Flat panel display and method of manufacturing the same

• US 8,030,844 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2006
• Issued: 10/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Mobile Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Mo, Yeon-Gon, Jeong, Jae-Kyeong, Koo, Jae-Bon, Shin, Hyun-Soo
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; Nimeshkumar
• Assistant Examiner(s): DIAZ, JOSE
• Application Number:
  US11/407,018
• Publication Number:
  US 20070007893A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,994 Days
• Field of Search: 313498-512, 445 24- 25
• US Class Current: 313/511
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/3026 Top emission
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/311 Flexible OLED
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/8423 Metallic sealing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/8426 Peripheral sealing arrangements, e.g. adhesives, sealants
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/844 Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/8722 Peripheral sealing arrangements, e.g. adhesives, sealants
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/851 Division of substrate
• 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

Provided is a flat panel display which has improved flexibility by using a metal substrate or a conductive substrate, wherein the substrate is protected from external exposure. Also provided is a method of manufacturing the flat panel display. The flat panel display includes a substrate, a first insulator with which one surface of the substrate is covered, a display unit disposed on the other surface of the substrate, and a second insulator with which edges of the substrate are covered to prevent exposure.

Claims

1. A flat panel display comprising:

a first substrate;

a first insulator covering a first surface of the first substrate;

a display unit on a second surface of the first substrate;

a second substrate connected to the first substrate, wherein the display unit is between the first and second substrates, and wherein the second substrate is exposed to ambient conditions;

a second insulator contacting only the first substrate of the first and second substrates, and covering and directly contacting side edges of the first substrate without covering one or more edges of the second substrate,

wherein the first substrate is not exposed to the ambient conditions at least partly due to the first and second insulators.

2. The flat panel display of claim 1, further comprising a third insulator covering the second surface of the first substrate, wherein the display unit is formed on the third insulator.

3. The flat panel display of claim 1, wherein the first insulator and the third insulator are formed of an identical material.

4. The flat panel display of claim 1, wherein the second insulator comprises an inorganic material.

5. The flat panel display of claim 4, wherein the second insulator comprises at least one of silicon oxide, silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, titanium oxide, and aluminum oxide.

6. The flat panel display of claim 1, wherein the second insulator comprises an organic material.

7. The flat panel display of claim 6, wherein the second insulator comprises at least one of PI, Parylene, PMMA, Epoxy, PS, PE, PP, PTFE, PPS, PC, PET, PVC, BCB, PVP, PAN, PVA, Phenolic resin, and CVPE.

8. The flat panel display of claim 1, wherein the first substrate comprises metal.

9. The flat panel display of claim 8, wherein the metal substrate comprises at least one of stainless steel, Ti, and Mo.

10. The flat panel display of claim 1, wherein the display unit is an electroluminescent device.

11. A method of manufacturing a flat panel display, the method comprising:

covering a first surface of a metal substrate with a first insulator;

disposing a plurality of display units on a second surface of the substrate;

producing a plurality of display panels by cutting the metal substrate along a path encompassing each of the display units, wherein the cutting exposes an edge of the substrate;

covering the exposed edge of the cut metal substrate with a second insulator without covering one or more edges of a second substrate connected to the cut metal substrate, wherein the display unit is between the cut metal substrate and the second substrate.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising covering the second surface of the metal substrate with a third insulator, wherein the display units are disposed on the third insulator.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein covering the first and second surfaces is performed substantially simultaneously.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the second insulator comprises an inorganic material.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the second insulator comprises at least one of silicon oxide, silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, titanium oxide, and aluminum oxide.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the second insulator comprises an organic material.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the second insulator comprises at least one of PI, Parylene, PMMA, Epoxy, PS, PE, PP, PTFE, PPS, PC, PET, PVC, BCB, PVP, PAN, PVA, Phenolic resin, and CVPE.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the metal substrate comprises at least one of stainless steel, Ti, and Mo.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein disposing the display units comprises disposing a plurality of electroluminescent devices.

21. The method of claim 11, further comprising connecting the second substrate to the cut metal substrate.

20. A flat panel display comprising:

a flexible conductive substrate having first and second surfaces;

a display unit on the first surface;

a second substrate covering the display unit, the second substrate being exposed to ambient conditions;

an insulator contacting only the flexible conductive substrate among the flexible conductive substrate and the second substrate and covering and directly contacting the second surface and side edges of the flexible conductive substrate,

wherein the flexible conductive substrate is not exposed to the ambient conditions at least partly due to the insulator.