Display apparatus

Abstract

This invention discloses a display device. The display device according to this disclosure may include a display panel comprising an active region and a non-active region surrounding the active region, a light-emitting element unit comprising a plurality of light-emitting elements disposed above the active region of the display panel, and a polarization layer disposed on a rigid reinforcement layer.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a display device, and more particularly, but not limited to, a display device whose durability can be increased. [Previous Technology]

[0002] Display devices are used in various electronic devices such as televisions, mobile phones, laptops, and tablets. Therefore, research and development of thinner, lighter, and lower-power display devices is ongoing.

[0003] Examples of display devices may include liquid crystal display (LCD) display devices, plasma display panel (PDP) display devices, field emission display (FED) devices, electro-wetting display (EWD) devices, and organic light emitting diode (OLED) display devices, etc.

[0004] In display devices used to display various information such as images, organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display devices include multiple pixel regions arranged in the active area of ​​the displayed image and organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) configured corresponding to the multiple pixel regions. Since organic light-emitting diodes are self-emissive elements that emit their own light, organic light-emitting diode display devices have advantages over liquid crystal display devices, such as faster response time, higher luminous efficiency and brightness, wider viewing angle, and better contrast and color gamut.

[0005] The description provided in the Prior Art section should not be considered prior art solely because of its reference or association in the Related Art section. The Prior Art section may include information describing one or more aspects of the subject matter art, and the description therein does not limit the invention. [Summary of the Invention]

[0006] In the prior art, an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display device may include a first substrate and a second substrate disposed facing the first substrate, with an OLED disposed on the first substrate. The OLED comprises an organic material that is easily degraded by moisture, oxygen, etc. Therefore, the first and second substrates are bonded together with a frit sealant and the frit sealant is used to surround the edge portion of the OLED display device to seal the OLED disposed inside the frit sealant in an air gap manner.

[0007] However, the inventors have recognized that when the first substrate and the second substrate are opened, the glass sealant may separate from the first or second substrate, becoming a foreign object in the display device and causing defects. In addition, since the organic light-emitting diode disposed between the first and second substrates is sealed through an air gap, it has insufficient rigidity and is easily damaged.

[0008] Therefore, an example embodiment of the present disclosure is used to provide a display device whose durability is improved by arranging an enhancement substrate at a location relatively adjacent to the active area of ​​the displayed image.

[0009] An example embodiment of this disclosure is also used to provide a display device that, by employing an adhesive member covering the entire surface of the active area, can prevent defects caused by separation between vertically overlapping layers.

[0010] An example embodiment of this disclosure is also used to provide a display device in which the rigidity of the display can be increased by arranging a reinforced surface, and the multi-layer structure for surface treatment can be omitted, thereby reducing the weight of the display device.

[0011] The objectives of one example embodiment of this disclosure are not limited to those described above. Other objectives and advantages not mentioned in this disclosure may be understood through the following description and will become clearer through example embodiments of this disclosure. Furthermore, it will be readily apparent that the objectives and advantages of this disclosure can be achieved through the means and combinations thereof described in the claims.

[0012] A display device according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure may include a display panel, a light-emitting element unit, a rigid reinforcement layer disposed on the display panel, and a polarization layer disposed on the rigid reinforcement layer, wherein the display panel includes an active area and a non-active area surrounding the active area, and the light-emitting element unit includes a plurality of light-emitting elements disposed on the active area of ​​the display panel.

[0013] Further details of the example embodiments are included in the implementation and drawings.

[0014] According to an example embodiment of the present disclosure, durability can be improved by arranging an enhancement layer at a location relatively adjacent to the active area of ​​the displayed image.

[0015] The effects of this disclosure are not limited to those mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned above will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description.

Implementation Method

[0032] The advantages and features of this disclosure and its implementation methods will become clear through reference to the embodiments described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, this disclosure is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but will be implemented in various different forms only, which are provided to complete the disclosure and fully inform those skilled in the art of the scope of this disclosure.

[0033] The shapes, dimensions, areas, proportions, angles, quantities, etc., shown in the accompanying drawings to illustrate embodiments of the present disclosure are for illustrative purposes only, and the present disclosure is not limited to these illustrative objects. The same symbols denote the same components as in the specification. Furthermore, in the description of the present disclosure, detailed descriptions of known related technologies will be omitted where such descriptions may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present disclosure. Descriptive terms such as "comprising," "having," "including," "containing," "constituting," "forming," "composed of," "formed by," and "composed of" used in this disclosure may include other components unless "only" is used. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, when a component is expressed in the singular, it includes cases where that component is provided by multiple components.

[0034] When interpreting a component, even without a separate explicit description, the component is interpreted as including the error range.

[0035] When describing positional relationships, for example, when using terms such as "above", "on top of", "above", "below", "beside", "under", "near", "adjacent", "on one side", "adjacent" to describe the positional relationship between two components, unless the terms "directly" or "directly" are used, there may be one or more other components placed between the two components.

[0036] For ease of description, this document may use spatial relative terms such as "below," "below," "under," "lower," "above," "above," etc., to describe the relationship between one element or feature and another element or feature, as shown in the figure. It should be understood that spatial relative terms, in addition to the directions shown in the figure, may also include different directions of the element in use or operation. For example, if an element is inverted in the figure, other elements or features described as "below" or "below" will be repositioned as "above." Therefore, the example term "below" can include both "below" and "above." Similarly, the example terms "above" or "above" can include both "above" and "below."

[0037] When describing time relationships, for example, when using time relationship terms such as "after", "following", "after", "before", etc., discontinuous situations may be included unless terms such as "immediately" or "directly" are used.

[0038] Although terms such as "first," "second," "A," "B," "(a)," and "(b)" are used to describe various components, these components are not limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish different components. Therefore, the first component described below may be a second component within the technical spirit of this disclosure.

[0039] Furthermore, in describing the components of this disclosure, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), (b) may be used. These terms are not used to define the nature, order, or sequence of the respective components, but only to distinguish the respective components from other components. When describing a particular structural element or layer as being "connected," "coupled," "adheded," or "joined" to another structural element or layer, it is generally interpreted that the other structural element or layer may be directly or indirectly "connected," "coupled," "adheded," or "joined" to that structural element or layer.

[0040] The term "at least one" should be understood to include any and all combinations of one or more of the related listed items. For example, "at least one of the first, second and third items" means all combinations of items consisting of two or more of the first, second and third items, as well as the first, second or third item.

[0041] As used herein, the term "device" may refer to a display device including a display panel and a driver for driving the display panel. Examples of display devices may include light-emitting devices, etc. Furthermore, examples of devices may include notebook computers, televisions, computer monitors, automotive devices, wearable devices and automotive equipment devices, as well as a set of electronic devices (or equipment) or a group of devices (or equipment), such as mobile electronic devices including smartphones or tablets. These are complete products or end products including light-emitting devices, etc., but embodiments of this disclosure are not limited thereto.

[0042] The same reference numerals usually denote the same elements throughout the specification.

[0043] The dimensions and thicknesses of each component shown in the figure are illustrated for ease of description, and this disclosure is not limited to the dimensions and thicknesses of the illustrated components.

[0044] The various exemplary embodiments of this disclosure may be partially or wholly coupled or combined, and may be interconnected and driven in various ways. These exemplary embodiments may be implemented individually or together in an association.

[0045] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein (including technical and scientific terms) shall have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the exemplary embodiments pertain. It should be further understood that such terms as those defined in common dictionaries shall be interpreted as having the same meaning as in the relevant art, and shall not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal manner unless expressly defined herein.

[0046] In various aspects of this disclosure, the source electrode and the drain electrode are distinguished from each other for ease of description. However, the source electrode and the drain electrode are used interchangeably. A source electrode can be a drain electrode, and a drain electrode can be a source electrode. Furthermore, a source electrode in any aspect of this disclosure can be a drain electrode in another aspect of this disclosure, and a drain electrode in any aspect of this disclosure can be a source electrode in another aspect of this disclosure.

[0047] Hereinafter, the display device of each example embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0048] FIG1 is a plan view schematically illustrating a portion of a display device according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG2 is a cross-sectional view showing one side of the display device of FIG1. ​​FIG3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of region 3 in FIG2. For ease of description, in FIG1, only the display panel PNL, printed circuit board 1020, flexible circuit board 1010, and integrated circuit chip 1015 disposed on the flexible circuit board 1010 (e.g., flexible printed circuit board) are shown among the various components of the display device 1000, but the components of the display device 1000 of the present disclosure are not limited thereto. At the same time, all components of each display device according to all embodiments of the present disclosure are operatively coupled and configured.

[0049] Referring to Figures 1 to 3, a display device 1000 according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure may include a display panel PNL, a cover substrate 160 disposed above the display panel PNL, and a back panel unit 180 disposed below the display panel PNL. A polarization layer 153 may be disposed between the display panel PNL and the cover substrate 160, and a protective coating 170 may be disposed between the display panel PNL and the back panel unit 180. The display panel PNL and the polarization layer 153 may be bonded through a first adhesive member 150, and the back panel unit 180 may be bonded to the protective coating 170 through a second adhesive member 173.

[0050] The display panel PNL includes a substrate 101. The substrate 101 may comprise transparent plastic or glass. In some example embodiments, the substrate 101 may be made of a flexible plastic material or a flexible polymer film. For example, the flexible polymer film can be made of any one of polyimide (PI), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer (ABS), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polycarbonate (PC), polyethersulfone (PES), polyarylate (PAR), polysulfone (PSF), cyclic olefin copolymer (COC), triacetylcellulose (TAC), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and polystyrene (PS), and this disclosure is not limited thereto. In the plan view, the substrate 101 can be a rectangular shape having a long side in a first direction and a short side in a second direction. Alternatively, the substrate 101 may be a quadrilateral shape with each corner rounded, but is not limited thereto. The first direction may be, for example, the X-axis direction or the horizontal direction of the substrate 101, while the second direction may be, for example, the Y-axis direction or the vertical direction of the substrate 101.

[0051] The display panel PNL may include an active area AA and a non-active area NAA located outside the active area AA. For example, the non-active area NAA may be located near, surround, or around the active area AA, but is not limited thereto.

[0052] Multiple subpixels P can be disposed in the active area AA of the substrate 101. Video or images can be displayed in the active area AA through the multiple subpixels P. The multiple subpixels P are the smallest units constituting the active area AA; n subpixels can form one pixel. Each of the multiple subpixels P can emit light of a different wavelength from each other. The multiple subpixels P can include first to third subpixels that emit light of different colors from each other. For example, the multiple subpixels P can include a red subpixel PR (first subpixel), a green subpixel PG (second subpixel), and a blue subpixel PB (third subpixel). Furthermore, the multiple subpixels P can also include white subpixels.

[0053] For example, multiple sub-pixels P may include red, green, and blue sub-pixels, which may be arranged in a repeating manner. Alternatively, multiple sub-pixels P may include red, green, blue, and white sub-pixels, which may be arranged in a repeating manner, or red, green, blue, and white sub-pixels may be arranged in a quad pattern. For example, red, blue, and green sub-pixels may be arranged sequentially along a horizontal column, or red, blue, green, and white sub-pixels may be arranged sequentially along a horizontal column. However, in the exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, the color type, arrangement type, and arrangement order of the sub-pixels are not limited, and can be configured in various forms according to the light-emitting characteristics, device lifespan, and device specifications.

[0054] At the same time, sub-pixels may have different light-emitting areas depending on their light-emitting characteristics. For example, a sub-pixel that emits light of a different color than the blue sub-pixel may have a different light-emitting area than the blue sub-pixel. For example, red sub-pixels, blue sub-pixels, and green sub-pixels, or red sub-pixels, blue sub-pixels, white sub-pixels, and green sub-pixels may each have different light-emitting areas.

[0055] Multiple drivers for driving multiple sub-pixels P disposed in the active area AA can be disposed in the non-active area NAA. For example, the drivers may include gate drivers, data drivers, touch drivers, and timing controllers, but are not limited thereto.

[0056] The non-active area NAA may be the area surrounding the active area AA and can be defined as an area where no video or image is displayed. For example, the non-active area NAA may include the upper edge, lower edge, left edge, and right edge of the display panel PNL. The flexible circuit board 1010 and the printed circuit board 1020 may be disposed on at least one edge of the non-active area NAA.

[0057] The integrated circuit chip 1015 may be disposed on the flexible circuit board 1010 (e.g., a flexible printed circuit board). One side of the flexible circuit board 1010 may be coupled to the substrate 101 and the other side may be coupled to the printed circuit board 1020 to provide the power supply and various signals required by the printed circuit board 1020 to the active area AA of the substrate 101. For example, the various signals may include high potential voltage, low potential voltage, scan signal, data signal, touch detection signal, etc.

[0058] The printed circuit board 1020 can supply signals to the integrated circuit chip 1015 disposed on the flexible circuit board 1010 (e.g., a flexible printed circuit board). Various components for supplying various signals to the integrated circuit chip 1015 can be disposed on the printed circuit board 1020. Although a flexible circuit board 1010 and a printed circuit board 1020 are shown in FIG. 1, this disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, multiple flexible circuit boards 1010 and multiple printed circuit boards 1020 can be disposed at one side edge of the substrate 101.

[0059] Referring to Figure 1, multiple data lines DL and multiple scan lines SL can be disposed in the active region AA of the substrate 101. Each data line DL can intersect with each scan line SL. A sub-pixel P can be defined by the intersecting data lines DL and scan lines SL, and multiple sub-pixels P can be disposed in the active region AA. For example, a sub-pixel P can be electrically connected to a gate line and a data line.

[0060] A scan line SL extends along a first direction of the substrate 101. Multiple scan lines SL can each be configured to be spaced apart from each other in a second direction intersecting the first direction. A data line DL extends along the second direction. Multiple data lines DL can each be configured to be spaced apart from each other in the first direction intersecting the second direction. The first direction can be, for example, the X-axis direction or a horizontal direction of the substrate 101, and the second direction can be, for example, the Y-axis direction or a vertical direction of the substrate 101.

[0061] Multiple sub-pixels P disposed on the active region AA can be arranged in a matrix (M*N, where M and N are natural numbers) on the active region AA of the substrate 101. A light-emitting element may be located in each sub-pixel P to emit light of different colors. For example, the light-emitting element may emit red, green, or blue light, but is not limited to these.

[0062] Referring to Figures 2 and 3, the substrate 101 may include a transistor TR, a light-emitting element unit EL, and a touch sensing unit TS for driving sub-pixels. The substrate 101 may include a first surface and a second surface facing the first surface. Circuit elements including the transistor TR may be disposed on the first surface of the substrate 101, and a protective coating 170 may be disposed on the second surface where the transistor TR is not disposed.

[0063] The transistor TR may include a gate electrode 103, a gate insulating layer 105, a semiconductor layer 107, and source / drain electrodes 111. The gate insulating layer 105 may be disposed between the gate electrode 103 and the semiconductor layer 107. Figure 3 shows that the transistor TR has a bottom gate structure, but this disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the transistor TR may have a top gate structure or a dual-gate structure.

[0064] The gate electrode 103 may be made of any one of molybdenum (Mo), aluminum (Al), chromium (Cr), gold (Au), titanium (Ti), nickel (Ni), neodymium (Nd) and copper (Cu) or their alloys to form a single layer or multiple layers.

[0065] The semiconductor layer 107 can be made of oxide semiconductor or silicon-based semiconductor materials. For example, the semiconductor layer 107 may include transparent oxide semiconductor materials such as indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO) or indium zinc oxide (IZO). Alternatively, the semiconductor layer 107 may include low-temperature grown silicon-based semiconductor materials. The semiconductor layer 107 may include a channel region and source / drain regions disposed on both sides of the channel region. The gate insulating layer 105 may be made of a single layer or multiple layers of silicon oxide (SiOx) or silicon nitride (SiNx), but is not limited thereto. For example, the gate insulating layer 105 may be formed of a single layer or multiple layers of inorganic film. For example, the single layer of inorganic film may be a silicon oxide (SiOx) film or a silicon nitride (SiNx) film, while the multiple layers of inorganic film may be formed by alternately stacking one or more layers of silicon oxide (SiOx) film, one or more layers of silicon nitride (SiNx) film and one or more layers of amorphous silicon (a-Si), but this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0066] A buffer layer containing insulating material may be provided between the substrate 101 and the gate electrode 103 to reduce or prevent moisture or impurities from penetrating through the substrate 101, and a light-shielding layer is provided to block external light from hitting the semiconductor layer 107.

[0067] A light-shielding layer may be disposed on the substrate 101. The light-shielding layer blocks light from reaching the semiconductor layer 107 of the multiple transistors to minimize leakage current. For example, the light-shielding layer is disposed below the semiconductor layer 107 of the driving transistor DT to block light from reaching the semiconductor layer 107. If light shines on the semiconductor layer 107, leakage current will be generated, degrading the reliability of the driving transistor DT. Therefore, in order to improve the reliability of the transistor, a light-shielding layer that blocks light is disposed on the substrate 101. The light-shielding layer may be made of an opaque conductive material such as copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), molybdenum (Mo), nickel (Ni), titanium (Ti), chromium (Cr), or their alloys, but is not limited thereto.

[0068] A buffer layer may be disposed on the light-shielding layer. The buffer layer can reduce the penetration of moisture or impurities through the substrate 101. For example, the buffer layer may be composed of a single layer, double layer, or multiple layers of silicon oxide (SiOx) or silicon nitride (SiNx), but is not limited thereto. For example, the buffer layer may be formed of a single layer or multiple layers of inorganic film. For example, the single layer of inorganic film may be a silicon oxide (SiOx) film or a silicon nitride (SiNx) film, while the multiple layers of inorganic film may be formed by alternately stacking one or more layers of silicon oxide (SiOx) film, one or more layers of silicon nitride (SiNx) film, and one or more layers of amorphous silicon (a-Si), but this disclosure is not limited thereto. However, depending on the type of substrate 101 or the type of driving transistor DT, the buffer layer may be omitted, but is not limited thereto.

[0069] The interlayer insulating layer 109 may be disposed on the gate electrode 103. A source / drain electrode 111 may be disposed through the interlayer insulating layer 109 and connected to the source / drain region of the semiconductor layer 107. The source / drain electrode 111 may be disposed on a portion of the top surface of the interlayer insulating layer 109.

[0070] A planarization layer 115 may be disposed on the interlayer insulating layer 109 and the source / drain electrodes 111. The planarization layer 115 may be formed of a single layer or multiple layers. The planarization layer 115 may planarize the steps caused by the lower circuit elements including the transistor TR. The planarization layer 115 may contain organic insulating materials such as acrylic resin, epoxy resin, phenolic resin, polyamide resin, or polyimide resin. However, this disclosure is not limited thereto, and the planarization layer 115 may contain any organic insulating material capable of planarizing the steps.

[0071] The planarization layer 115 may include a contact hole 117 extending through the planarization layer 115, which simultaneously exposes a portion of the surface of one of the source / drain electrodes 111 of the transistor TR. The contact hole 117 may also be referred to as a pixel contact hole.

[0072] The light-emitting element unit EL can be disposed on the planarization layer 115. The light-emitting element unit EL may include an organic light-emitting diode ED, which includes a first electrode 120, an organic light-emitting layer 123, and a second electrode 125, as well as a dam 121 having a dam hole 122. The first electrode 120 of the organic light-emitting diode ED may also be referred to as an anode or pixel electrode, while its second electrode 125 may also be referred to as a cathode or a counter electrode.

[0073] The first electrode 120 may be disposed on the planarization layer 115. For example, the first electrode 120 may extend to the contact hole 117 and contact the source / drain electrode 111 exposed on the surface by the contact hole 117. A portion of the first electrode 120 extending to the contact hole 117 may serve as a contact electrode. Therefore, the first electrode 120 may be electrically connected to the transistor TR.

[0074] The first electrode 120 may include a transparent metal oxide such as indium tin oxide (ITO) or indium zinc oxide (IZO). Alternatively, the first electrode 120 may include a single-layer or multi-layer structure of a reflective metal film made of silver (Ag), aluminum (Al), gold (Au), nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr) and their compounds, but is not limited thereto.

[0075] A dam 121 with a dam hole 122 can be disposed on the planarization layer 115. The dam 121 can separate each sub-pixel P (see FIG. 1). For this purpose, the dam 121 can cover one edge of the first electrode 120. Therefore, the dam 121 can prevent light of different colors from mixing and being output to adjacent sub-pixels. For example, the dam 121 can be configured as a black dam with high light absorption to suppress color mixing between adjacent sub-pixels. For example, the dam 121 can include an organic insulating film such as polyimide or epoxy resin, but is not limited thereto.

[0076] The embankment hole 122 may expose a portion of the first electrode 120. The exposed portion of the first electrode 120 may become a light-emitting area. An organic light-emitting layer 123 may be disposed on the first electrode 120. In one example, the organic light-emitting layer 123 may contain an organic material that emits a different color of light for each sub-pixel. For example, the organic light-emitting layer 123 may emit light of one of the colors red, green, blue, and white, but is not limited thereto. In another example, the organic light-emitting layer 123 may be made of an organic material that emits white light and may display one of the colors red, green, or blue by means of a color filter.

[0077] In one example embodiment, the organic light-emitting layer 123 may be formed to cover a portion of the surface of the first electrode 120 and one side of the embankment 121. In another example embodiment, the organic light-emitting layer 123 may extend to the entire surface of the active region AA to cover the exposed surfaces of the first electrode 120 and the embankment 121.

[0078] The organic light-emitting layer 123 may include a stacked structure, including a hole transport layer HTL, a light-emitting material layer EML, an electron transport layer ETL, a hole blocking layer HBL, a hole injection layer HIL, an electron blocking layer EBL, and an electron injection layer EIL. The light-emitting material layer EML of the organic light-emitting layer 123 can emit light through recombination of holes injected from the first electrode 120 and electrons injected from the second electrode 125.

[0079] The second electrode 125 may be disposed on the organic light-emitting layer 123. The second electrode 125 may be formed to cover the organic light-emitting layer 123. The second electrode 125 may typically be formed on multiple sub-pixels P. The second electrode 125 may include a transparent metal oxide such as indium tin oxide (ITO) or indium zinc oxide (IZO). Alternatively, the second electrode 125 may include a single-layer or multi-layer structure of a reflective metal film made of silver (Ag), aluminum (Al), gold (Au), nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr) and their compounds, but is not limited thereto.

[0080] Meanwhile, depending on the bottom light emission type or top light emission type of the display device, one of the first electrode and the second electrode may include a single layer or multiple layers of an opaque conductive material with relatively high reflectivity, while the other first electrode or the second electrode may include a transparent conductive material or a semi-transparent conductive material, but is not limited thereto.

[0081] For example, opaque conductive materials may include materials with relatively low work functions such as aluminum (Al), silver (Ag), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), molybdenum (Mo), titanium (Ti) and their alloys. For example, transparent conductive materials may include indium tin oxide (ITO) or indium zinc oxide (IZO), but this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0082] Encapsulation layers 127, 129, and 130 may be disposed on the light-emitting element unit EL. Encapsulation layers 127, 129, and 130 may protect the light-emitting element unit EL and the transistor TR from external oxygen or moisture. Encapsulation layers 127, 129, and 130 may cover the active region AA (see FIG1) and extend to the non-active region NAA (see FIG1) surrounding the active region AA. Encapsulation layers 127, 129, and 130 may include a multilayer structure of a first encapsulation layer 127, a second encapsulation layer 129, and a third encapsulation layer 130 stacked together.

[0083] The first encapsulation layer 127 may be disposed to cover the second electrode 125 of the light-emitting element unit EL. The first encapsulation layer 127 may contain an insulating material. For example, the first encapsulation layer 127 may contain at least one inorganic insulating material selected from silicon nitride (SiNx), silicon oxide (SiOx), and silicon oxynitride (SiON).

[0084] The second encapsulation layer 129 may cover the first encapsulation layer 127 and has sufficient thickness to provide a flat surface. The second encapsulation layer 129 may prevent foreign matter from permeating the light-emitting element unit EL or transistor TR. The second encapsulation layer 129 may contain an insulating material. For example, the second encapsulation layer 129 may contain at least one material selected from epoxy resin, polyimide, polyethylene, and acrylate.

[0085] The third encapsulation layer 130 may be disposed on the second encapsulation layer 129. The third encapsulation layer 130 may cover the second encapsulation layer 129 and contain an inorganic insulating material. For example, the third encapsulation layer 130 may contain at least one material selected from silicon nitride (SiNx), silicon oxide (SiOx), and silicon oxynitride (SiON).

[0086] At the same time, the encapsulation layer is not limited to three layers. For example, it can be contained in n layers (where n is an integer greater than 3) that are stacked alternately between inorganic encapsulation layers and organic encapsulation layers.

[0087] The substrate 101 may include a dam structure 126 disposed between the active region and the pad region where the pad electrode 145 is disposed. The dam structure 126 is used to prevent the second encapsulation layer 129 from overflowing into the pad region. For example, the dam structure 126 may include a vertically stacked structure in which a first dam is formed coplanarly with the planarization layer 115 and a second dam is formed coplanarly with the embankment 121. For example, the first dam may be formed of the same material as the planarization layer 115, but is not limited thereto. For example, the second dam may be formed of the same material as the embankment 121, but is not limited thereto.

[0088] The first encapsulation layer 127 may extend to the dam structure 126 portion of the display panel PNL to cover each planarization layer 115 and the sides of the dam structure 126.

[0089] The touch sensing unit TS can be disposed on the third encapsulation layer 130. The touch sensing unit TS may include a touch buffer film 133, a touch sensor disposed on the touch buffer film 133, including a plurality of touch electrodes 135 and 137, a plurality of bridging electrodes 139, a touch interlayer insulating layer 136, and a touch protective film 143.

[0090] The interlayer insulating layer 136 may be disposed between the plurality of touch electrodes 135 and 137 and the plurality of bridging electrodes 139 to insulate the plurality of touch electrodes 135 and 137 from the plurality of bridging electrodes 139. The interlayer insulating layer 136 may include a contact hole exposed on the surface of the bridging electrode 139. Among the plurality of touch electrodes 135 and 137, adjacent touch electrodes may be electrically connected through the contact hole.

[0091] The plurality of touch electrodes 135 and 137 may include a plurality of first touch electrodes 135 and a plurality of second touch electrodes 137. The plurality of first touch electrodes 135, the plurality of second touch electrodes 137, and the plurality of bridging electrodes 139 may be located on different layers. For example, the plurality of first touch electrodes 135 may be spaced apart in a first direction of the substrate 101, and the plurality of second touch electrodes 137 may be spaced apart in a second direction of the substrate 101. The second touch electrodes 137 may be disposed between the plurality of first touch electrodes 135 disposed adjacent to each other. The plurality of first touch electrodes 135 disposed adjacent to each other may be electrically connected through bridging electrodes 139 located on different layers.

[0092] Each of the plurality of touch electrodes 135 and 137 can be electrically connected to the pad electrode 145 via a plurality of touch contact lines 140 disposed outside the active area AA. The touch contact lines 140 may be configured to be coplanar with the plurality of touch electrodes 135 and 137, but are not limited thereto. The touch contact lines 140 may extend along the exposed surface of the touch interlayer insulating layer 136 and may be connected to the pad electrode 145.

[0093] The touch protective film 143 may be configured to cover a plurality of touch electrodes 135 and 137. The touch protective film 143 may include an organic insulating material.

[0094] The polarization layer 153 may be disposed above the touch protective film 143. The polarization layer 153 may suppress external light reflection and change the polarization state of the light emitted from the light-emitting element unit EL. The polarization layer 153 may be bonded to the display panel PNL through the first adhesive member 150. For example, the first adhesive member 150 may include a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA).

[0095] The cover substrate 160 may be disposed on the polarization layer 153. The cover substrate 160 may cover the display panel PNL including the substrate 101 to protect the transistors TR, light-emitting element units EL and circuit elements disposed on the substrate 101. The cover substrate 160 may also be referred to as a cover window, a window cover or a protective glass.

[0096] The cover substrate 160 may include a glass substrate. An optical adhesive member 155 may also be included between the polarization layer 153 and the cover substrate 160. The optical adhesive member 155 may include, but is not limited to, an optically clear adhesive (OCA) film.

[0097] The front surface of the cover substrate 160 can be a light-emitting surface, through which light emitted by the light-emitting element unit EL is emitted to the outside. Users can view the video or image displayed on the display panel PNL through the front surface of the cover substrate 160. The front surface of the cover substrate 160 may be provided with multiple functional layers such as an anti-fingerprint coating, an anti-reflective layer and an anti-glare layer, but is not limited to these.

[0098] The back surface of the cover substrate 160 facing the front surface can be a light incident surface into which light emitted from the light-emitting element unit EL enters. A light-shielding pattern 157 can be disposed on the back surface of the cover substrate 160. The light-shielding pattern 157 is used to prevent circuit patterns disposed in the non-active area (NAA) from being visible to the user. For example, circuit patterns disposed in the non-active area (NAA) may include metal lines, pad electrodes, integrated circuit chips, flexible circuit boards, or printed circuit boards, but are not limited to these.

[0099] For this purpose, the light-shielding pattern 157 may be located in the non-active area (NAA) and may have a closed-loop shape surrounding the four edge portions of the cover substrate 160. For example, the light-shielding pattern 157 may be provided in an area including an upper edge region, a lower edge region, a left edge region, and a right edge region. The light-shielding pattern 157 may include a thin film mixed with an opaque pigment. For example, the opaque pigment may include carbon black or titanium black, but is not limited thereto.

[0100] Referring back to Figure 2, a protective coating 170 may be disposed on the second surface of the substrate 101. During a deposition process, such as forming a transistor TR (see Figure 3) on the first surface of the substrate 101, microscopic damage may occur to the second surface. The portion of the second surface of the substrate 101 where microscopic damage remains may have lower rigidity than the undamaged portion. As a result, defects such as damage to the substrate 101 due to small impacts may occur. Therefore, the damaged portion of the second surface of the substrate 101 is removed by an etching process, and a protective coating 170 is disposed on the surface of the removed second surface. The protective coating 170 can increase the rigidity of the substrate 101. The protective coating 170 can be formed by coating an opaque insulating material. For example, the protective coating 170 may include black resin, but is not limited thereto.

[0101] The backplate unit 180 may be disposed on the second surface of the substrate 101 where the protective coating 170 is provided. The backplate unit 180 can enhance the rigidity of the substrate 101, have heat dissipation function and absorb external impact. For this purpose, the backplate unit 180 may include a multilayer structure of a second adhesive member 173, an impact absorption layer 175, a third adhesive member 177 and a heat dissipation layer 179, but is not limited thereto.

[0102] The second adhesive member 173 can attach the shock-absorbing layer 175 to the protective coating 170. The second adhesive member 173 may include a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA). The shock-absorbing layer 175 may be made of a foamed material to mitigate external impacts. For example, the shock-absorbing layer 175 may include, but is not limited to, polyurethane (PU). The shock-absorbing layer 175 can prevent the display panel PNL from being damaged by external impacts.

[0103] The heat dissipation layer 179 can be attached to the shock absorption layer 175 via the third adhesive member 177. The second adhesive member 173 may include a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA). When the light-emitting element unit EL is driven, the heat dissipation layer 179 can dissipate the heat generated inside the display panel PNL to the outside. The heat dissipation layer 179 may contain a metal material with high thermal conductivity, serving as a grounding member for circuit elements disposed on the display panel PNL. In addition, the heat dissipation layer 179 may contain a relatively hard metal material to enhance the rigidity of the display panel PNL. For example, the heat dissipation layer 179 may contain aluminum (Al), but is not limited thereto.

[0104] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the display device along line 4-4 in Figure 1. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the display device along line 5-5 in Figure 1. Furthermore, Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the display device along line 6-6 in Figure 1. In Figures 4 to 6, the display panel PNL and the back panel unit 180 are shown in a simplified manner for ease of description.

[0105] Referring to Figures 4 to 6 and Figure 1, the display device 1000 may include an active area AA and a non-active area NAA surrounding the active area AA. The non-active area NAA may be a first region dt-al, ds-al, and db-a1 between the outermost portion 160E of the covering substrate 160 and the boundary of the active area AA. The first regions dt-al, ds-al, and db-a1 of the non-active area NAA may be the first region dt-al at the upper edge of the display panel PNL (see Figure 4), the first region ds-al at the left and right edges (see Figure 5), and the first region db-a1 at the lower edge of the display panel PNL (see Figure 6).

[0106] The non-active area (NAA) may be located at a position overlapping with the visible area V / A. The visible area V / A may be an area visible to the user. The active area AA may be an area displaying video or images. A light-shielding pattern 157 surrounding the four outer edges of the cover substrate 160 may be provided to form the visible area V / A. The visible area V / A may be located between the inner end portion 157E of the light-shielding pattern 157 near the boundary of the active area AA and the boundary of the active area AA. For example, the visible area V / A may have a first separation distance dt-a2, ds-a2, and db-a2 between the inner end portion 157E of the light-shielding pattern 157 and the boundary of the active area AA. The first separation distances dt-a2, ds-a2, and db-a2 of the visible area V / A can be the first separation distance dt-a2 of the upper edge of the display panel PNL (see Figure 4), the first separation distance ds-a2 of the left and right edges of the display panel PNL (see Figure 5), and the first separation distance db-a2 of the lower edge of the display panel PNL (see Figure 6). For example, in the second direction of the substrate 101, the length of the first region dt-a1 of the upper edge of the display panel PNL is equal to the sum of the first separation distance dt-a2 of the upper edge of the display panel PNL and the length of the light-shielding pattern 157 (see Figure 4). For example, in the first direction of the substrate 101, the length of the first region ds-a1 of the left and right edges of the display panel PNL is equal to the sum of the first separation distance ds-a2 of the left and right edges of the display panel PNL and the length of the light-shielding pattern 157 (see Figure 5). For example, in the second direction of the substrate 101, the length of the first region db-a1 at the lower edge of the display panel PNL is equal to the sum of the first separation distance db-a2 at the lower edge of the display panel PNL and the length of the light-shielding pattern 157 (see FIG. 6). However, this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0107] In a display device according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure, a cover substrate 160 may be located at the top layer of the display device 1000. Since the cover substrate 160 contains glass, functional layers that have undergone surface treatment of the cover substrate 160 are required. For example, multiple functional layers with a multilayer structure, such as an anti-fingerprint coating, an anti-reflective layer, and an anti-glare layer, may be formed on the front surface of the cover substrate 160. However, forming multiple functional layers requires separate processes and increases manufacturing costs. Furthermore, foreign matter or other defects may be generated during each multilayer structure formation process. As a result, the video or image quality of the display device may be degraded.

[0108] Therefore, there is a need for a structure that can maintain the quality of the video or image of the display device while reducing manufacturing costs.

[0109] FIG7 is a cross-sectional view showing one side of the display device of FIG1 according to another example embodiment. FIG8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of region 8 in FIG7. In FIG7 and FIG8, since the same reference numerals are used for the same components as in FIG2 and FIG3, repeated descriptions will be omitted or briefly described, and different parts will be described.

[0110] Referring to Figures 7 and 8, a display device according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may have a rigid reinforcement layer 200 disposed on a display panel PNL. A polarization layer 153 may be disposed on the rigid reinforcement layer 200. The display panel PNL may include a light-emitting element unit EL and a touch sensing unit TS disposed on a substrate 101, wherein the substrate 101 is provided with a transistor TR. The light-emitting element unit EL may be sealed with an encapsulation layer, wherein the encapsulation layer includes a first encapsulation layer 127, a second encapsulation layer 129, and a third encapsulation layer 130. The touch sensing unit TS may be disposed on the encapsulation layers 127, 129, and 130. A backplane unit 180 may be disposed below the display panel PNL.

[0111] When the polarization layer 153 is disposed on the rigid reinforcement layer 200, the polarization characteristics of light passing through the rigid reinforcement layer 200 may change when passing through the polarization layer 153. Furthermore, the polarization layer 153 can prevent a decrease in visibility in the active area AA due to the reflection of external incident light by metal lines disposed on the display panel PNL. For example, the polarization layer 153 may be a quarter-wavelength retardation film, but is not limited thereto.

[0112] When external light is incident on a display device having a polarization layer 153 disposed on a rigid reinforcement layer 200 according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure, only light that matches the axis of the polarization layer 153, such as a first axis, can pass through the polarization layer 153. The first axis can be the X-axis direction. When light aligned with the first axis of the polarization layer 153 passes through the polarization layer 153, the phase of the light can change by 45 degrees and be incident on the rigid reinforcement layer 200.

[0113] Light passing through the rigid reinforcement layer 200 may be reflected from the metal lines disposed on the display panel PNL, pass through the rigid reinforcement layer 200 again, and be emitted towards the polarization layer 153. The rigid reinforcement layer 200 may include an optical layer in which no phase difference occurs during light transmission.

[0114] Light re-incidentally incident on the polarization layer 153 does not undergo any phase change as it passes through the rigid reinforcement layer 200, but due to the phase change in the polarization layer 153, it may have a second axis different from the first axis. For example, the second axis could be the Y-axis direction. Therefore, since the light along the second axis is different from the axis of the polarization layer 153, the light will not be emitted outward, thus preventing the light from becoming visible to the user in the active region AA. Therefore, a decrease in the visibility of the active region AA can be prevented. In another example, the first axis could be the Y-axis direction, while the second axis could be the X-axis direction.

[0115] Here, when the rigid reinforcement layer 200 includes an optical layer that changes the phase, the phase of the light passing through the rigid reinforcement layer 200 may change, and the phase of the light may change again in the polarization layer 153. In this case, when light aligned with the axial polarization layer 153 is emitted to the outside, the visibility of the active region AA may decrease.

[0116] Therefore, the rigid reinforcement layer 200 may include an optical layer in which no phase difference occurs during light transmission. For example, the rigid reinforcement layer 200 may include an optical layer in which no phase difference occurs during the transmission of light emitted from the light-emitting element unit EL of the display panel PNL, light incident from the outside, or reflected light from inside the display panel PNL.

[0117] When the polarization layer 153 is disposed under the rigid reinforcement layer, additional surface treatment processes may be required on the surface of the rigid reinforcement layer 200 to improve wear resistance. For example, a hard coating may be formed on the surface of the rigid reinforcement layer 200. Manufacturing costs may increase when additional surface treatment processes are performed.

[0118] Conversely, according to an example embodiment of this disclosure, when the polarization layer 153 is disposed on the rigid reinforcement layer 200, the additional surface treatment process of the rigid reinforcement layer 200 can be omitted. Therefore, the manufacturing cost of the rigid reinforcement layer 200 can be reduced.

[0119] The rigid reinforcement layer 200 may comprise tempered glass, polycarbonate (PC), or polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). The rigid reinforcement layer 200 may have a thickness ranging from 0.2T to 0.5T to ensure the rigidity of the display device. For example, the rigid reinforcement layer 200 may have a thickness ranging from 0.25T to 0.45T, but is not limited thereto.

[0120] The rigid reinforcement layer 200 can be bonded to the display device PNL via the optical bonding member 155. The optical bonding member 155 may include an optically clear adhesive film (OCA) or an optically clear adhesive resin (OCR). When an optically clear adhesive film (OCA) or an optically clear adhesive resin (OCR) is used as the optical bonding member 155, the manufacturing cost of the display device can be reduced.

[0121] One surface of the optical bonding member 155 can contact the top surface of the touch protective film 143 of the touch sensing unit TS, and the other surface can be configured to contact the back surface of the rigidity reinforcement layer 200. The rigidity reinforcement layer 200 can be attached to the entire area of ​​the display panel PNL through the optical bonding member 155, thereby increasing the rigidity of the display device.

[0122] The rigid reinforcement layer 200 may include a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface is a light incident surface into which light is emitted from the light-emitting element unit EL, and the second surface faces the first surface and is a light emitting surface that emits the incident light to the outside. For example, the first surface of the rigid reinforcement layer 200 may be located facing the light-emitting element unit EL, and the second surface may be located facing the polarization layer 153.

[0123] The light-shielding pattern 157 may be disposed on the edge portion of the first surface of the rigid reinforcement layer 200. The light-shielding pattern 157 can prevent the circuit pattern disposed on the non-active area (NAA) from being seen by the user. For example, the circuit pattern disposed on the non-active area (NAA) may include, but is not limited to, metal lines, pad electrodes, integrated circuit chips, flexible circuit boards, or printed circuit boards.

[0124] For this purpose, the light-shielding pattern 157 can be located on the non-active area (NAA) of the rigid reinforcement layer 200. The light-shielding pattern 157 can have a closed-loop shape surrounding the four sides of the first surface of the rigid reinforcement layer 200. For example, the light-shielding pattern 157 can be disposed in the upper edge region, lower edge region, left edge region, and right edge region covering the rigid reinforcement layer 200. The light-shielding pattern 157 can include a thin film mixed with an opaque pigment. For example, the opaque pigment can include carbon black or titanium black, but is not limited thereto.

[0125] The polarization layer 153 may be disposed on the second surface of the rigid reinforcement layer 200. The polarization layer 153 may be bonded to the second surface of the rigid reinforcement layer 200 through the first adhesive member 150. For example, the first adhesive member 150 may include a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA), but is not limited thereto.

[0126] According to an example embodiment of this disclosure, the rigidity reinforcement layer 200 can be disposed below the polarization layer 153. The polarization layer 153 can be disposed on the uppermost layer of the display device. Therefore, the rigidity reinforcement layer 200 can omit multi-layer structures such as anti-fingerprint coatings, anti-reflective layers, and anti-glare layers used for surface treatment. Therefore, this simplifies the manufacturing process of the display device and reduces manufacturing costs. Furthermore, omitting multiple processes for forming multi-layer structures can prevent the generation of foreign matter in each process. Therefore, the video or image quality of the display device can be maintained.

[0127] Because the rigid reinforcement layer 200 is positioned relatively close to the display panel PNL, and the polarization layer 153 protrudes further than the outermost part 200E of the rigid reinforcement layer 200, a three-sided borderless design can be achieved. Therefore, compared to display devices using bezels, a relatively larger active area AA can be provided to the user. This further enhances the user's immersion in the video or image.

[0128] Furthermore, since the rigid reinforcement layer 200 is positioned relatively close to the display panel PNL, the distance between the visible area and the active area can be reduced. The following description will be given with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0129] FIG9 is a cross-sectional view of the display device along line 9-9 in FIG1 according to another example embodiment. FIG10 is a cross-sectional view of the display device along line 10-10 in FIG1 according to another example embodiment. Furthermore, FIG11 is a cross-sectional view of the display device along line 11-11 in FIG1 according to another example embodiment. In FIG9 to FIG11, the display device PNL and the backplane unit 180 are schematically shown for ease of description.

[0130] Referring to Figures 9 to 11 and Figure 1, the display device 1000 may include an active area AA and a non-active area NAA surrounding the active area AA. The non-active area NAA may be a second region dt-b1, ds-b1, and db-b1 between the outermost portion 200E of the rigid reinforcement layer 200 and the boundary of the active area AA. The second regions dt-b1, ds-b1, and db-b1 of the non-active area NAA may be a second region dt-b1 at the upper edge of the display panel PNL (see Figure 9), a second region ds-b1 at the left and right edges of the display panel PNL (see Figure 10), and a second region db-b1 at the lower edge of the display panel PNL (see Figure 11).

[0131] The non-active area (NAA) may be located at a position overlapping with the visible area V / A. The visible area V / A may be an area visible to the user. The active area AA may be an area displaying video or images. A light-shielding pattern 157 surrounding the four outer edges of the rigid reinforcement layer 200 may be provided to form the visible area V / A. The visible area V / A may be located between the inner end portion 157E of the light-shielding pattern 157 near the boundary of the active area AA and the boundary of the active area AA. For example, the visible area V / A may have second separation distances dt-b2, ds-b2, and db-b2 between the inner end portion 157E of the light-shielding pattern 157 and the boundary of the active area AA. The second separation distances dt-b2, ds-b2, and db-b2 of the visible area V / A can be the second separation distance dt-b2 at the upper edge of the display panel PNL (see Figure 9), the second separation distance ds-b2 at the left and right edges of the display panel PNL (see Figure 10), and the second separation distance db-b2 at the lower edge of the display panel PNL (see Figure 11). For example, in the second direction of the substrate 101, the length of the second region dt-b1 at the upper edge of the display panel PNL is equal to the sum of the second separation distance dt-b2 at the upper edge of the display panel PNL and the length of the light-shielding pattern 157 (see Figure 9). For example, in the first direction of the substrate 101, the length of the second region ds-b1 at the left and right edges of the display panel PNL is equal to the sum of the second separation distance ds-b2 at the left and right edges of the display panel PNL and the length of the light-shielding pattern 157 (see Figure 10). For example, in the second direction of the substrate 101, the length of the second region db-b1 at the lower edge of the display panel PNL is equal to the sum of the second separation distance db-b2 at the lower edge of the display panel PNL and the length of the light-shielding pattern 157 (see FIG11). However, this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0132] Since the rigid reinforcement layer 200 is located relatively close to the display panel PNL, when the cover substrate 160 is located on the uppermost part of the display device, the second separation distances dt-b2, ds-b2 and db-b2 between the visible area and the active area can be reduced more than the first separation distances dt-a2, ds-a2 and db-a2 between the visible area and the active area.

[0133] Figure 12 is a diagram illustrating the viewing distance of an example embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 12(a) illustrates the viewing distance of a display device according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 12(b) illustrates the viewing distance of a display device according to another example embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0134] Referring to Figure 12, the viewing angle θ can be a viewing angle range within which there is no difference in brightness or color gamut between viewing the display device from the front of the display device and viewing the display device after moving 45 degrees from the front of the display device.

[0135] Referring to FIG12(a), the viewing angle distance VDref of a display device according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure may be the sum of a first gap G1 reached by the viewing angle θ from the inner end portion 157E of the light-shielding pattern 157 and a second gap G2 between the inner end portion 157E of the light-shielding pattern 157 and the surface of the display panel PNL. Furthermore, referring to FIG12(b), the viewing angle distance VDex of a display device according to another example embodiment of the present disclosure may be the sum of a third gap G3 reached by the viewing angle θ from the inner end portion 157E of the light-shielding pattern 157 and a fourth gap G4 between the inner end portion 157E of the light-shielding pattern 157 and the surface of the display panel PNL.

[0136] In a display device according to another example embodiment of the present disclosure, a rigid reinforcement layer 200 may be disposed below the polarization layer 153. When the distance between the light-shielding pattern 157 on the rigid reinforcement layer 200 and the display panel PNL decreases, the distance of the fourth gap G4 between the light-shielding pattern 157 and the display panel PNL may be reduced more than the second gap G2. Therefore, when the rigid reinforcement layer 200 is disposed, the second separation distance dt-b2 in the visible area V / A may be less than the first separation distance dt-a2 when the cover substrate 160 is disposed on the uppermost layer of the display device.

[0137] The rigid reinforcement layer 200 according to the exemplary embodiment of this disclosure can also be applied to a display panel PNL that does not have a touch sensing unit TS.

[0138] FIG13 is a cross-sectional view showing one side of the display device of FIG1 according to another example embodiment. In addition, FIG14 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of region 14 in FIG13. In FIG13 and FIG14, since the same components have the same reference numerals in FIG7 and FIG8, repeated descriptions will be omitted or briefly described, and different parts will be described.

[0139] Referring to Figures 13 and 14, a display device according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may have a rigid reinforcement layer 200 disposed on a display panel PNL. The display panel PNL may include light-emitting element units EL disposed on a substrate 101, wherein the substrate 101 is provided with transistors TR. The light-emitting element units EL may include organic light-emitting diodes ED, which include a first electrode 120, an organic light-emitting layer 123, and a second electrode 125, and a dam 121 having a dam hole 122. The light-emitting element units EL may be sealed with encapsulation layers 127, 129, and 130. The encapsulation layers 127, 129, and 130 may include a first encapsulation layer 127, a second encapsulation layer 129, and a third encapsulation layer 130. A backplate portion 180 may be disposed under the substrate 101 of the display device PNL to enhance the rigidity of the display device and reduce external impact. In addition, the backplate portion 180 may dissipate heat generated inside the display panel PNL to the outside.

[0140] The substrate 101 may include a dam structure 126 disposed between the active region and the pad region where the pad electrode 145 is provided. The dam structure 126 may include, for example, a structure in which a first dam formed coplanar with the interlayer insulating layer 115 and a second dam formed coplanar with the embankment 121 are stacked vertically together. The dam structure 126 may be covered by a first encapsulation layer 127 and a third encapsulation layer 130.

[0141] The rigid reinforcement layer 200 may be disposed on the third encapsulation layer 130. The rigid reinforcement layer 200 may be attached to the third encapsulation layer of the display panel PNL through the optical bonding member 155. The optical bonding member 155 may include an optically clear adhesive film (OCA) or an optically clear adhesive resin (OCR). The optical bonding member 155 may be configured such that the rigid reinforcement layer 200 contacts the entire area of ​​the display panel PNL. When the rigid reinforcement layer 200 is configured to make close contact with the entire area of ​​the display panel PNL, the rigidity of the display device can be increased.

[0142] The light-shielding pattern 157 may be disposed on the edge portion of the first surface of the rigid reinforcement layer 200. The light-shielding pattern 157 may have a closed-loop shape surrounding the four outer edge portions of the rigid reinforcement layer 200.

[0143] The polarization layer 153 may be disposed on the second surface of the rigid reinforcement layer 200, wherein the second surface faces the first surface having the light-shielding pattern 157. The polarization layer 153 may be bonded to the second surface of the rigid reinforcement layer 200 through the first adhesive member 150. For example, the first adhesive member 150 may include a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA).

[0144] Since the rigid reinforcement layer 200 is attached to the display panel PNL instead of being disposed on the top layer of the display device, and the polarization layer 153 is disposed on the top layer of the display device, the functional layer for surface treatment can be omitted. For example, the functional layer may include a multi-layer structure such as an anti-fingerprint coating, an anti-reflective layer, and an anti-glare layer, but is not limited thereto.

[0145] By omitting the functional layer used for surface treatment, the manufacturing cost of the display device can be reduced, and the occurrence of defects can be reduced or eliminated. Therefore, the video or image quality of the display device can be maintained. In addition, since the rigid reinforcement layer 200 is positioned relatively close to the display panel PNL, the distance between the visible area and the active area is reduced, which can further increase the user's immersion in the video or image.

[0146] A display device according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure may include a display panel, a light-emitting element unit, a rigid reinforcement layer disposed above the display panel, and a polarization layer disposed on the rigid reinforcement layer, wherein the display panel includes an active area and a non-active area adjacent to the active area, and the light-emitting element unit includes a plurality of light-emitting elements disposed on the active area of ​​the display panel.

[0147] The polarization layer can be configured to protrude more than the outermost part of the rigid reinforcement layer relative to the display panel.

[0148] The polarization layer can be bonded to the upper surface of the rigid reinforcement layer through an adhesive component.

[0149] In a display device according to certain example embodiments of the present disclosure, the substrate may further include a touch sensing unit disposed above the light-emitting element unit, and the touch sensing unit includes a plurality of touch electrodes.

[0150] In a display device according to certain example embodiments of the present disclosure, the display device may further include an optical bonding member that contacts the back side of the rigid reinforcement layer, and the optical bonding member is disposed in the entire area of ​​the display panel.

[0151] In a display device according to certain example embodiments of the present disclosure, the optical bonding member may include an optically transparent adhesive resin.

[0152] In a display device according to certain example embodiments of the present disclosure, the rigid reinforcement layer may comprise a material in which no phase difference occurs during light transmission, and may comprise reinforced glass, polycarbonate or polymethyl methacrylate.

[0153] In a display device according to certain example embodiments of the present disclosure, the rigid reinforcement layer may include a thickness ranging from 0.2T to 0.5T.

[0154] In a display device according to certain example embodiments of the present disclosure, the rigid reinforcement layer may include a first surface facing the light-emitting element unit and a second surface facing the first surface and the polarization layer, wherein the first surface of the rigid reinforcement layer further includes a light-shielding pattern disposed on an edge portion.

[0155] The light-blocking pattern may include a thin film mixed with opaque pigment.

[0156] Opaque pigments may include carbon black or titanium black.

[0157] In a display device according to certain example embodiments of the present disclosure, the light-shielding pattern may be located on the non-active area and include a closed-loop shape surrounding the four sides of the rigid reinforcement layer.

[0158] In a display device according to certain example embodiments of the present disclosure, a light-shielding pattern may be configured to surround the upper edge, left edge, right edge and lower edge of the display panel.

[0159] In a display device according to certain example embodiments of the present disclosure, the display device may further include a visible area located outside the active area and overlapping with the non-active area, wherein the visible area may include a separation distance between the boundary of the active area and the inner edge portion of the light-shielding pattern.

[0160] In a display device according to certain example embodiments of the present disclosure, the separation distance can be reduced when the light-shielding pattern disposed on the rigid reinforcement layer is closer to the display panel.

[0161] In a display device according to certain example embodiments of the present disclosure, the light-emitting element unit may include an organic light-emitting diode, wherein the organic light-emitting diode includes a first electrode located on the active area of ​​the display panel, an organic light-emitting layer covering the exposed portion of the first electrode, and a second electrode disposed on the organic light-emitting layer; and a dam covering one edge of the first electrode, wherein the dam includes a dam hole exposing the exposed portion of the first electrode.

[0162] According to the example embodiments of this disclosure, the rigidity and durability of the display device can be increased.

[0163] According to an example embodiment of the present disclosure, by arranging an adhesive member to cover the entire area of ​​the display panel and arranging a rigid reinforcing layer above the adhesive member, the adhesive member can be prevented from peeling off the film and becoming a foreign object as a defect.

[0164] According to an example embodiment of this disclosure, a rigidity enhancement layer that increases the rigidity of the display device can be disposed below the polarization layer disposed on the uppermost part of the display device. Therefore, since the functional layer with a multi-layer structure for surface treatment can be omitted, a lightweight display device can be achieved, thereby reducing the weight of the entire product.

[0165] The effects of this disclosure are not limited to those described above, and other effects not mentioned will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description.

[0166] Although exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, the present disclosure is not necessarily limited to these exemplary embodiments and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. Therefore, the exemplary embodiments disclosed in this disclosure are not intended to limit the spirit of the present disclosure, but are intended to describe the same situation, and the scope of the spirit of the present disclosure is not limited by these exemplary embodiments. Therefore, it should be understood that the above exemplary embodiments are illustrative rather than restrictive in all respects. [Simplified Explanation of the Diagram]

[0016] The above and other aspects, features and advantages of this disclosure will become clearer from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings:

[0017] FIG1 is a schematic plan view of a portion of a display device according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0018] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of one side of the device shown in Figure 1.

[0019] Figure 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of region 3 in Figure 2.

[0020] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the display device shown along line 4-4 in Figure 1.

[0021] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the display device shown along line 5-5 in Figure 1.

[0022] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the display device shown along line 6-6 in Figure 1.

[0023] FIG7 is a cross-sectional view of one side of the device shown in FIG1 according to another example embodiment.

[0024] Figure 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of region 8 in Figure 7.

[0025] Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of the display device along line 9-9 in Figure 1 according to another example embodiment.

[0026] FIG10 is a cross-sectional view of the display device along line 10-10 in FIG1 according to another example embodiment.

[0027] FIG11 is a cross-sectional view of the display device along line 11-11 in FIG1 according to another example embodiment.

[0028] Figure 12 is a diagram showing the viewing distance of an example embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0029] FIG13 is a cross-sectional view of one side of the device shown in FIG1 according to another example embodiment.

[0030] Figure 14 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of region 14 in Figure 13.

[0031] Throughout the accompanying drawings and detailed description, unless otherwise stated, the same reference numerals should be understood to refer to the same elements, features, and structures. For clarity, illustration, and convenience, the relative dimensions and depictions of these elements may be exaggerated.

Claims

1. A display device comprising: a display panel including an active area and a non-active area adjacent to the active area; a light-emitting element unit including a plurality of light-emitting elements disposed on the active area of ​​the display panel; a rigid reinforcement layer disposed on the display panel; and a polarization layer disposed above the rigid reinforcement layer, wherein the polarization layer is disposed on the uppermost layer of the display device.

2. The display device as described in claim 1, further comprising: An optical bonding member is disposed on the display panel; and the rigid reinforcement layer includes: an optical layer disposed on the optical bonding member and located below the polarization layer.

3. The display device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the optical bonding member is disposed over the entire area of ​​the display panel.

4. The display device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the polarization layer is configured to protrude beyond the outermost portion of the optical bonding member relative to the display panel.

5. The display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the polarization layer is bonded to the upper surface of the rigid reinforcement layer via an adhesive member.

6. The display device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the optical layer comprises a material in which no phase difference occurs when light passes through.

7. The display device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the optical layer comprises tempered glass, polycarbonate or polymethyl methacrylate.

8. The display device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the thickness of the optical layer ranges from 0.2T to 0.5T.

9. The display device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the optical layer comprises: A first surface faces the light-emitting element unit; And a second surface, relative to the first surface and facing the polarization layer.

10. The display device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the optical layer is configured to cover an upper edge portion of the non-active area of ​​the display panel.

11. The display device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the display panel further includes a touch sensing unit disposed on the light-emitting element unit and including a plurality of touch electrodes.

12. The display device as claimed in claim 11, wherein one surface of the optical adhesive member is in contact with a top surface of the touch protective film of the touch sensing unit, and another surface of the optical adhesive member is in contact with a rear surface of the optical layer.

13. The display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light-emitting element unit comprises: an organic light-emitting element including a first electrode located on the active area of ​​the display panel, an organic light-emitting layer covering an exposed portion of the first electrode, and a second electrode disposed on the organic light-emitting layer; and a dam portion covering an edge of the first electrode and including a dam portion hole exposing the exposed portion of the first electrode.

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