Display panel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021234122-A1
Application number	US-201816474051-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 4, 2018
Priority date	Sep 11, 2018
Publication date	Jul 29, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A display panel including: a substrate including an opening area and a display area surrounding the opening area; a plurality of display elements, each including a pixel electrode, an emission layer, and an opposite electrode, the plurality of display elements being located in the display area; a thin-film encapsulation layer covering the plurality of display elements and including an organic encapsulation layer and an inorganic encapsulation layer; a plurality of grooves located between the opening area and the display area, the plurality of grooves being concave in a depth direction of the substrate and having an undercut structure; and a partition wall located between neighboring grooves among the plurality of grooves.

First claim

1 . A display panel comprising:
a substrate including an opening area and a display area surrounding the opening area; a plurality of display elements, each comprising a pixel electrode, an emission layer, and an opposite electrode, the plurality of display elements being located in the display area; a thin-film encapsulation layer covering the plurality of display elements and comprising an organic encapsulation layer and an inorganic encapsulation layer; a plurality of grooves located between the opening area and the display area, the plurality of grooves being concave in a depth direction of the substrate and having an undercut structure; and a partition wall located between neighboring grooves among the plurality of grooves.

2 . The display panel of claim 1 , wherein the partition wall comprises at least one partition wall layer including an organic insulating material.

3 . The display panel of claim 2 , further comprising:
an inorganic layer interposed between the substrate and the at least one partition wall layer, wherein a top surface and a lateral surface of the inorganic layer are covered by the at least one partition wall layer.

4 . The display panel of claim 1 , further comprising:
a pixel-defining layer located in the display area, covering edges of the pixel electrode, and including an opening corresponding to the pixel electrode; and a spacer arranged on a top surface of the pixel-defining layer.

5 . The display panel of claim 4 , wherein a first height from the substrate to a top surface of the partition wall is less than a second height from the substrate to a top surface of the spacer.

6 . The display panel of claim 5 , wherein a difference between the first height and the second height is greater than or equal to 1 μm.

7 . The display panel of claim 5 , wherein the first height is greater than a third height from the substrate to the top surface of the pixel-defining layer and less than the second height.

8 . The display panel of claim 4 , wherein the pixel-defining layer and the spacer include an organic insulating material.

9 . The display panel of claim 1 , wherein a width of a bottom surface of the partition wall is less than a horizontal distance between the neighboring grooves.

10 . The display panel of claim 1 , wherein the partition wall has a ring shape surrounding the opening.

11 . A display panel comprising:
a substrate including an opening; display elements located in a display area, the display area at least partially surrounding the opening; a thin-film encapsulation layer disposed on the display elements and comprising an organic encapsulation layer and an inorganic encapsulation layer; a plurality of grooves located in a groove area between the opening and the display area; and a partition wall located in the groove area and arranged between neighboring grooves among the plurality of grooves.

12 . The display panel of claim 11 , wherein:
the substrate comprises a base layer and a barrier layer on the base layer; and each of the plurality of grooves comprises:
a first hole that passes through the barrier layer; and
a recess or a second hole that passes through the base layer.

13 . The display panel of claim 12 , wherein:
a lateral surface of the barrier layer protrudes further toward a center of the first hole than a lateral surface of the base layer; the lateral surface of the barrier layer defines the first hole; and the lateral surface of the base layer defines the recess or the second hole.

14 . The display panel of claim 11 , wherein the partition wall includes at least one partition wall layer including an organic insulating material.

15 . The display panel of claim 14 , wherein at least one inorganic layer is interposed between the substrate and the at least one partition wall layer, and a top surface and a lateral surface of the at least one inorganic layer are covered by the at least one partition wall layer.

16 . The display panel of claim 15 , wherein the at least one inorganic layer and the partition wall are located between the neighboring grooves and have a ring shape surrounding the opening.

17 . The display panel of claim 11 , further comprising:
a pixel-defining layer located in the display area, covering edges of a pixel electrode of each of the display elements, and including an opening corresponding to the pixel electrode; and a spacer arranged on a top surface of the pixel-defining layer, wherein a first height from the substrate to a top surface of the partition wall is less than a second height from the substrate to a top surface of the spacer.

18 . The display panel of claim 17 , wherein the first height is greater than a third height from the substrate to the top surface of the pixel-defining layer and less than the second height.

19 . The display panel of claim 11 , wherein a width of a bottom surface of the partition wall is less than a horizontal distance between the neighboring grooves.

20 . The display panel of claim 11 , further comprising a planarization layer located in the groove area.

Assignees

• Samsung Display Co Ltd

Inventors

• Choi Wonwoo
• Sung Wooyong
• Kim Sooyoun
• Seo Junghan
• Lee Seoyeon
• Lee Hyoungsub
• Chang Moonwon
• Chae Seunggun

Classifications

• H02J2101/28

  Wind energy · CPC title

• H02P11/04

  for controlling dynamo-electric converters having a DC output · CPC title

• H02M7/4835

  comprising two or more cells, each including a switchable capacitor, the capacitors having a nominal charge voltage which corresponds to a given fraction of the input voltage, and the capacitors being selectively connected in series to determine the instantaneous output voltage · CPC title

• H02J3/381

  Dispersed generators · CPC title

• F03D7/042

  by means of an electrical or electronic controller · CPC title