Display panel and display device including display panel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12356844-B2
Application number	US-202418741602-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 12, 2024
Priority date	Jun 29, 2018
Publication date	Jul 8, 2025
Grant date	Jul 8, 2025

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 passing from an upper surface of the substrate to a bottom surface of the substrate;
a plurality of light-emitting diodes on the substrate, the plurality of light-emitting diodes arranged in a display area surrounding the opening, the plurality of light-emitting diodes comprising a first light-emitting diode that includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and an intermediate layer between the first electrode and the second electrode;
an encapsulation layer on the plurality of light-emitting diodes, the encapsulation layer including a first inorganic encapsulation layer, a second inorganic encapsulation layer on the first inorganic encapsulation layer, and an organic encapsulation layer between the first and second inorganic encapsulation layers; and
a first groove disposed in a non-display area between the opening of the substrate and the display area, wherein the first groove is defined in a multilayer film comprising a first layer and a second layer on the first layer, and the second layer of the multilayer film has a protrusion that laterally protrudes toward the first groove beyond a first point at which a first lateral surface of the first layer and a bottom surface of the second layer meet,
wherein at least one organic material layer of the intermediate layer extends to the non-display area and is separated into a plurality of portions,
wherein one of the plurality of portions of the at least one organic material layer is in direct contact with an inorganic insulation layer that is interposed between the substrate and the first groove in the non-display area, and
wherein a portion of the organic encapsulation layer overlaps the first groove in the non-display area.

2. The display panel of claim 1 , wherein:
an edge of the organic encapsulation layer is disposed between the first groove and the opening of the substrate, and
a portion of the second inorganic encapsulation layer and a portion of the first inorganic encapsulation layer are in direct contact with each other in a region between the edge of the organic encapsulation layer and the opening of the substrate.

3. The display panel of claim 2 , further comprises a second groove disposed in a non-display area between the opening of the substrate and the edge of the organic encapsulation layer, wherein the second groove is defined in a multilayer film.

4. The display panel of claim 3 , wherein the region where the portion of the second inorganic encapsulation layer and the portion of the first inorganic encapsulation layer are in direct contact with each other overlaps the second groove.

5. The display panel of claim 1 , wherein another of the plurality of portions of the at least one organic material layer is on the protrusion.

6. The display panel of claim 1 , wherein a first length of the protrusion measured along a first direction from the first point to a lateral surface of the protrusion is less than a thickness of the first layer.

7. The display panel of claim 1 , wherein the second electrode extends to the non-display area and is separated into a plurality of portions.

8. The display panel of claim 1 , wherein the at least one organic material layer comprises a hole transport layer (HTL), a hole injection layer (HIL), an electron transport layer (ETL) and/or an electron injection layer (EIL).

9. A display panel, comprising:
a substrate having an opening passing from an upper surface of the substrate to a bottom surface of the substrate;
a plurality of light-emitting diodes on the substrate, the plurality of light-emitting diodes arranged in a display area surrounding the opening, the plurality of light-emitting diodes comprising a first light-emitting diode that includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and an intermediate layer between the first electrode and the second electrode;
an encapsulation layer on the plurality of light-emitting diodes, the encapsulation layer including a first inorganic encapsulation layer, a second inorganic encapsulation layer on the first inorganic encapsulation layer, and an organic encapsulation layer between the first and second inorganic encapsulation layers; and
a first groove disposed in a non-display area between the opening of the substrate and the display area, wherein the first groove is defined in a multilayer film comprising a first layer and a second layer on the first layer,
wherein at least one organic material layer of the intermediate layer extends to the non-display area and is separated into a plurality of portions,
wherein one of the plurality of portions of the at least one organic material layer is in direct contact with an inorganic insulation layer that is interposed between the substrate and the first groove in the non-display area, and
wherein a portion of the organic encapsulation layer overlaps the first groove in the non-display area.

10. The display panel of claim 9 , wherein the second layer of the multilayer film has a protrusion that laterally protrudes toward the first groove beyond a first point at which a first lateral surface of the first layer and a bottom surface of the second layer meet, and
wherein a first length of the protrusion measured along a first direction from the first point to a lateral surface of the protrusion is less than a thickness of the first layer.

11. The display panel of claim 9 , wherein an edge of the organic encapsulation layer is disposed between the first groove and the opening of the substrate,
wherein the display panel further comprises a second groove disposed in a non-display area between the opening of the substrate and the edge of the organic encapsulation layer, wherein the second groove is defined in a multilayer film.

12. The display panel of claim 11 , wherein a portion of the second inorganic encapsulation layer and a portion of the first inorganic encapsulation layer are in direct contact with each other in a region between the edge of the organic encapsulation layer and the opening of the substrate, and the region overlaps the second groove.

13. The display panel of claim 9 , wherein the at least one organic material layer comprises a hole transport layer (HTL), a hole injection layer (HIL), an electron transport layer (ETL) and/or an electron injection layer (EIL).

14. The display panel of claim 9 , wherein the second electrode extends to the non-display area and is separated into a plurality of portions.

15. A display device, comprising:
a display panel comprising a component area, a display area surrounding the component area, and a non-display area between the component area and the display area; and
a component corresponding to the component area,
wherein the display panel comprises:
a substrate having an opening passing from an upper surface of the substrate to a bottom surface of the substrate, the opening of the substrate corresponding to the component area;
a plurality of light-emitting diodes on the substrate, the plurality of light-emitting diodes arranged in the display area, the plurality of light-emitting diodes comprising a first light-emitting diode that includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and an intermediate layer between the first electrode and the second electrode;
an encapsulation layer on the plurality of light-emitting diodes, the encapsulation layer including a first inorganic encapsulation layer, a second inorganic encapsulation layer on the first inorganic encapsulation layer, and an organic encapsulation layer between the first and second inorganic encapsulation layers; and
a first groove dispo

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

• H10K77/10

  Substrates, e.g. flexible substrates · CPC title