MULTI-DISPLAY APPARATUS AND METHODS THEREOF

• US 20080203907A1
• Filed: 09/07/2007
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: KEE, In-seo, SHIM, Hong-shik, LEE, Young-gu, KO, Ick-hwan
• Granted Patent: US 8,593,060 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 313/504
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/8426 Peripheral sealing arrangements, e.g. adhesives, sealants
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/8445 multilayered coatings having a repetitive structure, e.g. having multiple organic-inorganic bilayers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/18 Tiled displays
• 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 multi-display apparatus includes a thin film encapsulating structure to prevent moisture penetration through sides of the encapsulating structure. Each of a plurality of unit panels of the multi-display apparatus includes a substrate, a display device formed on the substrate, an organic material layer formed on the substrate to bury the display device, an inorganic material layer stacked on the organic material layer, and a moisture barrier wall that is formed outside the display device on the substrate and has a height greater than a thickness of the organic material layer. The multi-display apparatus having a thin film encapsulating structure can realize a stable, smooth, and large image screen since the thin film encapsulating structure can reduce a width of seams between the unit panels and can prevent moisture penetration.

Claims

1. A multi-display apparatus comprising a plurality of unit panels connected to form an image screen, each unit panel comprising:

a substrate;

a display device formed on the substrate;

an organic material layer formed on the substrate to bury the display device;

an inorganic material layer stacked on the organic material layer; and

a moisture barrier wall that is formed outside the display device on the substrate and has a height greater than a thickness of the organic material layer.

2. The multi-display apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one additional organic material layer and at least one additional inorganic material layer alternately stacked.

3. The multi-display apparatus of claim 1, wherein an angle between a wall surface of the moisture barrier wall and a surface of the substrate, upon which the moisture barrier wall is formed, is about 90°

or less.

4. The multi-display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the moisture barrier wall is formed of an inorganic material.

5. The multi-display apparatus of claim 4, wherein the inorganic material is one of a nitride, an oxide, and a carbide.

6. The multi-display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the moisture barrier wall is formed of an organic material having a moisture penetration rate of about 10⁻

4 g·

cm³/day or less.

7. The multi-display apparatus of claim 6, wherein the organic material is epoxy resin.

8. The multi-display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the display device is one of a liquid crystal display, a field emission display, a plasma display panel, and an organic light-emitting diode.

9. The multi-display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of unit panels includes two unit panels each having the moisture barrier wall and connected in a foldaway connection structure in which two ends of the unit panels contact each other.

10. The multi-display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of unit panels includes two unit panels each having the moisture barrier wall and connected in a foldaway connection structure in which two ends of the unit panels are disposed with a step difference therebetween so that display devices of the two unit panels are viewed as if they are connected with a gap equivalent to a width of one pixel.

11. The multi-display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the height of the moisture barrier wall is greater than a combined thickness of the organic material layer and the inorganic material layer.

12. The multi-display apparatus of claim 1, wherein a portion of the organic material layer is formed between the moisture barrier wall and the display device.

13. The multi-display apparatus of claim 1, wherein an outer wall surface of the moisture barrier wall is substantially coplanar with side surfaces of the substrate.

14. A method of manufacturing a unit panel for a multi-display apparatus, the method comprising:

forming a display device on a substrate;

forming a moisture barrier wall on the substrate spaced from and surrounding an outer periphery of the display device;

depositing an organic material layer within an area defined by the moisture barrier wall to a height less than a height of the moisture barrier wall, the organic material layer covering the display device; and

,

depositing an inorganic material layer on the organic material layer and contacting the moisture barrier wall.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising alternately depositing additional organic material layers and inorganic material layers.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein forming a moisture barrier wall on the substrate includes forming an outer wall surface of the moisture barrier wall to be substantially coplanar with side surfaces of the substrate.

17. A method of improving a multi-display apparatus, the method comprising protecting a display device of at least one unit panel in the multi-display apparatus from moisture, wherein protecting the display device includes:

disposing the display device on a substrate;

surrounding the display device with a thin film encapsulating structure including an organic material layer burying the display device and an inorganic material layer overlapping the organic material layer; and

providing a moisture barrier wall on the substrate in contact with the organic material layer and the inorganic material layer.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising limiting a width between display devices of adjacent unit panels to less than about 1.0 mm.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein surrounding the display device with the thin film encapsulating structure includes interposing a portion of the organic material layer between the display device and the moisture barrier wall.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein providing the moisture barrier wall on the substrate includes forming a wall surface of the moisture barrier wall facing the display device to be at an angle of about 90 degrees or less with respect to a surface of the substrate upon which the display device is disposed.