Mask assembly for thin film vapor deposition and manufacturing method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9657392-B2
Application number	US-201314096816-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 4, 2013
Priority date	Dec 10, 2012
Publication date	May 23, 2017
Grant date	May 23, 2017

Abstract

A mask assembly includes a frame for forming an opening, and a mask fixed to the frame while a tensile force is applied thereto and forming a plurality of pattern openings. The frame includes a frame main body for forming an opening, and a plurality of moving members installed to be movable in at least one direction on the frame main body. The mask is fixed to the moving members while a tensile force is applied thereto.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mask assembly comprising:
a frame comprising a frame main body forming an opening;
a plurality of moving members installed in the frame main body, each of the moving members movable in at least one direction; and
a mask disposed on the frame, a surface of the mask, on which a plurality of pattern openings are formed, facing the surface of the frame main body on which the moving members are installed, each of the moving members disposed only between the surface of the mask, on which the plurality of pattern openings are formed, and the surface of the frame main body on which the moving members are installed.

2. The mask assembly of claim 1 , wherein
the mask is extended in a first direction and a second direction crossing the first direction, and
the at least one direction is parallel to the first direction or the second direction.

3. The mask assembly of claim 2 , wherein
the frame main body comprises a pair of first straight lines that are parallel to the fist direction, and a pair of second straight lines that are parallel to the second direction, and
the moving members are provided for the pair of first straight lines and the pair of second straight lines, and moving directions and displacements of each moving member are independently controlled.

4. The mask assembly of claim 3 , wherein the moving members include:
a plurality of first moving members installed in the pair of first straight lines and sliding in the second direction; and
a plurality of second moving members installed in the pair of second straight lines and sliding in the first direction.

5. The mask assembly of claim 4 , wherein the moving members comprise a plurality of third moving members installed at a corner of the frame main body and sliding in a third direction.

6. The mask assembly of claim 5 , wherein each of the moving members comprises:
a moving controller fixed to the surface of the frame main body; and
a mask fixing unit installed on the moving controller, the mask fixing unit including a mask fixing side on which the mask is fixed, a movement of the mask fixing unit being controlled by the moving controller.

7. The mask assembly of claim 6 , wherein the moving controller includes:
a controller main body including a moving guide;
a female thread fixed to a surface of the mask fixing unit facing the frame main body; and
a control screw installed in the controller main body and combined to the female thread.

8. The mask assembly of claim 7 , wherein the mask fixing unit forms a receiver receiving the controller main body and a guide groove corresponding to the moving guide.

9. The mask assembly of claim 7 , wherein
the control screw of each of the first moving members extending parallel to the second direction,
the control screw of each of the second moving members extending parallel to the first direction, and
each of the first direction and the second direction is parallel to the surface of the mask.

10. The mask assembly of claim 7 , wherein
the control screw of each of the third moving members is parallel to the third direction, and
the third direction is parallel to the surface of the mask, the third direction being an oblique direction from the first direction.

11. The mask assembly of claim 3 , wherein each of the plurality of moving members comprises:
a mask fixing unit including a mask fixing side on which the mask is fixed; and
a first moving controller and a second moving controller disposed between the frame main body and the mask fixing unit, the first moving controller moving the mask fixing unit in the first direction, the second moving controller moving the mask fixing unit in the second direction.

12. The mask assembly of claim 11 , wherein
the first moving controller is fixed to the frame main body,
the second moving controller is provided between the first moving controller and the mask fixing unit, and
a support is provided between the first moving controller and the second moving controller.

13. The mask assembly of claim 12 , wherein
the first moving controller includes a first controller main body including a first moving guide, a first female thread fixed to a surface of the support, facing the frame main body and a first control screw installed in the first controller main body and combined with the first female thread, and
the second moving controller includes a second controller main body including a second moving guide, a second female thread fixed to a rear of the mask fixing unit, facing the frame main body, and a second control screw installed in the second controller main body and combined to the second female thread.

14. The mask assembly of claim 13 , wherein
the first control screw extending parallel to the first direction,
the second control screw extending parallel to the second direction, and
each of the first direction and the second direction is parallel to the surface of the mask.

15. The mask assembly of claim 13 , wherein
the support forms a first receiver for receiving the first controller main body, and a first guide groove corresponding to the first moving guide, and
the mask fixing unit forms a second receiver for receiving the second controller main body, and a second guide groove corresponding to the second moving guide.

16. A method for manufacturing a mask assembly, the method comprising:
providing a frame comprising a frame main body forming an opening and a plurality of moving members installed on a surface of the frame main body, each of the moving members movable in at least one direction;
fixing a mask to the moving members while a tensile force is applied to the mask; the mask dispose on the frame, a surface of the mask, on which a plurality of pattern openings are formed, facing the surface of the frame main body on which the moving members are installed, each of the moving members disposed only between the surface of the mask, on which the plurality of pattern openings are formed, and the surface of the frame main body on which the moving members are installed; and
controlling the tensile force of the mask by sliding at least one of the moving members.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein
the frame main body includes four straight lines, and
the moving members are disposed on the four straight lines, and moving directions and displacements of each moving member are independently controlled.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein if a compression force caused by the tensile force of the mask is applied to the moving members, the moving members slide in a direction in which the compression force is applied to control the tensile force of the mask.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein compression force caused by the tensile force of the mask is applied to the moving members, the moving members slide in another direction that crosses the direction in which the compression force is applied to change a position of a pattern opening formed in the mask.

Assignees

• Samsung Display Co Ltd
• Samsung Display Co Ltd

Inventors

• Han Jeong-Won

Classifications

• Y10T29/49826

  Assembling or joining · CPC title

• B05C21/005

  Masking devices (stencils B05C17/06; masking devices for which the means for applying liquids or other fluent material is spraying or is not important B05B12/20) · CPC title

• C23C14/042 Primary

  using masks · CPC title

• C23C16/042 Primary

  using masks · CPC title

• H10K71/166

  using selective deposition, e.g. using a mask · CPC title