Flexible display and method for manufacturing the same

Abstract

A flexible display comprises a display panel that includes a flexible substrate and subpixels formed in a display area defined on a surface of the flexible substrate. A data driver is mounted to a data driver area defined on the surface of the flexible substrate. The flexible display can have a connector mounted to a connector area defined on the surface of the substrate. A bent portion of the flexible substrate is between the display area and the connector area and causes the connector area to be bent back towards an other surface of the flexible substrate. A system board can further be electrically connected to the connector mounted on the connector area through a cable.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A flexible display device comprising:
 a display panel including a flexible substrate and subpixels formed in a display area defined on a surface of the flexible substrate; 
 a data driver mounted to a data driver area defined on the surface of the flexible substrate; 
 a connector area defined on the surface of the flexible substrate, the connector area including a plurality of metal pads; 
 a connector that is surface mounted to the metal pads of the connector area; 
 a system board; and 
 a cable electrically connecting the system board to the connector mounted to the connector area, 
 wherein the flexible substrate includes a bent portion between the data driver area and the connector area, the bent portion causing the connector area to be bent back towards an other surface of the flexible substrate. 
 
     
     
       2. The flexible display device of  claim 1 , the display panel further comprising a passive element mounted to an element area defined on the surface of the flexible substrate. 
     
     
       3. The flexible display device of  claim 2 , wherein the bent portion of the flexible substrate is between the passive element and the data driver. 
     
     
       4. The flexible display device of  claim 3 , wherein the passive element is a capacitor, and the bent portion of the flexible substrate is between the capacitor and the data driver. 
     
     
       5. The flexible display device of  claim 1 , wherein the connector area protrudes from a side of the flexible substrate. 
     
     
       6. The flexible display device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one conductive line formed on the bent portion of the flexible substrate has a mesh shape. 
     
     
       7. The flexible display device of  claim 1 , wherein the data driver is mounted to the data driver area defined on the surface of the flexible substrate using surface mounted technology (SMT). 
     
     
       8. The flexible display device of  claim 1 , wherein the data driver area includes:
 a gate metal formed on the flexible substrate; 
 a first insulating layer formed on the gate metal; 
 a source-drain metal formed on the first insulating layer; 
 a second insulating layer formed on the source-drain metal; and 
 pad metals formed on the second insulating layer and connected to the source-drain metal, 
 wherein the data driver is mounted to the pad metals. 
 
     
     
       9. The flexible display device of  claim 8 , wherein the gate metal and the source-drain metal are electrically connected through at least one first contact hole formed in the first insulating layer, and
 wherein the source-drain metal and the pad metals are electrically connected through at least one second contact hole formed in the second insulating layer. 
 
     
     
       10. A method for manufacturing a flexible display device comprising:
 forming subpixels in a display area defined on a surface of a flexible substrate; 
 attaching a protection film on the flexible substrate; 
 mounting a data driver to a data driver area defined on the surface of the flexible substrate; 
 surface mounting a connector to a plurality of metal pads of a connector area defined on the surface of the flexible substrate; 
 electrically connecting a system board to the connector mounted to the connector area via a cable; and 
 bending the flexible substrate at a bendable portion of the flexible substrate between the data driver area and the connector area such that the connector area is bent back towards an other surface of the flexible substrate. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 removing a useless area except for a data driver, element and connector area by a chamfering process. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 mounting a passive element to an element area defined on the surface of the flexible substrate. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 forming at least one mesh shaped conductive line on the bendable portion of the flexible substrate. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the data driver is mounted to the data driver area defined on the surface of the flexible substrate using surface mounted technology (SMT). 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 forming the data driver area by:
 forming a gate metal on the flexible substrate; 
 forming a first insulating layer on the gate metal; 
 forming a source-drain metal on the first insulating layer; 
 forming a second insulating layer formed on the source-drain metal; and 
 forming pad metals on the second insulating layer that are connected to the source-drain metal, 
 
 wherein the data driver is mounted to the pad metals. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the gate metal and the source-drain metal are electrically connected through at least one first contact hole formed in the first insulating layer,
 wherein the source-drain metal and the pad metals are electrically connected through at least one second contact hole formed in the second insulating layer.