Display device integrated with touch screen panel

• US 9,465,462 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2014
• Issued: 10/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Seo, Mi-Kyoung, Han, In-Young, Jeong, Hwan-Hee, Kim, Deok-Jung
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Sang V
• Application Number:
  US14/157,408
• Publication Number:
  US 20140198267A1
• Time in Patent Office: 999 Days
• Field of Search: 349/12, 345/173, 345/174
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04111 Cross over in capacitive digitiser, i.e. details of structures for connecting electrodes of the sensing pattern where the connections cross each other, e.g. bridge structures comprising an insulating layer, or vias through substrate
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes

Abstract

A display device integrated with a touch screen panel includes a lower substrate; an upper substrate opposing the substrate and comprising a major surface facing away from the lower substrate, each of the upper and lower substrates being divided into a display area and a non-display area formed outside the display area when viewed in a viewing direction perpendicular to the major surface; sensing cells formed over the display area of the upper substrate; sensing lines formed over the non-display area of the upper substrate and electrically connected to the sensing cells; and a sealing material formed between the non-display areas of the upper and lower substrates. In the display device, at least one of the sensing lines comprises a portion overlapping the sealing material when viewed in the viewing direction, and the overlapping portion is formed of a transparent conductive material or metal mesh.

Claims

1. A display device integrated with a touch screen panel, comprising:

a lower substrate;

an upper substrate opposing the lower substrate and comprising a major surface facing away from the lower substrate, the major surface comprising a first edge, each of the upper and lower substrates being divided into a display area and a non-display area formed outside the display area when viewed in a viewing direction perpendicular to the major surface;

a plurality of sensing cells formed over the display area of the upper substrate;

a plurality of connection lines formed over the non-display area of the upper substrate and electrically connected to the plurality of sensing cells; and

a seal formed between the non-display areas of the upper and lower substrates, the seal comprising a first elongation extending generally parallel to the first edge,

wherein at least one of the connection lines comprises an extension made of a metal mesh that extends generally parallel to the first edge and overlaps the first elongation of the seal extending in a direction generally parallel to the first edge so that the metal mesh extends in the direction of the elongation of the seal.

2. The display device of claim 1, wherein the non-display area is divided into a first non-display area adjacent to the display area, and a second non-display area positioned outside the first non-display area when viewed in the viewing direction, wherein in the first non-display area the connection lines do not comprise extensions made of a metal mesh, whereas the metal mesh extension is present in the second non-display area.

3. The display device of claim 2, wherein the plurality of connection lines include first connection lines arranged over the first non-display area, and second connection lines arranged over the second non-display area when viewed in the viewing direction.

4. The display device of claim 3, wherein each of the second connection lines comprises a first connection portion electrically connected to one of the plurality of sensing cells, and a second connection portion electrically connected to the first connection portion and formed to overlap the sealing material when viewed in the viewing direction.

5. The display device of claim 4, wherein the second connection portion is made of a transparent conductive material.

6. The display device of claim 4, wherein the second connection portion is formed in the shape of a metal mesh.

7. The display device of claim 4, wherein the first connection portion is formed of the same material as the first connection lines.

8. The display device of claim 7, wherein the first connection portion and the first connection lines are made of an opaque low-resistance metal material.

9. The display device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensing cells include:

first sensing cells arranged in row lines extending along a second direction;

first connection patterns, each connecting immediately neighboring two of the first sensing cells arranged in one of the row lines;

second sensing cells arranged in column lines extending along a third direction; and

second connection patterns, each connecting immediately neighboring two of the second sensing cells arranged in one of the column lines.

10. The display device of claim 9, wherein the plurality of sensing cells are formed on the same layer.

11. The display device of claim 10, wherein the second sensing cells are integrally formed with the second connection patterns.

12. The display device of claim 11, further comprising an insulation layer interposed between the first and second connection patterns.

13. The display device of claim 9, wherein the plurality of sensing cells are formed on the major surface of the upper substrate.

14. The display device of claim 1, wherein the upper substrate is a sealing substrate of the display device which is an organic light emitting display device.

15. The display device of claim 1, further comprising:

a polarizing film disposed over the upper substrate, wherein the sensing cells and the sensing lines are formed between the polarizing film and the upper substrate; and

a window substrate disposed over the polarizing film.

16. The display device of claim 15, wherein a black matrix layer is formed over an area of the window substrate overlapping the non-display area when viewed in the viewing direction.

17. The display device of claim 15, wherein the polarizing film comprises a polarizer, a retardation compensation layer, and a transparent adhesive layer attaching the retardation compensation layer to the polarizer, and is flexible.

18. The display device of claim 15, wherein the window substrate is formed of at least one selected from the group consisting of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), acryl and polyester (PET).