Display device

Abstract

A display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a display panel including a display area, an optical area surrounded by the display area and including a through hole, and a non-display area surrounding the display area; a cover member on the display panel; a support member disposed below the display panel; a light shielding member disposed below the support member; and an optical device inserted into the through hole, and a filling member is filled between the optical device and the cover member. Accordingly, light leakage generated through the through hole is suppressed by the light shielding member.

Description

[0001] Cross Reference to Related Applications

[0002] This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0122468, filed on September 9, 2024, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD

[0003] The present disclosure relates to a display device, and more particularly, to a display device that suppresses light leakage in a region in which a through-hole is provided. BACKGROUND

[0004] With the advent of the information age, the field of display devices that express electrical information signals in a visual manner has been rapidly developed and is continuously undergoing research to improve the performance of various display devices, such as thin thickness, light weight, and low power consumption.

[0005] Representative display devices can include a liquid crystal display device (LCD), a field emission display device (FED), an electro-wetting display device (EWD), and an organic light emitting display device (OLED).

[0006] An electroluminescent display device, represented by an organic light emitting display device, is a self-emissive display device, such that a separate light source is not required, unlike a liquid crystal display device. Accordingly, an electroluminescent display device can be manufactured to have a light weight and a small thickness. Furthermore, since an electroluminescent display device is not only advantageous in terms of power consumption due to low voltage driving, but also advantageous in terms of color implementation, response speed, viewing angle, and contrast ratio (CR), it is expected to be used in various fields. SUMMARY

[0007] An object to be achieved by the present disclosure is to provide a display device that suppresses light leakage in a region in which a through-hole is provided.

[0008] Another object to be achieved by the present disclosure is to provide a display device that suppresses the inflow of foreign matter in a region in which a through-hole is provided.

[0009] The objects of the present disclosure are not limited to the above-mentioned objects, and other objects not mentioned above will be clearly understood by persons skilled in the art from the following description.

[0010] According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a display device includes a display panel including a display area, an optical area surrounded by the display area and including a through-hole, and a non-display area surrounding the display area; a cover member on the display panel; a support member provided below the display panel; a light-blocking member provided below the support member; and an optical device inserted into the through-hole, and a filling member is filled between the optical device and the cover member.

[0011] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a display device includes a display panel including a display area, an optical area surrounded by the display area and including a through-hole, and a non-display area surrounding the display area; a cover member on the display panel; an adhesive layer joining the display panel and the cover member and including an opening overlapping the through-hole; a light-blocking member including a first portion disposed under the display panel and having a first hole disposed to overlap the through-hole, a second portion protruding from the first portion toward the through-hole under the adhesive layer and including a second hole concentric with the first hole, and a third portion connecting the first portion and the second portion; and a filling member filling the opening and side surfaces of the second portion. A width of the first hole is smaller than a width of the through-hole and larger than a width of the second hole, and the display device includes an optical device inserted into the first hole.

[0012] Further details of example embodiments include those described in the detailed description and drawings.

[0013] According to the present disclosure, in an optical area in which a through-hole is provided, a light-blocking member is provided on a side surface of the through-hole to suppress light leakage occurring through the through-hole.

[0014] According to the present disclosure, an empty space between an optical device inserted into the through-hole and the cover member is filled with a filling member to suppress foreign substances such as dust or moisture from flowing into an upper portion of the optical device through the through-hole, thereby improving reliability of the display device.

[0015] Effects according to the present disclosure are not limited to what has been exemplified above, and include more various effects in the specification. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0016] The above and other aspects, features, and other advantages of the present disclosure will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0017] Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating a display device according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0018] Figure 2 is a front view of a display device according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0019] Figure 3 is a rear view of a display device according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0020] Figure 4 is a diagram schematically illustrating a circuit configuration of a sub-pixel according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0021] Figure 5 is a perspective view taken along Figure 2 A-A' of FIG. 1;

[0022] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along Figure 2 A-A' of FIG. 1.

[0023] Figure 7 is a perspective view of a display device according to another exemplary embodiment of the disclosure; and

[0024] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of a display device according to another exemplary embodiment of the disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] Advantages and characteristics of the present disclosure and a method of achieving the advantages and characteristics will be apparent by referring to the exemplary embodiments as described below in detail and the accompanying drawings. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the exemplary embodiments disclosed herein, but will be implemented in various forms. The exemplary embodiments are provided by way of example only, so that those skilled in the art can completely understand the disclosure disclosed in the present disclosure and the scope of the present disclosure.

[0026] The shapes, sizes, ratios, angles, numbers, etc. shown in the drawings for describing the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are merely examples and the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Throughout the specification, like reference numerals generally refer to like elements. Furthermore, in the following description of the present disclosure, detailed description of known related technologies can be omitted to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the subject matter of the present disclosure. The terms such as "include," "have," and "consist of" used herein are generally intended to allow addition of other components, unless the terms are used with the term "only." Unless explicitly stated otherwise, any reference to a singular can include a plural.

[0027] Components are interpreted to include ordinary error ranges even if not explicitly stated.

[0028] When terms such as "on," "above," "below," and "next to" are used to describe a positional relationship between two parts, one or more parts can be located between the two parts, unless the terms are used with the term "immediately" or "directly."

[0029] When an element or layer is disposed "on" another element or layer, another layer or another element can be directly interposed on the other element or between them.

[0030] Although the terms "first", "second", and the like are used to describe various components, the components are not limited by these terms. The terms are used only to distinguish one component from another component. Thus, a first component mentioned below can be a second component in the technical idea of the disclosure.

[0031] Throughout the specification, like reference numerals will generally refer to like elements throughout the specification.

[0032] For ease of description, the size and thickness of each component shown in the drawings are shown, and the disclosure is not limited to the size and thickness of the components shown.

[0033] The features of various embodiments of the disclosure can be partially or wholly dependent on or combined with each other, and can be technically linked and operated in various ways, and the embodiments can be executed independently of or in association with each other.

[0034] Hereinafter, various exemplary embodiments of the disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0035] Figure 1 is a block diagram of a display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure.

[0036] Referring to Figure 1 , the display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure can include an image processor 161, a timing controller 162, a data driver 163, a scan driver 164, and a display panel PN.

[0037] The image processor 161 can output a data enable signal DE and a data signal DATA supplied from the outside.

[0038] Further, for example, the image processor 161 can output one or more of a vertical synchronization signal, a horizontal synchronization signal, and a clock signal in addition to the data enable signal DE.

[0039] The data signal DATA and a driving signal including the data enable signal DE or the vertical synchronization signal, the horizontal synchronization signal, and the clock signal can be supplied from the image processor 161 to the timing controller 162. Further, the timing controller 162 can output a gate timing control signal GDC for controlling the operation timing of the scan driver 164 and a data timing control signal DDC for controlling the operation timing of the data driver 163 based on the driving signal.

[0040] The data driver 163 samples and latches the data signal DATA supplied from the timing controller 162 in response to a data timing control signal DDC supplied from the timing controller 162 to convert the data signal into a gamma reference voltage and output the converted gamma reference voltage. The data driver 163 can output the data signal DATA through data lines DL1 to DLn. The data driver 163 can be formed as an integrated circuit (IC).

[0041] Further, the scan driver 164 can output a scan signal in response to a gate timing control signal GDC supplied from the timing controller 162. The scan driver 164 can output the scan signal through gate lines GL1 to GLm. The scan driver 164 can be formed as an integrated circuit (IC) or in a gate-in-panel (GIP) manner in the display panel PN.

[0042] The display panel PN can display an image in response to the data signal DATA and the scan signal supplied from the data driver 163 and the scan driver 164.

[0043] The display panel PN can include a sub-pixel SP that displays an image. It will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6. Figure 2 and Figure 3 The display panel PN is described in detail.

[0044] For example, the sub-pixel SP can include a red sub-pixel, a green sub-pixel, and a blue sub-pixel, or include a white sub-pixel, a red sub-pixel, a green sub-pixel, and a blue sub-pixel. The sub-pixel SP can have one or more different light emitting regions according to a light emitting characteristic.

[0045] Figure 2 FIG. 1 is a front view of a display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 3 FIG. 2 is a rear view of a display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. For convenience of description, only the display panel PN, the flexible circuit film FF, and the printed circuit board PCB among various components of the display device 100 are illustrated in FIG. 2. Figure 2 and Figure 3 In FIGS. 1 and 2, only the display panel PN, the flexible circuit film FF, and the printed circuit board PCB among various components of the display device 100 are illustrated.

[0046] The display panel PN can include a display area AA, an optical area OA surrounded by the display area AA and including a through hole TH, and a non-display area NA surrounding the display area AA.

[0047] The display area AA is an area in the display panel PN in which a plurality of pixels are disposed to substantially display an image.

[0048] A pixel may include multiple subpixels SP. In a display area AA, multiple subpixels SP and circuitry for driving them can be provided. The multiple subpixels SP are the smallest units constituting the display area AA, and each subpixel SP can be configured to emit light of a specific wavelength. For example, each of the subpixels SP can be configured to emit red, green, blue, or white light. A display element can be provided in each of the multiple subpixels SP. For example, an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) including an anode, a light-emitting layer, and a cathode can be provided in each of the multiple subpixels SP, but this is not a limitation. Furthermore, the circuitry for driving the multiple subpixels SP can include driving elements and wiring. For example, the circuitry can consist of thin-film transistors, storage capacitors, gate lines, and data lines, but this is not a limitation.

[0049] The optical area OA is the region within the display area AA that is surrounded by the display area AA and contains a through-hole TH. In the display panel PN, the through-hole TH is located within the display area AA to reduce the bezel area, which is the non-display area NA, and to maximize the display area AA. Products with a design that maximizes the user's screen immersion are aesthetically preferred.

[0050] The through-hole TH can be configured to correspond to an optical device. The optical device can be a means of receiving light passing through the display panel PN to perform a predetermined function based on the received light. Therefore, the optical device can be configured to overlap with the through-hole TH of the display panel PN. The optical device can be, for example, a camera or various sensors, but is not limited to these, and can include all means of performing a predetermined function based on light. Simultaneously, the optical device is disposed below the display panel PN, making it invisible to the user. For example, when the optical device is a camera, the camera is disposed on the rear surface of the display panel PN and captures objects in front of the display device 100 rather than objects behind the display device 100.

[0051] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, a single through-hole TH can be provided, but it is not limited to this, and various numbers of through-holes can be provided. For example, one or two through-holes can be provided in the display area AA, such that the camera device is placed in the first hole, and the distance sensing sensor or face recognition sensor and the wide-angle camera device can be placed in the second hole.

[0052] In the non-display region NA, an image is not substantially displayed, and various wirings and circuits for driving the display elements of the display region AA are provided. The non-display region NA can be an area extending from the display region AA, but is not limited thereto, and can be an area surrounding the display region AA. For example, in the non-display region NA, a connection line that transmits a signal to a plurality of sub-pixels and circuits of the display region AA, a gate-in-panel (GIP) line, or a driving IC such as a gate driver or a data driver can be provided. Further, a pad unit for connection with a flexible circuit film can be provided on one side portion of the non-display region NA. The pad unit can be composed of a plurality of pad electrodes.

[0053] Referring to Figure 3 , a flexible circuit film FF is attached on a rear surface of the display panel PN. The flexible circuit film FF transmits various signals from a printed circuit board PCB to the display panel PN. At this time, in the flexible circuit film FF, a driving circuit (for example, an IC chip) can be mounted. The driving circuit generates a data signal or a gate signal corresponding to driving power or various signals transmitted from the printed circuit board PCB, and supplies the data signal or the gate signal to a thin film transistor formed on the display panel PN. To this end, the driving circuit can include both a data driver that generates a data signal and a gate driver that generates a scan signal, or the data driver and the gate driver can be separated from each other. For example, the flexible circuit film FF and the printed circuit board PCB can be fixed to the rear surface of the display panel PN by a tape. Thus, as seen from the top of the display panel PN, circuit elements such as the driving circuit and the printed circuit board PCB can not be visible. Accordingly, the size of the non-display region NA visible from the top of the display device 100 is reduced to achieve a narrow bezel.

[0054] A printed circuit board PCB is attached to the flexible circuit film FF. The printed circuit board PCB transmits various signals to the thin film transistor formed on the display panel PN. For example, a signal line that transmits various signals such as a driving signal, a control signal, and a data signal is formed in the printed circuit board PCB. Even though not shown, an optical device can be provided in an area on the printed circuit board PCB corresponding to the through hole TH of the display panel PN, and the optical device provided on the printed circuit board PCB can be inserted into the through hole TH of the display panel PN. Meanwhile, the printed circuit board PCB can be referred to as a source printed circuit board S-PCB in which a data driver is mounted.

[0055] The display device 100 may also include various additional components for generating various signals or driving pixels in the display area AA. Additional components for driving pixels may include inverter circuits, multiplexers, or electrostatic discharge (ESD) circuits. The display device 100 may also include additional components associated with functions other than driving pixels. For example, the display device 100 may also include additional components providing touch sensing functions, user authentication functions (e.g., fingerprint recognition), multi-level pressure sensing functions, or haptic feedback functions. The aforementioned additional components may be located in external circuitry connected to the non-display area NA and / or connection interfaces.

[0056] Figure 4 This is a diagram schematically illustrating the circuit configuration of a subpixel according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0057] Reference Figure 4 A sub-pixel may include a switching thin-film transistor SW, a driving thin-film transistor DT, a capacitor Cst, a compensation circuit CC, and an organic light-emitting diode ED.

[0058] For example, the switching thin-film transistor SW can perform a switching operation in response to a scan signal supplied through the first gate line GL1, such that a data signal supplied through the first data line DL1 is stored as a data voltage in the capacitor Cst. Furthermore, for example, the driving thin-film transistor DT operates according to the data voltage stored in the capacitor Cst to cause a drive current to flow between the first power line EVDD (high potential voltage) and the second power line EVSS (low potential voltage). Additionally, the organic light-emitting diode ED can operate to emit light according to the drive current generated by the driving thin-film transistor DT.

[0059] The compensation circuit CC is a circuit added to the sub-pixel to compensate for the threshold voltage of the driving transistor DT. The compensation circuit CC can be configured with one or more thin-film transistors. The configuration of the compensation circuit CC can vary depending on the external compensation method.

[0060] Figure 4 The sub-pixel shown is configured with a 2T (transistor) 1C (capacitor) structure, which includes a switching thin-film transistor ST, a driving thin-film transistor DT, and a capacitor C. st And light-emitting diodes (EDs). When a compensation circuit (CC) is added, the sub-pixels can be configured in various forms such as 3T1C, 4T2C, 5T2C, 6T1C, 6T2C, 7T1C, and 7T2C.

[0061] In the following text, reference will be made to Figure 5 and Figure 6 The display device 100 will be described in more detail.

[0062] Figure 5 It is along Figure 2 A perspective view taken from A-A'. Figure 6 It is along Figure 2 The cross-sectional view taken from A-A'.

[0063] Reference Figure 5 and Figure 6 The display device 100 may include a cover member 120, a polarizing layer 110, a display panel PN, a support member 130, a light-shielding member 140, a filling member 150, an adhesive layer ADH1, and an optical device CAM.

[0064] First, the display panel PN may include a flexible substrate, thin-film transistors (TFTs), and light-emitting diodes (LEDs). In the display panel PN, the flexible substrate on which the TFTs and LEDs are formed can be encapsulated by a packaging unit. The display panel PN includes a flexible substrate with a small thickness and light-emitting elements disposed on the flexible substrate to achieve flexibility.

[0065] The flexible substrate supports the various components that make up the display panel PN. The flexible substrate can be formed from an insulating material with a very small thickness to achieve flexibility. For example, the flexible substrate can be an insulating plastic substrate selected from polyimide, polyethersulfone, polyethylene terephthalate, and polycarbonate, but is not limited to these.

[0066] A driving thin-film transistor (TFT) for driving a light-emitting diode (LED) can be disposed on a flexible substrate. The TFT can be disposed in each of a plurality of sub-pixels (SPs). For example, the TFT includes a gate electrode, an active layer, a source electrode, and a drain electrode. The TFT may also include a gate insulating layer that insulates the gate electrode from the active layer, and an interlayer insulating layer that insulates the gate electrode from the source and drain electrodes.

[0067] Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) can be disposed on a substrate on which driving thin-film transistors are disposed. For example, when the display panel PN is an organic light-emitting display panel, the display element can be an organic light-emitting diode including an anode, a light-emitting layer, and a cathode. For example, when the display panel PN is a liquid crystal display panel, the display element can be a liquid crystal display element.

[0068] A cover member 120 may be disposed on the display panel PN. The cover member 120 has a shape corresponding to the display panel PN and is configured to cover the display panel PN. The cover member 120 can protect the display panel PN from external impacts, moisture, heat, and scratches. The cover member 120 may be, for example, tempered glass, but is not limited to this, and may also be a foldable cover based on flexible plastic for the sake of the small thickness and flexibility of the display device 100.

[0069] Furthermore, the cover member 120 may have a multi-layer structure in which various functional layers are stacked. For example, the cover member 120 may include various functional layers, such as an external light reflection reduction layer, a UV blocking layer, or a hard coating layer. In addition, a touch panel forming a touch sensor may be optionally disposed between the display panel PN and the cover member 120 as needed.

[0070] The support member 130 may be disposed below the display panel PN. The support member 130 supports the display panel PN and protects it from external moisture, heat, and impact. For example, the support member 130 may also be referred to as a backplate. The support member 130 suppresses curling and static electricity in the display device 100 and is formed of a transparent organic insulating material to allow inspection of the appearance of the rear surface of the display device 100. For example, the support member 130 may be formed of plastic materials such as polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polycarbonate (PC), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), acrylonitrile butadiene-styrene (ABS), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), silicone, or polyurethane (PU), but is not limited thereto.

[0071] A polarizing layer 110 may be disposed between the display panel PN and the cover member 120. The polarizing layer 110 is a layer for polarizing incident light and is a film with a predetermined level of transmittance to absorb external light and its reflected light to suppress contrast degradation. Specifically, the display panel PN comprises various metallic materials used in semiconductor elements, wiring, and organic light-emitting diodes. Therefore, external light incident on the display panel PN can be reflected from the metallic material, potentially reducing the visibility of the display device 100 due to the reflection of external light. Therefore, the polarizing layer 110 is configured to suppress the reflection of external light, thereby improving the outdoor visibility of the display device 100.

[0072] An adhesive layer ADH1, including an opening overlapping the through-hole TH, is disposed between the polarizing layer 110 and the cover member 120 to fix the polarizing layer 110 and the cover member 120 to each other. For example, the width of the opening may be the same as the width of the through-hole TH.

[0073] The adhesive layer ADH1 minimizes foreign matter or air bubbles generated between the polarizing layer 110 and the cover member 120, and uses an optically transparent adhesive, such as optically transparent adhesive (OCA) or optically transparent resin (OCR), but is not limited thereto.

[0074] Reference Figure 5 and Figure 6 The display panel PN may include a through-hole TH surrounded by the display area AA. In this case, the through-hole TH is not only provided in the display panel PN, but also extends from the display panel PN to the support member 130 and the polarizing layer 110.

[0075] In a display device 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, an optical device CAM can be inserted into a through-hole TH.

[0076] However, considering the tolerances during assembly, a clearance tolerance exists between the through-hole and the optical device. In the prior art, the sidewalls of the display panel, polarizing layer, and support members are exposed through the through-hole due to this clearance tolerance, and light leakage occurs through the top of the display panel. This light leakage is recognized as a viewing angle by the optical device, thereby reducing the capture quality of the optical device and degrading display performance.

[0077] Therefore, in the display device 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a light-shielding member 140 is provided below the support member 130 to reduce the distance of the clearance tolerance between the through-hole TH and the optical device CAM. Furthermore, the light-shielding member 140 suppresses the exposure of the display panel PN, the polarizing layer 110, and the sidewalls of the support member 130 through the through-hole TH. Thus, light leakage from the side surface of the through-hole TH is suppressed, thereby improving display performance and display quality.

[0078] The light-shielding member 140 is configured to overlap with the through-hole TH and includes a first hole H1 and a second hole H2 having a width smaller than that of the through-hole TH. Specifically, the light-shielding member 140 includes a first portion P1, a second portion P2, and a third portion P3. The first portion P1 is disposed below the support member 130 and has the first hole H1. The second portion P2 protrudes from the side surface of the polarizing layer 110 toward the central axis of the through-hole TH and has a second hole H2 concentric with the first hole H1. The third portion P3 connects the first portion P1 and the second portion P2. In this case, the first hole H1 is wider than the second hole H2. For example, the width of the first hole H1 is greater than the width of the optical device CAM, and the width of the second hole H2 is smaller than the width of the optical device CAM.

[0079] Therefore, the optical device CAM is located inside the first hole H1 and is not inserted into the second hole H2. Thus, the optical device CAM is stably secured to the first hole H1. Furthermore, the optical device CAM is configured to overlap at least a portion of the second portion P2 of the light-shielding member 140. That is, in front of the display device 100, the clearance tolerance between the through hole TH and the optical device CAM is blocked by the protruding second portion P2 of the light-shielding member 140. Therefore, the sidewall of the through hole TH is blocked by the light-shielding member 140 to suppress light leakage through the sidewall of the through hole TH.

[0080] In addition, the light-shielding member 140 also protects the support member 130 from external impacts that may be applied during the manufacturing process of the display device.

[0081] Furthermore, the light-shielding member 140 also serves as a heat sink to dissipate heat generated in the display panel PN to the outside. The light-shielding member 140 can be formed of stainless steel (SUS), stainless steel (SUS) containing other metals such as nickel (Ni), or a metallic material such as iron (Fe), aluminum (Al), or magnesium (Mg). Moreover, the light-shielding member 140 is formed in the form of a tape to be configured as a light-shielding tape. Desiredly, a metallic material such as aluminum (Al) can be used as the light-shielding member 140. For example, aluminum (Al) performs both heat dissipation and reflection functions, not only dissipating heat generated in the display panel PN to the outside but also suppressing light leakage on the sidewalls of the via TH.

[0082] The display panel PN, support member 130, and polarizing layer 110 are spaced apart from the light-shielding member 140 and located outside the third portion P3 of the light-shielding member 140. For example, a clearance tolerance may exist between the display panel PN, support member 130, and polarizing layer 110 and the third portion P3 of the light-shielding member 140, taking into account tolerances during assembly.

[0083] Meanwhile, when there is an empty space between the optical device and the cover member, the optical device exhibits excellent transmittance, but there are problems with the display quality deterioration caused by foreign objects such as dust or air bubbles entering through the through-hole, such as smearing or blurring.

[0084] Therefore, in the display device 100 of the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the empty space between the optical device CAM and the cover member 120 can be filled with the filling member 150.

[0085] The filler 150 may be an optically transparent material, and specifically the filler 150 may include, but is not limited to, an optically transparent resin (OCR), and may include an optically transparent and curable material.

[0086] The empty space between the optical device CAM and the cover member 120 is filled with a filling member 150 to prevent foreign objects such as dust or moisture from entering the top of the optical device CAM through the through-hole TH. Therefore, foreign objects or air bubbles (air gaps) above the optical device CAM are suppressed, improving the reliability of the display device 100. Furthermore, moisture penetration above the optical device CAM is suppressed, further improving the reliability of the display device 100. In addition, optically transparent resin is used as the filling member 150 to maintain the transmittance above the optical device CAM, thereby improving the display quality of the display device 100.

[0087] For example, the filling member 150 may contact the side surface and top surface of the second portion P2 of the light-shielding member 140 adjacent to the through-hole TH. Furthermore, even if not shown, the filling member 150 may fill the gap tolerance between the display panel PN, the support member 130, and the polarizing layer 110 and the third portion P3 of the light-shielding member 140, but is not limited thereto. Therefore, the filling member 150 may also be disposed only between the upper part of the optical device CAM and the cover member 120.

[0088] According to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, a light-shielding member 140 is disposed below the support member 130, such that the sidewalls of the through-hole TH are blocked by the light-shielding member 140 to suppress light leakage on the sidewalls of the through-hole TH. Furthermore, the empty space between the optical device CAM and the cover member 120 is filled with a filling member 150 to prevent foreign matter such as dust or moisture from entering the top of the optical device CAM through the through-hole TH, thereby suppressing foreign matter or air bubbles. Therefore, according to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, the quality and reliability of the display device 100 can be improved.

[0089] Figure 7 This is a perspective view of a display device according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 8 This is a cross-sectional view of a display device according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 7 and Figure 8 In addition to the adhesive layer and filler components, Figures 1 to 6 They are essentially the same. Therefore, for ease of explanation, redundant descriptions will be omitted except for the adhesive layer and filler components.

[0090] Reference Figure 7 and Figure 8 In another exemplary embodiment of the display device 200 according to the present disclosure, the adhesive layer ADH2 protrudes toward the through hole TH such that one end of the adhesive layer ADH2 protruding toward the through hole TH is on the same line as one end of the second portion P2 of the light-shielding member 140 near the central axis of the through hole TH.

[0091] In another exemplary embodiment of the display device 200 according to the present disclosure, the empty space between the optical device CAM and the cover member 120 is filled with a filling member 250.

[0092] At this time, the side surface of the second portion P2 of the light-shielding member 140 and the side surface of the adhesive layer ADH2 are on the same line. Therefore, when the filler member 250 is applied, the filler member 250 is configured to contact the side surface of the adhesive layer ADH2 and the side surface of the second portion P2 of the light-shielding member 140 adjacent to the through hole TH.

[0093] Therefore, the empty space between the optical device CAM and the cover member 120 is filled with a filling member 250 to prevent foreign objects such as dust or moisture from entering the top of the optical device CAM through the through-hole TH. This improves the reliability of the display device 200. Furthermore, the use of optically transparent resin as the filling member 250 maintains the transmittance above the optical device CAM, thereby improving the display quality of the display device 100.

[0094] Furthermore, the side surface of the second portion P2 of the light-shielding member 140 and the side surface of the adhesive layer ADH2 are on the same line. Therefore, when applying the filler member 250, the filler member 250 is not filled within the gap tolerance between the display panel PN, the support member 130, and the polarizing layer 110 and the third portion P3 of the light-shielding member 140. Therefore, the height of the filler member 250 above the optical device CAM can be uniformly set.

[0095] For example, when filling the gap tolerance between the display panel, support member, and polarizing layer and light-shielding member with filler material, the following problem exists: the processing cost increases because excessive filler material is applied to take into account the amount of flow gap tolerance.

[0096] However, in another exemplary embodiment of the display device 200 according to this disclosure, the adhesive layer ADH2 extends to be disposed on the same line as the side surface of the second portion P2 of the light-shielding member 140. Therefore, the filler member 250 is not filled in the gap tolerance between the display panel PN, the support member 130, and the polarizing layer 110 and the third portion P3 of the light-shielding member 140. Therefore, the amount of filler member 250 applied is precisely controlled to set a uniform height of the filler member 250 above the optical device CAM. Therefore, a display device 200 with further improved display quality is provided, and processing costs are also reduced.

[0097] Exemplary embodiments of this disclosure can also be described as follows:

[0098] According to one aspect of this disclosure, a display device includes: a display panel including a display area, an optical area surrounded by the display area and including a through hole, and a non-display area surrounding the display area; a cover member on the display panel; a support member disposed below the display panel; a light-shielding member disposed below the support member; and an optical device inserted into the through hole, with a filler member filling the space between the optical device and the cover member.

[0099] The display device may further include: a polarizing layer disposed between the display panel and the cover member; and an adhesive layer disposed between the polarizing layer and the cover member and including an opening overlapping a through-hole, wherein the through-hole of the display panel may be configured to extend to the support member and the polarizing layer.

[0100] The light-shielding member may include: a first portion disposed below the support member and including a first hole configured to overlap with the through hole; a second portion protruding from the side surface of the polarizing layer toward the through hole and including a second hole concentric with the first hole; and a third portion connecting the first portion and the second portion.

[0101] The width of the first hole can be less than the width of the through hole and greater than the width of the second hole.

[0102] The width of the opening is equal to the width of the through hole, and the filling member can be configured to contact the side surface of the second part and the top surface of the second part of the light-shielding member adjacent to the through hole.

[0103] The adhesive layer may protrude toward the through hole, such that one end of the adhesive layer facing the through hole is on the same line as one end of the second part of the light-shielding member near the central axis of the through hole.

[0104] The width of the opening can be smaller than the width of the through hole, and the filling member can contact the side surface of the adhesive layer and the side surface of the second part of the light-shielding member adjacent to the through hole.

[0105] The display panel, support member, and polarizing layer can be spaced apart from the third part of the light-shielding member and can be located outside the third part.

[0106] The light-shielding component can be formed from metal materials or light-shielding strips.

[0107] The filling component may include an optically transparent resin.

[0108] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a display device includes: a display panel including a display area, an optical area surrounded by the display area and including a through-hole, and a non-display area surrounding the display area; a cover member on the display panel; an adhesive layer that bonds the display panel and the cover member and includes an opening overlapping the through-hole; a light-shielding member including: a first portion disposed below the display panel and having a first hole configured to overlap the through-hole; a second portion protruding below the adhesive layer toward the through-hole and including a second hole concentric with the first hole; and a third portion connecting the first portion and the second portion; and a filling member that fills the side surfaces of the opening and the second portion, wherein the width of the first hole is less than the width of the through-hole and greater than the width of the second hole, and the display device includes an optical device inserted into the first hole.

[0109] The display device may further include: a polarizing layer between the display panel and the adhesive layer; and a support member between the display panel and the first portion, wherein the through-hole of the display panel may be configured to extend to the support member and the polarizing layer.

[0110] The filling component may include an optically transparent resin.

[0111] The width of the opening and the width of the through hole can be equal to each other.

[0112] The width of the opening and the width of the second hole can be equal to each other.

[0113] Although exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, the present disclosure is not limited thereto and may be embodied in many different forms without departing from the technical concept of the present disclosure. Therefore, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the technical concept of the present disclosure. The scope of the technical concept of the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Therefore, it should be understood that the above exemplary embodiments are illustrative in all respects and do not limit the present disclosure. The scope of protection of the present disclosure should be understood based on the appended claims, and all technical concepts within their equivalents should be understood to fall within the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A display device comprising: a display panel including a display area, an optical area surrounded by the display area and including a through-hole, and a non-display area surrounding the display area; a cover member over the display panel; a support member provided below the display panel; a light-blocking member provided below the support member; and an optical device inserted into the through-hole, wherein a filling member is filled between the optical device and the cover member.

2. The display device according to claim 1, further comprising: a polarization layer provided between the display panel and the cover member; and an adhesive layer provided between the polarization layer and the cover member and including an opening overlapping the through-hole; wherein the through-hole of the display panel is provided to extend to the support member and the polarization layer. the light-blocking member includes a first portion provided below the support member and including a first hole provided to overlap the through-hole, a second portion protruding from a side surface of the polarization layer toward the through-hole and including a second hole concentric with the first hole, and a third portion connecting the first portion and the second portion.

3. The display device of claim 2, wherein, a width of the first hole is smaller than a width of the through-hole and larger than a width of the second hole.

4. The display device according to claim 3, wherein a width of the opening is equal to the width of the through-hole, and the filling member is provided to be in contact with a side surface of the second portion of the light-blocking member adjacent to the through-hole and a top surface of the second portion.

5. The display device according to claim 3, wherein the width of the opening and the width of the second hole are equal to each other.

6. The display device according to claim 3, wherein the adhesive layer protrudes toward the through-hole such that an end of the adhesive layer toward the through-hole is on a same line as an end of the second portion of the light-blocking member close to a central axis of the through-hole.

7. The display device according to claim 3, wherein the width of the opening is smaller than the width of the through-hole, and the filling member is in contact with a side surface of the adhesive layer and a side surface of the second portion of the light-blocking member adjacent to the through-hole.

8. The display device of claim 7, wherein, the display panel, the support member, and the polarization layer are spaced apart from and outside of the third portion of the light-blocking member.

9. The display device according to claim 3, wherein the light-blocking member is formed of a metal material or a light-blocking tape.

10. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the filling member includes an optically transparent resin.

11. The display device according to claim 1, wherein 12. A display device comprising: a display panel including a display area, an optical area surrounded by the display area and including a through-hole, and a non-display area surrounding the display area; a cover member over the display panel; an adhesive layer bonding the display panel and the cover member and including an opening overlapping the through-hole; a light-blocking member including a first portion provided below the display panel and having a first hole provided to overlap the through-hole, a second portion protruding below the adhesive layer toward the through-hole and including a second hole concentric with the first hole, and a third portion connecting the first portion and the second portion; and a filling member filling the opening and a side surface of the second portion, ​ The first hole has a width smaller than that of the through hole and larger than that of the second hole, and the display device includes an optical device inserted into the first hole. 13.The display device according to claim 12, further comprising: a polarizing layer between the display panel and the adhesive layer; and a support member between the display panel and the first portion, wherein the through hole of the display panel is provided so as to extend to the support member and the polarizing layer.

14. The display device of claim 12, wherein, The filling member includes an optically transparent resin.

15. The display device of claim 12, wherein, The width of the opening and the width of the through hole are equal to each other.

16. The display device of claim 12, wherein, The width of the opening and the width of the second hole are equal to each other.

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