Sealing portion structure for display device

• US 9,502,683 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2014
• Issued: 11/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hong, Sang-Min, Hwang, Hyun-Min, Go, Jae-Kyung, Gong, Su-Cheol
• Primary Examiner(s): Parker, Allen
• Assistant Examiner(s): BRADLEY, STEPHEN M
• Application Number:
  US14/549,970
• Publication Number:
  US 20150372253A1
• Time in Patent Office: 732 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/841 Self-supporting sealing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/844 Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/12 Active-matrix OLED [AMOLED] displays

Abstract

A display device including a display substrate, the display substrate including an active area including a display unit that displays an image, a circuit area extending from the active area toward an exterior of the display device, and a cell seal area extending from the circuit area toward an exterior of the display device; an encapsulation substrate covering the display substrate; and a sealing portion between the display substrate and the encapsulation substrate, wherein the sealing portion includes a first sealing portion on the cell seal area, and a second sealing portion on the circuit area and extending from the first sealing portion.

Claims

1. A display device, comprising:

a display substrate, the display substrate including;

an active area including a display unit that displays an image,

a circuit area extending from the active area toward an exterior of the display device, and

a cell seal area extending from the circuit area toward an exterior of the display device;

a protrusion portion;

an encapsulation substrate covering the display substrate; and

a sealing portion between the display substrate and the encapsulation substrate, wherein the sealing portion includes;

a first sealing portion on the cell seal area, and

a second sealing portion on the circuit area and extending from the first sealing portion,

wherein the circuit area includes;

a circuit wiring that is electrically connected to a device of the active area, and

a power wiring that is electrically connected to the circuit wiring and that applies power from outside of the display substrate, and

wherein at least a part of the second sealing portion directly contacts the power wiring, and

wherein;

the circuit wiring and the power wiring are disposed on different layers,

at least a part of the circuit wiring overlies and is connected to the power wiring, and

the protrusion portion overlies a part of an end of the circuit wiring that is connected to the power wiring.

2. The display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

at least a part of the second sealing portion directly contacts the circuit wiring.

3. The display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the protrusion portion covers a region where one end of the circuit wiring and the power wiring are connected and extends toward the encapsulation substrate.

4. The display device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the protrusion portion overlies at least a part of the circuit wiring and at least a part of the power wiring.

5. The display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

at least a part of the protrusion portion overlaps with one end of the circuit wiring, and

an outer surface of the protrusion portion directly contacts the second sealing portion.

6. The display device as claimed in claim 5, wherein:

the second sealing portion includes;

a first part that is on the power wiring,

a second part that is on a region where the protrusion portion and the circuit wiring overlap, and

a third part that is on the circuit wiring, and

the first part, the second part, and the third part are integrally formed.

7. The display device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the second sealing portion:

is between the display substrate and the encapsulation substrate, and

buries the power wiring, the circuit wiring, and the protrusion portion.

8. The display device as claimed in claim 5, wherein:

the display unit includes;

a thin film transistor (TFT) that includes a semiconductor active layer, a gate electrode, a source electrode, and a drain electrode; and

an organic light emitting diode (OLED) electrically connected to the TFT, the OLED including a first electrode, an intermediate layer, and a second electrode,

the power wiring is formed of a same material as that of the source electrode or the drain electrode, and

the circuit wiring is formed of a same material as that of the first electrode.

9. The display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

a metal layer directly contacts an outer surface of the protrusion portion.

10. The display device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the metal layer surrounds the outer surface of the protrusion portion.

11. The display device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the second sealing portion directly contacts an outer surface of the metal layer.

12. The display device as claimed in claim 11, wherein:

the second sealing portion includes;

a first part on the power wiring,

a second part on a region where the protrusion portion and the circuit wiring overlap, and

a third part formed on the circuit wiring, and

the first part, the second part, and the third part are integrally formed.

13. The display device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the second sealing portion:

is between the display substrate and the encapsulation substrate, and

buries the power wiring, the circuit wiring, the protrusion portion, and the metal layer.

14. The display device as claimed in claim 11, wherein:

the display unit includes;

a TFT that includes a semiconductor active layer, a gate electrode, a source electrode, and a drain electrode; and

an OLED electrically connected to the TFT, the OLED including a first electrode, an intermediate layer, and a second electrode,

the power wiring is formed of a same material as that of the source electrode or the drain electrode,

the circuit wiring is formed of a same material as that of the first electrode, and

the metal layer is formed of a same material as that of the second electrode.

15. The display device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a pixel defining layer that defines each of the pixels of the display unit, wherein the protrusion portion is formed of a same material as that of the pixel defining layer.

16. The display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first sealing portion and the second sealing portion are integrally formed.

17. The display device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a reinforcing member on an outer side of the first sealing portion.