Flexible display device and manufacturing method thereof

• US 10,573,831 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2017
• Issued: 02/25/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Lim, Heung Kyoon, Nam, Kie Hyun
• Primary Examiner(s): Inoussa, Mouloucoulaye
• Application Number:
  US15/792,483
• Publication Number:
  US 20180182984A1
• Time in Patent Office: 854 Days
• Field of Search: 257 43, 257 40, 257432, 257 84, 349124, 313 46
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/20 Filters polarising elements G02B5/30
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/201 in the form of arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/311 Flexible OLED
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/8426 Peripheral sealing arrangements, e.g. adhesives, sealants
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/844 Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/846 comprising getter material or desiccants
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/8722 Peripheral sealing arrangements, e.g. adhesives, sealants
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/873 Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/874 including getter material or desiccant
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/00 Manufacture or treatment specially adapted for the organic devices covered by this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/40 Thermal treatment, e.g. annealing in the presence of a solvent vapour
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 77/111 Flexible substrates
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/549 Organic PV cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

A flexible display device includes: a first flexible substrate and a second flexible substrate facing each other; a display part positioned on a surface of the first flexible substrate facing the second flexible substrate and including a plurality of thin film transistors and a plurality of light emitting elements; a color filter positioned on a surface of the second flexible substrate facing the first flexible substrate; an overcoat layer positioned between the display part and the color filter and covering the color filter; a gas barrier layer positioned between the display part and the overcoat layer and covering the overcoat layer; and an encapsulation part including a filler positioned between the display part and the gas barrier layer, and a sealant positioned at an outside of the filler, and an area of the gas barrier layer is larger than an area of the encapsulation part.

Claims

1. A flexible display device comprising:

a first flexible substrate and a second flexible substrate facing each other;

a display part positioned on a surface of the first flexible substrate facing the second flexible substrate and including a plurality of thin film transistors and a plurality of light emitting elements;

a color filter positioned on a surface of the second flexible substrate facing the first flexible substrate;

an overcoat layer positioned between the display part and the color filter and covering the color filter;

a gas barrier layer positioned between the display part and the overcoat layer and covering the overcoat layer; and

an encapsulation part including a filler positioned between the display part and the gas barrier layer, and a sealant positioned at an outside of the filler,

wherein the gas barrier layer extends between the sealant and the surface of the second flexible substrate and contacts a peripheral side of the overcoat layer that extends in a direction from the second flexible substrate toward the first flexible substrate, and an area of the gas barrier layer is larger than each of an area of the encapsulation part and an area of the overcoat layer.

2. The flexible display device of claim 1, wherein an outer side of the sealant is spaced apart from an outer edge of the gas barrier layer in a direction toward a center of the display part.

3. The flexible display device of claim 2, wherein the encapsulation part further includes a getter layer positioned between the filler and the sealant.

4. The flexible display device of claim 1, wherein the gas barrier layer is formed as a single layer made of one of a silicon nitride, a silicon oxide, and a silicon oxynitride, or a stacked layer thereof.

5. The flexible display device of claim 1, wherein the first flexible substrate comprises glass, and the second flexible substrate comprises a plastic film.

6. The flexible display device of claim 1, wherein each of the first flexible substrate and the second flexible substrate comprises a plastic film.