Mask Assembly and Evaporation Coating System

Abstract

The present invention provides a mask assembly and evaporation system. The mask assembly includes a frame defining an opening region; support bars connected to the frame at both ends, positioned above the opening region, and extending along a first direction; and a first mask bar connected to a side of the support bar facing away from the opening region, extending along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The technical solution of the present invention can reduce the evaporation defect rate.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of mask technology, and in particular to a mask assembly and an evaporation system. Background Art

[0002] With the rapid development of large-scale organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display technology, the display size of OLED display panels continues to increase. Evaporation is the primary method for manufacturing large-scale OLED display panels. This method requires the use of a large-scale open mask. In related technologies, the mask sheet is prone to shifting after the stretching process, significantly increasing the evaporation defect rate. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The embodiments of the present application provide a mask assembly and an evaporation system to solve or alleviate one or more technical problems in the prior art.

[0004] As one aspect of an embodiment of the present application, the embodiment of the present application provides a mask plate assembly, including: a frame, an opening area is defined within the frame; a support bar, both ends of the support bar are respectively connected to the frame and are located above the opening area, and the support bar extends along a first direction; a first mask bar, connected to a side of the support bar facing away from the opening area, and the first mask bar extends along a second direction, wherein the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction.

[0005] In one embodiment, the mask assembly further includes: a second mask strip disposed on a side of the first mask strip facing away from the support strip, and the second mask strip extends along the first direction.

[0006] In one embodiment, along a third direction, a first gap is defined between the second mask strips and the support strips, and the first mask strips are located in the first gap, wherein the third direction is perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction.

[0007] In one embodiment, along the third direction, the size of the support strip is greater than or equal to 100 μm, the size of the second mask strip is greater than or equal to 50 μm, and the size of the first gap is greater than or equal to 100 μm.

[0008] In one embodiment, there is one second mask strip, and the orthographic projection of the second mask strip on the projection plane covers the orthographic projection of the support strip on the projection plane, wherein the projection plane is parallel to the first direction and the second direction.

[0009] In one embodiment, the mask assembly further includes: two connecting platforms, respectively connected to the end of the support bar and the corresponding end of the second mask bar, and the orthographic projection of each connecting platform on the projection plane does not overlap with the orthographic projection of the opening area on the projection plane.

[0010] In one embodiment, each connecting platform includes a first protrusion and a second protrusion connected to each other, the first protrusion is arranged at the end of the support bar, and the second protrusion is arranged at the end of the second mask bar, wherein the first protrusion and the support bar are an integral structure, and / or the second protrusion and the second mask bar are an integral structure.

[0011] In one embodiment, along the third direction, a size of the first protrusion is greater than or equal to 50 μm, and a size of the second protrusion is greater than or equal to 50 μm, wherein the third direction is perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction.

[0012] In one embodiment, a side of the first mask strip facing away from the frame is spaced apart from a surface of a side of the second mask strip facing the frame.

[0013] In one embodiment, there are multiple second mask strips, including first sub-mask strips and second sub-mask strips. The first sub-mask strips and the second sub-mask strips form a second gap in the second direction, and the support strips are located in the second gap.

[0014] In one embodiment, two ends of each second mask strip are respectively connected to the frame.

[0015] In one embodiment, a side of the first mask strip facing away from the opening region is recessed relative to a surface of a side of the second mask strip facing away from the opening region.

[0016] In one embodiment, the dimension of the frame in the first direction is greater than 1300 mm, the dimension of the frame in the second direction is greater than 1100 mm, and the length of the opening area in the first direction is greater than 1250 mm.

[0017] In one embodiment, there are multiple first mask strips, and the multiple first mask strips are spaced apart in the first direction.

[0018] As another aspect of an embodiment of the present application, an embodiment of the present application provides an evaporation system, including a mask assembly according to any of the above embodiments.

[0019] The embodiment of the present application adopts the above technical solution to reduce the evaporation defect rate.

[0020] The above summary is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to be limiting in any way. In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments and features described above, further aspects, embodiments and features of the present application will be readily apparent by reference to the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] In the accompanying drawings, unless otherwise specified, the same reference numerals throughout the multiple drawings represent the same or similar components or elements. These drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. It should be understood that these drawings only depict some embodiments disclosed in this application and should not be construed as limiting the scope of this application.

[0022] Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of a mask assembly according to a first embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0023] Figure 2 A partial top view of a mask assembly according to a first embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0024] Figure 3 A schematic structural diagram of a mask assembly according to a second embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0025] Figure 4 Shown along Figure 3 Partial cross-section along line AA;

[0026] Figure 5 Show Figure 3 A partial cross-sectional view of another state of the mask assembly shown in ;

[0027] Figure 6 A partial top view of a mask assembly according to a second embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0028] Figure 7 A schematic structural diagram of a mask assembly according to a third embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0029] Figure 8 A partial top view of a mask assembly according to a third embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0030] Figure 9 A schematic structural diagram of a mask assembly according to a fourth embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0031] Figure 10 Shown along Figure 9 Partial cross-section along the midline BB;

[0032] Figure 11 Show Figure 9 A partial cross-sectional view of another state of the mask assembly shown in ;

[0033] Figure 12 A partial top view of a mask assembly according to a fourth embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0034] Figure 13 A partial top view of a mask assembly according to a fifth embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0035] Figure 14 A schematic diagram illustrating the connection between the support strip and the second mask strip according to an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0036] Figure 15 A schematic diagram illustrating the connection between the support strip and the second mask strip according to another embodiment of the present application is shown.

[0037] Description of reference numerals:

[0038] 100: mask assembly;

[0039] 110: frame; 111: opening area; 120: support bar; 121: first gap; 130: first mask bar; 140: second mask bar; 141: first sub-mask bar; 142: second sub-mask bar; 150: connecting platform; 151: first protrusion; 152: second protrusion;

[0040] L1: first direction; L2: second direction; L3: third direction. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] Hereinafter, only certain exemplary embodiments are briefly described. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the described embodiments may be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit or scope of the present application. Therefore, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive.

[0042] With the rapid development of large-scale OLED display technology, the display size of OLED display panels continues to increase. Evaporation is the primary method for manufacturing large-scale OLED display panels. This method requires the use of a large open mask. Currently, open masks are designed according to symmetry, typically in a straight or cross shape to ensure the straightness of the mask strips and thus the correct placement of the evaporated film layer. While these straight or cross-shaped open masks can meet various size requirements, they still have limitations and cannot meet the market demand for diverse large-scale OLED displays.

[0043] In related technologies, there are usually two ways to stretch the longitudinal mask strips:

[0044] The first method involves stretching the mesh directly over the horizontal mask strips. This method causes the strips to shift. For example, under a tensile force of 50N, a 200μm thick strip will shift by approximately 800μm. Because the strips rotate under the tension, the impact on the film shadow area is far greater than 800μm, resulting in a high evaporation defect rate and failure to meet product requirements.

[0045] The second method involves adding metal rods to the frame and stretching the mesh over them. This method requires mechanical reprocessing of the Open Mask, creating slots in the frame into which the metal rods are installed. The position of the metal rods is fixed. Furthermore, if multiple metal rods are required, multiple slots must be created in the frame, reducing the overall rigidity of the Open Mask. This also easily leads to the accumulation of impurities and particles, making cleaning more difficult and prone to defects such as dark spots. Furthermore, the large width and thickness of the metal rods result in low utilization of the glass substrate.

[0046] The following combination Figures 1-15 The following describes a mask assembly 100 according to an embodiment of the first aspect of the present application.

[0047] Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a mask assembly 100 according to a first embodiment of the present application; Figure 2 FIG. 1 shows a partial top view of the mask assembly 100 according to the first embodiment of the present application. Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, the mask assembly 100 includes a frame 110 , a support bar 120 and a first mask bar 130 .

[0048] Specifically, the frame 110 defines an opening area 111. Support bars 120 are connected to the frame 110 at both ends and are positioned above the opening area 111. Support bars 120 extend along a first direction L1. First mask bars 130 are connected to a side of the support bars 120 facing away from the opening area 111. First mask bars 130 extend along a second direction L2, which is perpendicular to the first direction L1.

[0049] It should be noted that "above the opening area 111" can be understood as above the opening area 111 during the use of the mask assembly 100. "The support bar 120 is located above the opening area 111" should be understood broadly in this application, meaning that the support bar 120 is generally located above the opening area 111. During the processing of the support bar 120, the support bar 120 may sag to a certain extent. In this case, the drooped portion of the support bar 120 may be located within the opening area 111. If the sag of the support bar 120 is less than a preset value, the support bar 120 can be considered to be located above the opening area 111. For example, the preset value can be 100μm.

[0050] Exemplarily, the frame 110 can be a metal frame. During processing, a high-tension mesh support bar 120 can first be used in the first direction L1, and the two ends of the support bar 120 can be connected (for example, welded) to the side surface of the frame 110, and the sag of the middle part of the support bar 120 is less than 100μm. Then, the first mask bar 130 is meshed on the support bar 120 along the second direction L2 to act as a film mask. By meshing the first mask bar 130 on the support bar 120, compared with the method of meshing the lateral mask bar in the related art, the support bar 120 can play an effective supporting role, effectively avoid the lateral mask bar from shifting, reduce the evaporation defect rate, and thus meet product requirements. Compared with the method of adding a metal rod in the related art, the two ends of the support bar 120 can be directly connected to the side surface of the frame 110, without the need to groove the frame 110, and the setting position of the support bar 120 can be more flexible. Furthermore, the support bars 120 do not affect the overall rigidity of the mask assembly 100 and avoid the generation of impurities, particle aggregation, dark spot aggregation, etc. In addition, the width and thickness of the support bars 120 can be relatively small, thereby improving the utilization of the glass substrate.

[0051] According to the mask assembly 100 of the embodiment of the present application, by providing the above-mentioned support bar 120 and connecting the first mask bar 130 to the side of the support bar 120 away from the outlet area 111, the evaporation defect rate can be effectively reduced.

[0052] Figure 3 FIG. 1 shows a schematic structural diagram of a mask assembly 100 according to a second embodiment of the present application. Figure 3 As shown, the mask assembly 100 further includes a second mask strip 140, which is disposed on a side of the first mask strip 130 away from the support strip 120, and extends along the first direction L1. Figure 3 In the example, second mask strips 140 are the aforementioned transverse mask strips. After first mask strips 130 are stretched along second direction L2 on support strips 120, second mask strips 140 can be stretched along first direction L1 on support strips 120 or frame 110, with second mask strips 140 positioned on the side of first mask strips 130 facing away from support strips 120.

[0053] Thus, by providing the aforementioned second mask strips 140, the second mask strips 140 can effectively serve as a film mask. Furthermore, because the first mask strips 130 are connected to the support strips 120, the first mask strips 130 do not need to be stretched over the second mask strips 140. This allows for asymmetric stretching requirements, eliminating abnormal film shadow areas caused by the second mask strips 140 due to uneven stretching force. This prevents deflection caused by deformation of the second mask strips 140, effectively meeting evaporation requirements while further reducing the evaporation defect rate and meeting the requirements for stretching meshes of various sizes.

[0054] Figure 4 Shown along Figure 3 Partial cross-section along line AA; Figure 5 Show Figure 3 A partial cross-sectional view of another state of the mask assembly 100 shown in FIG. Figure 6 A partial top view of a mask assembly 100 according to a second embodiment of the present application is shown. Figure 3-Figure 6 Along the third direction L3, a first gap 121 is defined between the second mask strip 140 and the support strip 120, and the first mask strip 130 is located in the first gap 121, wherein the third direction L3 is perpendicular to the first direction L1 and the second direction L2.

[0055] Exemplarily, the first mask strip 130 may include a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion connected sequentially in the second direction L2. The first portion is connected (e.g., welded) to the support strip 120, the second portion is located outside the support strip 120 and covered by the second mask strip 140, and the third portion is located outside the second mask strip 140 and is used for film masking. When the first portion deforms or deflects in the third direction L3 due to force, the first gap 121 provides space for the first portion to deform or deflect in the third direction L3. The third portion will not deform due to the influence of the first portion, thereby ensuring the masking function of the third portion.

[0056] In this embodiment, by setting the above-mentioned first gap 121, the first gap 121 can provide a space for the first mask strip 130 to be connected to the support strip 120 in the third direction L3, and provide a deformation space for the portion where the first mask strip 130 is connected to the support strip 120 in the third direction L3, thereby preventing the portion where the first mask strip 130 is connected to the support strip 120 from lifting the second mask strip 140 due to deformation, thereby avoiding affecting the film layer masking function of the second mask strip 140.

[0057] In one embodiment, along the third direction L3, the support bars 120 have a size greater than or equal to 100 μm, the second mask bars 140 have a size greater than or equal to 50 μm, and the first gaps 121 have a size greater than or equal to 100 μm. In other words, the support bars 120 have a thickness greater than or equal to 100 μm, the second mask bars 140 have a thickness greater than or equal to 50 μm, and the first gaps 121 have a thickness greater than or equal to 100 μm. For example, the thickness of the support bars 120 can be 100 μm or 200 μm.

[0058] Therefore, by ensuring that the dimension of the support strips 120 in the third direction L3 is greater than or equal to 100 μm, the support strips 120 can provide effective support, thereby withstanding significant tensioning forces and improving the reliability of the first mask strips 130 in the tensioning of the mask on the support strips 120. By ensuring that the dimension of the second mask strips 140 in the third direction L3 is greater than or equal to 50 μm, the structural strength and reliability of the second mask strips 140 can be improved while ensuring their masking effectiveness. By ensuring that the dimension of the first gaps 121 in the third direction L3 is greater than or equal to 100 μm, the first mask strips 130 have sufficient space for welding and deformation in the third direction L3, thereby improving the structural reliability of the entire mask assembly 100.

[0059] Figure 7 FIG2 shows a schematic structural diagram of a mask assembly 100 according to a third embodiment of the present application; Figure 8 FIG. 1 shows a partial top view of a mask assembly 100 according to a third embodiment of the present application. Figure 3-Figure 8 As shown, there is one second mask strip 140 , and the orthographic projection of the second mask strip 140 on the projection plane covers the orthographic projection of the support strip 120 on the projection plane, wherein the projection plane is parallel to the first direction L1 and the second direction L2 .

[0060] For example, in Figure 3-Figure 8 In the example, the dimension of the second mask strips 140 in the second direction L2 is greater than the dimension of the support strips 120 in the second direction L2, that is, the width of the second mask strips 140 is greater than the width of the support strips 120. Both sides of the second mask strips 140 perpendicular to the second direction L2 extend beyond the first mask strips 130. In this case, both sides of the second mask strips 140 perpendicular to the second direction L2 are used for masking, allowing the second mask strips 140 to perform an effective masking function. The width of the support strips 120 and the width of the second mask strips 140 must meet the evaporation angle requirements and must not affect the coating effect on the glass substrate. That is, the width of the second mask strips 140 is greater than the sum of the width of the support strips 120 and the width affected by the evaporation angle. The width affected by the evaporation angle can be determined based on actual conditions.

[0061] Figure 141 is a schematic diagram showing the connection between the support strip 120 and the second mask strip 140 according to an embodiment of the present application; Figure 15 FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of the connection between the support strip 120 and the second mask strip 140 according to another embodiment of the present application. Figure 3 、 Figure 14 and Figure 15 As shown, the mask assembly 100 further includes two connecting platforms 150, which are respectively connected to the end of the support bar 120 and the corresponding end of the second mask bar 140, and the orthographic projection of each connecting platform 150 on the projection plane does not coincide with the orthographic projection of the opening area 111 on the projection plane. Figure 3 、 Figure 14 and Figure 15 In the example, one of the two connecting platforms 150 is connected between one end of the support bar 120 and one end of the second mask bar 140, and the other of the two connecting platforms 150 is connected between the other end of the support bar 120 and the other end of the second mask bar 140. Each connecting platform 150 is staggered with respect to the opening area 111.

[0062] Thus, by providing the aforementioned connecting platform 150, the second mask strip 140 can be welded to the support strip 120 via the connecting platform 150, and a first gap 121 can be formed between the second mask strip 140 and the support strip 120. Furthermore, the connecting platform 150 can be opposite to the frame 110, so that the frame 110 can be used to support the connecting platform 150, thereby improving the structural strength of the mask assembly 100.

[0063] In one embodiment, Figure 3 and Figure 14 As shown, each connecting platform 150 includes a first protrusion 151 and a second protrusion 152 connected to each other, the first protrusion 151 is arranged at the end of the support bar 120, and the second protrusion 152 is arranged at the end of the second mask bar 140, wherein the first protrusion 151 and the support bar 120 are an integral structure, and / or the second protrusion 152 and the second mask bar 140 are an integral structure.

[0064] For example, when the first protrusion 151 and the support bar 120 are an integral structure, the first protrusion 151 and the support bar 120 are made of the same material, and the first protrusion 151 and the support bar 120 are formed by a single process. Take the example of the support bar 120 having a thickness of 100 μm and the first protrusion 151 having a thickness of 50 μm. During processing, a support member with a thickness greater than 150 μm (for example, 200 μm) can be selected, and the area of the support member opposite to the first protrusion 151 can be thinned to 150 μm by etching or laser, and the area outside the first protrusion 151 can be thinned to 100 μm, thereby forming the support bar 120 and the first protrusion 151. When the second protrusion 152 and the second mask bar 140 are an integral structure, the second protrusion 152 and the second mask bar 140 are made of the same material, and the second protrusion 152 and the second mask bar 140 are formed by a single process. The processing of second protrusions 152 and second mask strips 140 can be similar to the processing of first protrusions 151 and support strips 120 described above, and will not be repeated here. After the first mask strips 130 are stretched, the first protrusions 151 can be welded to the corresponding second protrusions 152, thereby connecting the support strips 120 and the second mask strips 140 and forming the first gaps 121.

[0065] Therefore, by making the first protrusion 151 and the support bar 120 an integral structure, and / or the second protrusion 152 and the second mask bar 140 an integral structure, the welding process of the first protrusion 151 and the support bar 120 and / or the welding process of the second protrusion 152 and the second mask bar 140 can be omitted, thereby improving processing efficiency.

[0066] Of course, the present application is not limited thereto. In another embodiment, Figure 15 , the connecting platform 150 can also be independent of the support bar 120 and the second mask bar 140, that is, the connecting platform 150, the support bar 120, and the second mask bar 140 are separate structures. For example, the thickness of the support bar 120 is 100μm and the thickness of the connecting platform 150 is 50μm. The connecting platform 150 with a thickness of 50μm can be connected to the support bar 120 with a thickness of 100μm. Among them, the connecting platform 150 can be connected to the support bar 120 by laser welding, electroforming or other physical and chemical methods, which is not limited in this application.

[0067] In one embodiment, along the third direction L3, the size of the first protrusion 151 is greater than or equal to 50 μm, and the size of the second protrusion 152 is greater than or equal to 50 μm. This configuration creates a first gap 121 greater than or equal to 100 μm between the second mask strips 140 and the support strips 120 in the third direction L3. This provides sufficient space for welding and deformation of the first mask strips 130 in the third direction L3, thereby improving the structural reliability of the entire mask assembly 100.

[0068] In one embodiment, reference Figure 3-Figure 5 , the side of the first mask strip 130 facing away from the frame 110 and the side of the second mask strip 140 facing the frame 110 are spaced apart. Figure 3-Figure 5 In the example shown in FIG, when first mask strips 130 are unstressed, the portion of first mask strips 130 connected to support strips 120 (i.e., the first portion) is parallel to second mask strips 140. When first mask strips 130 are subjected to force, causing the first portion to deviate, the distance between the first portion and the surface of second mask strips 140 facing frame 110 gradually decreases. However, the dimension of the first portion in the third direction L3 is always smaller than the dimension of first gap 121 in the third direction L3, ensuring that the first portion is spaced apart from second mask strips 140.

[0069] In this embodiment, the first mask strips 130 can be prevented from lifting the second mask strips 140 due to contact with the second mask strips 140 , thereby ensuring the masking effect of the second mask strips 140 .

[0070] Figure 9 FIG. 2 shows a structural schematic diagram of a mask assembly 100 according to a fourth embodiment of the present application; Figure 12 FIG. 1 shows a partial top view of a mask assembly 100 according to a fourth embodiment of the present application; Figure 13 FIG. 1 shows a partial top view of a mask assembly 100 according to a fifth embodiment of the present application. Figure 9 、 Figure 12 and Figure 13 As shown, there are multiple second mask strips 140, including first sub-mask strips 141 and second sub-mask strips 142. First sub-mask strips 141 and second sub-mask strips 142 form a second gap in the second direction L2, and support strips 120 are located in the second gap. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more.

[0071] Exemplarily, each second mask strip 140 is connected to the frame 110 at both ends. During processing, support strips 120 can be first stretched on the frame 110 along the first direction L1. Then, first mask strips 130 can be stretched on the support strips 120 along the second direction L2. Finally, first sub-mask strips 141 and second sub-mask strips 142 can be stretched on the frame 110 along the first direction L1, forming a second gap between the first sub-mask strips 141 and second sub-mask strips 142 in the second direction L2, with support strips 120 positioned within the gap. At this point, the edges of the first sub-mask strips 141 facing away from the second sub-mask strips 142 and the edges of the second sub-mask strips 142 facing away from the first sub-mask strips 141 are closer to the pixel area, serving as a mask. The sum of the widths of the first sub-mask strips 141, the second sub-mask strips 142, and the second gap can be greater than the sum of the widths of the support strips 120 and the width affected by the evaporation angle.

[0072] In this embodiment, the first sub-mask strips 141 and the second sub-mask strips 142 can also play an effective masking role, thereby ensuring the evaporation yield.

[0073] Figure 10 Shown along Figure 9 Partial cross-section along the midline BB; Figure 11 Show Figure 9 FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of another state of the mask assembly 100 shown in FIG. Figures 9-11 As shown, the side of the first mask strip 130 facing away from the opening region 111 is recessed relative to the side surface of the second mask strip 140 facing away from the opening region 111 .

[0074] For example, when the first mask strips 130 are unstressed, the portion of the first mask strips 130 connected to the support strips 120 (i.e., the aforementioned first portion) is parallel to the first sub-mask strips 141 and the second sub-mask strips 142. If the first mask strips 130 are subjected to force, causing the first portion to deviate, the size of the first portion in the third direction L3 gradually increases, and the distance between the first portion and the second mask strips 140 gradually decreases. A portion of the first portion can extend through the second gap and into the space between the first sub-mask strips 141 and the second sub-mask strips 142. However, the size of the first portion in the third direction L3 is always smaller than the sum of the thickness of the first gap 121 and the thickness of the second mask strips 140, so that the first portion is recessed from the upper surface of the second mask strips 140.

[0075] In this embodiment, by making the side of the first mask strip 130 facing away from the opening area 111 concave relative to the surface of the side of the second mask strip 140 facing away from the opening area 111, the offset size of the first mask strip 130 is small, thereby ensuring the masking effect of the first mask strip 130.

[0076] In one embodiment, the size of the frame 110 in the first direction L1 is greater than 1300 mm, the size of the frame 110 in the second direction L2 is greater than 1100 mm, and the length of the opening area 111 in the first direction L1 is greater than 1250 mm. For example, the mask assembly 100 can be an organic mask assembly 100, a cathode mask assembly 100, a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) mask assembly 100, etc. The sizes of the mask assembly 100 can be G6, G8.5 Half, G8.5, G10.5 Half, G10.5, etc. For example, if the size of the mask assembly 100 is G8.5, the mask assembly 100 can be used to mask two 65-inch display panels and three 55-inch display panels.

[0077] Therefore, the mask assembly 100 has a larger size and can be used to manufacture large-size OLED display panels, thereby meeting the user's usage needs.

[0078] In one embodiment, there are multiple first mask strips 130, and the multiple first mask strips 130 are spaced apart in the first direction L1. For example, Figure 1-3 、 Figure 6 、 Figure 9 and Figure 12 1 and 2. Three first mask strips 130 are shown in FIG. 3. The second mask strips 140 and the three first mask strips 130 divide five areas, so that the mask assembly 100 can be used to mask five display panels. Figure 7 、 Figure 8 and Figure 13 1 and 2. Five first mask strips 130, 140 and five second mask strips 140 are shown to divide seven areas, so that the mask assembly 100 can be used to mask seven display panels.

[0079] Therefore, by providing a plurality of first mask strips 130 , the mask assembly 100 can be used to mask a greater number of display panels, thereby improving mask efficiency.

[0080] The evaporation system (not shown) according to the embodiment of the second aspect of the present application includes the mask assembly 100 according to any embodiment of the first aspect of the present application. The evaporation system may further include an evaporation source.

[0081] According to the evaporation system of the embodiment of the present application, by adopting the above-mentioned mask assembly 100, the evaporation defect rate can be effectively reduced.

[0082] Other components of the evaporation system in the above embodiment may adopt various technical solutions known to ordinary technicians in this field now and in the future, and will not be described in detail here.

[0083] In the description of this specification, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" and the like indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on this application.

[0084] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood to indicate or imply relative importance or to implicitly indicate the quantity of the technical features indicated. Thus, features defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features.

[0085] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, terms such as "installed," "connected," "connect," and "fixed" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they may refer to fixed connection, detachable connection, or integration; mechanical connection, electrical connection, or communication; direct connection or indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and internal communication between two components or interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in this application based on specific circumstances.

[0086] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, a first feature being "above" or "below" a second feature may include the first and second features being in direct contact, or may include the first and second features being in contact not directly but through another feature between them. Moreover, a first feature being "above," "above," and "above" a second feature includes the first feature being directly above and obliquely above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. A first feature being "below," "below," and "below" a second feature includes the first feature being directly above and obliquely above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is lower in level than the second feature.

[0087] The disclosure above provides many different embodiments or examples for realizing different structures of the present application. In order to simplify the disclosure of the present application, the components and settings of specific examples are described above. Of course, they are merely examples and are not intended to limit the present application. In addition, the present application may repeat reference numbers and / or reference letters in different examples. Such repetition is for the purpose of simplicity and clarity and does not in itself indicate the relationship between the various embodiments and / or settings discussed.

[0088] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present application, but the scope of protection of the present application is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can easily conceive of various modifications or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in this application, and such modifications or substitutions should be included in the scope of protection of the present application. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present application should be based on the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. A mask assembly, characterized in that: include: a frame, wherein an opening area is defined within the frame; a support bar, wherein both ends of the support bar are respectively connected to the frame and are located above the opening area, and the support bar extends along a first direction; a first mask strip connected to a side of the support strip facing away from the opening area, the first mask strip extending along a second direction, wherein the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction; a second mask strip, disposed on a side of the first mask strip facing away from the support strip, the second mask strip extending along the first direction; along a third direction, a first gap is defined between the second mask strip and the support strip, the first mask strip being located within the first gap, wherein the third direction is perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction; Two connecting platforms, each of which includes a first protrusion and a second protrusion connected to each other, the first protrusion is arranged at the end of the support bar, and the second protrusion is arranged at the end of the second mask bar; the side of the first mask bar facing away from the frame and the side of the second mask bar facing the frame are spaced apart; the first protrusion is welded to the corresponding second protrusion; the orthographic projection of the second mask bar on the projection plane covers the orthographic projection of the support bar on the projection plane, wherein the projection plane is parallel to the first direction and the second direction.

2. The mask assembly according to claim 1, wherein: Along the third direction, the size of the support strip is greater than or equal to 100 μm, the size of the second mask strip is greater than or equal to 50 μm, and the size of the first gap is greater than or equal to 100 μm.

3. The mask assembly according to claim 1, wherein: There is one second mask strip.

4. The mask assembly according to claim 3, wherein: Also includes: Two connecting platforms are respectively connected to the end of the support strip and the corresponding end of the second mask strip, and the orthographic projection of each connecting platform on the projection plane does not overlap with the orthographic projection of the opening area on the projection plane.

5. The mask assembly according to claim 4, wherein: The first protrusion and the support strip are an integral structure, and / or the second protrusion and the second mask strip are an integral structure.

6. The mask assembly according to claim 5, wherein: Along a third direction, a size of the first protrusion is greater than or equal to 50 μm, and a size of the second protrusion is greater than or equal to 50 μm, wherein the third direction is perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction.

7. The mask assembly according to claim 3, wherein: A side of the first mask strip facing away from the frame is spaced apart from a surface of a side of the second mask strip facing the frame.

8. The mask assembly according to claim 1, wherein: There are multiple second mask strips, including a first sub-mask strip and a second sub-mask strip. The first sub-mask strip and the second sub-mask strip form a second gap in the second direction, and the support strip is located in the second gap.

9. The mask assembly according to claim 8, wherein: Two ends of each of the second mask strips are respectively connected to the frame.

10. The mask assembly according to claim 8, wherein: A side of the first mask strip facing away from the opening area is recessed from a surface of a side of the second mask strip facing away from the opening area.

11. The mask assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein: The size of the frame in the first direction is greater than 1300 mm, the size of the frame in the second direction is greater than 1100 mm, and the length of the opening area in the first direction is greater than 1250 mm.

12. The mask assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that: There are a plurality of first mask strips, and the plurality of first mask strips are spaced apart in the first direction.

13. A vapor deposition system, characterized in that: The invention comprises a mask assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

Images