Protective film and method for manufacturing same, touch panel, and display device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11928274-B2
Application number	US-202117779291-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 7, 2021
Priority date	Aug 26, 2020
Publication date	Mar 12, 2024
Grant date	Mar 12, 2024

Abstract

A protective film includes a transparent substrate layer and a transparent hardened layer covering a surface of the transparent substrate layer. The transparent hardened layer includes a first region covering a middle portion of the transparent substrate layer and a second region covering an edge of the transparent substrate layer, where hardness of the first region is greater than hardness of the second region. The transparent hardened layer includes the first region and the second region.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A protective film, the protective film is configured to be attached to a substrate to protect the substrate from being damaged, and the protective film comprises a transparent substrate layer and a transparent hardened layer covering a surface of the transparent substrate layer, wherein the transparent hardened layer comprises a first region covering a middle portion of the transparent substrate layer and a second region covering an edge of the transparent substrate layer, a hardness of the first region being greater than a hardness of the second region; and
wherein the transparent hardened layer is formed from a photocurable coating on the surface of the transparent substrate layer, and
wherein the photocurable coating is cured by light irradiation, and the light irradiation duration of the photocurable coating disposed on the middle portion of the transparent substrate layer is longer than a light irradiation duration of the photocurable coating disposed at the edge of the transparent substrate layer.

2. The protective film according to claim 1 , wherein the hardness of the first region ranges from 5.5 H to 6.5 H, and the hardness of the second region ranges from 2.5 H to 3.5 H.

3. The protective film according to claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the transparent hardened layer is not greater than 10 μm.

4. The protective film according to claim 1 , wherein
the second region is disposed around the first region; or
the transparent substrate layer is provided with two opposite sides that are arranged in parallel, and the second region is disposed on each of the two opposite sides of the transparent substrate layer.

5. The protective film according to claim 4 , wherein a width of the second region in a direction perpendicular to the two sides ranges from 200 mm to 205 mm.

6. A method for manufacturing a protective film, comprising:
providing a transparent substrate layer; and
forming a transparent hardened layer covering a surface of the transparent substrate layer on the transparent substrate layer, wherein the transparent hardened layer comprises a first region covering a middle portion of the transparent substrate layer and a second region covering an edge of the transparent substrate layer, a hardness of the first region being greater than a hardness of the second region; and
wherein the protective film is configured to be attached to a substrate to protect the substrate from being damaged; and
wherein forming the transparent hardened layer covering the surface of the transparent substrate layer on the transparent substrate layer comprises:
forming a photocurable coating on the surface of the transparent substrate layer; and
curing, by light irradiation, the photocurable coating into the transparent hardened layer, wherein a light irradiation duration of the photocurable coating disposed on the middle portion of the transparent substrate layer is longer than a light irradiation duration of the photocurable coating disposed at the edge of the transparent substrate layer.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein curing, by light irradiation, the photocurable coating into the transparent hardened layer comprises:
irradiating the photocurable coating with light;
shielding, using the light-shielding plate, the photocurable coating disposed at the edge of the transparent substrate layer; and
continuing to irradiate the photocurable coating with light.

8. The method according to claim 6 , wherein curing, by light irradiation, the photocurable coating into the transparent hardened layer comprises:
shielding, using a light-shielding plate, the photocurable coating disposed at the edge of the transparent substrate layer;
irradiating the photocurable coating with light; and
removing the light-shielded plate and continuing to irradiate the photocurable coating with light.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein shielding, using the light-shielding plate, the photocurable coating disposed at the edge of the transparent substrate layer comprises:
shielding the photocurable coating disposed around the transparent substrate layer; or
shielding the photocurable coating disposed at a group of opposite sides of the transparent substrate layer, wherein the transparent substrate layer is in a rectangular shape.

10. A touch panel, comprising: a transparent substrate, a touch structure disposed on the transparent substrate, and a protective film; wherein
the protective film is configured to be attached to the transparent substrate to protect the transparent substrate from being damaged, and comprises a transparent substrate layer and a transparent hardened layer covering a surface of the transparent substrate layer, wherein the transparent hardened layer comprises a first region covering a middle portion of the transparent substrate layer and a second region covering an edge of the transparent substrate layer, a hardness of the first region being greater than a hardness of the second region; and
the protective film is disposed on one side of the transparent substrate, and the touch structure is disposed on the other side of the transparent substrate; and
wherein the transparent hardened layer is formed from a photocurable coating on the surface of the transparent substrate layer, and
wherein the photocurable coating is cured by light irradiation, and the light irradiation duration of the photocurable coating disposed on the middle portion of the transparent substrate layer is longer than a light irradiation duration of the photocurable coating disposed at the edge of the transparent substrate layer.

11. The touch panel according to claim 10 , wherein a width of the first region of the protective film is less than a width of the transparent substrate, and a difference between the widths ranges from 0.1 mm to 1 mm.

12. The touch panel according to claim 10 , wherein the touch structure comprises a first transparent insulation layer disposed on the transparent substrate, a first metal mesh disposed on the first transparent insulation layer, a second transparent insulation layer disposed on the first metal mesh, a second metal mesh disposed on the second transparent insulation layer, and a third transparent insulation layer disposed on the second metal mesh.

13. A display device, comprising: a display panel and the touch panel as defined in claim 10 , wherein the display panel is disposed at a side, distal from the protective film, of the transparent substrate.

14. The touch panel according to claim 10 , wherein the hardness of the first region ranges from 5.5 H to 6.5 H, and the hardness of the second region ranges from 2.5 H to 3.5 H.

15. The touch panel according to claim 10 , wherein a thickness of the transparent hardened layer is not greater than 10 μm.

16. The touch panel according to claim 10 , wherein
the second region is disposed around the first region; or
the transparent substrate layer is provided with two opposite sides that are arranged in parallel, and the second region is disposed on each of the two opposite sides of the transparent substrate layer.

17. The touch panel according to claim 16 , wherein a width of the second region in a direction perpendicular to the two sides ranges from 200 mm to 205 mm.

Assignees

• Wuhan Boe Optoelectronics Technology Co Ltd
• Boe Technology Group Co Ltd

Inventors

• Han Jie
• Guo Yuanhui
• Yang Xiaoguang
• Huang Xiaoyu
• Hu Yang

Classifications

• G06F3/0412 Primary

  Digitisers structurally integrated in a display · CPC title

• G06F3/044

  by capacitive means · CPC title

• G02B1/14 Primary

  Protective coatings, e.g. hard coatings · CPC title

• G06F2203/04103

  Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices · CPC title

• G06F2203/04107

  Shielding in digitiser, i.e. guard or shielding arrangements, mostly for capacitive touchscreens, e.g. driven shields, driven grounds · CPC title