Display panel and display device including display panel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10978672-B2
Application number	US-201916440668-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 13, 2019
Priority date	Jun 29, 2018
Publication date	Apr 13, 2021
Grant date	Apr 13, 2021

Abstract

A display panel includes a substrate having an opening area, and a display area at least partially surrounding the opening area. Display elements are arranged in the display area. The display elements includes a pixel electrode, an opposite electrode, and an intermediate layer interposed therebetween. A multilayer film includes a first insulating layer between the substrate and the pixel electrode and a second insulating layer, of a different material, on the first insulating layer. A thin film encapsulation layer covers the display elements and includes at least one organic encapsulation layer and at least one inorganic encapsulation layer. The multilayer film includes a first groove disposed between the opening area and the display area. The first groove has an undercut structure in which a lower width of the first groove is greater than an upper width of the first groove.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A display panel, comprising:
a substrate having an opening area, and a display area at least partially surrounding the opening area;
a plurality of display elements arranged in the display area, each of the plurality of display elements comprising a pixel electrode, an opposite electrode, and an intermediate layer interposed between the pixel electrode and the opposite electrode;
a multilayer film comprising a first insulating layer arranged between the substrate and the pixel electrode and a second insulating layer arranged on the first insulating layer and having a material different from that of the first insulating layer; and
a thin film encapsulation layer covering the plurality of display elements and comprising at least one organic encapsulation layer and at least one inorganic encapsulation layer,
wherein the multilayer film comprises a first groove disposed between the opening area and the display area, and
wherein the first groove has an undercut structure in which a lower width of the first groove is greater than an upper width of the first groove.

2. The display panel of claim 1 , wherein the first insulating layer is an organic insulating layer, and the second insulating layer is an inorganic insulating layer.

3. The display panel of claim 1 , wherein the pixel electrode contacts an upper surface of the first insulating layer, and an end of the pixel electrode is covered by the second insulating layer.

4. The display panel of claim 1 , wherein in the thin film encapsulation layer, the at least one inorganic encapsulation layer comprises a first inorganic encapsulation layer and a second inorganic encapsulation layer, wherein the at least one organic encapsulation layer comprises an organic encapsulation layer, and wherein the organic encapsulation layer is disposed between the first inorganic encapsulation layer and the second inorganic encapsulation layer.

5. The display panel of claim 1 , wherein the at least one inorganic encapsulation layer covers an internal surface of the first groove.

6. The display panel of claim 1 , further comprising a third insulating layer disposed under the multilayer film, wherein the at least one inorganic encapsulation layer is in direct contact with the third insulating layer through the first groove.

7. The display panel of claim 6 , wherein the third insulating layer is an inorganic insulating layer.

8. The display panel of claim 1 , wherein the at least one organic encapsulation layer at least partially fills the first groove.

9. The display panel of claim 1 , wherein the multilayer film further comprises a second groove adjacent to the first groove, the second groove being closer to the opening area than the first groove.

10. The display panel of claim 9 , wherein an end of the at least one organic encapsulation layer is located between the first groove and the second groove.

11. The display panel of claim 1 , wherein the substrate and the thin film encapsulation layer each have an opening corresponding to the opening area.

12. A display panel, comprising:
a substrate having an opening;
a plurality of display elements arranged on the substrate, the plurality of display elements surrounding the opening area, and each of the plurality of display elements including a pixel electrode, an opposite electrode, and an intermediate layer interposed between the pixel electrode and the opposite electrode;
a multilayer film comprising a first insulating layer arranged between the substrate and the pixel electrode and a second insulating layer disposed on the first insulating layer; and
an encapsulating layer covering the plurality of display elements,
wherein the multilayer film comprises a first groove that surrounds the opening and is concave with respect to a depth direction of the multilayer film, and
wherein the first groove has an undercut structure in which a lower width of the first groove is greater than an upper width of the first groove.

13. The display panel of claim 12 , wherein the first insulating layer is located directly below the pixel electrode, and the second insulating layer covers edges of the pixel electrode.

14. The display panel of claim 12 , wherein the first insulating layer is an organic insulating layer, and the second insulating layer is an inorganic insulating layer.

15. The display panel of claim 12 , wherein the encapsulation layer comprises at least one inorganic encapsulation layer and at least one organic encapsulation layer.

16. The display panel of claim 15 , wherein the at least one inorganic encapsulation layer covers an entire internal surface of the first groove, and is in direct contact with an inorganic insulating layer disposed under the first insulating layer.

17. The display panel of claim 12 , wherein at least one organic material layer of the intermediate layer and the opposite electrode are each cut off with respect to the first groove.

18. The display panel of claim 12 , wherein the first groove is defined by a first hole of the first insulating layer and a second hole of the second insulating layer, and wherein an interior side of the second insulating layer facing the second hole protrudes farther toward a center of the first groove than an interior side of the first insulating layer facing the first hole.

19. The display panel of claim 18 , wherein the interior side of the second insulating layer protrudes farther toward a center of the first groove by at least 2.mu.m than the interior side of the first insulating layer.

20. The display panel of claim 12 , wherein each of the plurality of display elements comprises an organic light-emitting diode.

21. A display device, comprising:
a substrate having an opening area and a display area at least partially surrounding the opening area;
a plurality of display elements arranged in the display area, each display element comprising a pixel electrode, an opposite electrode, and an intermediate layer interposed between the pixel electrode and the opposite electrode;
a multilayer film comprising an organic insulating layer disposed between the substrate and the pixel electrode and an inorganic insulating layer disposed on the organic insulating layer, and a thin film encapsulation layer covering the plurality of display elements and comprising at least one organic encapsulation layer and at least one inorganic encapsulation layer,
wherein the multilayer film comprises a first groove that is located between the opening area and the display area, and
wherein the first groove has an undercut structure and a part of the at least one organic encapsulation layer is disposed within the undercut structure.

22. The display device of claim 21 , further comprising an electronic element corresponding to the opening area.

23. The display device of claim 22 , wherein the electronic element detects and/or generates light and/or sound.

24. The display device of claim 21 , wherein, through the first groove, the at least one inorganic encapsulation layer is in direct contact with an insulating layer that is disposed under the organic insulating layer.

25. The display device of claim 24 , wherein the multilayer film further comprises a second groove located between the opening area and the first groove, and an end of the at least one organic encapsulation layer is located between the first groove and the second groove.

Assignees

• Samsung Display Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Joongeol
• Ko Kyeongsu
• Kim Sanggab
• Choi Shinil

Classifications

• H10K59/124 Primary

  Insulating layers formed between TFT elements and OLED elements · CPC title

• H10K59/873

  Encapsulations · CPC title

• H10K59/8731 Primary

  multilayered coatings having a repetitive structure, e.g. having multiple organic-inorganic bilayers · CPC title

• H10K59/87

  Passivation; Containers; Encapsulations · CPC title

• H10K59/88 Primary

  Dummy elements, i.e. elements having non-functional features · CPC title