Organic light emitting display device

• US 10,446,770 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2018
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kim, Minsang, Kwon, Seungwook, Kwon, Ohjune, Kwon, Hyojeong, Kim, Doohwan
• Primary Examiner(s): Jahan, Bilkis
• Application Number:
  US16/194,887
• Publication Number:
  US 20190157589A1
• Time in Patent Office: 330 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/311 Flexible OLED
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/351 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/84 Passivation; Containers; Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/844 Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/131 Interconnections, e.g. wiring lines or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/87 Passivation; Containers; Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 77/111 Flexible substrates

Abstract

An OLED device includes a display panel including a display region and a pad region located at a first side of the display region. The pad region includes a bending region located in a portion of the pad region adjacent to the display region and in a pad electrode region located in a remaining portion of the pad region. A lower protection film is on a lower surface of the display panel and exposes a portion of the bending region. The lower protection film includes a first lower protection film including a first concave-convex pattern in the bending region adjacent to the display region. A second lower protection film is spaced apart from the first lower protection film and includes a second concave-convex pattern in the bending region adjacent to the pad electrode region. The second concave-convex pattern has a shape that is insertable into the first concave-convex pattern.

Claims

1. An organic light emitting display (OLED) device, comprising:

a display panel having a display region where a plurality of pixels are disposed and a pad region located in a first side of the display region, the pad region including a bending region located in a portion of the pad region that is adjacent to the display region and a pad electrode region located in a remaining portion of the pad region, the pad electrode region being where pad electrodes are disposed; and

a lower protection film on a lower surface of the display panel such that a portion of the bending region is exposed, the lower protection film including;

a first lower protection film including a first concave-convex pattern in a portion of the bending region located adjacent to the display region; and

a second lower protection film spaced apart from the first lower protection film, the second lower protection film including a second concave-convex pattern in a portion of the bending region located adjacent to the pad electrode region, the second concave-convex pattern having a shape such that the second concave-convex pattern is insertable into the first concave-convex pattern.

2. The OLED device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the first lower protection film is located in the display region and in a portion of the bending region that is located adjacent to the display region, and

the second lower protection film is located in the pad electrode region and in a portion of the bending region that is located adjacent to the pad electrode region.

3. The OLED device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the first concave-convex pattern includes two adjacent first convex portions and a first concave portion that is located between the two adjacent first convex portions, and

the second concave-convex pattern includes two adjacent second concave portions and a second convex portion that is located between the two adjacent second concave portions.

4. The OLED device as claimed in claim 3, wherein:

the two adjacent first convex portions face the two adjacent second concave portions, and

the first concave portion faces the second convex portion.

5. The OLED device as claimed in claim 4, wherein:

each of the first convex portions protrudes in a direction from the display region into the bending region, and

the second convex portion protrudes in a direction from the pad electrode region into the bending region, and

a first empty space that is located between the adjacent two first convex portions is defined as the first concave portion, and

second and third empty spaces that are located in both lateral portions of the second convex portion are defined as the second concave portions.

6. The OLED device as claimed in claim 4, wherein:

each of the first and second lower protection films has a first thickness in the display region and the pad region,

each of the first and second convex portions have a second thickness in the bending region, and

the first thickness is less than the second thickness.

7. The OLED device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lower protection film has a zipper shape in the bending region when viewed in a plan view of the OLED device.

8. The OLED device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the first concave-convex pattern includes a plurality of first convex portions and a plurality of first concave portions, and

the first convex portion and the first concave portion are alternately arranged in a first direction that is parallel to an upper surface of the lower protection film,

the second concave-convex pattern is spaced apart from the first concave-convex pattern and includes a plurality of second convex portions and a plurality of second concave portions, and

the second convex portion and the second concave portion are alternately arranged in the first direction.

9. The OLED device as claimed in claim 8, wherein:

each of the first convex portions faces a corresponding one of the second concave portions, and each of the first concave portions faces a corresponding one of the second convex portions.

10. The OLED device as claimed in claim 8, wherein:

the number of first convex portions is the same as the number of second concave portions, and

the number of first concave portions is the same as the number of second convex portions.

11. The OLED device as claimed in claim 8, wherein:

the first convex portion protrudes in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction,

the second convex portion protrudes in a third direction that is opposite to the second direction, and

the first and second convex portions protrude in a fourth direction that is vertical to the first, second, and third direction.

12. The OLED device as claimed in claim 11, wherein:

the first concave portion includes a recess toward the third direction from the bending region, and

the second concave portion includes a recess toward the second direction from the bending region.

13. The OLED device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first and second concave portions expose a lower surface of the display panel located in the bending region.

14. The OLED device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first convex portion is insertable into the second concave portion and the second convex portion is insertable into the first concave portion when the bending region of the OLED device is bent.

15. The OLED device as claimed in claim 11, wherein, when the bending region of the OLED device is bent, an upper surface of the first convex portion is in contact with a lower surface of the display panel located adjacent to the pad electrode region, and an upper surface of the second convex portion is in contact with a lower surface of the display panel located adjacent to the display region.

16. The OLED device as claimed in claim 11, wherein:

the second direction is a direction from the display region into the pad region,

the third direction is a direction from the pad region into the display region,

the fourth direction is a direction from the display panel into the lower protection film, and

the bending region is bendable on an axis with respect to the first direction.

17. The OLED device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the pixels included in the display panel includes:

a substrate on the lower protection film;

a semiconductor element on the substrate;

a lower electrode on the semiconductor element;

a light emitting layer on the lower electrode;

an upper electrode on the light emitting layer; and

a thin film encapsulation structure on the upper electrode.

18. The OLED device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the semiconductor element includes:

an active layer on the substrate;

a gate insulation layer on the active layer;

a gate electrode on the gate insulation layer;

an insulating interlayer on the gate electrode; and

source and drain electrode on the insulating interlayer.

19. The OLED device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the thin film encapsulation structure includes:

a first thin film encapsulation layer on the upper electrode and including inorganic materials;

a second thin film encapsulation layer on the first thin film encapsulation layer and including organic materials; and

a third thin film encapsulation layer on the second thin film encapsulation layer and the inorganic materials, and

wherein the substrate and the thin film encapsulation structure include materials having a flexibility.

20. The OLED device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a touch screen electrode layer and a polarizing layer disposed on the display panel.