Display apparatus and method of manufacturing the display apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10128461-B2
Application number	US-201615093091-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 7, 2016
Priority date	Aug 11, 2015
Publication date	Nov 13, 2018
Grant date	Nov 13, 2018

Abstract

A display apparatus includes a first display area including a first display unit configured to generate light and a first encapsulation unit disposed on the first display unit; a second display area including a second display unit configured to generate light and a second encapsulation unit disposed on the second display unit; and a through area disposed between the first display area and the second display area. The first encapsulation unit includes a first encapsulation layer covering a first side of an area of the first display unit corresponding to the through area. The second encapsulation unit includes a second encapsulation layer covering a second side of an area of the second display unit corresponding to the through area.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A display apparatus comprising:
a first display area comprising a first display unit configured to generate light and a first encapsulation unit disposed on the first display unit;
a second display area comprising a second display unit configured to generate light and a second encapsulation unit disposed on the second display unit; and
a through area disposed between the first display area and the second display area,
wherein the first encapsulation unit comprises:
a first encapsulation layer covering a first side of an area of the first display unit corresponding to the through area;
a third encapsulation layer disposed on the first encapsulation layer; and
a first intermediate encapsulation layer disposed between the first encapsulation layer and the third encapsulation layer, and

wherein the second encapsulation unit comprises a second encapsulation layer covering a second side of an area of the second display unit corresponding to the through area.

2. The display apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a substrate,
wherein the first display area and the second display area are disposed on the substrate,
wherein the through area extends through at least a portion of a thickness of the substrate.

3. The display apparatus of claim 2 , wherein at least one area of the first encapsulation unit and the second encapsulation unit is disposed on a top surface of the substrate.

4. The display apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first encapsulation unit or the second encapsulation unit is spaced apart from the through area.

5. The display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first encapsulation unit is formed to completely cover the first side or the second encapsulation unit is formed to completely cover the second side.

6. The display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first display area and the second display area are connected to each other in an area outside the through area.

7. The display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the through area extends to at least one edge of the display apparatus.

8. The display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the through area is one of a plurality of through areas.

9. The display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the through area comprises a first through area and a second through area;
the display apparatus further comprises a third display unit configured to generate light and a third display area comprising a third encapsulation unit disposed on the third display unit;
the first display area and the second display area are formed comprising the first through area disposed between the first display area and the second display area; and
the second display area and the third display area are formed comprising the second through area disposed between the second display area and the third display area.

10. The display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first encapsulation unit or the second encapsulation unit comprises a plurality of encapsulation layers.

11. The display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first encapsulation layer or the third encapsulation layer covers at least a portion of the first side.

12. The display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first encapsulation layer and the third encapsulation layer contact one another in an area corresponding to the through area.

13. The display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the third encapsulation layer covers a side of an area of the first encapsulation layer corresponding to the through area.

14. The display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first intermediate encapsulation layer is surrounded by the first encapsulation layer and the third encapsulation layer.

15. The display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second encapsulation unit comprises:
the second encapsulation layer disposed on the second display unit;
a fourth encapsulation layer disposed on the second encapsulation layer; and
a second intermediate encapsulation layer disposed between the second encapsulation layer and the fourth encapsulation layer.

16. The display apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the second encapsulation layer or the fourth encapsulation layer covers at least a portion of the second side.

17. The display apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the second encapsulation layer and the fourth encapsulation layer contact each other in an area corresponding to the through area.

18. The display apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the fourth encapsulation layer covers a side of an area of the second encapsulation layer corresponding to the through area.

19. The display apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the second intermediate encapsulation layer is surrounded by the second encapsulation layer and the fourth encapsulation layer.

20. The display apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first display unit or the second display unit comprises:
a first electrode;
a second electrode disposed on the first electrode; and
an intermediate layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, the intermediate layer comprising an organic emission layer.

21. The display apparatus of claim 20 , further comprising:
a first protection pattern disposed at a side of the second electrode of the first display unit.

22. The display apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the first protection pattern is disposed between the second electrode and the first encapsulation unit.

23. The display apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the first protection pattern comprises a material that does not mix with the second electrode.

24. The display apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the first protection pattern is disposed on the intermediate layer.

25. The display apparatus of claim 20 , further comprising:
a second protection pattern disposed at a side of the second electrode of the second display unit.

26. The display apparatus of claim 25 , wherein the second protection pattern is disposed between the second electrode and the second encapsulation unit.

27. The display apparatus of claim 25 , wherein the second protection pattern comprises a material that does not mix with the second electrode.

28. The display apparatus of claim 25 , wherein the second protection pattern is disposed on the intermediate layer.

29. A display apparatus comprising:
a first display area comprising a first display unit configured to generate light and a first encapsulation unit disposed on the first display unit;
a second display area comprising a second display unit configured to generate light and a second encapsulation unit disposed on the second display unit; and
a through area disposed between the first display area and the second display area,
wherein:
the first encapsulation unit comprises a first encapsulation layer covering a first side of an area of the first display unit corresponding to the through area;
the second encapsulation unit comprises a second encapsulation layer covering a second side of an area of the second display unit corresponding to the through area; and
the first display area further comprises a first lower structure, and

wherein the first lower structure comprises:
one or more insulating layers, lateral sides of the one or more insulating layers of the first lower structure facing the through area and being spaced apart from a lateral side of the first encapsulation unit, the lateral side of the first encapsulation unit facing the through area; and
one or more t

Assignees

• Samsung Display Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kang Kinyeng
• Chang Seungwook
• Choi Jonghyun

Classifications

• G04C17/0091

  Combined electro-optical and electro-mechanical displays · CPC title

• G04B19/04

  Hands; Discs with a single mark or the like {(moving indicating arrangements which have scales or numbers with stationary hands or reading means G04B19/20; optical projection of the position of the hands G04B19/34)} · CPC title

• H01L51/0096

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L51/5253 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L51/56

  Electricity · mapped topic