Display device to prevent a cathode electrode from being shorted

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11063100-B2
Application number	US-201816015437-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 22, 2018
Priority date	Jul 5, 2017
Publication date	Jul 13, 2021
Grant date	Jul 13, 2021

Abstract

A display device is disclosed, which may prevent an inorganic film formed in an organic film open area from being damaged and prevent a cathode electrode from being shorted. The display device includes a substrate including a display area on which pixels area arranged, and a non-display area surrounding the display area; a first metal layer formed in the non-display area of the substrate; at least one insulating film arranged on the first metal layer; a second metal layer arranged on the at least one insulating film and connected with the first metal layer through a contact hole that passes through the at least one insulating film formed in the non-display area; a cover layer arranged on the contact hole and formed to overlap the contact hole; and an encapsulation film formed to cover the display area and the cover layer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A display device, comprising:
a substrate including:
a display area on which pixels are arranged; and
a non-display area surrounding the display area;

a first metal layer formed in the non-display area of the substrate;
at least one insulating film arranged on the first metal layer;
a second metal layer arranged on the at least one insulating film and connected with the first metal layer through a contact hole that passes through the at least one insulating film formed in the non-display area;
at least one organic film arranged in the display area;
a dam arranged in the non-display area and spaced apart from at least one organic film arranged in the display area;
a cover layer arranged on the contact hole and formed to overlap the contact hole; and
an encapsulation film formed to cover the display area and the cover layer,
wherein the cover layer is arranged between the at least one organic film and the dam, and is made of an organic material a same material as that of any one of the at least one organic film.

2. The display device of claim 1 , wherein each of the pixels includes:
a thin film transistor including an active layer, a gate electrode, a source electrode and a drain electrode;
the first metal layer is made of the same material as that of the active layer of the thin film transistor on the same layer as the active layer of the thin film transistor; and
the second metal layer is made of the same material as that of the source electrode and the drain electrode of the thin film transistor on the same layer as the source electrode and the drain electrode of the thin film transistor.

3. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the cover layer is not in contact with the at least one organic film.

4. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the cover layer is not in contact with the dam.

5. The display device of claim 1 , wherein:
the second metal layer is connected with the first metal layer through a plurality of contact holes;
the cover layer is formed of a plurality of patterns; and
one of the plurality of patterns covers at least one of the plurality of contact holes.

6. The display device of claim 5 , wherein the cover layer is arranged in such a manner that the respective patterns are spaced apart from each other.

7. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the encapsulation film includes:
a first inorganic film formed to cover the display area and the cover layer;
an organic film formed on the first inorganic film; and
a second inorganic film formed to cover the organic film and the dam.

8. A display device, comprising:
a substrate including:
a display area on which pixels area arranged; and
a non-display area surrounding the display area;

a first metal layer formed in the non-display area of the substrate;
at least one insulating film arranged on the first metal layer;
a second metal layer arranged on the at least one insulating film, the second metal layer being connected with the first metal layer through a contact hole that passes through the at least one insulating film formed in the non-display area;
a passivation film arranged on the second metal layer;
at least one organic film arranged in the display area;
a dam arranged in the non-display area and spaced apart from at least one organic film arranged in the display area;
a cover layer arranged on the contact hole and formed to overlap the contact hole; and
an encapsulation film formed to cover the display area and the cover layer,
wherein the cover layer is made of a metal material, and
wherein the cover layer is arranged between the at least one organic film and the dam.

9. The display device of claim 8 , wherein:
each of the pixels includes:
a thin film transistor including:
an active layer;
a gate electrode;
a source electrode; and
a drain electrode;

an anode auxiliary electrode connected to the source electrode or the drain electrode of the thin film transistor; and
an anode electrode connected to the anode auxiliary electrode; and

the cover layer is made of the same material as that of the anode auxiliary electrode.

10. The display device of claim 8 , wherein no voltage is applied to the cover layer.

11. A display device, comprising:
a substrate including:
a display area on which pixels are arranged; and
a non-display area surrounding the display area;

a first gate line connected with N pixels of the pixels;
a second gate line connected with M pixels smaller than the N pixels; and
a compensation transistor or a compensation capacitor arranged in the non-display area, and connected with the second gate line,
wherein the compensation transistor or the compensation capacitor includes:
a first metal layer formed on the substrate,
a first insulating film arranged on the first metal layer,
a third metal layer arranged on the first insulating film and connected with the second gate line,
a second insulating film arranged on the third metal layer,
a second metal layer arranged on the second insulating film and connected with the first metal layer through a contact hole that passes through at least one of the first and second insulating films, and
a cover layer arranged on the contact hole.

12. The display device of claim 11 , wherein each of the pixels includes:
a thin film transistor including an active layer, a gate electrode, a source electrode and a drain electrode;
the first metal layer is formed on the same layer as the active layer of the thin film transistor; and
the second metal layer is made of the same material as that of the source electrode and the drain electrode of the thin film transistor on the same layer as the source electrode and the drain electrode of the thin film transistor.

13. The display device of claim 12 , wherein the first metal layer of the compensation transistor is made of the same semiconductor material as that of the active layer.

14. The display device of claim 12 , wherein the first metal layer of the compensation capacitor is made of a metal material.

15. The display device of claim 11 , further comprising:
at least one organic film arranged in the display area; and
a dam arranged in the non-display area, the dam being spaced apart from at least one organic film arranged in the display area,
wherein the cover layer is arranged between the at least one organic film and the dam.

16. The display device of claim 15 , wherein the cover layer is made of an organic material.

17. The display device of claim 16 , wherein:
the second metal layer is connected with the first metal layer through a plurality of contact holes;
the cover layer is formed of a plurality of patterns; and
one of the plurality of patterns having a shape covering at least one of the plurality of contact holes.

18. The display device of claim 17 , wherein the cover layer is arranged in such a manner that the respective patterns are spaced apart from each other.

19. The display device of claim 15 , further comprising:
a passivation film arranged on the second metal layer,
wherein the cover layer is made of a metal material.

20. The display device of claim 19 , wherein:
each of the pixels includes:
a thin film transistor including an active layer, a gate electrode, a source electrode and a drain electrode;
an anode auxiliary electrode connected to the source electrode or the drain electrode of the thin film transistor; and
an anode electrode connected to the anode auxiliary electrode; and

the cover layer is

Assignees

• Lg Display Co Ltd

Inventors

• Park Jongchan
• Kim Jinhwan
• Kim Do-Young
• Um Hyunchul
• Yun Yeongho

Classifications

• H10K59/1213

  the pixel elements being TFTs · CPC title

• H10K50/844 Primary

  Encapsulations · CPC title

• H10K59/873

  Encapsulations · CPC title

• H10K59/8722

  Peripheral sealing arrangements, e.g. adhesives, sealants · CPC title

• H10K59/80516

  combined with auxiliary electrodes, e.g. ITO layer combined with metal lines · CPC title