当前申请(专利权)人地址：
Incorporated in the United Kingdom, Abbey Road, Whitley, Coventry, Warwickshire, CV3 4LF , United Kingdom
摘要：
A display apparatus (10; 110) comprising a flexible substrate (73; 100; 200; 210) carrying at least one layer of display elements (76; 176; 204, 215); and a plurality of structural supports (76; 176; 206, 214, 216) distributed throughout the layer of display elements, wherein the structural supports are configured to counter stress induced by flexing of the display apparatus at least during assembly of the display apparatus. Supports may be V shaped (fig 16-17). Multiple flexible substrate layers each with support means maybe stacked together with supports aligned and display may provide a touch sensitive control panel (see figure 20).
权利要求：
CLAIMS
1 A display apparatus comprising:
a flexible substrate carrying at least one layer of display elements; and
a plurality of structural supports distributed throughout the layer of display elements, wherein the structural supports are configured to counter stress induced by flexing of the display apparatus at least during assembly of the display apparatus.
2. The display apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the substrate retains flexibility when the display apparatus is in use, and wherein the plurality of structural supports are configured to counter further stress induced by flexing of the display apparatus when in use.
3. The display apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein at least one of the plurality of structural supports is deformed as the display apparatus is flexed, on assembly and/or in use.
4. The display apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the structural supports are distributed in a regular array throughout the layer of display elements.
2. The display apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein each display element is separated from its neighbouring display elements by a structural support.
6. The display apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the plurality of structural supports take the form of pillars.
7. The display apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the plurality of structural supports take the form of V-shaped members.
8. The display apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the plurality of structural supports are formed from a transparent material.
9. The display apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 8, wherein the plurality of structural supports are formed from one or more of silicon, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), thermoplastic elastomers (TBE).
10. The display apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 9, wherein the plurality of structural supports include electrically conducting supports.
11. The display apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 10, wherein the plurality of structural supports include electrically insulating supports.
12. The display apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the electrically insulating supports are provided in a two dimensional array throughout the display apparatus so as the electrically insulate at least one layer of display elements from current applied to the display elements.
138. The display apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 12, comprising at least a first layer and a second layer of display elements arranged on the substrate, one on top of the other.
14. The display apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein second layer of display elements includes a plurality of structural supports distributed throughout the second layer of display elements.
15. The display apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the structural supports of the first layer of display elements are aligned vertically with the structural supports of the second layer of display elements.
16. The display apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein the structural supports of the first layer of display elements are integrally formed with the structural supports of the second layer of display elements.
17. The display apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 16, wherein the display elements include one or more of the following: OLED elements, LCD elements, TFT elements, capacitive elements, piezoelectric elements, AMOLED elements, OLCD elements.
18. The display apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 17, comprising a polarising layer.
19. The display apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein the polarising layer defines a user-interaction surface.
20. The display apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 19, comprising an injection moulded layer provided on an upper one of the layers of display elements.
21. The display apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 20, comprising a laminate layer provided on an upper one of the layers of display elements.
22. A display apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 21, wherein the flexible substrate defines a first flexible substrate, the display apparatus comprising a second flexible substrate carrying at least one layer of second display elements; and a plurality of second structural supports distributed throughout the second layer of display elements, wherein the second structural supports are configured to counter stress induced by flexing of the display apparatus at least during assembly of the display apparatus, and wherein the first flexible substrate defines one surface of the display apparatus and the second flexible substrate defines an opposed surface of the display apparatus, with the at least one layer of display elements and the at least one second layer of display elements being located between the first and second substrates.
23. The display apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 22, configured for use in a vehicle.
24. A vehicle comprising the display apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 23.
25. A method of forming a display apparatus, the method comprising:
depositing a first layer of display element material on a flexible substrate, interspersed with a layer of structural support material; and
depositing one or more further layers of display element material on the first layer of display material, interspersed with a further layer of structural support material, so as to build a first display element structure with structural support elements distributed throughout the first and further layers.
26. The method as claimed in claim 25, comprising depositing a second layer of display element material on the first display element structure, interspersed with a further layer of structural support material, and depositing one or more further second layers of display element material on the second layer of display element material, so as to build a second display element structure on the first display element structure, with the structural support elements extending through both the first and second display element structures.