Protective film and method of removing protective film

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024123724-A1
Application number	US-202318364350-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 2, 2023
Priority date	Oct 17, 2022
Publication date	Apr 18, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

Provided is a protective film including a first protective film configured to cover an upper surface of a display panel, the first protective film including a flat portion, inclined portions extending from the flat portion, and surrounding the flat portion in plan view, and boundary portions respectively between the inclined portions, and respectively corresponding to corners of the flat portion, wherein the inclined portions and the boundary portions become thinner in a direction away from the flat portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A protective film comprising a first protective film configured to cover an upper surface of a display panel, the first protective film comprising:
a flat portion having a flat plate shape defined by a first direction and a second direction crossing the first direction; inclined portions extending from the flat portion, and surrounding the flat portion in plan view; and boundary portions respectively between the inclined portions adjacent to each other to correspond to corners of the flat portion, wherein the inclined portions and the boundary portions become thinner in a direction away from the flat portion.

2 . The protective film of claim 1 , wherein the first protective film has a higher coefficient of thermal expansion than the display panel.

3 . The protective film of claim 2 , wherein the first protective film has a coefficient of thermal expansion of about 45 ppm/K to about 55 ppm/K.

4 . The protective film of claim 1 , further comprising a second protective film configured to cover a lower surface of the display panel, and having a shape symmetrical to that of the first protective film.

5 . The protective film of claim 1 , wherein heights of upper surfaces of the inclined portions and the boundary portions decrease in a direction away from an upper surface of the flat portion, and
wherein lower surfaces of the inclined portions and the boundary portions are coplanar with a lower surface of the flat portion.

6 . The protective film of claim 1 , wherein the first protective film is configured to contract more than the display panel when a coolant is provided on the first protective film.

7 . The protective film of claim 6 , wherein, when the first protective film is contracted, the inclined portions and the boundary portions are separated from the display panel such that separation starts from edges of the inclined portions and edges of the boundary portions, the display panel fixed to a vacuum suction stage.

8 . A method of removing a protective film, the method comprising:
applying a resin onto a display panel; forming a first protective film by curing the resin; providing a coolant to a surface of the first protective film; separating an edge of the first protective film from the display panel; and removing the first protective film from the display panel, wherein the first protective film comprises:
a flat portion defined by a first direction and a second direction crossing the first direction;
inclined portions extending from the flat portion, and surrounding the flat portion in plan view; and
boundary portions respectively between the inclined portions adjacent to each other to correspond to corners of the flat portion,
wherein the inclined portions and the boundary portions become thinner in a direction away from the flat portion.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the separating of the edge of the first protective film from the display panel comprises contracting upper surfaces of the boundary portions.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the removing of the first protective film from the display panel comprises separating the first protective film from edges of the boundary portions.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the separating of the edge of the first protective film from the display panel comprises separating the edges of the inclined portions from the display panel by contracting upper surfaces of the inclined portions.

12 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the first protective film has a higher coefficient of thermal expansion than the display panel.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the first protective film has a coefficient of thermal expansion of about 45 ppm/K to about 55 ppm/K.

14 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the first protective film is contracted more than the display panel when the coolant is provided onto the first protective film.

15 . The method of claim 8 , wherein heights of upper surfaces of the inclined portions and the boundary portions decrease in a direction away from an upper surface of the flat portion, and
wherein lower surfaces of the inclined portions and the boundary portions are coplanar with a lower surface of the flat portion.

16 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the coolant comprises any one of a liquid nitrogen, a freon gas, or a carbon fluoride.

17 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
providing the display panel on a stage; and fixing the display panel to the stage via vacuum suction holes defined in the stage.

18 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the resin comprises any one of an acrylate, an epoxy, or a silicone.

19 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
applying the resin to a lower surface of the display panel; forming a second protective film by curing the resin; providing a coolant onto a surface of the second protective film; separating an edge of the second protective film from the display panel; and removing the second protective film from the display panel.

20 . A method of removing a protective film, the method comprising:
applying a resin onto a display panel; forming a first protective film by curing the resin; providing a coolant onto a surface of the first protective film; separating an edge of the first protective film from the display panel; and removing the first protective film from the display panel, wherein the first protective film comprises:
a flat portion defined by a first direction and a second direction crossing the first direction;
inclined portions extending from the flat portion and surrounding the flat portion; and
boundary portions between the inclined portions adjacent to each other to correspond to corners of the flat portion,
wherein the inclined portions and the boundary portions become thinner in a direction away from the flat portion, and wherein the first protective film has a higher coefficient of thermal expansion than the display panel.

Assignees

• Samsung Display Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kwon Ohjune
• Yoon Heechang
• Hwang Sangyeon

Classifications

• B32B2457/20

  Displays, e.g. liquid crystal displays, plasma displays · CPC title

• B32B43/006 Primary

  Delaminating · CPC title