Display panel and display apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11825684-B2
Application number	US-202117147786-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 13, 2021
Priority date	Jun 4, 2020
Publication date	Nov 21, 2023
Grant date	Nov 21, 2023

Abstract

A display panel includes: a substrate including a front display area, where a first display element is in the front display area, a first side display area connected in a first direction to the front display area, a second side display area connected in a second direction to the front display area, a corner display area between the first side display area and the second side display area, where a second display element is in the corner display area, an intermediate display area located between the front display area and the corner display area, where a third display element is in the intermediate display area, and a groove is defined on the substrate; and an inorganic pattern layer on opposing sides of the groove and including a pair of protruding tips protruding toward a center of the groove, where the groove is between the second and third display elements.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A display panel comprising:
a substrate comprising:
a front display area, wherein a first display element is in the front display area;
a first side display area connected in a first direction to the front display area;
a second side display area connected in a second direction intersecting the first direction to the front display area;
a corner display area between the first side display area and the second side display area, wherein the corner display area at least partially surrounds the front display area, and a second display element is in the corner display area, and
an intermediate display area between the front display area and the corner display area, wherein a third display element is in the intermediate display area, wherein a groove is defined on the substrate and recessed in a thickness direction of the substrate; and

an inorganic pattern layer on opposing sides of the groove on the substrate,
wherein the inorganic pattern layer comprises a pair of protruding tips protruding toward a center of the groove,
wherein the groove is between the second display element and the third display element, and
wherein at least a portion of the groove extends along a boundary between the corner display area and the intermediate display area.

2. The display panel of claim 1 , wherein
the corner display area comprises a plurality of extension areas extending from the intermediate display area,
wherein a through-portion is defined between adjacent extension areas, and
wherein the second display element is in the plurality of extension areas.

3. The display panel of claim 2 , wherein the groove surrounds the second display element.

4. The display panel of claim 2 , further comprising:
a dam portion over the inorganic pattern layer and protruding in the thickness direction of the substrate,
wherein the dam portion comprises a first dam portion and a second dam portion,
wherein the first dam portion surrounds the second display element, and
the second dam portion extends along the corner display area.

5. The display panel of claim 4 , wherein
each of the plurality of extension areas comprises a first extension area, and a second extension area between the first extension area and the intermediate display area,
wherein the second extension areas of the plurality of extension areas are connected to one another as a single body, and
the groove is located between the first dam portions of adjacent extension areas.

6. The display panel of claim 4 , further comprising:
a first auxiliary dam portion over the inorganic pattern layer between the second display element and the first dam portion, and protruding in the thickness direction of the substrate,
wherein a thickness of the first dam portion is greater than a thickness of the first auxiliary dam portion.

7. The display panel of claim 2 , further comprising:
a planarization layer located on the substrate,
wherein the planarization layer is separated by the groove into a corner planarization layer and an intermediate planarization layer,
wherein the second display element is on the corner planarization layer, and
the third display element is on the intermediate planarization layer.

8. The display panel of claim 2 , wherein
the third display element comprises an inner display element and an outer display element adjacent to the groove,
wherein the outer display element comprises a pixel electrode and a counter electrode, and
wherein the pixel electrode covers at least a part of the inorganic pattern layer.

9. The display panel of claim 2 , further comprising:
a planarization layer between the substrate and the third display element,
wherein the third display element comprises an inner display element and an outer display element adjacent to the groove, and
wherein the planarization layer comprises a recessed portion between the inner display element and the outer display element.

10. The display panel of claim 2 , further comprising:
a connection wiring on the substrate and extending from the intermediate display area to the plurality of extension areas,
wherein the second display element comprises a pixel electrode, an intermediate layer, and a counter electrode, and
wherein the connection wiring and the counter electrode are connected to each other at end portions of the plurality of extension areas.

11. The display panel of claim 10 , further comprising:
a planarization layer located between the connection wiring and the second display element,
wherein a contact hole is defined through the planarization layer to expose the connection wiring, and
wherein the connection wiring and the counter electrode are connected to each other through a pixel electrode pattern in the contact hole.

12. The display panel of claim 2 , further comprising:
a connection wiring on the substrate and extending from the intermediate display area to the plurality of extension areas,
wherein a plurality of second display elements is in one of the plurality of extension areas,
wherein the plurality of second display elements respectively comprise counter electrodes which are spaced apart from one another, and
wherein each of the counter electrodes is connected to the connection wiring.

13. The display panel of claim 2 , wherein
the third display element comprises a pixel electrode and a counter electrode,
wherein the intermediate display area comprises a first intermediate display area and a second intermediate display area located between the first intermediate display area and the corner display area,
the display panel further comprises:
a connection wiring located in the intermediate display area; and
an intermediate groove defined between the first intermediate display area and the second intermediate display area,

wherein each of the counter electrode of the third display element in the first intermediate display area and the counter electrode of the third display element in the second intermediate display area is connected to the connection wiring through a contact hole.

14. The display panel of claim 2 , wherein
the third display element comprises a pixel electrode and a counter electrode, and the third display element is provided in plural in the intermediate display area,
the display panel further comprises:
a connection wiring in the intermediate display area; and
an intermediate groove defined in the intermediate display area to surround each of the plurality of third display elements,

wherein counter electrodes of a plurality of third display elements in the intermediate display area are spaced apart from one another by the intermediate groove and are each connected to the connection wiring.

15. The display panel of claim 1 , wherein
the corner display area comprises: pixel arrangement areas, in each of which the second display element is located; and connection areas which connect the pixel arrangement areas to the intermediate display area,
wherein adjacent pixel arrangement areas and adjacent connection areas define a through-area,
wherein the display panel further comprises a connection wiring extending from the intermediate display area to the pixel arrangement area.

16. The display panel of claim 15 , wherein
the connection areas extend in a serpentine shape from the intermediate display area, and
adjacent connection areas are symmetrically arranged in a direction in which the pixel arrangement areas are spaced apart from one another.

17. The display panel of claim 1 , wherein
the second display element comprises a pixel e

Assignees

• Samsung Display Co Ltd

Inventors

• Park Junhyeong
• Won Byeonghee
• Shin Jaemin

Classifications

• H10K59/12 Primary

  Active-matrix OLED [AMOLED] displays · CPC title

• H10K59/8791

  Arrangements for improving contrast, e.g. preventing reflection of ambient light · CPC title

• H10K59/873

  Encapsulations · CPC title

• H10K50/844 Primary

  Encapsulations · CPC title

• H10K59/122 Primary

  Pixel-defining structures or layers, e.g. banks · CPC title