Organic EL display assembly

• US 6,284,342 B1
• Filed: 06/11/1999
• Issued: 09/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TDK Corporation
• Original Assignee: TDK Corporation
• Inventors: Onitsuka, Osamu, Ebisawa, Akira, Endo, Hiroyuki, Hayakawa, Toshio, Kawashima, Masayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomas, Alexander S.
• Application Number:
  US09/330,059
• Time in Patent Office: 816 Days
• Field of Search: 313/512, 428/690, 428/917, 428/68, 428/69, 428/76, 428/194, 252/188.26, 257/100
• US Class Current: 428/69
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 33/04 Sealing arrangements , e.g. against humidity
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/846 comprising getter material or desiccants
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/874 including getter material or desiccant
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/917 Electroluminescent
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/231 Filled with gas other than air; or under vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/239 Complete cover or casing

Abstract

An organic EL structure is received in a gas-tight casing to construct an organic EL display assembly. The organic EL structure includes a hole injecting electrode, an electron injecting electrode, and at least one organic layer disposed between the electrodes. A desiccant selected from calcium hydride, strontium hydride and a mixture thereof is disposed in the casing out of contact with the organic EL structure. This EL display assembly substantially eliminates the influence of moisture and has a long lifetime.

Claims

1. An organic electroluminescent display assembly comprising

a gas-tight casing,

an organic electroluminescent structure received in the casing and comprising a hole injecting electrode, an electron injecting electrode, and at least one organic layer disposed between the electrodes, and

a desiccant disposed in the casing out of contact with said organic electroluminescent structure, the desiccant comprising calcium hydride, strontium hydride or a mixture of calcium hydride and strontium hydride.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said gas-tight casing comprises a substrate on which said organic electroluminescent structure is laid up, a sealing member disposed above and spaced from said organic electroluminescent structure, and a sealing adhesive for bonding said sealing member to said substrate.

3. The assembly of claim 2 wherein the space between said sealing member and said organic electroluminescent structure is filled with nitrogen, and said desiccant is calcium hydride.