Flexible display device

• US 9,747,825 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2013
• Issued: 08/29/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kim, Eunah
• Primary Examiner(s): Mahoney, Christopher
• Application Number:
  US14/100,501
• Publication Number:
  US 20140368228A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,359 Days
• Field of Search: 3247503, 324537
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1309 Repairing; Testing
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133305 Flexible substrates, e.g. plastics, organic film
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/006 Electronic inspection or testing of displays and display drivers, e.g. of LED or LCD displays testing individual LED's G01R31/2635; testing lamps G01R31/44; testing of optical features of LCD displays G02F1/1309
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/311 Flexible OLED
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/00 Integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one organic light-emitting element covered by group H10K50/00
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/131 Interconnections, e.g. wiring lines or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/70 Testing, e.g. accelerated lifetime tests
• 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

A flexible display device includes a display panel, at least one inspection part, and a detector. The display panel includes at least one bending portion and a display area. The inspection part is located on the bending portion and bends in a manner similar to the bending portion. The detector applies an inspection signal to the inspection part and receives an output signal from the inspection part. A crack in the inspection part is then determined based on a comparison of the inspection and output signals.

Claims

1. A flexible display device comprising:

a display panel including at least one bending portion configured to display an image;

at least one inspection part on the bending portion, the inspection part bending with the bending portion; and

a detector connected to the at least one inspection part, the detector to apply an inspection signal to the inspection part and to receive an output signal from the inspection part, wherein the detector is to compare the inspection signal and the output signal to detect a crack in the inspection part.

2. The flexible display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inspection part comprises:

an inspection pattern on the bending portion; and

a connection wire to electrically connect the inspection pattern to the detector, wherein the connection wire is to transmit the inspection signal and the output signal between the inspection pattern and the detector.

3. The flexible display device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the inspection pattern has a width greater than a width of the connection wire.

4. The flexible display device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the inspection pattern comprises a semiconductor material.

5. The flexible display device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the semiconductor material comprises silicon.

6. The flexible display device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the display panel comprises:

a substrate;

a thin film transistor on the substrate;

a first electrode electrically connected to the thin film transistor;

an organic light emitting layer on the first electrode to emit light; and

a second electrode on the organic light emitting layer.

7. The flexible display device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the inspection pattern comprises a same material as an active layer of the thin film transistor.

8. The flexible display device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the display panel comprises:

a first substrate;

a thin film transistor on the first substrate;

a first electrode electrically connected to the thin film transistor;

a second substrate facing the first substrate;

a second electrode on the second substrate; and

a liquid crystal layer between the first and second substrates.

9. The flexible display device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the inspection pattern comprises a same material as an active layer of the thin film transistor.

10. The flexible display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inspection part has a line shape electrically connected to the detector to transmit the inspection signal and the output signal.

11. The flexible display device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the line shape comprises molybdenum.

12. The flexible display device as claimed in claim 11, wherein a display area and a bending area are defined in the display panel, the bending portion is disposed in the bending area, and the display area and the bending area overlap each other.

13. The flexible display device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of inspection parts in the bending portion.

14. The flexible display device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of bending portions, and

a plurality of inspection parts, wherein each of the bending portions includes at least one of the inspection parts.

15. The flexible display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the detector detects a crack occurring in the inspection part based on a resistance of the inspection part, the detector determining the resistance of the inspection part based on the inspection signal and the output signal.

16. The flexible display device as claimed in claim 15, further comprising:

a driving circuit board to drive the display panel,

wherein the detector outputs a result signal indicative of the crack in the inspection part to the driving circuit board, and wherein the driving circuit board controls the display panel based on the result signal.

17. The flexible display device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the driving circuit board controls the display panel to be turned off when the crack is detected in the inspection part.

18. The flexible display device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a circuit board coupled to the display panel,

wherein the circuit board is to drive the display panel and wherein the detector is mounted on the circuit board.

19. A display device, comprising:

a display panel including at least one bending portion configured to display an image;

at least one inspection part on the bending portion, the inspection part bending with the bending portion; and

a detector connected to the at least one inspection part, wherein the inspection part and the bending portion have substantially a same brittleness and wherein the inspection part outputs a signal indicative of a crack in the inspection part.

20. The display device as claimed in claim 19, wherein a display area and a bending area are defined in the display panel, the bending portion is disposed in the bending area, and the bending area includes a portion of the display area.

21. The display device as claimed in claim 20, wherein the portion of the display area follows a bend in the bending area.

22. The display device as claimed in claim 19, further comprising:

a circuit board coupled to the display panel,

wherein the circuit board is to drive the display panel and wherein the detector is mounted on the circuit board.