Pre-stressed flexible OLED

• US 9,093,658 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2013
• Issued: 07/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Display Corporation
• Original Assignee: Universal Display Corporation
• Inventors: Krall, Emory, Ma, Ruiqing, Hack, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Long K
• Application Number:
  US13/912,965
• Publication Number:
  US 20140361251A1
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 362/249.08, 362/382, 362/418, 257/40, 257/59, 257/72, 313/498, 313/504, 313/510
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/301 flexible foldable or roll-able electronic displays, e.g. thin LCD, OLED
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/33 being semiconductor devices, e.g. diodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/311 Flexible OLED
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/80 Constructional details

Abstract

Devices are provided that include a flexible OLED panel and a connection between points of the flexible OLED panel that causes the flexible OLED panel to be disposed in a non-planar configuration. Alternatively or in addition, the connection may be a flexible component connected to the flexible OLED panel, which is configured to maintain the flexible OLED panel in the non-planar shape.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a flexible OLED panel; and

a connection between a first point of the flexible OLED panel and a second point of the flexible OLED panel, the connection causing the flexible OLED panel to be disposed in a first non-planar shape, allowing the flexible OLED panel to be deformed to a second non-planar shape by an external force, and, upon removal of the external force, either causing the flexible OLED to remain in the second non-planar shape, or causing the flexible OLED panel to return to the first non-planar shape.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the connection causes the first point to be in direct physical contact with the second point.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the connection causes the first point to be in indirect physical contact with the second point.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the connection is adjustable to change the distance between the first point and the second point.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the connection comprises a lamination between a first planar component of the flexible OLED panel and a second planar component of the flexible OLED panel.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the connection mechanically connects a first edge of the flexile OLED panel with a second edge of the flexible OLED panel.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising an electrical connection.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the device is operable as a luminaire.

9. The device of claim 1, further comprising a connector configured to connect the device to a lighting fixture.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is operable as a luminaire.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the flexible OLED panel is rectangular.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the connection causes the flexible OLED panel to be disposed in a cylindrical shape.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the flexible OLED panel is in the shape of a circle sector.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the connection causes the flexible OLED panel to be disposed in a conical shape.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the connection comprises a second flexible panel.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the second flexible panel comprises an OLED panel.

17. The device of claim 15, wherein the second flexible OLED panel is connected to the first point of the first flexible OLED panel.

18. The device of claim 17, further comprising a third flexible OLED panel connected to the second flexible OLED panel and the second point of the first flexible OLED panel.

19. The device of claim 1, wherein the flexible OLED panel is color-tunable.

20. The device of claim 1, wherein the flexible OLED panel is touch sensitive.

21. The device of claim 1, wherein the flexible OLED panel is transparent.

22. The device of claim 1, wherein the connection comprises a flexible component connected to the flexible OLED panel, said flexible component arranged and configured to maintain the flexible OLED panel in a non-planar shape.