Protection film, window including the same, and method of manufacturing display device

• US 10,399,298 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2017
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Yee, Dong Su
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Sing P
• Application Number:
  US15/802,337
• Publication Number:
  US 20190009498A1
• Time in Patent Office: 670 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2255/10 on synthetic resin layer or on natural or synthetic rubber layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2255/20 Inorganic coating
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 23/04 comprising such cellulosic plastic substance as the main or only constituent of a layer, which is next to another layer of the same or of a different material next to a glass layer B32B17/08
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 23/08 of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 23/20 comprising esters
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/412 Transparent
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/536 Hardness
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/546 Flexural strength; Flexion stiffness
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2457/20 Displays, e.g. liquid crystal displays, plasma displays
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/08 of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/281 comprising polyimides
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/285 comprising polyethers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/286 comprising polysulphones; polysulfides
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/302 comprising aromatic vinyl (co)polymers, e.g. styrenic (co)polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/304 comprising vinyl halide (co)polymers, e.g. PVC, PVDC, PVF, PVDF
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/306 comprising vinyl acetate or vinyl alcohol (co)polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/308 comprising acrylic (co)polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/32 comprising polyolefins comprising vinyl (co)polymers or acrylic (co)polymers B32B27/30
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/325 comprising polycycloolefins
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/36 comprising polyesters
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/365 : comprising polycarbonates
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/18 : involving the assembly of discrete sheets or panels only
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/10 : Removing layers, or parts of layers, mechanically or chemically
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/06 : permitting easy separation
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/12 : using interposed adhesives or interposed materials with bonding properties
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 65/40 : Applications of laminates for particular packaging purposes B65D1/0215, B65D1/28, B65D3/22, B65D5/0281, B65D5/563, B65D9/30, B65D29/02, B65D31/02, B65D75/26, B65D77/2024, B65D81/1275, B65D81/3811, B65D81/3823, B65D81/3834, B65D81/3846, B65D81/3858, B65D81/3874, B65D81/3886, B65D81/3897 take precedence; laminates per se or laminated packages characterised by the composition or
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2201/50 : Protective arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 : Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/844 : Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/10 : OLED displays
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/135 : using ink-jet printing

Abstract

A protection film includes a film layer and a spacer. The spacer is disposed on a surface of the film layer. The spacer includes at least one separation region formed in a thickness direction from a surface of the spacer.

Claims

1. A protection film, comprising:

a film layer; and

a spacer disposed on a surface of the film layer, the spacer comprising at least one separation region formed in a thickness direction from a surface of the spacer.

2. The protection film of claim 1, wherein the spacer comprises:

a spacer bonding layer disposed on the surface of the film layer; and

a support layer disposed on the spacer bonding layer.

3. The protection film of claim 2, wherein:

the at least one separation region comprises a cutting pattern; and

the cutting pattern is formed in the thickness direction from a surface of the support layer.

4. The protection film of claim 3, wherein the cutting pattern completely extends through the support layer in the thickness direction.

5. The protection film of claim 4, wherein the cutting pattern extends to an interior region of the spacer bonding layer.

6. The protection film of claim 3, wherein:

a shape of the spacer extends in a first direction on a plane; and

a shape of the cutting pattern extends in a second direction intersecting the first direction.

7. The protection film of claim 6, wherein the first direction and the second direction are orthogonal to each other.

8. The protection film of claim 6, wherein:

a first end and a second end opposing the first end of the cutting pattern are disposed, in a width direction, inwardly from opposing edges of the spacer; and

the cutting pattern is, when viewed in the thickness direction, completely surrounded by the surface of the spacer.

9. The protection film of claim 8, wherein the cutting pattern completely extends through the spacer bonding layer in the thickness direction.

10. The protection film of claim 6, wherein a first end of the cutting pattern is, in a width direction, disposed at an edge of the spacer.

11. The protection film of claim 10, wherein:

opposing ends of the cutting pattern are disposed at opposing edges of the spacer in a width direction and separate, when viewed in the thickness direction, the surface of the spacer;

the cutting pattern overlaps the spacer bonding layer;

portions of the spacer bonding layer disposed at sides of the cutting pattern are integrally connected without being completely separated.

12. The protection film of claim 6, wherein a hardness of the support layer is greater than or equal to 70 shore A.

13. The protection film of claim 3, wherein the spacer comprises surface unevenness.

14. The protection film of claim 1, wherein:

the spacer comprises;

a spacer bonding layer disposed on the surface of the film layer; and

support patterns disposed on the spacer bonding layer, the support patterns being spaced apart from each other; and

the at least one separation region comprises a spacing space between adjacent support patterns among the support patterns.

15. The protection film of claim 14, wherein:

a shape of the spacer extends in a first direction on a plane; and

a shape of the spacing space extends in a second direction intersecting the first direction.

16. A window, comprising:

a window substrate; and

a first protection film disposed on a surface of the window substrate,

wherein the first protection film comprises;

a first film layer; and

a spacer disposed on a surface of the first film layer, the spacer comprising at least one separation region formed in a thickness direction from a surface of the spacer.

17. The window of claim 16, wherein the spacer comprises:

a spacer bonding layer disposed on the surface of the first film layer; and

a support layer disposed on the spacer bonding layer.

18. The window of claim 17, wherein:

the at least one separation region comprises a cutting pattern; and

the cutting pattern is formed in the thickness direction from a surface of the support layer.

19. The window of claim 18, wherein the cutting pattern completely extends through the support layer in the thickness direction.

20. The window of claim 19, wherein the cutting pattern extends to an interior region of the spacer bonding layer.

21. The window of claim 18, wherein:

a shape of the spacer extends in a first direction on a plane; and

a shape of the cutting pattern extends in a second direction intersecting the first direction.

22. The window of claim 21, further comprising:

a mounting component protruding in the thickness direction from the surface of the window substrate,

wherein, with respect to the surface of the window substrate, a height of a surface of the mounting component is higher than a height of the surface of the first film layer and lower than a height of the surface of the spacer.

23. The window of claim 16, wherein:

the spacer comprises;

a spacer bonding layer disposed on the surface of the first film layer; and

support patterns disposed on the spacer bonding layer, the support patterns being spaced apart from each other; and

the at least one separation region comprises a spacing space between adjacent support patterns among the support patterns.

24. The window of claim 23, wherein:

a shape of the spacer extends in a first direction on a plane; and

a shape of the spacing space extends in a second direction intersecting the first direction.

25. The window of claim 16, further comprising:

a second protection film disposed on another surface of the window substrate, the another surface opposing the surface of the window substrate.

26. A method of manufacturing a display device, comprising:

preparing a window, the window comprising;

a window substrate; and

a protection film disposed on a surface of the window substrate; and

stripping the protection film from the window substrate,

wherein the protection film comprises;

a film layer; and

a spacer disposed on a surface of the film layer, the spacer comprising at least one separation region formed in a thickness direction from a surface of the spacer.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein:

the protection film is stripped from the window substrate in a first direction; and

a shape of the at least one separation extends in a second direction intersecting the first direction.

28. The method according to claim 27, further comprising:

attaching, after stripping the protection film from the window substrate, a display panel to the surface of the window substrate.

29. The method according to claim 28, wherein preparing the window comprises separating the window from a plurality of stacked windows.

30. A protection film, comprising:

a film layer; and

a spacer disposed on a surface of the film layer, the spacer comprising at least one hole,

wherein the at least one hole is a line type pattern.