Tiled flat-panel display with tile edges cut at an angle and tiles vertically shifted

• US 5,903,328 A
• Filed: 06/16/1997
• Issued: 05/11/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hanger Solutions, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Rainbow Displays, Inc.
• Inventors: Skinner, Dean W., Greene, Raymond G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sikes, William L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Parker, Kenneth
• Application Number:
  US08/876,472
• Time in Patent Office: 694 Days
• Field of Search: 349/73, 349/187, 345/1, 345/2, 345/3, 345/4, 345/903, 156/304.1, 156/304.5
• US Class Current: 349/73
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13336 Combining plural substrates to produce large-area displays, e.g. tiled displays
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1339 Gaskets; Spacers; Sealing of cells
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/02 Flexible displays
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 345/903 Modular display

Abstract

The present invention is a tiled, seamless-type, flat-panel display with improved light efficiency. The display consists of tiles that are bonded together during assembly with an index-matching adhesive, as is commonly known in the art. Prior to bonding the tiles, however, their adjoining edges are cut at an angle. The pixel pitch or aperture spacing of the display is maintained in the horizontal direction, while the tiles are vertically shifted. The distance from the center of the pixel nearest the edge to the cut in the aperture mask is made greater than one-half of a pixel. When viewed from above, the aperture mask is continuous. The overlapping edges of the tile cuts are positioned between the apertures, so as to better conceal the edges. The resulting display configuration produces an approximate doubling of the space available for sealing the tiles and allows the increasing of the aperture size of each pixel edge, using the same, minimum gap between adjacent tiles, allowing for increased pixel density (resolution). Continuous polarizer sheets are applied to the tile assembly during bonding, thereby eliminating the possibility of producing visual tile seam defects due to individual tile polarizer defects. Additionally, tri-color pixel designs are employed to maintain the color purity of the tiles in the display.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating a tiled, substantially flat, panel display having improved light efficiency and a monolithic seamless appearance, comprising the steps of:

a) preparing tiles so that the edges thereof are at and angle with respect to a vertical plane;

b) shifting said tiles in said vertical plane, while maintaining pixel or aperture spacing of said flat-panel display in a horizontal plane; and

c) bonding said tiles together during assembly with a refractive-index-matching adhesive.

2. The method of fabricating a tiled, substantially flat, panel display in accordance with claim 1, wherein said display comprises an aperture mask blocking portions of said tiles and having apertures leaving display portions of said tiles unblocked and said tiles comprise pixel regions, and further wherein a distance from a center of a pixel nearest an edge to an aperture in the aperture mask is greater in length than one-half of a pixel length.

3. The method of fabricating a tiled, substantially flat, panel display in accordance with claim 1, wherein said refractive-index-matching adhesive comprises a low elastic modulus material.

4. The method of fabricating a tiled, substantially flat, panel display in accordance with claim 1, wherein, compared to a minimum gap distance between adjacent tiles cut vertically, a larger space is provided for sealing said tiles.

5. The method of fabricating a tiled, substantially flat, panel display in accordance with claim 1, wherein, compared to a minimum gap distance between adjacent tiles cut vertically, a larger opening of an aperture of said display is provided.

6. The method of fabricating a tiled, substantially flat, panel display in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the step of:

d) adding spacers to said tiles so that said tiles can be nested with respect to each other on a plane during assembly.

7. The method of fabricating a tiled, substantially flat, panel display in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the step of:

d) adding adhesive layers to said tiles, so that said tiles can be nested with respect to each other during assembly.

8. A substantially flat, panel display having improved light efficiency and a monolithic seamless appearance, comprising tiles bonded adjacent each other, with at least two adjacent tiles having edges that are cut so as to be disposed at an angle with respect to a vertical plane, said tiles being shifted with respect to each other in said vertical plane and bonded together with a refractive-index-matching adhesive.

9. The substantially flat, panel display in accordance with claim 8, further comprising at least one aperture mask blocking portions of said tiles and having apertures leaving display portions of said tiles unblocked, and wherein said tiles comprise pixel regions, and further wherein a distance from a center of a pixel nearest a cut edge to an aperture in said at least one aperture mask is greater in length than one-half of a pixel length.

10. The substantially flat, panel display in accordance with claim 8, wherein, compared to a minimum gap distance between adjacent tiles cut vertically, a larger space is provided for sealing said tiles.

11. The substantially seamless, substantially flat, panel display in accordance with claim 8, wherein, compared to a minimum gap distance between adjacent tiles cut vertically, a larger opening of an aperture of said display is provided.

12. The substantially flat, panel display in accordance with claim 8, wherein, compared to a minimum gap distance between adjacent tiles cut vertically, a smaller spacing of aperture openings of said display is provided.

13. The substantially flat, panel display in accordance with claim 8, further comprising spacers added thereto, and wherein said tiles are nested with respect to each other.

14. The substantially flat, panel display in accordance with claim 8, further comprising adhesive layers added thereto, and wherein said tiles are nested with respect to each other.

15. The substantially flat, panel display in accordance with claim 9, wherein at least two aperture masks overlap when viewed on a normal of said substantially flat, panel display.

16. The substantially flat, panel display in accordance with claim 9, wherein at least two chrome masks appear continuous, when viewed on a normal of said substantially flat, panel display.

27. The substantially seamless, substantially flat, panel display in accordance with claim 16, wherein said refractive-index-matching adhesive comprises a low elastic modulus material.

17. A substantially seamless, substantially flat, panel display having improved light efficiency, comprising tiles bonded adjacent each other, with at least two adjacent tiles having edges that are cut, disposed at an angle with respect to a vertical plane, said tiles being bonded together with a refractive-index-matching adhesive, said tiles comprising pixel regions and said tiles being shifted so as to maintain pixel spacing in a horizontal plane.

18. The substantially seamless, substantially flat, panel display in accordance with claim 17, further comprising at least one aperture mask blocking portions of said tiles and having apertures leaving display portions of said tiles unblocked, and wherein a distance from a center of a pixel region nearest a cut edge to an aperture in said at least one aperture mask is approximately greater in length than one-half of a pixel length.

19. The substantially seamless, substantially flat, panel display in accordance with claim 17, wherein said polarizing means includes a polarizer sheet disposed on at least one of said adjacent opposite surfaces of said tiles.

20. The substantially seamless, substantially flat, panel display in accordance with claim 17, wherein said polarizing means includes two continuous, full width, polarizer sheets disposed on at least one of said adjacent opposite surfaces of said tiles.

21. The substantially seamless, substantially flat, tiled, panel display in accordance with claim 17, further comprising a screen for providing increased viewing angle and increased color purity when illuminated with collimated light.

22. The substantially seamless, substantially flat, tiled, panel display in accordance with claim 21, further comprising an additional aperture mask disposed adjacent one of said polarizer sheets and disposed above said edges of said cut tiles.

23. The substantially seamless, substantially flat, panel display in accordance with claim 22, further comprising color balanced pixel geometry for maintaining color purity between tiles.

24. The substantially seamless, substantially flat, panel display in accordance with claim 23, wherein said color balanced pixel geometry maintains color purity in one direction by situating a predetermined primary color on all of the outer edges of the pixel.

25. The substantially seamless, substantially flat, panel display in accordance with claim 23, wherein said color balanced pixel geometry maintains color purity in two directions by situating a predetermined primary color on all of the outer edges of the pixel.

26. The substantially seamless, substantially flat, panel display in accordance with claim 23, wherein said color balanced pixel geometry maintains color purity in all directions by situating a predetermined primary color on all of the outer edges of the pixel.