FLEXIBLE DISPLAY APPARATUS, ORGANIC LIGHT EMITTING DISPLAY APPARATUS, AND MOTHER SUBSTRATE FOR FLEXIBLE DISPLAY APPARATUS

• US 20170077452A1
• Filed: 11/04/2016
• Published: 03/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2012
• 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, Hyung-Sik, An, Sung-Guk, Park, Yong-Hwan, Lee, Jae-Seob
• Granted Patent: US 10,056,575 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0281 Reinforcement details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/311 Flexible OLED
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 30/865 Intermediate layers comprising a mixture of materials of the adjoining active layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/11 characterised by the electroluminescent [EL] layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/81 Anodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/82 Cathodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/844 Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/12 Active-matrix OLED [AMOLED] displays
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/131 Interconnections, e.g. wiring lines or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/873 Encapsulations
• 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 apparatus, an organic light emitting display apparatus, and a mother substrate for flexible display apparatus that have improved durability and image quality. The flexible display apparatus includes a flexible substrate, a display region that is defined on the flexible substrate and that comprises a pixel unit and a circuit unit, a pad unit that is formed adjacent to the display region, and a deformation prevention unit that is disposed around the display region, that is separated from the pad unit, and that comprises a material having a greater rigidity than that of the flexible substrate.

Claims

1. A flexible display apparatus comprising:

a flexible substrate having a display region and a pad unit region adjacent to the display region, the display region comprising a pixel unit and a circuit unit, and the pad unit region comprising a pad unit; and

a deformation prevention unit around the display region, the deformation prevention unit having an opening corresponding to the pad unit region such that the deformation prevention unit is separated from the pad unit, and comprising a material having a greater rigidity than that of the flexible substrate.

2. The flexible display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the deformation prevention unit comprises a metal material.

3. The flexible display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the deformation prevention unit corresponds to sides of the flexible substrate.

4. The flexible display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the deformation prevention unit longitudinally extends so as to correspond to at least one side surface of the flexible substrate.

5. The flexible display apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a thin film transistor (TFT) in the display region, the TFT comprising an active layer, a gate electrode, a source electrode, and a drain electrode,

wherein the deformation prevention unit comprises the same material as at least one of the gate electrode, the source electrode, or the drain electrode.

6. The flexible display apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a gate insulating layer between the gate electrode and the active layer,

wherein the deformation prevention unit, the gate electrode, and the pad unit are on the gate insulating layer.

7. The flexible display apparatus of claim 5, further comprising an interlayer insulating layer between the gate electrode and the source electrode and between the gate electrode and the drain electrode,

wherein the interlayer insulating layer is on the deformation prevention unit.

8. The flexible display apparatus of claim 5, wherein the deformation prevention unit, the gate electrode, and the pad unit are on the same layer.

9. The flexible display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the deformation prevention unit extends around a periphery of the pad unit region to be between the display region and the pad unit region and between the pad unit region and a side surface of the flexible substrate which faces the pad unit region.

10. A flexible display apparatus comprising:

a flexible substrate having a display region and a pad unit region adjacent to the display region, the display region comprising a pixel unit and a circuit unit, and the pad unit region comprising a pad unit; and

a deformation prevention unit around the display region and longitudinally extending so as to correspond to side surfaces of the flexible substrate except for one of the side surfaces of the flexible substrate which faces the pad unit such that the deformation prevention unit is separated from the pad unit, and the deformation prevention unit comprises a material having a greater rigidity than that of the flexible substrate.

11. The flexible display apparatus of claim 10, wherein the deformation prevention unit comprises a metal material.

12. An organic light emitting display apparatus comprising:

a flexible substrate;

a display region defined on the flexible substrate and comprising a pixel unit and a circuit unit;

a pad unit adjacent to the display region;

a first electrode in the pixel unit;

a second electrode in the pixel unit;

an intermediate layer in the pixel unit and between the first electrode and the second electrode, the intermediate layer comprising an organic emission layer (organic EML); and

a deformation prevention unit around the display region, the deformation prevention unit having an opening corresponding to the pad unit such that the deformation prevention unit is separated from the pad unit, and comprising a material having a greater rigidity than that of the flexible substrate.

13. The organic light emitting display apparatus of claim 12, wherein the deformation prevention unit comprises a metal material.

14. The organic light emitting display apparatus of claim 12, wherein the deformation prevention unit corresponds to sides of the flexible substrate.

15. The organic light emitting display apparatus of claim 12, wherein the deformation prevention unit longitudinally extends so as to correspond to at least one side surface of the flexible substrate.

16. The organic light emitting display apparatus of claim 12, wherein the deformation prevention unit longitudinally extends so as to correspond to side surfaces of the flexible substrate, except for one side surface of the flexible substrate which faces the pad unit.

17. The organic light emitting display apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a thin film transistor (TFT) in the display region, the TFT being electrically connected to the first electrode, and comprising an active layer, a gate electrode, a source electrode, and a drain electrode,

wherein the deformation prevention unit comprises the same material as at least one of the gate electrode, the source electrode, or the drain electrode.

18. The organic light emitting display apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a gate insulating layer between the gate electrode and the active layer,

wherein the deformation prevention unit, the gate electrode, and the pad unit are on the gate insulating layer.

19. The organic light emitting display apparatus of claim 17, further comprising an interlayer insulating layer between the gate electrode and the source electrode and between the gate electrode and the drain electrode,

wherein the interlayer insulating layer is on the deformation prevention unit.

20. The organic light emitting display apparatus of claim 12, wherein the deformation prevention unit extends around a periphery of the pad unit to be between the display region and the pad unit and between the pad unit and a side surface of the flexible substrate which faces the pad unit.