Display panel and display device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12446443-B2
Application number	US-202217979387-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 2, 2022
Priority date	Nov 5, 2021
Publication date	Oct 14, 2025
Grant date	Oct 14, 2025

Abstract

A display panel includes a substrate including a first area and a second area which is adjacent to the first area, an encapsulation layer including a lower pattern in the second area, an insulating layer on the first area and the second area and defining an opening exposing a side surface of the lower pattern, an upper pattern on the insulating layer, protruding toward a center of the lower pattern and having a tip overlapping the side surface of the lower pattern, and an inorganic encapsulation layer in direct contact with the lower pattern.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A display panel comprising:
a substrate comprising a first area including a display element layer, and a second area which is adjacent to the first area; and
on the substrate:
a lower pattern in the second area, the lower pattern comprising a center and a side surface which is spaced apart from the center;
an insulating layer in the first area and the second area, the insulating layer including a sidewall which defines an opening in the second area which exposes the side surface of the lower pattern to outside the insulating layer;
an upper pattern on the insulating layer and defining a tip protruding further than the sidewall of the insulating layer and toward the center of the lower pattern, the tip overlapping the side surface of the lower pattern;
the display element layer on the insulating layer and comprising a first electrode, an emission layer and a second electrode in order from the upper pattern; and
an inorganic encapsulation layer on the display element layer,
wherein the inorganic encapsulation layer is in direct contact with the lower pattern.

2. The display panel of claim 1 , wherein the inorganic encapsulation layer is in direct contact with the side surface of the lower pattern.

3. The display panel of claim 1 , wherein the inorganic encapsulation layer is in direct contact with the tip of the upper pattern.

4. The display panel of claim 1 , wherein
the insulating layer is between the substrate and the upper pattern and comprises a first insulating layer, an inorganic layer and a second insulating layer in order from the substrate, and
the first insulating layer includes a sidewall which defines a through portion in the second area and spaced apart from the opening of the insulating layer, the through portion exposing a surface of the substrate to outside the first insulating layer, and
the inorganic layer of the insulating layer covers the sidewall of the first insulating layer and the surface of the substrate.

5. The display panel of claim 1 , wherein
the lower pattern comprises a plurality of sub-patterns spaced apart from each other and each including a side surface to define a plurality of side surfaces of the lower pattern, and
a side surface among the plurality of side surfaces of the plurality of sub-patterns overlaps the tip of the upper pattern.

6. The display panel of claim 1 , wherein the lower pattern comprises a conductive material.

7. The display panel of claim 1 , further comprising:
the opening in the second area exposing a surface of the substrate to outside the insulating layer, and
an insulating pattern between the surface of the substrate which is exposed at the opening, and the lower pattern,
wherein
each of the lower pattern and the insulating pattern has a width along the substrate, and
the width of the lower pattern is greater than the width of the insulating pattern.

8. The display panel of claim 7 , wherein
the width of the lower pattern being greater than the width of the insulating pattern defines a protruding portion of the lower pattern which has a protruding bottom surface exposed outside the insulating pattern, and
the inorganic encapsulation layer is in direct contact with the protruding bottom surface of the lower pattern.

9. The display panel of claim 1 , wherein
the substrate further comprises:
a central area,
the first area provided in plural including a plurality of first areas which each extend in a direction away from the central area, and
a pair of first areas among the plurality of first areas spaced apart from each other with portions of the second area therebetween, and

the portions of the second area which are between the pair of first areas, are disconnected from each other to define a separation area which is between the portions of the second area and exposes side surfaces of the substrate, the insulating layer and the upper pattern to outside the display panel.

10. The display panel of claim 9 , wherein
the lower pattern is extended along the plurality of first areas,
the side surface of the lower pattern is provided in plural including an outer side surface and an inner side surface on opposing sides of the center, and
the upper pattern comprises:
a first inorganic pattern in the second area and overlapping the outer side surface of the lower pattern, and
a second inorganic pattern in the first area and overlapping the inner side surface of the lower pattern.

11. The display panel of claim 9 , further comprising a corner wiring in the second area, and extended along the plurality of first areas,
wherein
the opening further exposes the corner wiring to outside the insulating layer, and
within the opening, the lower pattern is extended along the corner wiring.

12. A display device comprising:
a display panel; and
a cover window on the display panel,
wherein
the display panel comprises:
a central area,
a corner area bent from the central area, the corner area including a first area including a display element layer, and a second area which is adjacent to the first area;
a lower pattern in the second area, the lower pattern comprising a center and a side surface which is spaced apart from the center;
an insulating layer in the first area and the second area, the insulating layer comprising a sidewall which defines an opening in the second area which exposes the side surface of the lower pattern to outside the insulating layer;
an upper pattern on the insulating layer and defining a tip protruding further than the sidewall of the insulating layer and toward the center of the lower pattern, the tip overlapping the side surface of the lower pattern;
the display element layer on the insulating layer and comprising a first electrode, an emission layer and a second electrode in order from the upper pattern; and
an inorganic encapsulation layer on the display element layer,

wherein the inorganic encapsulation layer is in direct contact with the lower pattern.

13. The display device of claim 12 , wherein
the first area of the corner area is provided in plural including a plurality of first areas which each extend in a direction away from the central area,
a pair of first areas among the plurality of first areas are spaced apart from each other with portions of the second area therebetween, and
the portions of the second area which are between the pair of first areas are disconnected from each other to define a separation area which is between the portions of the second area and exposes side surfaces of the insulating layer and the upper pattern to outside the display panel.

14. A display panel comprising:
a substrate comprising:
a first area including a display element,
a plurality of second areas which respectively extend away from the first area and in different directions, and
a boundary respectively between the first area, and each of the plurality of second areas; and

on the substrate:
a lower pattern in the first area and extended along the boundary, the lower pattern comprising a center and a side surface which is spaced apart from the center;
an insulating layer in the first area and the second area, the insulating layer including a sidewall which defines an opening which exposes the side surface of the lower pattern to outside the insulating layer;
an upper pattern on the insulating layer and defining a tip protruding further than the sidewall of the insulating layer and toward the center of the lower pattern, the tip overlapping the side surface of the lower pattern;
the display element on the insulating layer and comprising a first electrode, an emission l

Assignees

• Samsung Display Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Kyungmin
• Park Junhyeong
• Seo Jiyeon

Classifications

• H10K50/844 Primary

  Encapsulations · CPC title

• H10K59/131

  Interconnections, e.g. wiring lines or terminals · CPC title

• H10K50/841

  Self-supporting sealing arrangements · CPC title

• H10K59/124

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

• H10K59/121

  characterised by the geometry or disposition of pixel elements · CPC title