Display panel

Abstract

Disclosed is a display panel, comprising: a cover window; an adhesive layer provided on a rear surface of the cover window; an ink layer provided between the cover window and the adhesive layer and comprising a first layer and a second layer; a panel layer provided below the adhesive layer; a back plate provided below the panel layer; a driver IC provided below the panel layer; and a heat sink provided between the back plate and the driver IC; wherein the panel layer comprises: a flexible substrate comprising an active area, a bending area and a pad area; a thin film transistor provided on the flexible substrate and comprising a gate, a source, a drain and a semiconductor layer; a first planarization layer and a second planarization layer provided on the thin film transistor in sequence; an intermediate electrode provided on the first planarization layer and electrically connected to the thin film transistor; a light emitting element provided on the second planarization layer and comprising an anode, a light emitting part and a cathode; and an encapsulation layer provided on the light emitting element.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the invention patent application filed on December 26, 2022, with application number 202211672767.X and invention title "Display Panel".

[0002] Cross-reference to related applications

[0003] This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2021-0187965, filed on December 27, 2021, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. Technical Field

[0004] The present invention relates to a display panel, and more specifically (but not exclusively), to a display panel in which an ink layer having a multi-layer structure comprising conductive material is disposed below a cover window, and an intermediate frame and a black matrix are directly bonded to the display panel. Background Technology

[0005] Examples of conventional display devices include liquid crystal displays (LCDs), field-emitting diode (FED) displays, electrowetting displays (EWD) displays, and organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays.

[0006] Such a display device may include a cover window to protect the display panel from external impacts. However, there are several drawbacks, including: charge accumulation in the cover window caused by friction between the cover window and external objects or generated from the outside. Furthermore, charge can transfer from one side of the display panel to a panel layer located inside the display panel. This charge transfer can cause a shift in the panel layer, resulting in a deviation in the threshold voltage of the driving thin-film transistors mounted inside the display layer.

[0007] If the threshold voltage driving the thin-film transistor is offset higher due to the offset phenomenon, as described above, the display panel emits light with a voltage higher than expected. As a result, a "green" phenomenon occurs where the ends or sides of the display panel emit brighter light than other areas, leading to image quality degradation. This brighter area may appear as a "greenish" color to the user. Alternatively, if the threshold voltage driving the thin-film transistor is lowered due to the offset phenomenon, the display panel emits light with a signal lower than expected. This situation can also lead to the aforementioned green phenomenon, where a portion of the display panel emits brighter light than other areas, resulting in degraded image quality. Summary of the Invention

[0008] In embodiments of the present invention, the display device prevents the thin-film transistor from shifting and causing the green phenomenon by preventing charges generated due to friction in the cover window from entering the display panel.

[0009] In some non-limiting examples, the display panel according to the invention may include: a cover window; an ink layer having a multilayer structure formed on the rear surface of the cover window and directly adhered to an intermediate frame; and an adhesive layer disposed on the rear surface of the cover window and overlapping the ink layer, wherein at least one layer of the ink layer may contain a conductive material.

[0010] The display panel according to the present invention may include: a cover window; an ink layer located on the rear surface of the cover window and having a multilayer structure; an intermediate frame directly bonded to the ink layer; and an adhesive layer disposed on the rear surface of the cover window and overlapping the ink layer, wherein at least one layer of the multilayer structure of the ink layer comprises a conductive material.

[0011] The display panel according to the present invention may include: a cover window; an ink layer located on the rear surface of the cover window, the ink layer comprising a plurality of separate layers; a conductive layer configured as one of the plurality of separate layers of the ink layer; a frame member directly connected to the ink layer; and an adhesive layer disposed on the rear surface of the cover window and overlapping the ink layer.

[0012] The display panel according to the present invention may include: a cover window; an adhesive layer disposed on the rear surface of the cover window; an ink layer disposed between the cover window and the adhesive layer and including a first layer and a second layer; a panel layer disposed below the adhesive layer; a back plate disposed below the panel layer; a driver IC disposed below the panel layer; and a heat sink disposed between the back plate and the driver IC; wherein the panel layer includes: a flexible substrate including an active region, a bending region and a pad region; a thin-film transistor disposed on the flexible substrate and including a gate, a source, a drain and a semiconductor layer; a first planarization layer and a second planarization layer sequentially disposed on the thin-film transistor; an intermediate electrode disposed on the first planarization layer and electrically connected to the thin-film transistor; a light-emitting element disposed on the second planarization layer and including an anode, a light-emitting portion and a cathode; and an encapsulation layer disposed on the light-emitting element.

[0013] According to the present invention, by using a display panel having the above-described structure, it is possible to prevent charges generated in the cover window from entering the panel layer, because the charges generated in the cover window are released to the intermediate frame via the conductive material in the ink layer. As a result, charges from the cover window do not enter the interior of the display panel, thereby preventing the offset phenomenon described herein.

[0014] Therefore, according to at least some embodiments of the present invention, the transistors inside the panel layer can be prevented from shifting due to the charge generated by the cover window.

[0015] According to one or more embodiments of the present invention, the occurrence of a green phenomenon in the display panel caused by at least the offset of transistors in the panel layer can be prevented.

[0016] According to a further embodiment of the invention, by changing the length of each layer of ink layer protruding inward relative to the cover window, delamination of the adhesive layer from the cover window can be prevented.

[0017] According to at least some embodiments of the present invention, the heat sink located at the outer edge may be partially omitted.

[0018] The above description is non-limiting, and additional features and advantages of the invention will be understood with reference to the following description and drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a block diagram of a display panel according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 2 This is according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 The circuit diagram of the sub-pixels of the display panel.

[0021] Figure 3 This is according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 The top view of the panel layer of the display panel.

[0022] Figure 4 It is along Figure 3 The line I-I' intercepted Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of the panel layer of the display panel.

[0023] Figure 5 It is along Figure 3 The line II-II' intercepted Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of the panel layer of the display panel.

[0024] Figure 6 This is according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 A perspective view of the flexible substrate of the display panel.

[0025] Figure 7 It is in a bent position according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 A perspective view of the flexible substrate.

[0026] Figure 8 This illustrates an embodiment of the invention incorporated into a display panel. Figure 7 Top view of the flexible curved substrate.

[0027] Figure 9 It is according to the embodiments of the present invention. Figure 8 The line A-A' intercepts Figure 8 A cross-sectional view of the display panel.

[0028] Figures 10 to 12 It is according to one or more embodiments of the present invention. Figure 9 A magnified view of region C.

[0029] Figure 13 It is according to the embodiments of the present invention. Figure 8 The line B-B' intercepts Figure 8 A cross-sectional view of the display panel.

[0030] Figures 14 to 16 It is according to one or more embodiments of the present invention. Figure 13 A magnified view of region D.

[0031] Figure 17 It is according to the embodiments of the present invention. Figure 8 The line B-B' intercepts Figure 8 A cross-sectional view of the display panel.

[0032] Figure 18 It is according to the embodiments of the present invention. Figure 8 The line A-A' intercepts Figure 8 A cross-sectional view of the display panel.

[0033] Figure 19 It is according to the embodiments of the present invention. Figure 8 The line B-B' intercepts Figure 8 A cross-sectional view of the display panel. Detailed Implementation

[0034] In the following description, embodiments will be illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings. When an element (or region, layer, portion, etc.) is described as being "on" or "connected to" or "joined to" another element, the element may be directly connected to or joined to the other element, or there may be a third intermediate element between them.

[0035] Similar reference numerals in the accompanying drawings refer to similar elements. Furthermore, the thickness, scale, and dimensions of elements have been enlarged in the drawings for ease of description. The term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the related listed items.

[0036] Various components are described using terms such as "first" or "second," but these components are not limited by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one component from others. For example, without departing from the scope of the various embodiments of the invention, a first component may be referred to as a second component; similarly, a second component may also be referred to as a first component. The singular forms expressed herein are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context indicates otherwise.

[0037] Terms such as “lower part,” “below,” “above,” and “upper part” are used to describe the positional relationship of the parts shown in the figures. These terms are relative concepts and do not limit the invention to the specific illustrated or described locations, but rather provide the context of the inventive features based on the orientation indicated in the figures.

[0038] It should be understood that terms such as “comprising” or “having” are used only to indicate the presence of a feature, quantity, step, operation, component, part or combination thereof, but these terms do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, quantities, steps, operations, components, parts or combinations thereof.

[0039] For ease of description, the present invention will be described with reference to an organic light-emitting display panel as a non-limiting example. However, it will be appreciated that the concept of the present invention is not limited to organic light-emitting display panels, and can be applied in the same manner to other types of display panels such as liquid crystal display panels, mini LED display panels, etc.

[0040] Figure 1 This is a block diagram of a display panel 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] Reference Figure 1 The display panel 100 may include an image processor 151, a timing controller 152, a data driver 153, a gate driver 154, and a panel layer 110.

[0042] Image processor 151 may output a data enable signal DE and a data signal DATA using a data signal DATA provided from an external source. In addition to the data enable signal DE, in some embodiments, image processor 151 may also output one or more additional signals such as a vertical sync signal, a horizontal sync signal, a clock signal, or any combination thereof.

[0043] The image processor 151 provides a data signal DATA and one or more drive signals, including a data enable signal DE, a vertical sync signal, a horizontal sync signal, and a clock signal, to the timing controller 152. The timing controller 152 may output a gate timing control signal GDC for controlling the operating timing of the gate driver 154 and a data timing control signal DDC for controlling the operating timing of the data driver 153, based on the drive signals.

[0044] In response to the data timing control signal DDC provided from the timing controller 152, the data driver 153 can convert the data signal DATA into a gamma reference voltage through sampling and latching processing, and then output the gamma reference voltage. The data driver 153 can output the data signal DATA via data lines DL1 to DLn.

[0045] The gate driver 154 can output a gate signal while shifting the level of the gate voltage in response to the gate timing control signal GDC provided by the timing controller 152. The gate driver 154 can output the gate signal via gate lines GL1 to GLm.

[0046] Panel layer 110 can display an image when sub-pixels P emit light in response to data signals DATA and gate signals provided by data driver 153 and gate driver 154. (See reference...) Figures 2 to 5 The structure of a sub-pixel P according to at least some embodiments of the present invention is described.

[0047] Figure 2 This is a circuit diagram of a sub-pixel P included in a display panel 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0048] Reference Figure 2 The sub-pixel P included in the display panel 100 may include a switching transistor ST, a driving transistor DT, a compensation circuit 135, and a light-emitting element 130.

[0049] The light-emitting element 130 can be operated to emit light using the drive current generated by the drive transistor DT.

[0050] The switching transistor ST can be switched so that the data signal provided via the data line 117 in response to the gate signal provided via the gate line 116 can be stored in the capacitor as a data voltage.

[0051] The drive transistor DT can be operated to correspond to the data voltage stored in the capacitor, flowing a regular drive current between the high-potential power line VDD and the low-potential power line GND.

[0052] The compensation circuit 135 compensates for the threshold voltage of the driving transistor DT, and may include one or more thin-film transistors and capacitors. The construction of the compensation circuit 135 can be significantly changed depending on the compensation method. For example, Figure 2 The sub-pixel P is constructed as a 2T1C (two transistors and one capacitor) structure, which includes a switching transistor ST, a driving transistor DT, a capacitor, and a light-emitting element 130. However, if a compensation circuit 135 is added, the sub-pixel P can be constructed differently, such as as 3T1C, 4T2C, 5T2C, 6T1C, 6T2C, 7T1C, 7T2C, etc., where "T" generally refers to a transistor and "C" generally refers to a capacitor, thus 3T1C refers to three transistors and one capacitor, and so on.

[0053] Figure 3 This is a top plan view of the panel layer 110 of the display panel 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0054] Figure 3 An example of the display panel 100 in an unbent state is shown.

[0055] Reference Figure 3 The panel layer 110 may include: an active region AA, wherein a plurality of pixels that emit light through thin-film transistors and light-emitting elements are disposed on the flexible substrate 111; and a non-active region NA, which is a border region surrounding the edge of the active region AA.

[0056] In the non-active region NA of the flexible substrate 111, circuits such as the gate drive circuit 154 for driving the panel layer 110 and various signal wiring such as the scan line SL can be provided.

[0057] The circuitry used to drive the panel layer 110 can be disposed on the flexible substrate 111 in the manner of gate in panel (GIP), or can be connected to the flexible substrate 111 in the manner of tape-on-carrier (TCP) or chip-on-film (COF).

[0058] Figure 3 Further illustration shows that multiple pads 155 (which may be referred to herein as pads 155) of a metal pattern can be disposed on the upper or top side 111U of the four sides of the flexible substrate 111. The pads 155 are metal patterns on the flexible substrate 111 to be bonded to an external module. In this invention, the side on which the pads 155 are formed among the four sides shown in the bent state of the flexible substrate 111 is referred to as the pad edge PE. In other words, based on... Figure 3 A virtual line (from which the bend begins in the bending zone BA) can be defined as the pad edge PE. The virtual line in... Figure 3The example is illustrated by dashed lines, which are located at the point where the bending begins in the flexible substrate 111, or at the flat portion of the flexible substrate (i.e., Figure 3 The interface between the line below the orientation and the bending region BA. Furthermore, among the four sides of the flexible substrate 111, the remaining sides on which no pads are formed are referred to in this invention as the peripheral edge NPE. Based on Figure 3 In some embodiments, the peripheral edge can be the left side 111L, right side 111R, and bottom or bottom side 111B of the flexible substrate 111. Other configurations are also possible; for example, in one or more embodiments, the pad edge PE is any one of the left side 111L, right side 111R, and bottom side 111B, and the peripheral edge NPE is the remaining side. Reference will be made later at least to... Figure 8 Detailed additional information is provided for the pad edge PE and the peripheral edge NPE.

[0059] The bending region BA may be formed on one side of the non-active region NA. The bending region BA may refer to the region of the flexible substrate 111 configured to bend in the direction indicated by arrow A. Although arrow A and the following description only indicate one bending direction, in some embodiments, the flexible substrate 111 may also bend in the opposite direction to return the flexible substrate 111 to its original position. Figure 3 It is flat as shown, but it may also be curved in other directions.

[0060] In the non-active area NA of the flexible substrate 111, drive circuitry and wiring for driving the screen are provided. Since the image is not displayed in the non-active area NA, the non-active area NA does not need to be visible to the user from the front surface of the flexible substrate 111. Therefore, by bending some areas of the non-active area NA of the flexible substrate 111, the area for placing wiring and drive circuitry can be ensured while reducing the size of the bezel or the non-active area NA.

[0061] Various wirings can be formed on the flexible substrate 111. The wirings can be formed in the active region AA or the non-active region NA of the flexible substrate 111. The circuit wirings 140 are formed of a conductive material, and can be formed of a conductive material with excellent flexibility to reduce the possibility of breakage when the flexible substrate 111 is bent. The circuit wirings 140 can be formed of conductive materials with excellent flexibility such as gold (Au), silver (Ag), aluminum (Al), or any combination or alloy thereof. Alternatively, the circuit wirings 140 can be formed of alloys of magnesium (Mg), silver (Ag), molybdenum (Mo), chromium (Cr), titanium (Ti), nickel (Ni), neodymium (Nd), and copper (Cu), and other materials. The circuit wirings 140 can be formed as a multilayer structure including various conductive materials; for example, in some embodiments, it can be formed as a three-layer structure sequentially including titanium (Ti), aluminum (Al), and titanium (Ti).

[0062] The circuit wiring 140 formed in the bending region BA is under tension when bent. The circuit wiring 140 extending in the same direction as the bending direction in the flexible substrate 111 can receive the maximum tension. Therefore, some of the circuit wiring 140 provided in the bending region BA can be formed to extend in a diagonal direction different from the bending direction to reduce the local concentration of tension in the bending direction (thereby reducing local areas of high stress and strain).

[0063] Figure 4 It is along Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of panel layer 110 taken by line I-I'.

[0064] Figure 5 It is along Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of panel layer 110 taken from line II-II'.

[0065] Reference Figure 4 and 5 The panel layer 110 according to the present invention is described.

[0066] More specifically, Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of the panel layer 110 in the active region AA according to one or more embodiments of the present invention. (Refer to...) Figure 4 The flexible substrate 110 is a plate-like structure disposed at the bottom of the panel layer 110 and serves to support and protect other components disposed on the flexible substrate 111 in the panel layer 110. The flexible substrate 111 may be formed of glass or plastic and other suitable materials. For example, the flexible substrate 111 may be formed of a film comprising one of the group consisting of polyester polymers, silicone polymers, acrylic polymers, polyolefin polymers and copolymers thereof.

[0067] A buffer layer (not shown) may be further disposed on the flexible substrate 111. The buffer layer prevents moisture or impurities from penetrating into the flexible substrate 111 from the outside and also planarizes the upper surface of the flexible substrate 111. The buffer layer is not a necessary structure and may be omitted depending on the type of thin-film transistor 120 disposed in the flexible substrate 111.

[0068] A thin-film transistor 120 is disposed in a flexible substrate 111 and may include a gate 121, a source 122, a drain 123, and a semiconductor layer 124. The semiconductor layer 124 may be formed of amorphous silicon or polycrystalline silicon. The semiconductor layer 124 may be formed of oxide semiconductor. The semiconductor layer 124 may include a source region and a drain region having p-type or n-type impurities, and a channel region existing between the source region and the drain region. Furthermore, the semiconductor layer 124 may further include a lightly doped region in the source region or drain region adjacent to the channel region.

[0069] The source or drain region is heavily doped with impurities, and the source 122 and drain 123 of the thin-film transistor 120 can be connected to the source and drain regions, respectively.

[0070] Depending on the structure of the thin-film transistor, which is based on n-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor (NMOS) logic or p-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor (PMOS) logic, the channel region of semiconductor layer 124 may be doped with n-type or p-type impurities.

[0071] The first insulating layer 115a may be formed as a single layer or multiple layers of silicon oxide (SiOx) or silicon nitride (SiNx). The first insulating layer 115a may be configured to prevent current flowing through the semiconductor layer 124 from flowing to the gate 121. As used herein, the term "multilayer" includes layers or materials having multiple individual layers, which may be referred to as "layers" and functionally function as a single layer, but are composed of multiple different layers. The gate 121 may be used as a switch to turn the thin-film transistor 120 on or off based on an electrical signal transmitted from an external source via the gate line. The source 122 and drain 123 are connected to data lines and can transmit electrical signals from an external source from the thin-film transistor 120 to the light-emitting element 130.

[0072] The second insulating layer 115b may be formed on the first insulating layer 115a and the gate 121. The second insulating layer 115b may be formed of a single layer or multiple layers of silicon oxide or silicon nitride to insulate the gate 121, the source 122 and the drain 123 from each other.

[0073] The first planarization layer 115c and the second planarization layer 115d may be disposed on the second insulating layer 115b. The first planarization layer 115c and the second planarization layer 115d may be configured to protect the thin-film transistor 120 and planarize the steps formed through the thin-film transistor 120. The first planarization layer 115c and the second planarization layer 115d may be formed of one or more materials selected from acrylic resin, epoxy resin, phenolic resin, polyamide resin, unsaturated polyester resin, polystyrene resin, polyphenylene sulfide resin, and styrene-cyclobutene.

[0074] The intermediate electrode 125 can be connected to the thin-film transistor 120 via a contact hole formed in the first planarization layer 115c. The intermediate electrode 125 can electrically connect the anode 131 to the drain 123 of the thin-film transistor 120.

[0075] The light-emitting element 130 may be disposed on the second planarization layer 115d. The light-emitting element 130 may include an anode 131, a light-emitting portion 132, and a cathode 133.

[0076] An anode 131 is disposed on the second planarization layer 115d and can be used to provide holes to the light-emitting portion 132. The anode 131 can contact the intermediate electrode 125 through a contact hole formed to penetrate the second planarization layer 115d. The anode 131 can be formed of indium zinc oxide, indium tin oxide, or the like, which are transparent conductive materials.

[0077] A dam 115e may be disposed on the anode 131 and the second planarization layer 115d. The dam 115e defines a sub-pixel by dividing the actual light-emitting area. A spacer 115f may be disposed on the dam 115e to prevent damage due to contact with the deposition mask.

[0078] The light-emitting part 132 may be disposed on the anode 131. The light-emitting part 132 can be used to emit light. The light-emitting part 132 may include an organic light-emitting material that emits light itself through an electrical signal. The light-emitting part 132 may include an organic light-emitting material that emits colors such as red, green, blue, and white.

[0079] A cathode 133 may be disposed on the light-emitting part 132. The cathode 133 can be used to provide electrons to the light-emitting part 132. The cathode 133 may be formed of a metallic material such as magnesium (Mg), silver, and an alloy of magnesium. In addition, the cathode 133 may be formed of a series of transparent conductive oxides such as tin oxide, indium zinc oxide, indium tin oxide, indium tin zinc oxide, and zinc oxide.

[0080] An encapsulation layer 115g may be disposed on the cathode 133. The encapsulation layer 115g serves to prevent damage caused by oxidation of the component after externally introduced moisture, oxygen, or impurities penetrate to the component located beneath it. The encapsulation layer 115g may be formed by stacking multiple barrier films. The encapsulation layer 115g may be formed from aluminum oxide or silicon nitride, which are inorganic materials.

[0081] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of the panel layer 110 in the curved region BA according to at least some embodiments of the present invention. In the description... Figure 5 In this case, descriptions that are repeated above will be omitted.

[0082] Reference Figure 5 According to the present invention, the panel layer 110 of the display panel 100 may include a first wiring 141 and a second wiring 142 configured as a double layer in the non-active region NA including the curved region BA.

[0083] Specifically, a first wiring 141 may be formed in the flexible substrate 111. In other words, the first wiring 141 is disposed on the flexible substrate 111, and in some non-limiting examples, it may be directly disposed on the flexible substrate 111. A first planarization layer 115c may be formed on the first wiring 141. A second wiring 142 may be formed in the first planarization layer 115c. In other words, the second wiring 142 may be disposed on the first planarization layer 115c, and in some non-limiting examples, it may be directly disposed on the first planarization layer 115c. A second planarization layer 115d may be formed on the second wiring 142. A micro-coating layer 145 may be formed on the second planarization layer 115d, or the micro-coating layer 145 may be disposed on the second planarization layer 115d.

[0084] The first wiring 141 and the second wiring 142 are configured to connect the panel layer 110 and the pad area PA. The first wiring 141 and the second wiring 142 may be formed of a conductive material with excellent flexibility, such as silver, gold, aluminum, etc. Alternatively, the first wiring 141 and the second wiring 142 may be formed of an alloy of molybdenum, chromium, titanium, nickel, neodymium, copper, silver, etc.

[0085] When the flexible substrate 111 is bent, stress is applied to the bending region BA. Due to this stress, cracks can occur in the layers where the wiring is wound, as is common in conventional display devices. Furthermore, when wiring is formed in a single layer, a larger space is used for the wiring. As in the embodiment of the invention, by constructing the wiring 141, 142 in the bending region BA as a multilayer structure, the stress occurring in the layers where the wiring is wound can be reduced, and the space used for the wiring can be reduced. As a result, according to the embodiment of the flexible substrate 111 and wiring 141, 142 of the present invention, cracks that can form in the bending region BA can be significantly reduced.

[0086] Figure 6 This is a perspective view of the flexible substrate 111 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0087] Figure 7 This is a perspective view of a flexible substrate 111 in a bent position according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0088] Figure 8 This is a top plan view showing a curved flexible substrate 111 incorporated into a display panel 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0089] Reference Figures 6 to 8 The flexible substrate according to the present invention will be explained.

[0090] Reference Figure 6The flexible substrate 111 can be divided into an active region AA and a non-active region NA surrounding the edge of the active region AA. The non-active region NA includes pads 155 disposed therein (see...). Figure 3 The active area AA has a pad region PA. Multiple sub-pixels P are set within the active area AA. Sub-pixels P are defined by intersecting gate lines and data lines.

[0091] Circuit element 161 may be a pad 155 in the pad area PA of the flexible substrate 111 (see...) Figure 3 The circuit element 161 may include a bump or a step. The bump of the circuit element 161 may be connected to the pad 155 of the pad area PA via an anisotropic conductive film (see...). Figure 3 Circuit element 161 may be a chip-on-film (COF), in which the driver IC is mounted in a flexible film. Alternatively, circuit element 161 may be directly bonded to pad 155 via a chip-on-glass (COG) process (see...). Figure 3 Furthermore, circuit element 161 can be a flexible circuit such as a flexible printed circuit (FPC). The invention will be described based on an example using COF as circuit element 161.

[0092] As explained above, among the four sides of the flexible substrate 111 or panel layer 110, there are pad areas PA and pads 155 (see...). Figure 3 One side of the pad is defined as the PE edge, where no pad is formed (see [link]). Figure 3 One side of the flexible substrate 111 is defined as the peripheral edge NPE. In other words, assuming the flexible substrate 111 is square, one side is the pad edge PE, and the other three sides can be referred to as the peripheral edge NPE. Figure 8 In the top view shown, the lower side of the flexible substrate 111 (on this side where the driver IC 165 and circuit element 161 are bent) is the pad edge PE, and the other three sides (left, right, and top) can be the peripheral edge NPE. The pad edge PE... Figure 8 The flexible substrate 111 is folded below its main body, and is therefore shown as a dashed line. Figure 8 The tangent A-A' is a cut made through the edge PE of the pad, and the tangent B-B' is a cut made through one of the outer edges NPE. This will be described later. Figures 9 to 12 and Figure 18 This shows a cross-section of the pad edge PE taken along line A-A' according to one or more embodiments of the present invention. Furthermore, Figures 13 to 17 and Figure 19 The diagram shows a cross-section of the peripheral edge NPE taken along line B-B' according to one or more embodiments of the present invention.

[0093] Return to reference Figure 7The flexible substrate 111 can be bent in the rearward direction, so that the side in contact with the pad area PA can have a predetermined curvature. As the flexible substrate 111 bends, the pad area PA can overlap with the active area AA in the rearward direction. At the front of the display panel 100, the circuit element 161 or driver IC 165 may not be made visible, but rather located in... Figure 7 Below the flat portion of the flexible substrate 111 shown. To enable bending, the flexible substrate 111 can be formed of a flexible material. For example, the flexible substrate 111 can be formed of a plastic material such as polyimide. In other words, a portion of the flexible substrate 111 including the wiring circuit 140 and the pad area PA can be bent below the flat portion of the flexible substrate 111 including the active area AA, as shown. Figure 7 As shown. At this curved position, one side or portion of the flexible substrate 111, extending between the flat portion of the flexible substrate 111 containing the active region AA and the pad region PA, has a predetermined curvature or radius of curvature. For example... Figure 7 As shown, the pad edge PE is disposed at the interface between the boundary of the active region AA and the curved portion of the flexible substrate 111, wherein in Figure 7 In the orientation, the region to the left of the pad edge PE is flat, the region to the right of the pad edge PE is curved, and is disposed below and overlaps with at least a portion of the active region AA.

[0094] Reference Figure 8 A cover window 164 may be joined on the surface (e.g., the front or top surface) of the curved flexible substrate 111. The cover window 164 is formed to be larger than the curved flexible substrate 111, so that the cover window 164 can accommodate the flexible substrate 111 inside the cover window 164.

[0095] Furthermore, a backplate 101 may be bonded to another surface (e.g., the rear or bottom surface) of the curved flexible substrate 111. The backplate 101 serves to maintain the rigidity of the display panel 100, prevent impurities from adhering to the bottom of the display panel 100, and absorb external impacts. The backplate 101 may be implemented as a plastic film made of polyimide. It is preferable that the backplate 101 is not formed in the curved region BA. As described later, the backplate 101 may include a first backplate 101a and a second backplate 101b.

[0096] Figure 9 It is according to the embodiments of the present invention. Figure 8 The sectional view of the display panel 100 is taken by line A-A'.

[0097] Figures 10 to 12 This is according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 9 A magnified view of region C.

[0098] Reference Figures 9 to 12 The following will describe a display panel 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0099] As mentioned above, Figure 9 It is along Figure 8 The cross-sectional view taken along line A-A' shows in more detail the pads 155 of the display panel 100 (see...). Figure 3 The pad area PA and the pad edge PE.

[0100] Reference Figure 9 The display panel 100 may include: a cover window 164 as the uppermost layer; an adhesive layer 163 disposed below the cover window 164; a polarizer 162 disposed below the adhesive layer 163; and a panel layer 110 disposed below the polarizer 162. (See reference...) Figure 4 As described, panel layer 110 may include flexible substrate 111 and may be bent in bending region BA. Figure 7 An example is a curved panel layer 110 including a flexible substrate 111 in a curved state.

[0101] A cover window 164 is disposed on the uppermost layer of the display panel 100 and may be made of glass or plastic. The cover window 164 serves as a protective layer for the internal components of the display panel 100 and forms the outer surface of the display panel 100. Therefore, during operation where an electrical charge can be generated due to friction, the cover window 164 may be touched by the user's fingers. An electrical charge may also be generated through contact between the cover window 164 and other materials such as fibers. In conventional display devices, the electrical charge generated by friction, etc., can be transferred along one side of the cover window and enter the interior of the display panel.

[0102] An adhesive layer 163 is disposed below the cover window 164 and is used to adhere or bond the cover window 164 to the polarizer 162. The adhesive layer 163 may be, for example, an optically transparent adhesive (OCA) or a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA), and may be made of a transparent material.

[0103] Polarizer 162 may be formed of a film having polarization characteristics. When viewed from the outside of display panel 100, polarizer 162 can suppress the reflection of external light and reduce light reflectivity. Polarizer 162 may be disposed in active region AA.

[0104] The panel layer 110 may be a layer in which pixels are formed, and the transistors, including gate, source, drain, and semiconductor layers, described above, are formed inside the panel layer 110 or as part of the panel layer 110. Furthermore, the panel layer 110 may be a layer in which light-emitting diodes, such as anodes, light-emitting layers, and cathodes, are formed. If triboelectric charge enters the interior of the panel layer of a conventional display device, misalignment may occur in the transistors, leading to screen quality degradation due to the green phenomenon described herein.

[0105] The first backplate 101a is a rigid structure disposed below the panel layer 110 and can be used to reinforce the rigidity of the panel layer 110. The backplate 101a may be formed of a plastic film.

[0106] The support member 170 can be constructed as a three-layer structure consisting of an adhesive 171, a cushioning tape 172, and a heat sink 173. The adhesive 171 can be formed on the rear surface of the first backplate 101a. The adhesive 171 may include an embossing pattern. The embossing pattern prevents air bubbles from forming. When an external impact is applied to the cushioning tape 172, the cushioning tape 172 can be pressed and used to absorb the impact. The cushioning tape 172 can be formed on the rear surface of the adhesive 171. The heat sink 173 can be disposed below the cushioning tape 172. The heat sink 173 is used for heat dissipation. The heat sink 173 can be formed, for example, from a metallic material such as copper, to dissipate heat generated in the driver IC 165 or circuit element 161, etc. Furthermore, the heat sink 173 can serve as a ground terminal to release charge transferred along the propagation path formed by the antistatic solution.

[0107] The black matrix 167 may be formed in some areas on the panel layer 110. In some embodiments, the black matrix 167 may be formed along the edge of the panel layer 110. The black matrix 167 may be formed from black ink.

[0108] A microcoating layer 145 may be disposed on the outer surface of panel layer 110 in the bending region BA. The microcoating layer 145 may be used to protect the pads 155 disposed in the pad area PA (see...). Figure 3 Extended wiring. The microcoating layer 145 can be formed from an acrylic material such as an acrylate polymer.

[0109] Adhesive tape 168 may be disposed between heat sink 173 and second backplate 101b. Adhesive tape 168 can be used to reduce the curvature of the bending region BA by having a predetermined thickness. In addition, since adhesive tape 168 can increase the thickness of buffer strip 172, adhesive tape 168 can be used to absorb impacts caused by external forces.

[0110] The second backplate 102b is a robust structure located below the heat sink 173 and can be used to reinforce the rigidity of the panel layer 110 at the end of the bending area BA.

[0111] Driver IC 165 and circuit element 161 can be connected to each other. Circuit element 161 can be a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB). Driver IC 165 can be an IC such as a data driver, timing controller, etc.

[0112] According to at least some embodiments of the present invention, an ink layer 180 may be formed on the rear surface 164R of the cover window 164. The ink layer 180 may be configured as a multilayer structure and may be directly adhered to the intermediate frame 190. Furthermore, the ink layer 180 may overlap with an adhesive layer 163. For example, the ink layer 180 having a multilayer structure may be formed on the rear surface 164R of the cover window 164, and the adhesive layer 163 may be formed on the rear surface of the cover window 164. The adhesive layer 163 is a flexible material such as OCA or PSA, so that the adhesive layer 163 may contact a portion of the ink layer 180 during its formation. One of the multiple layers constituting the multilayer structure of the ink layer 180 may contain a conductive material.

[0113] In some embodiments, the intermediate frame 190 may be a support frame surrounding the display panel 100 and forming the lower boundary or bottom boundary of the display panel 100. The intermediate frame 190 may include a vertical portion 191 and a horizontal portion 192. The intermediate frame 190 may shape the appearance of the display panel 100. The intermediate frame 190 is preferably rigid and may be formed of a metallic material. The intermediate frame 190 may be included in... Figure 9 The orientation includes a vertically extending vertical portion 191 and a horizontally extending horizontal portion 192. The intermediate frame 190 can be directly adhered to the ink layer 180. For example... Figure 9 As shown, the vertical portion 191 of the intermediate frame 190 can be directly adhered to the ink layer 180. This intermediate frame 190 can be configured as follows to provide a propagation path for dissipating charges generated by friction or the like on the front or top surface 164F of the cover window 164 and to prevent the occurrence of the offset and greening phenomena described herein.

[0114] Reference Figure 10 The specific structure of the ink layer 180 according to at least one embodiment will be described.

[0115] In some embodiments, ink layer 180 may include four layers, for example. Specifically, the first layer 181, which adheres to the rear surface 164R of the cover window 164, may be applied at one end (i.e., Figure 10The second layer 182 is formed such that it is separated from the end or peripheral edge 164P of the cover window 164 by a gap G. The second layer 182 may be formed below the first layer 181 and in some embodiments may be directly disposed on the first layer 181. The second layer 182 may not be separated from the end 164P of the cover window 164 by a gap G. Therefore, one end of the second layer 182 may be formed to penetrate into and pass through the gap G formed between the end of the first layer 181 and the end 164P of the cover window 164. Therefore, one end of the second layer 182 may directly contact the rear surface 164R of the cover window 164. The third layer 183 may be formed below the second layer 182 and in some embodiments may be directly disposed on the second layer 182. The third layer 183 may be formed separated from the end 164P of the cover window 164 by a gap G. The fourth layer 184 may be formed below the third layer 183 and in some embodiments may be directly disposed on the third layer 183. The fourth layer 184 may not be separated from the end 164P of the cover window 164 by the gap G. Therefore, one end of the fourth layer 184 may be formed to penetrate into and pass through at least a portion of the gap G formed between the end of the third layer 183 and the end of the cover window 164. Thus, one end of the fourth layer 184 may contact the rear surface 182R of the second layer 182. For example, the gap G may be 0.5 mm wide, or larger or smaller, in some embodiments. The display panel 100 according to at least some embodiments of this structure can form a path for charge propagation. Referring later... Figure 11 Provide its description.

[0116] For example, the first layer 181 may have a height of 4 μm. The second layer 182 may have a height of 4 μm. The height of the portion of the second layer 182 that penetrates into the gap G to contact the cover window 164 may be 8 μm (i.e., a combination of the thicknesses of the first layer 181 and the second layer 182). The third layer 183 may have a height of 4 μm. The fourth layer 184 may have a height of 4 μm. The height of the portion of the fourth layer 184 that penetrates into the gap G to contact the second layer 182 may be 8 μm (i.e., a combination of the thicknesses of the third layer 183 and the fourth layer 184). As a result, in some non-limiting examples, the total height of the ink layer 180 may be 16 μm. Other configurations of layers 181, 182, 183, and 184 are also included herein, including layers 181, 182, 183, and 184 having the same or different heights or thicknesses from each other, or having amounts greater or smaller than those described above.

[0117] In addition, the other opposite end of the first layer 181 (i.e., Figure 10 The left end of the orientation (compared to the other end of the second layer 182) can protrude further inward relative to the cover window 164. Here, in Figure 10In this context, the term "inward" refers to the direction toward the center of the display panel 100, and specifically, the direction toward line A. For example, the other end of the first layer 181 may protrude further inward by a distance d1 compared to the other end of the second layer 182. The other end of the second layer 182 may protrude further inward than the other end of the third layer 183. For example, the other end of the second layer 182 may protrude further inward by a distance d2 compared to the other end of the third layer 183. The other end of the third layer 183 may protrude further inward than the other end of the fourth layer 184. For example, the other end of the third layer 183 may protrude further inward by a distance d3 compared to the other end of the fourth layer 184. For example, the length of each of d1 to d3 may be 0.4 mm in some embodiments. The distances d1, d2, and d3 may be the same or different, and may be greater than or less than 0.4 mm. This structure prevents delamination of the adhesive layer 163, which will be discussed later. Figure 12 This needs to be explained.

[0118] Reference Figure 11 This will describe the propagation path of charge according to one or more embodiments.

[0119] According to embodiments of the present invention, the second layer 182 and the fourth layer 184 may contain conductive materials, or all or any combination of layers 181, 182, 183, and 184 may contain conductive materials. The conductive materials may include conductive spheres or conductive wires. For example, each layer 181, 182, 183, and 184 of the ink layer 180 may be formed from one or more materials selected from acrylic resin, epoxy resin, phenolic resin, polyamide resin, and styrene. The conductive spheres included in each layer 181, 182, 183, and 184 may be conductive spheres on which a conductive film is formed by pretreating spheres formed from polymer-based materials and sputtering them onto the outer shell of the polymer spheres. The conductive wires may be silver nanowires formed from silver (Ag). The conductive wires are divided into conductive sections and insulating sections, and the conductive wires are irregularly arranged through the respective layers 181, 182, 183, and 184. Conductive balls or conductive lines are examples of ink layers 181, 182, 183, 184 that can be made conductive. Other types of conductive layers or other methods for providing conductivity to layers 181, 182, 183, 184 may be used.

[0120] In a non-limiting example, if the second layer 182 and the fourth layer 184 comprise conductive spheres, the conductive spheres are preferably formed at a ratio of 20% to 30% of the volume of layers 182 and 184. Furthermore, each conductive sphere may have a diameter of 10 μm. Additionally, each conductive sphere may have a blue series color. Each conductive sphere may have a surface resistivity of 10⁴ to 10⁹ ohms / m². Other configurations are also possible, including spheres with larger or smaller diameters formed at different volume percentages with respect to layers 182 and 184.

[0121] For example, if the second layer 182 and the fourth layer 184 include conductive lines, the conductive lines are preferably formed at a volume ratio of 10% to 20%. Furthermore, each conductive line can be 25 μm long and can have a diameter of 25 nm (i.e., nanometers). Additionally, each conductive line can be gray in color. Each conductive line can have a surface resistivity of 20 to 80 ohms / square meter. Other configurations for the conductive lines besides conductive spheres are also possible.

[0122] refer to Figure 11 The charge propagation path shown can generate charge on the front or top surface 164F of the cover window 164. Since the front or top surface 164F of the cover window 164 is exposed to the external environment, charge can be generated through user touch or contact with external surfaces or materials. The charge generally moves downwards along the outer surface of the cover window 164, as indicated by arrow B; if the charge moves to the display panel, more specifically, to the interior of the panel layer, the transistors located inside the panel layer of conventional display devices can become misaligned, resulting in a green tint and degrading screen quality. Some conventional display devices include methods that release charge by forming charge propagation paths by coating the sides of the adhesive layer, polarizer, panel layer, etc., facing the heat sink with an antistatic solution. This method has the following problems: the antistatic solution is not properly coated, and the coated antistatic capacitor can be removed after coating is completed; in particular, due to the curved structure of the panel layer, it is difficult to coat the lower part of the pad edges with the antistatic solution.

[0123] According to an embodiment of the present invention, by directly adhering a conductive ink layer 180 to an intermediate frame 190 comprising a metallic material, charge can move via the ink layer 180 to the intermediate frame 190. The transferred charge can be released via the intermediate frame 190. In particular, the second layer 182 is formed to penetrate into the first layer 181 and may contain a conductive material. Furthermore, the fourth layer 184 is formed to penetrate into the third layer 183 and may contain a conductive material. Through penetration, the fourth layer 184 directly contacts the second layer 182. Therefore, on the rear surface 164R of the cover window 164, a charge propagation path along the second layer 182, the fourth layer 184, and the intermediate frame 190 can be formed, such as... Figure 11 The circle described.

[0124] Reference Figure 12 The improvement on delamination of adhesive layer 163 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be explained.

[0125] Figure 12 Figure (a) is an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 8 Detailed view of area C, Figure 12 Figure (b) shows a similar cross-section based on the comparative example.

[0126] Reference Figure 12 As described above, in the step-down configuration of layers 181, 182, 183, 184, each layer of ink layer 180 protrudes further inward relative to the cover window 164 and / or display panel 100 compared to the layer located below. Specifically, the first layer 181 protrudes further by a distance d1 compared to the second layer 182, the second layer 182 protrudes further by a distance d2 compared to the third layer 183, and the third layer 183 protrudes further by a distance d3 compared to the fourth layer 184 (see [reference]). Figure 10 Due to the sequentially protruding structure of the ink layer 180, the ink layer 180 can have an overall inclined structure. (See reference...) Figure 12 In Figure (b), each of the ink layers 180 protrudes to the same degree as the other layers disposed beneath it. In other words, each of layers 181, 182, 184 in Figure (b) has the same width and does not have the upper or lower step configuration shown in Figure (a). As a result, in Figure 12 In Figure (b), the ink layer 180 does not have a tilted structure. The adhesive layer 163 is OCA or PSA and may be made of a flexible material. Therefore, if the adhesive layer 163 contacts the cover window 164 (where the ink layer 180 is formed on the rear surface 164R of the cover window 164), the adhesive layer 163 can be raised and can cover a portion of the ink layer 180. Subsequently, during the curing of the adhesive layer 163, the adhesive layer 163 contracts and moves inward a certain distance. Figure 12 As shown in Figures (a) and (b), spaces H1 and H2 are formed between the cover window 164 and the adhesive layer 163 as a result of the shrinkage of the adhesive layer 163 during curing. If spaces H1 and H2 are formed to a large extent, the adhesive layer 163 can be easily delaminated from the cover window 164. Figure 12 The space H1 in Figure (a) is smaller than that in Figure 12The space H2 in Figure (b) can be several orders of magnitude smaller than space H2 (i.e., at least two, three, or less). In other words, according to an embodiment of the invention, the space H1 formed between the cover window 164 and the adhesive layer 163 can be minimized due to the structure of the ink layer 180. Therefore, the structure of the ink layer 180 according to the invention can improve the delamination problem occurring between the cover window 164 and the adhesive layer 163. Figure 12 The structure of Figure (a) may be a particularly advantageous implementation, while the concept of Figure (b) shows a useful improvement due to the ink layer 180 and may be preferred in some applications.

[0127] Figure 13 It is according to the embodiments of the present invention. Figure 8 The sectional view of the display panel 100 is taken by line B-B'.

[0128] Figures 14 to 16 This is according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 13 A magnified view of region D.

[0129] exist Figures 13 to 16 In this context, the reference markers that are the same as those described above refer to the same features that have the same function. Therefore, the description of duplicate features will be omitted.

[0130] As mentioned above, Figure 13 This is a cross-sectional view of the outer edge NPE of the display panel 100 that does not contact the pad area PA.

[0131] Reference Figure 13 The display panel 100 may include: a cover window 164 as the uppermost layer; an adhesive layer 163 disposed below the cover window 164; a polarizer 162 disposed below the adhesive layer 163; and a panel layer 110 disposed below the polarizer 162.

[0132] The cover window 164 is positioned as the uppermost layer of the display panel 100 and can be made of glass or plastic. If friction occurs on the cover window in a conventional display device, an electric charge can be generated through friction, and the charge can be transferred along one side of the cover window and enter the interior of the display panel.

[0133] The adhesive layer 163 may be disposed below the cover window 164 and may be made of a flexible material such as OCA or PSA.

[0134] Polarizer 162 can be formed from a film with polarization characteristics.

[0135] The panel layer 110 may be a layer in which pixels are formed, and transistors and the like are formed inside the panel layer 110. If triboelectric charge enters the interior of the panel layer in a conventional device, misalignment may occur in the transistors, and screen quality may be degraded due to the green phenomenon described herein.

[0136] The first back panel 101a can be a robust structure disposed below the panel layer 110.

[0137] The support member 170 may include an adhesive 171, a buffer strip 172, and a heat sink 173. In particular, the heat sink 173 may be formed of a metallic material such as copper to dissipate heat. Furthermore, the heat sink 173 may serve as a grounding terminal to release the charge that has been carried along the propagation path formed by the antistatic solution in some existing solutions.

[0138] Black matrix 167 can be formed in some areas on panel layer 110.

[0139] According to one or more embodiments of the present invention, an ink layer 180 may be formed on the rear surface 164R of the cover window 164. The ink layer 180 may be configured as a multilayer structure and may be directly adhered to the intermediate frame 190. Furthermore, the ink layer 180 may overlap with an adhesive layer 163. For example, an ink layer 180 having a multilayer structure may be formed on the rear surface 164R of the cover window 164, and an adhesive layer 163 may be formed on the rear surface 164R of the cover window 164. The adhesive layer 163 is a flexible material such as OCA or PSA, and the adhesive layer 163 may contact a portion of the ink layer 180 during its formation. One of the multiple layers constituting the ink layer 180 may contain a conductive material.

[0140] The intermediate frame 190 may include a vertical portion 191 and a horizontal portion 192. The intermediate frame 190 forms the appearance of the display panel 100. The intermediate frame 190 is preferably rigid and may be formed of a metallic material. The intermediate frame 190 may include a vertically extending vertical portion 191 and a horizontally extending horizontal portion 192. The intermediate frame 190 may be directly adhered to the ink layer 180. Figure 13 As shown, the vertical portion 191 of the intermediate frame 190 can be directly adhered to the ink layer 180. This intermediate frame 190 can be configured as follows to provide a charge propagation path for releasing charges generated by friction or the like on the top surface of the cover window 164.

[0141] Reference Figure 14 The specific structure of the ink layer 180 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0142] For example, ink layer 180 may include four layers. Specifically, a first layer 181 adhered to the rear surface of cover 164 may be formed such that one end of it is spaced apart from the end of cover 164 by a gap G. A second layer 182 may be formed below the first layer 181. The second layer 182 may not be spaced apart from the end of cover 164 by a gap G. Therefore, one end of the second layer 182 may be formed to penetrate into the gap G formed between the end of the first layer 181 and the end of cover 164. Therefore, one end of the second layer 182 may contact the rear surface of cover 164. A third layer 183 may be formed below the second layer 182. The third layer 183 may be formed to be spaced apart from the end of cover 164 by a gap G. A fourth layer 184 may be formed below the third layer 183. The fourth layer 184 may not be spaced apart from the end of cover 164 by a gap G. Therefore, one end of the fourth layer 184 can be formed to penetrate into the gap G formed between the end of the third layer 183 and the end of the cover window 164. Thus, one end of the fourth layer 184 can contact the rear surface of the second layer 182. For example, the gap G can be 0.5 mm. A display panel 100 according to one or more embodiments of this structure can form a charge propagation path similar to that described above. Referring later... Figure 15 Provide its description.

[0143] For example, the first layer 181 may have a height of 4 μm. The second layer 182 may have a height of 4 μm. The height of the portion of the second layer 182 that penetrates into the first layer 181 may be 8 μm. The third layer 183 may have a height of 4 μm. The fourth layer 184 may have a height of 4 μm. The height of the portion of the fourth layer 184 that penetrates into the third layer 183 may be 8 μm. As a result, the total height of the ink layer 180 may be 16 μm.

[0144] Furthermore, the other end of the first layer 181 can protrude further inward compared to the other end of the second layer 182. Here, in Figure 10 In this context, the term "inward" refers to the direction toward the center of the display panel 100, and specifically, the direction toward line A. For example, the other end of the first layer 181 may protrude further inward by a distance d1 compared to the other end of the second layer 182. The other end of the second layer 182 may protrude further inward by a distance d2 compared to the other end of the third layer 183. The other end of the third layer 183 may protrude further inward by a distance d3 compared to the other end of the fourth layer 184. For example, the other end of the third layer 183 may protrude further inward by a distance d3 compared to the other end of the fourth layer 184. For example, the length of each of d1 to d3 may be 0.4 mm. This structure prevents the adhesive layer 163 from delaminating, which will be discussed later. Figure 16 This needs to be explained.

[0145] Reference Figure 15 The charge propagation path according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0146] According to at least some embodiments, the second layer 182 and the fourth layer 184 may contain a conductive material. The conductive material may include conductive spheres or conductive wires. For example, each of each of the ink layers 180, 181, 182, 183, 184, may be formed from one or more materials selected from acrylic resin, epoxy resin, phenolic resin, polyamide resin, and styrene. The conductive spheres included in each layer 181, 182, 183, 184 may be conductive spheres on which a conductive film is formed by pretreating a sphere formed from a polymer-based material and sputtering it onto the shell of the polymer sphere. The conductive wires may be silver nanowires formed from silver (Ag). The conductive wires are divided into conductive segments and insulating segments, and the conductive wires are irregularly arranged through the conductive segments. Conductive spheres or conductive wires are examples of materials capable of making each ink layer 181, 182, 183, 184 conductive; other types of conductive layers with conductivity may be used.

[0147] For example, if the second layer 182 or the fourth layer 184 comprises conductive spheres, the conductive spheres are preferably formed at a ratio of 20% to 30%. Furthermore, each conductive sphere has a diameter of 10 μm. Additionally, each conductive sphere may have a blue hue. Each conductive sphere may have a surface resistivity of 10⁴ to 10⁹ ohms / square meter.

[0148] For example, if the second layer 182 or the fourth layer 184 has conductive lines, the conductive lines are preferably formed at a ratio of 10% to 20%. Furthermore, each conductive line can be 25 μm long and can have a diameter of 25 nm. Additionally, each conductive line can be gray in color. Each conductive line can have a surface resistivity of 20 to 80 ohms / square meter.

[0149] refer to Figure 15 The charge propagation path shown can generate charge on the top surface of the cover window 164. Since the cover window 164 is an exposed surface, charge can be generated by user touch, etc. The charge moves along the outer surface of the cover window 164 towards the bottom; if the charge moves to the display panel 100, more specifically, to the interior of the panel layer 110, the transistors disposed inside the panel layer 110 may shift, resulting in a green tint and thus degrading screen quality. Prior art has chosen a method of dissipating charge by coating the sides of the adhesive layer, polarizer, panel layer, etc., facing the heat sink, to form a charge propagation path. This method has the following problems: the antistatic solution may not be properly coated, and the coated antistatic capacitor can be removed after coating is completed.

[0150] According to at least one embodiment, by directly adhering a conductive ink layer 180 to an intermediate frame (or frame member) 190 comprising a metallic material, charge can move via the ink layer 180 to the intermediate frame 190. The transferred charge can be released via the intermediate frame 190. In particular, the second layer 182 is formed to penetrate into the first layer 181 and may contain a conductive material. Furthermore, the fourth layer 184 is formed to penetrate into the third layer 183 and may contain a conductive material. Through penetration, the fourth layer 184 becomes contact with the second layer 182. Therefore, on the rear surface of the cover window 164, a charge propagation path can be formed along the second layer 182, the fourth layer 184, and the intermediate frame 190.

[0151] Reference Figure 16 The following will explain the improvement on delamination of the adhesive layer 163 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0152] Figure 16 Figure (a) is based on one or more embodiments. Figure 13 Detailed view of area D, Figure 16 Figure (b) shows a cross-section based on the comparative example.

[0153] Reference Figure 16 As shown in Figure (a), each layer of ink layer 180 protrudes further inward compared to the layer disposed below. In particular, the first layer 181 protrudes further by a distance d1 compared to the second layer 182, the second layer 182 protrudes further by a distance d2 compared to the third layer 183, and the third layer 183 protrudes further by a distance d3 compared to the fourth layer 184 (see Figure 184). Figure 14 In comparison, due to its sequentially protruding structure, the ink layer 180 can have an inclined structure. (See reference...) Figure 16 In Figure (b), each of the ink layers 180 protrudes to the same degree as the other layers disposed beneath it. Figure 16 In Figure (b), the ink layer 180 does not have a tilted structure. The adhesive layer 163 is OCA or PSA and can be made of a flexible material. Therefore, if the cover window 164 is contacted (where the ink layer 180 is formed on the rear surface of the cover window 164 using the adhesive layer 163), the adhesive layer 163 can be raised and can cover a portion of the ink layer 180. Subsequently, during the curing of the adhesive layer 163, the adhesive layer 163 contracts and moves inward a certain distance. In this case, spaces H1 and H2 can be formed between the cover window 164 and the adhesive layer 163. If spaces H1 and H2 are formed to be large, the adhesive layer 163 can be easily delaminated from the cover window 164. Figure 16 The space H1 in Figure (a) is smaller than that in Figure 16The space H2 in Figure (b). That is, according to an embodiment of the invention, the space H1 formed between the cover 164 and the adhesive layer 163 can be minimized. Therefore, the structure according to one or more embodiments can improve the delamination problem that occurs between the cover 164 and the adhesive layer 163.

[0154] Figure 17 It is in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention. Figure 8 The sectional view of the display panel 100 is taken by line B-B'.

[0155] Figure 17 The implementation method can be compared to Figure 13 One or more implementations omit the implementation of heat sink 173. Therefore, when describing... Figure 17 In this case, the reference mark that is the same as the reference mark described above refers to a similar construction with the same function. Therefore, the description of the repeated construction will be omitted.

[0156] According to some embodiments, panel layer 110 may be disposed below adhesive layer 163 in the outer edge NPE that does not contact pad area PA. Below panel layer 110, adhesive 171 and buffer strip 172 may be formed sequentially.

[0157] The buffer strip 172 can be adhered to the intermediate frame 190. More specifically, the buffer strip 172 can be adhered to the horizontal portion 192 of the intermediate frame 190.

[0158] exist Figure 17 In this embodiment, the support member 170 does not include a heat sink. As described above, at least one layer of the multilayer structure of the ink layer 180 may include a conductive material. Furthermore, the ink layer 180 may be directly adhered to the intermediate frame 190, which may also include a metallic material. Therefore, the charge generated on the top surface of the cover window 164 can move along the propagation path formed in the conductive ink layer 180 and the intermediate frame 190. The heat sink 173, omitted in at least some embodiments, is like... Figure 13 As in one or more embodiments, it can be used to release charge. However, in Figure 17 Since the intermediate frame 190 is used to discharge electrical charge, the heat sink 173 can be omitted. This reduces the manufacturing cost of the display panel 100 and also reduces its thickness and weight.

[0159] Figure 18 It is in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention. Figure 8 The sectional view of the display panel 100 is taken by line A-A'.

[0160] Figure 19 It is in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention. Figure 8The sectional view of the display panel 100 is taken by line B-B'.

[0161] Reference Figure 18 and 19 The following describes a display panel 100 according to at least some embodiments.

[0162] In reference Figures 9 to 13 In the illustrated embodiment, the ink layer 180 includes four layers 181, 182, 183, and 184; however, the present invention includes a display panel 100 having fewer than four layers. For example, Figure 18 and Figure 19 The ink layer 180 of the display panel 100 may consist of only two layers 185 and 186. The description of the construction referred to by the same reference numerals will be omitted below.

[0163] Reference Figure 18 and 19 The ink layer 180 may include a first layer 185 and a second layer 186. The first layer 185 may be disposed on the rear surface 164R of the cover 164. The first layer 185 may be formed such that one end, such as the right end, is spaced apart from the end or outer edge of the cover 164 by a gap G. The second layer 186 may be disposed below the first layer 185. One end of the second layer 186 may be formed to penetrate into the gap G and extend across the height or thickness of the first layer 185 to contact the rear surface 164R of the cover 164. Therefore, the second layer 186 may be in direct contact with the cover 164.

[0164] Furthermore, the second layer 186 may contain a conductive material. For example, the conductive material may be a conductive ball or a conductive wire. The intermediate frame 190 may contain a metallic material. Therefore, the charge generated by friction or the like on the front surface or top surface 164F of the cover window 164 can move along the propagation path formed in the ink layer 180 and the intermediate frame 190, and then be released.

[0165] Furthermore, the other end of the first layer 185 may protrude further inward compared to the second layer 186. Here, the term "inward" refers to the direction toward the center of the display panel 100, meaning toward... Figure 18 The direction of line A in the middle, or towards Figure 19 The direction of line B. This protruding structure reduces the space that can be formed between the adhesive layer 163 and the cover window 164. Therefore, as described herein, delamination of the adhesive layer 163 from the cover window 164 can be reduced.

[0166] The display device according to embodiments of the present invention may include: finished or final products, including LCMs such as laptops, televisions and computer monitors, OLED modules, etc.; automotive display devices or instrument display devices for other types of vehicles; and unit electronic devices, or unit devices or unit equipment such as mobile electronic devices including smartphones or mobile tablets.

[0167] A display device according to one or more embodiments of the present invention as described above can be briefly summarized again as follows. According to one or more embodiments, the display panel may include: a cover window; an ink layer having a multilayer structure formed on the rear surface of the cover window and directly adhered to an intermediate frame; and an adhesive layer disposed on the rear surface of the cover window and overlapping the ink layer, wherein at least one layer of the ink layer may contain a conductive material.

[0168] The intermediate frame may contain a metallic material, and the charge generated on the cover window can be released to the intermediate frame via the ink layer.

[0169] The ink layer may include: a first layer, one end of which is separated from one end of the cover window by a gap; a second layer, which is disposed below the first layer and has one end that penetrates into the gap and contacts the cover window; a third layer, which is disposed below the second layer and has one end separated by the gap; and a fourth layer, which is disposed below the third layer and has one end that penetrates into the gap and contacts the second layer.

[0170] The other end of the first layer may protrude further inward compared to the other end of the second layer.

[0171] The other end of the second layer may protrude further inward compared to the other end of the third layer.

[0172] The other end of the third layer can protrude further inward compared to the other end of the fourth layer.

[0173] The second and fourth layers may contain conductive materials.

[0174] The conductive material may include conductive spheres.

[0175] The conductive spheres can be formed at a ratio of 20% to 30%.

[0176] The conductive material may include conductive wires.

[0177] The conductive wire may be characterized by silver nanowires.

[0178] The conductive wires can be formed at a ratio of 10% to 20%.

[0179] The intermediate frame may contain a metallic material, and the charge formed in the cover window may be released to the intermediate frame via the second and fourth layers.

[0180] The display panel may have a pad area with solder pads formed thereon, wherein at the edge of the solder pad in contact with the pad area, the display panel may include: a panel layer disposed below the adhesive layer; circuit elements and driver IC disposed below the panel layer; and an adhesive, a buffer strip and a heat sink disposed sequentially below the panel layer.

[0181] The display panel may have a pad area with solder pads, wherein at the outer edge that is not in contact with the pad area, the display panel may further include: a panel layer disposed below the adhesive layer; an adhesive, a buffer strip and a heat sink disposed sequentially below the panel layer, wherein the heat sink may be adhered to the intermediate frame.

[0182] The display panel may have a pad area with solder pads, wherein at the peripheral edge that is not in contact with the pad area, the display panel may further include: a panel layer disposed below the adhesive layer; an adhesive and a buffer strip disposed sequentially below the panel layer, wherein the buffer strip can be adhered to the intermediate frame.

[0183] The ink layer may include: a first layer, one end of which is separated from one end of the cover window by a gap; and a second layer, which is disposed below the first layer and has one end that penetrates into the gap and contacts the cover window.

[0184] The second layer may contain a conductive material.

[0185] The intermediate frame may contain metallic material.

[0186] The charge generated in the cover window can be released to the intermediate frame via the second layer.

[0187] The other end of the first layer may protrude further inward compared to the other end of the second layer.

[0188] The conductive material may include at least one of a conductive ball and a conductive wire.

[0189] Those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention can be implemented in other specific forms without altering the technical concept or essential features of the invention. Therefore, it should be understood that the above embodiments are exemplary in all respects and not limiting of the invention. The scope of the invention should be interpreted to include all modifications or variations obtained according to the meaning and scope of the invention and the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0190] The above embodiments can be combined to provide further embodiments. All U.S. patents, U.S. patent application publications, U.S. patent applications, foreign patents, foreign patent applications, and non-patent publications mentioned in and / or listed in the application data sheets are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Various aspects of the embodiments may be modified; if necessary, the concepts of the various patents, applications, and publications may be employed to provide further embodiments.

[0191] In view of the above description which made these and other changes to the embodiments, the terminology used in the appended claims should generally not be construed as limiting the claims to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and claims, but rather as encompassing all possible embodiments within the full scope of their equivalence. Therefore, the claims are not limited by the disclosure.

Claims

1. A display panel, comprising: Cover the windows; An adhesive layer disposed on the rear surface of the cover window; An ink layer disposed between the cover window and the adhesive layer and comprising a first layer and a second layer; A panel layer disposed beneath the adhesive layer; A back panel disposed below the panel layer; The driver IC is located below the panel layer; as well as A heat sink is disposed between the backplate and the driver IC; The panel layer includes: A flexible substrate, the flexible substrate including an active region, a bending region and a pad region; A thin-film transistor, wherein the thin-film transistor is disposed on a flexible substrate and includes a gate, a source, a drain, and a semiconductor layer; A first planarization layer and a second planarization layer are sequentially disposed on the thin-film transistor; An intermediate electrode is disposed on the first planarization layer and electrically connected to the thin-film transistor; A light-emitting element, wherein the light-emitting element is disposed on the second planarization layer and includes an anode, a light-emitting portion, and a cathode; and An encapsulation layer disposed on the light-emitting element.

2. The display panel according to claim 1, wherein, One end of the first layer protrudes further inward relative to the cover window compared to one end of the second layer.

3. The display panel according to claim 1, further comprising: A black matrix is ​​formed in a portion of the panel layer.

4. The display panel according to claim 1, wherein, The first planarization layer and the second planarization layer are disposed in the active region and the curved region.

5. The display panel according to claim 4, further comprising: The wiring disposed between the first planarization layer and the second planarization layer in the curved region.

6. The display panel according to claim 4, further comprising: A micro-coating layer disposed on the second planarization layer.

7. The display panel according to claim 1, further comprising: A buffer strip is provided between the back plate and the heat sink.

8. The display panel according to claim 1, wherein, The heat sink is made of copper.

9. The display panel according to claim 1, further comprising: The intermediate frame that is in direct contact with the ink layer.

10. The display panel according to claim 9, wherein, The ink layer is disposed between the cover window and the intermediate frame.

11. The display panel according to claim 10, wherein, The intermediate frame includes a vertical section and a horizontal section, and The vertical portion is in direct contact with the ink layer.

12. The display panel according to claim 9, wherein, The intermediate frame is made of metal.

13. The display panel according to claim 1, wherein, The other end of the first layer is separated from one end of the cover window by a gap.

14. The display panel according to claim 13, wherein, The other end of the second layer penetrates into the gap and contacts the cover window.

15. The display panel according to claim 14, wherein, At least one of the first layer and the second layer comprises a conductive material.

16. The display panel according to claim 15, wherein, The conductive material includes conductive spheres.

17. The display panel according to claim 16, wherein, The conductive spheres occupy a ratio of 20% to 30% of the volume.

18. The display panel according to claim 15, wherein, The conductive material includes conductive wires, and The conductive wires are silver nanowires.

19. The display panel according to claim 18, wherein, The conductive wires account for 10% to 20% of the volume.

20. The display panel according to claim 1, wherein, The second layer is disposed on the rear surface and side surface of the first layer, and The cover window is in direct contact with the first layer and the second layer.

Images