Display device and method for manufacturing the same

Abstract

How a flat panel display is bent by external forces is controlled. A display panel 40 has display elements, formed corresponding to the arrangement of pixels, on a first principal surface of a flexible display panel substrate 46 . The display panel substrate 46 has a linear groove 48 on at least part of a second principal surface of the display panel substrate 46 . A resin is stacked on a support substrate having a linear ridge on at least part of the surface of the support substrate. The surface shape of the support substrate is transferred to the resin so that the groove 48 is molded. Thus, the display panel substrate 46 made of the resin is formed on the support substrate. After the display elements are formed on the display panel substrate 46 , the support substrate is removed from the display panel substrate 46.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A display device comprising:
 an image display panel including a flexible display panel substrate and a plurality of display elements arranged in a matrix on a first principal surface of the flexible display panel substrate;   a flexible printed circuit board connected to the flexible display panel substrate, wherein   the first principal surface has a first area, a second area having a region connected to the flexible printed circuit board, and a display area between the first area and the second area, the plurality of display elements arranged on the display area,   the flexible display panel substrate has a first thickness portion, a second thickness portion, and a third thickness portion,   the first thickness portion, the second thickness portion, and the third thickness portion are arranged in this order along the first principal surface,   a thickness of the first and third thickness portions is thicker than a thickness of the second thickness portion in a direction perpendicular to the first principal surface,   the first area and the display area are arranged on the first thickness portion, and   
       the second area is arranged on the third thickness portion. 
     
     
         2 . The display device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a driver IC electrically connected to the image display panel.   
     
     
         3 . The display device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a cover layer which includes a SiN and is arranged on the plurality of display elements.   
     
     
         4 . The display device according to  claim 3 , wherein,
 the flexible display panel substrate is made of one of a polyimide resin, an epoxy resin, and an acrylic resin,   the plurality of display elements are a plurality of organic light emitting elements.