Display apparatus

• US 10,622,585 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2017
• Issued: 04/14/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kim, Seho, Kwak, Wonkyu
• Primary Examiner(s): Ullah, Elias
• Application Number:
  US15/688,584
• Publication Number:
  US 20180159074A1
• Time in Patent Office: 960 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/8426 Peripheral sealing arrangements, e.g. adhesives, sealants
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/844 Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/12 Active-matrix OLED [AMOLED] displays
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/122 Pixel-defining structures or layers, e.g. banks
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/123 Connection of the pixel electrodes to the thin film transistors [TFT]
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/8722 Peripheral sealing arrangements, e.g. adhesives, sealants
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/8731 multilayered coatings having a repetitive structure, e.g. having multiple organic-inorganic bilayers

Abstract

A display apparatus may include a substrate, a display unit, a first dam unit, an insulating unit, and a first metal layer. The display unit may overlap the substrate. The first dam unit may at least partially surround the display unit. A first trench may be positioned between the first dam unit and the display unit. The insulating unit may be disposed between the substrate and the first dam unit, may have an insulating portion, and may have a first opening set. The first opening set may be disposed between the insulating portion and the display unit. The insulating portion may at least partially surround the display unit. The first metal layer may have a second opening set positioned over the first opening set.

Claims

1. A display apparatus comprising:

a substrate;

a display unit overlapping the substrate;

a first dam unit at least partially surrounding the display unit, wherein a first trench is positioned between the first dam unit and the display unit;

an insulating unit disposed between the substrate and the first dam unit, having an insulating portion, and having a first opening set, the first opening set being disposed between the insulating portion and the display unit, the insulating portion at least partially surrounding the display unit; and

a first metal layer having a second opening set, wherein the second opening set exposes the first opening set.

2. The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first opening set is disposed between the substrate and the first dam unit.

3. The display apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an organic material layer at least partially disposed inside the first opening set.

4. The display apparatus of claim 3, wherein a first surface of the organic material layer is flush with a first surface of the first metal layer or is positioned closer to the substrate than the first surface of the first metal layer, wherein a second surface of the organic material layer is opposite the first surface of the organic material layer and is positioned between the substrate and the first surface of the organic material layer, and wherein a second surface of the first metal layer is opposite the first surface of the metal layer and is positioned between the substrate and the first surface of the first metal layer.

5. The display apparatus of claim 3, wherein a first surface of the organic material layer is positioned farther from the substrate than a first surface of the first metal layer, wherein a second surface of the organic material layer is opposite the first surface of the organic material layer and is positioned between the substrate and the first surface of the organic material layer, and wherein a second surface of the first metal layer is opposite the first surface of the metal layer and is positioned between the substrate and the first surface of the first metal layer.

6. The display apparatus of claim 3, wherein the organic material layer is disposed completely inside a combination of the first opening set and the second opening set.

7. The display apparatus of claim 3, wherein the organic material layer directly contacts an inner surface of the first opening set.

8. The display apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a second metal layer disposed between the organic material layer and the first dam unit.

9. The display apparatus of claim 8, wherein the display unit comprises an emissive element, a pixel electrode overlapping the emissive element, and a transistor electrically connected to the pixel electrode, and wherein a material of the second metal layer is identical to a material of the pixel electrode.

10. The display apparatus of claim 9, wherein the transistor comprises a semiconductor layer, a gate electrode, and at least one of a source electrode and a drain electrode, and wherein a material of the first metal layer is identical to a material of the at least one of the source electrode and the drain electrode.

11. The display apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a second dam unit at least partially surrounding the first dam unit, wherein a second trench is positioned between the second dam unit and the first dam unit.

12. The display apparatus of claim 11, wherein a maximum height of the second dam unit relative to the substrate is greater than a maximum height of the first dam unit relative to the substrate.

13. The display apparatus of claim 11, wherein the second metal layer directly contacts the second dam unit.

14. The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first opening set exposes at least part of the substrate.

15. The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the insulating unit comprises one or more inorganic insulating layers.

16. The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first opening set comprises openings that are separate from one another.

17. The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first opening set is narrower than the first dam unit in a direction parallel to the substrate.

18. The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second opening set is narrower than the first dam unit in a directly parallel to the substrate.

19. The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first dam unit covers the organic material layer such that two edges of the organic material layer are positioned between two edges of the first dam unit.

20. The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the display unit comprises an emissive element, wherein a maximum height of the first dam unit relative to the substrate is greater than a maximum height of the emissive element relative to the substrate.