Display device

• US 9,660,003 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2014
• Issued: 05/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Japan Display Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Japan Display Incorporated
• Inventors: Sato, Toshihiro, Ito, Ryoichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilczewski, Mary
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHIU, TSZ K
• Application Number:
  US14/469,634
• Publication Number:
  US 20150060817A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,000 Days
• Field of Search: 345173, 257 72, 257 83, 257E27111
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/822 characterised by their shape
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/8426 Peripheral sealing arrangements, e.g. adhesives, sealants
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/1275 Electrical connections of the two substrates
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/40 OLEDs integrated with touch screens

Abstract

An organic electroluminescent device with a touch sensor including: a first substrate; a second substrate arranged opposite to the first substrate; an organic EL element layer arranged above the first substrate; a first sealing film arranged toward the second substrate of the organic EL element layer, covering the organic EL element layer, and including a first inorganic layer; plural first detection electrodes extending in one direction, and arranged in parallel toward the second substrate of the first sealing film; a second sealing film arranged toward the second substrate of the first detection electrodes, and including a second inorganic layer; plural second detection electrodes extending in another direction different from the one direction, and arranged in parallel toward the second substrate of the second sealing film; and a touch sensor control unit controlling a potential to detect a touch with a display surface.

Claims

1. A display device, comprising:

a first substrate having a display area in which pixels each having a thin-film transistor are arranged in a matrix on an insulating surface;

a second substrate that is arranged opposite to the first substrate;

an organic EL element layer that is arranged above the first substrate and between the first substrate and the second substrate, and emits light under control by a circuit including the thin film transistor;

a first sealing film which is arranged above the organic EL element layer, covers the organic EL element layer, and includes at least a first inorganic layer made of inorganic material;

a plurality of first detection electrodes that extend in one direction, and are arranged in parallel above the first sealing film;

a second sealing film that is arranged above the first detection electrodes and the first sealing film, configured to planarize an uneven surface of the first sealing film and the plurality of first detection electrodes, and includes at least a second inorganic layer made of an inorganic material;

a plurality of second detection electrodes that extend in another direction different from the one direction, and are arranged in parallel above the second sealing film; and

a touch sensor control unit that controls a potential of any one of the first detection electrodes and the second detection electrodes, and detects an electric change generated in the other detection electrodes to detect a touch with a display surface.

2. The display device according to claim 1,

wherein each of the first detection electrodes and the second detection electrodes has a shape having continuous rectangles (stripes) and/or continuous rhombi (diamonds).

3. The display device according to claim 1,

wherein each of the first detection electrodes and the second detection electrodes is formed through any one of a sputtering method and a printing method.

4. The display device according to claim 1,

wherein the first sealing film has a planarizing layer made of an organic material toward the second substrate of the first inorganic layer.

5. The display device according to claim 4,

wherein the planarizing layer has a thickness of 1 to 100 μ

m.

6. The display device according to claim 1,

wherein a connection terminal for connection with the touch sensor control unit, and a connection terminal for connection with an organic EL element control unit for controlling the light emission of the organic EL element layer are formed in the same plane of the first substrate.

7. The display device according to claim 1,

wherein the plurality of first detection electrodes and the plurality of second detection electrodes overlap with the display area.