Electronic apparatus with a flexible printed circuit and a transparent conductive layer

• US 7,876,413 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2008
• Issued: 01/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Hirakata, Yoshiharu, Yamazaki, Shunpei
• Primary Examiner(s): QI, ZHI QIANG
• Application Number:
  US12/252,793
• Publication Number:
  US 20090046236A1
• Time in Patent Office: 831 Days
• Field of Search: 349149-153, 349/143
• US Class Current: 349/149
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133345 Insulating layers G02F1/1335, G02F1/1337, G02F1/135, G02F1/136 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133388 with constructional differences between the display region and the peripheral region
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1339 Gaskets; Spacers; Sealing of cells
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1345 Conductors connecting electrodes to cell terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13454 Drivers integrated on the active matrix substrate G02F1/136277 takes precedence

Abstract

A height difference under a sealant is reduced in a case where lines are present under the sealant.

There is provided a substrate having an active matrix display circuit and peripheral driving circuits, a counter substrate having a counter electrode provided on the substrate in a face-to-face relationship therewith, a sealant provided between the substrate and the counter substrate such that it surrounds the active matrix display circuit and peripheral driving circuits, a liquid crystal material provided inside the sealant, a plurality of external connection lines provided on the substrate under the sealant with a resin inter-layer film interposed therebetween for electrically connecting the active matrix display circuit- and peripheral driving circuits to circuits present outside the sealant and an adjustment layer provided in the same layer as the plurality of external connection lines.

Claims

1. A liquid crystal display device comprising:

a first wiring over a substrate;

a first insulating film over the first wiring;

a second wiring over the substrate and the first insulating film;

a second insulating film over the second wiring;

a transparent conductive layer over a first region of the second wiring;

a flexible printed circuit over the first wiring and the first region of the second wiring; and

a sealant over the first wiring and a second region of the second wiring,

wherein the sealant is in direct contact with the second insulating film;

wherein the second wiring overlaps at least part of the first wiring;

wherein the first wiring and the second wiring are in electrical contact through an opening in the first insulating film;

wherein the second wiring and the flexible printed circuit are in electrical contact through the transparent conductive layer; and

wherein the second wiring and the transparent conductive layer are in direct contact through an opening in the second insulating film.

2. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the second wiring comprises aluminum.

3. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the second insulating film comprises resin.

4. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the transparent conductive layer comprises indium tin oxide.

5. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the first insulating film comprises silicon nitride.

6. A liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, further comprising a transistor over the substrate,

wherein a source of the transistor and the second wiring comprise a same material.

7. A display device comprising:

a first wiring over a substrate;

a first insulating film comprising silicon nitride over the first wiring;

a second wiring comprising aluminum over the substrate and the first insulating film;

a second insulating film over the second wiring;

a transparent conductive layer comprising indium tin oxide over a first region of the second wiring;

a flexible printed circuit over the first wiring and the first region of the second wiring; and

a sealant over the first wiring and a second region of the second wiring,

wherein the sealant is in direct contact with the second insulating film;

wherein the second wiring overlaps at least part of the first wiring;

wherein the first wiring and the second wiring are in electrical contact through an opening in the first insulating film;

wherein the second wiring and the flexible printed circuit are in electrical contact through the transparent conductive layer; and

wherein the second wiring and the transparent conductive layer are in direct contact through an opening in the second insulating film.

8. A display device according to claim 7, wherein the second insulating film comprises resin.

9. A display device according to claim 7, further comprising a transistor over the substrate,

wherein a source of the transistor and the second wiring comprise a same material.

10. A display device comprising:

a first wiring over a substrate;

a first insulating film over the first wiring;

a second wiring over the substrate and the first insulating film;

a second insulating film over the second wiring;

a transparent conductive layer over a first region of the second wiring;

a flexible printed circuit over the first wiring and the first region of the second wiring; and

a sealant over the first wiring and a second region of the second wiring,

wherein the sealant is in direct contact with the second insulating film;

wherein the second wiring overlaps the first wiring;

wherein the first wiring and the second wiring are in electrical contact through an opening in the first insulating film;

wherein the second wiring and the flexible printed circuit are in electrical contact via the transparent conductive layer; and

wherein the second wiring and the transparent conductive layer are in direct contact.

11. A display device according to claim 10, wherein the second wiring comprises aluminum.

12. A display device according to claim 10, wherein the second insulating film comprises resin.

13. A display device according to claim 10, wherein the transparent conductive layer comprises indium tin oxide.

14. A display device according to claim 10, wherein the first insulating film comprises silicon nitride.

15. A display device according to claim 10, wherein the second wiring and the transparent conductive layer are in direct contact through an opening in the second insulating film.

16. A display device according to claim 10, further comprising a transistor over the substrate,

wherein a source of the transistor and the second wiring comprise a same material.

17. A display device comprising:

an active matrix display circuit over a substrate;

a first wiring over the substrate;

a first insulating film over the first wiring;

a second wiring over the substrate and the first insulating film;

a second insulating film over the second wiring;

a transparent conductive layer over a first region of the second wiring;

a flexible printed circuit over the first wiring and the first region of the second wiring;

a sealant over the first wiring and a second region of the second wiring; and

a counter substrate over the sealant,

wherein the sealant is in direct contact with the second insulating film;

wherein the second wiring overlaps at least part of the first wiring;

wherein the first wiring and the second wiring are in electrical contact through an opening in the first insulating film;

wherein the second wiring and the flexible printed circuit are in electrical contact through the transparent conductive layer;

wherein the transparent conductive layer is made from a same layer as pixel electrodes connected to thin film transistors forming the active matrix display circuit;

wherein the second wiring and the transparent conductive layer are in direct contact through an opening in the second insulating film;

wherein the second wiring is made from a same layer as signal lines of the thin film transistors forming the active matrix display circuit; and

wherein the flexible printed circuit is electrically connected to the active matrix display circuit through the first wiring and the second wiring.

18. A display device according to claim 17, wherein the second wiring comprises aluminum.

19. A display device according to claim 17, wherein the second insulating film comprises resin.

20. A display device according to claim 17, wherein the transparent conductive layer comprises indium tin oxide.

21. A display device according to claim 17, wherein the first insulating film comprises silicon nitride.

22. A display device comprising:

an active matrix display circuit over a substrate;

a first wiring over the substrate;

a first insulating film comprising silicon nitride over the first wiring;

a second wiring comprising aluminum over the substrate and the first insulating film;

a second insulating film over the second wiring;

a transparent conductive layer comprising indium tin oxide over a first region of the second wiring;

a flexible printed circuit over the first wiring and the first region of the second wiring;

a sealant over the first wiring and a second region of the second wiring; and

a counter substrate over the sealant,

wherein the sealant is in direct contact with the second insulating film;

wherein the second wiring overlaps at least part of the first wiring;

wherein the first wiring and the second wiring are in electrical contact through an opening in the first insulating film;

wherein the transparent conductive layer is made from a same layer as pixel electrodes connected to thin film transistors forming the active matrix display circuit;

wherein the second wiring and the flexible printed circuit are in electrical contact through the transparent conductive layer;

wherein the second wiring and the transparent conductive layer are in direct contact through an opening in the second insulating film;

wherein the second wiring is made from a same layer as signal lines of the thin film transistors forming the active matrix display circuit; and

wherein the flexible printed circuit is electrically connected to the active matrix display circuit through the first wiring and the second wiring.

23. A display device according to claim 22, wherein the second insulating film comprises resin.

24. A display device comprising:

an active matrix display circuit over a substrate;

a first wiring over the substrate;

a first insulating film over the first wiring;

a second wiring over the substrate and the first insulating film;

a second insulating film over the second wiring;

a transparent conductive layer over a first region of the second wiring;

a flexible printed circuit over the first wiring and the first region of the second wiring;

a sealant over the first wiring and a second region of the second wiring; and

a counter substrate over the sealant,

wherein the sealant is in direct contact with the second insulating film;

wherein the second wiring overlaps the first wiring;

wherein the first wiring and the second wiring are in electrical contact through an opening in the first insulating film;

wherein the transparent conductive layer is made from a same layer as pixel electrodes connected to the thin film transistors forming the active matrix display circuit;

wherein the second wiring and the flexible printed circuit are in electrical contact via the transparent conductive layer;

wherein the second wiring and the transparent conductive layer are in direct contact;

wherein the second wiring is made from a same layer as signal lines of thin film transistors forming the active matrix display circuit; and

wherein the flexible printed circuit is electrically connected to the active matrix display circuit through the first wiring and the second wiring.

25. A display device according to claim 24, wherein the second wiring comprises aluminum.

26. A display device according to claim 24, wherein the second insulating film comprises resin.

27. A display device according to claim 24, wherein the transparent conductive layer comprises indium tin oxide.

28. A display device according to claim 24, wherein the first insulating film comprises silicon nitride.

29. A display device according to claim 24, wherein the second wiring and the transparent conductive layer are in direct contact through an opening in the second insulating film.