating layer HC3 may extend in a direction substantially parallel to the first directional axis DR1 and further than the first lower surface BA1 to correspond to a bottom end surface of the first hard coating layer HC1 or the first hard coating layer HC1 may extend in a direction substantially parallel to the third directional axis DR3 and further than the first lower surface BA1 to correspond to an edge surface of the third hard coating layer HC3. Thus, the first hard coating layer HC1 and the third hard coating layer HC3 may be in contact with each other (e.g., form an interface therebetween) to form one continuous layer of hard coating layer HC.
The third hard coating layer HC3 has a fourth thickness T4 that is uniform. The fourth thickness T4 of the third hard coating layer HC3 is smaller than the first thickness T1 of the first hard coating layer HC1, however, should not be limited thereto or thereby. The fourth thickness T4 of the third hard coating layer HC3 may not be uniform, or may be the same as or greater than the first thickness T1 of the first hard coating layer HC1. In an embodiment, the fourth thickness may be equal to or greater than about 1 micrometer and equal to or smaller than about 10 micrometers.
As described above, the exposed upper surface DCA is disposed closer to the second lower surface BA2 than the attachment surface CA between the protective film PF and the base substrate SUB. Thus, the method of providing the window WM in which the hard coating layer HC protects the side surface SA1 of the base substrate SUB is provided. As the window WM includes the hard coating layer HC disposed to overlap the entire surface of the side surface SA1, a side surface portion the display device DD, which is curved and covered by a curved portion of the window WM may be protected.
Although embodiments have been described, it is understood that the disclosure should not be limited to these embodiments but various changes and modifications can be made by one ordinary skilled in the art within the spirit and scope of the disclosure as hereinafter claimed.
Therefore, the disclosed subject matter should not be limited to any single embodiment described herein, and the scope of the invention shall be determined according to the attached claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-2020-0080247 | Jun 2020 | KR | national |
