Adhesive film

Abstract

Disclosed is an adhesive film comprising: an adhesive layer; a first pad disposed on the first surface of the adhesive layer; and a second pad disposed on the second surface of the adhesive layer. The first pad includes: a main body overlapping the adhesive layer; and a plurality of wings extending from the body without overlapping the adhesive layer.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0064359 filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on May 18, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates to a method of manufacturing an adhesive film and a display device, and more particularly, to a method of combining a display panel and a cover window when manufacturing a display device having a curved surface area and an adhesive film for such combination. Background Art

[0004] Display devices such as light-emitting display devices and liquid crystal displays are applied to electronic devices such as smart phones, mobile phones, and multimedia players. Since the display device (specifically, the screen of the display device) is the external visible part of the electronic device, the display device is a key element in the design of the electronic device.

[0005] Typically, the screen of a display device is flat. Recently, with the development of flexible display devices, the screen is not limited to a flat surface, but can be formed as a curved surface and can include a curved area. Specifically, if the edge of a display device is formed as a curved surface, the screen-to-body ratio of the display device can be increased. The aspect ratio can reflect the technical level of the display device and plays an important role in consumers' choice of products. In addition, the curved edge can provide a better grip than the corner edge. Utility Model Content

[0006] When manufacturing a display device including a curved area, a guide film can be used in the process of attaching a display panel and a cover window. For example, the display panel can be preformed by attaching a guide film to the display panel, setting them on a pad and pulling the guide film. When a guide film is used, a process of attaching the guide film to the display panel and removing the guide film from the display panel is required, and the guide film is a disposable material and is not easily recyclable. An embodiment can provide a method for manufacturing a display device, which can attach a display panel and a cover window without using a guide film.

[0007] The embodiment of the adhesive film includes: an adhesive layer; a first liner disposed on a first surface of the adhesive layer; and a second liner disposed on a second surface of the adhesive layer. The first liner includes: a body overlapping the adhesive layer; and a plurality of wings extending from the body without overlapping the adhesive layer.

[0008] The body may include first and second sides parallel to the first direction and third and fourth sides parallel to a second direction intersecting the first direction. The plurality of wings may include first and second wings extending from the first and second sides in a direction parallel to the second direction.

[0009] The plurality of wings may further include third and fourth wings extending from the third and fourth sides in a direction parallel to the first direction.

[0010] The main body and the plurality of wings may be integrally formed.

[0011] The first gasket may have a cross-shaped plan shape, and the second gasket may have a rectangular plan shape.

[0012] The adhesive film may further include a plurality of alignment marks formed in the first liner.

[0013] A plurality of alignment marks may be provided in the body.

[0014] Multiple alignment marks may be provided in multiple wings.

[0015] A plurality of alignment marks are printed on, embossed on, or formed through the first pad.

[0016] An embodiment of a method for manufacturing a display device includes: providing an adhesive sheet including an adhesive layer and a gasket; forming a stack in which the adhesive sheet and a display panel are bonded together; loading the stack onto a pad so that the display panel faces the pad; loading a cover window into a fixture; preforming the display panel by applying an external force to the gasket so that the display panel is in close contact with a surface of the pad; removing the gasket; and bonding the display panel to the cover window.

[0017] The gasket may include an adhesive layer on a surface of the gasket contacting the display panel.

[0018] The surface of the pad may have an adhesive force of about 0.4 kgf / mm to about 1.5 kgf / mm.

[0019] The pad may include vacuum holes in communication with a surface of the pad.

[0020] The gasket may include a body overlapping the adhesive layer and a plurality of wings extending from the body without overlapping the adhesive layer.

[0021] The body may include a first side and a second side parallel to a first direction and a third side and a fourth side parallel to a second direction intersecting the first direction. The plurality of wings may include a first wing and a second wing extending from the first side and the second side in a direction parallel to the second direction. The first wing and the second wing may be clamped when preforming the display panel.

[0022] The plurality of wings may further include third and fourth wings extending from the third and fourth sides in a direction parallel to the first direction.

[0023] A plurality of alignment marks may be formed in the gasket, and the display panel and the cover window may be aligned using the plurality of alignment marks.

[0024] When the adhesive sheet and the display panel are combined, an alignment error between the gasket and the display panel may be obtained using the plurality of alignment marks, and when the display panel and the cover window are aligned, an alignment position may be corrected using the alignment error.

[0025] The gasket may include a body overlapping the adhesive layer and a plurality of wings extending from the body without overlapping the adhesive layer.

[0026] The alignment marks may be formed in the body, and positions of the plurality of alignment marks may not be distorted in a state in which the display panel is preformed.

[0027] When loading the stack, a plurality of alignment marks may be used to align the display panel and the spacer.

[0028] According to the embodiments, when manufacturing a display device including a curved area, a display panel and a cover window can be combined together without using a guide film, thereby reducing costs and process steps. In addition, according to the embodiments, advantageous effects can be recognized throughout the specification. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of an electronic device including a display device.

[0030] Figure 2 It is along Figure 1 A schematic cross-sectional view of the display device taken along line AA′ in FIG.

[0031] Figure 3 is a top view schematically showing an adhesive film according to an embodiment.

[0032] Figure 4 It is along Figure 3 A schematic cross-sectional view taken along line BB' in FIG.

[0033] Figure 5 is shown where the display panel is attached to Figure 3 ] is a top view of the state of the adhesive film shown in FIG.

[0034] Figure 6 It is along Figure 5 A schematic cross-sectional view taken along line CC' in FIG.

[0035] Figure 7is a perspective view schematically showing a laminating apparatus according to an embodiment and a stack loaded with the laminating apparatus.

[0036] Figure 8 , Fig. 9 , Fig.10 , Fig.11 and Fig.12 is a diagram schematically showing a step of attaching a display panel and a cover window.

[0037] Fig.13 is a plan view schematically showing an adhesive film according to an embodiment.

[0038] Fig.14 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a stack structure of a display panel according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] With reference to the accompanying drawings, the embodiments will be described in detail.

[0040] In the drawings, the size and thickness of each component are arbitrarily shown for convenience of description.

[0041] When a part such as a layer, film, region, plate, etc. is referred to as being “over” or “on” another part, this includes not only the case where it is “directly on” the other element but also the case where another element is present in between.

[0042] In contrast, when a component is referred to as being "directly on top of" another component, this means there are no intervening components.

[0043] As used herein, the word "or" means a logical "or" such that the statement "A, B, or C" means "A and B and C," "A and B but not C," "A and C but not B," "B and C but not A," "A but not B and C," "B but not A and C," and "C but not A and B," unless the context dictates otherwise.

[0044] Throughout the specification, "connected" means not only when two or more components are directly connected, but also when two or more components are indirectly connected, physically connected, or electrically connected through another component. In addition to this case, it can also include a case where each part represented by a different name according to its position or function but substantially integrated is connected to each other.

[0045] In the drawings, symbols “x”, “y” and “z” are used to indicate directions, where “x” is a first direction, “y” is a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and “z” is a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions.

[0046] Figure 1is a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of an electronic device including a display device.

[0047] refer to Figure 1 , the display device 100 according to the embodiment can be applied to an electronic device 1, such as a smart phone, a mobile phone, a tablet PC, a multimedia player or a game console. The electronic device 1 may include a display device 100 and a housing 200. The display device 100 provides a screen for displaying images in the electronic device 1. The housing 200 may be referred to as a setting frame, and the display device 100 may be fixed. In the internal space defined by the display device 100 and the housing 200, various parts constituting the electronic device 1 are positioned. For example, a processor, a memory, a battery, a drive device, a camera, a speaker, a microphone, a receiver, a communication module or a sensor may be located in the electronic device 1. When viewed from the front, the electronic device 1 and the display device 100 may have a substantially rectangular shape.

[0048] The entire front surface of the electronic device 1 and the display device 100 may correspond to the screen, and at least a portion of the side surface may also correspond to the screen. The screen may correspond to the display area of ​​the display device 100. The display area may be located on the side and front of the electronic device 1 and the display device 100.

[0049] At least one of the four edge regions of the display device 100 may be bent. In the illustrated embodiment, the display device 100 has four curved edge regions. When bent as described above, the display device 100 includes a front portion A1 (or first region) located on the front side, a side portion A2 (or second region) located on the side surface of the front portion A1, and further, it may include a corner portion A3 (or third region) located at the corner of the front portion A1. Although four side portions A2 and four corner portions A3 are shown, the display device 100 may include one or more side portions A2, and may or may not include one or more corner portions A3.

[0050] The front portion A1 may be located in the center of the display device 100 and may occupy most of the screen. The side portion A2 and the corner portion A3 may be located around the front portion A1. The front portion A1 may constitute a front display area. Most of the side portion A2 may constitute a side display area, and most of the corner portion A3 may constitute a corner display area. The front portion A1 may be a flat surface, and the side portion A2 and the corner portion A3 may be curved surfaces. The edge of the side portion A2 and the edge of the corner portion A3 may be a non-display area, that is, an area where an image is not displayed.

[0051] The front portion A1 may occupy the widest area of ​​the entire display area and form a substantially flat screen. In a plan view, the front portion A1 as a whole may be a rectangle having four sides. As shown in the figure, the corners of the front portion A1 may be sharp, but may also be rounded. Two of the four sides of the front portion A1 may be parallel to each other in a first direction x, and the other two sides of the front portion A1 may be parallel to each other in a second direction y.

[0052] The side portions A2 may be connected to the four edges of the front portion A1, respectively. Each of the side portions A2 may form a curved surface (e.g., a single curved surface), and the curvature may be constant or different depending on the position of the curved surface. Each side portion A2 may have a shape similar to a portion (e.g., 1 / 4) of the side surface of a curved column (such as an elliptical column or a cylinder). As another example, the side portion A2 may have a curved surface in a region close to the front portion A1 and a flat surface in a region away from the front portion A1.

[0053] The corner portions A3 may be located at four corners of the display device 100. Each corner portion A3 may be located between two adjacent side portions A2. Each corner portion A3 may form a curved surface (eg, a hyperbolic surface).

[0054] The curvature of the curved surface may be constant or may vary depending on the position. The shape of the curved surface of the corner portion A3 may be different from the shape of the curved surface of the side portion A2. For example, each corner portion A3 may have a shape similar to a portion (e.g., 1 / 8) of a curved body (such as a sphere or an ellipsoidal sphere).

[0055] When the electronic device 1 is viewed from the front, the entire front portion A1, the side portion A2, and the corner portion A3 are combined to be considered as a rectangular screen with rounded corners as a whole. The housing 200 may be invisible or almost invisible, and a substantially borderless electronic device 1 having an aspect ratio of 1 or close to 1 may be realized.

[0056] Figure 2 It is along Figure 1 A schematic cross-sectional view of the display device taken along line AA′ in FIG.

[0057] refer to Figure 2 , the display device 100 may include a display panel DP and a cover window CW located in front of the display panel DP. An adhesive layer AH may be located between the display panel DP and the cover window CW to attach them. The display panel DP and the cover window CW may include a front portion A1, a side portion A2, and a corner portion A3 corresponding to the front portion A1, the side portion A2, and the corner portion A3 of the display device 100.

[0058] In the display device 100, an image may be displayed by a display panel DP. The display panel DP may be a light-emitting display panel including a light-emitting device such as a light-emitting diode. The display panel DP may be a touch screen panel including a touch sensor layer capable of detecting a touch. At least a portion of the display panel DP may be flexible. The display panel DP may include a display area corresponding to a screen on which an image is displayed and a non-display area on which an image is not displayed.

[0059] Pixels are arranged in the display area, and an image can be displayed by a combination of pixels. A pixel circuit and a signal line for driving pixels can be arranged in the display area. The signal line may include a gate line for transmitting a gate signal, a data line for transmitting a data signal, etc. In the display area, the gate line may extend in a first direction x, and the data line may extend in a second direction y. Each pixel may be connected to a pixel circuit connected to the data line and the gate line to receive a data signal (voltage) for controlling the brightness of the pixel at a predetermined timing. The display area may be located not only on the front portion A1, but also on the side portion A2 and the corner portion A3.

[0060] The non-display area may be located near the edge of the display panel DP and may be located around the display area. In the non-display area, a circuit or wiring for generating various signals or transmitting various signals to the display area may be provided, and a pad portion (or a connection terminal portion) including a pad for receiving a signal from the outside of the display panel DP or outputting a signal to the outside may be provided. A flexible printed circuit film (not shown) may be bonded to the pad portion.

[0061] The edge area of ​​the display panel DP may be bent to form a side portion A2 and a corner portion A3. When the display device 100 is observed from the front, the non-display area may not be visible. Therefore, when the display device 100 is observed from the front, the screen may occupy a visible area, and the aspect ratio of the display device 100 may be maximized.

[0062] The cover window CW may cover the display panel DP and transmit an image displayed by the display panel DP. An edge region of the cover window CW may be bent to form a side portion A2 and a corner portion A3. The display panel DP may be protected from external environment, impact, etc.

[0063] The cover window CW may be used as a support for holding the display panel DP in a bent state. The cover window CW may be formed of a transparent and hard material such as glass or plastic. At least one area of ​​the cover window CW corresponding to the display screen may be optically transparent. Here, "optically transparent" may refer to a visible light transmittance of about 70% or more, about 80% or more, or about 90% or more. The bending of the cover window CW may be performed by thermoforming, for example, a glass plate or a plastic plate.

[0064] The display panel DP and the cover window CW may be bonded together. For example, the front surface of the display panel DP and the rear surface of the cover window CW may be bonded together. An adhesive such as an optically transparent adhesive may be used to bond the display panel DP and the cover window CW, and an adhesive layer AH formed by such an adhesive is between the display panel DP and the cover window CW.

[0065] Hereinafter, a method of manufacturing the display device 100 by combining the display panel DP and the cover window CW will be described in detail.

[0066] Figure 3 is a plan view schematically showing an adhesive film according to an embodiment, and Figure 4 It is along Figure 3 A schematic cross-sectional view taken along line BB' in FIG. Figure 5 is shown where the display panel is attached to Figure 3 A plan view of the state of the adhesive film shown in FIG. Figure 6 It is along Figure 5 A schematic cross-sectional view taken along line CC' in FIG.

[0067] refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 , an adhesive film AF for combining a display panel DP and a cover window CW is shown. The adhesive film AF includes an adhesive layer AH, a first liner L1 located on a first surface (upper surface) of the adhesive layer AH, and a second liner L2 located on a second surface (lower surface) of the adhesive layer AH. The first liner L1 and the second liner L2 may be referred to as a tight liner and an easy liner, respectively. The first liner L1 may cover the entire first surface of the adhesive layer AH, and the second liner L2 may cover the entire second surface of the adhesive layer AH. Due to the adhesive force of the adhesive layer AH, the first liner L1 and the second liner L2 may be attached to the first surface and the second surface of the adhesive layer AH, respectively. Therefore, the adhesive layer AH may be prevented from contacting or adhering to another object before using the adhesive film AF. The adhesive layer AH may be optically transparent. The first liner L1 or the second liner L2 may be optically transparent.

[0068] The first gasket L1 may include a main body L10 overlapping the adhesive layer AH and wings L11 to L14 extending from the main body L10 without overlapping the adhesive layer AH. The main body L10 and the wings L11 to L14 may be integrally formed.

[0069] The main body L10 may have a generally rectangular shape and may have rounded corners. The main body L10 may include a first side and a second side parallel to the first direction x and a third side and a fourth side parallel to the second direction y. The main body L10 may be the same as or slightly larger than the adhesive layer AH. The alignment mark MK may be located in the main body L10. For example, four alignment marks MK may be located near the four corners of the main body L10. The alignment mark MK may be printed on one side of the first pad L1. The alignment mark MK may be embossed on one surface of the first pad L1. The alignment mark MK may be formed to pass through the first pad L1. The number, position and shape of the alignment mark MK may be variously changed. For example, the alignment mark MK may have various shapes different from the rectangle shown. At least some of the alignment marks MK may be located at the boundary between the main body L10 and the wings L11 to L14 or at the wings L11 to L14.

[0070] The wings L11 to L14 may include a first wing L11 and a second wing L12 extending from both sides of the body L10 parallel to the second direction y in a direction parallel to the first direction x, and a third wing L13 and a fourth wing L14 extending from both sides of the body L10 parallel to the first direction x in a direction parallel to the second direction y. Each of the wings L11 to L14 may be approximately rectangular. The first pad L1 including the body L10 and the wings L11 to L14 may have a planar shape that is approximately cross-shaped as a whole. In another embodiment, the first pad L1 may include only the first wing L11 and the second wing L12 of the wings L11 to L14, or may include only the third wing L13 and the fourth wing L14.

[0071] The second liner L2 may have a substantially rectangular shape. The second liner L2 may completely cover the second surface of the adhesive layer AH. The second liner L2 may be larger than the adhesive layer AH. The second liner L2 may be thinner than the first liner L1.

[0072] refer to Figure 5 and Figure 6, the second pad L2 is removed from the adhesive film AF, and the display panel DP is bonded to the adhesive film AF so that the display panel DP and the adhesive layer AH and the first pad L1 can form a stack LM. The display panel DP may be attached to the second surface of the adhesive layer AH as the surface from which the second pad L2 is removed. The sub-bonding of the display panel DP and the adhesive film AF to form the stack LM may be performed by a roll lamination method. The area where the pad portion of the display panel DP is located (i.e., the connection area to which the flexible printed circuit film is bonded) may not be attached to the adhesive layer AH and may overlap with the fourth wing L14. The first wing L11 to the third wing L13 may not overlap with the display panel DP. The alignment mark MK of the first pad L1 may overlap with the front portion A1 of the display panel DP. During the sub-bonding, the first pad L1 and the display panel DP may be aligned by identifying the alignment mark MK of the first pad L1 and the mark (not shown) of the display panel DP.

[0073] Figure 7 2 is a perspective view schematically showing a laminating device and a laminated member LM loaded by the laminating device according to an embodiment. Figure 7 , the laminating device may include a pad PD, clamps CP1 to CP4, and pushers PM1 to PM4. The pad PD may have a generally rectangular planar shape as a whole. The clamps CP1 to CP4 and the pushers PM1 to PM4 may be arranged to correspond to the four sides of the pad PD. In order to attach the display panel DP and the cover window CW, a stack LM including the display panel DP, the adhesive layer AH, and the first pad L1 may be loaded onto the pad PD. The stack LM may be positioned so that the display panel DP faces the pad PD. That is, the display panel DP, the adhesive layer AH, and the main body L10 may be arranged to overlap sequentially with the pad PD. The wings L11 to L14 may be clamped to the corresponding clamps CP1 to CP4. For example, the edge portion of each of the wings L11 to L14 may be fixed to the corresponding clamps CP1 to CP4. Pushers PM1 to PM4 may be located on the corresponding wings L11 to L14.

[0074] Figure 8 , Fig. 9 , Fig.10 , Fig.11 and Fig.12 is a diagram schematically showing a step of attaching a cover window to a display panel.

[0075] refer to Figure 8 , for the main combination of the display panel DP and the cover window CW, first, a step of loading the laminate LM into a laminating device may be performed. Figure 8 The status shown in Figure 7The state shown in is basically the same. In the state where the stack LM is loaded, the wings L11 to L14 of the first liner L1 can be clamped to the clamps CP1 to CP4, and the stack LM is laid flat in the horizontal direction. At the same time, the cover window CW can be loaded onto the fixture JG before or after loading the stack LM. The fixture JG can fix the cover window CW by using a vacuum adsorption device, an electrostatic chuck, etc. The main bonding can be performed in a vacuum chamber. Foreign matter or bubbles can be prevented from appearing during vacuum bonding, and the alignment accuracy can be improved.

[0076] A pre-alignment step of aligning the display panel DP and the pad PD may be performed so that when the stack LM is loaded, the display panel DP may be accurately loaded onto the pad PD. For example, a visual alignment device may be used to align the display panel DP and the pad PD by identifying an alignment mark MK marked on the first pad L1 and an alignment mark (not shown) marked on the pad PD. Typically, the alignment mark for aligning the display panel DP and the pad PD is formed in a non-display area of ​​the display panel DP, and the non-display area may include an area where the alignment mark is formed. As in the embodiment, by forming the alignment mark MK on the first pad L1, the corner area of ​​the display panel DP may be reduced, and thus the non-display area and the dead zone of the display panel DP may be reduced.

[0077] By identifying the alignment mark MK of the first pad L1 and the mark of the display panel DP (not shown in the figure) using a visual alignment device including a camera, the positions of the first pad L1 and the display panel DP and the alignment error between the first pad L1 and the display panel DP (or the relative position of the mark of the display panel DP with respect to the alignment mark MK) can be obtained.

[0078] refer to Fig. 9 , a pre-forming step of deforming the shape of the display panel DP by applying an external force to the first pad L1 may be performed. When the display panel DP (which is bonded to the first pad L1 by the adhesive layer AH) is loaded on the pad PD, the pushers PM1 to PM4 may be arranged on the wings L11 to L14 of the first pad L1. While the first pad L1 is in close contact with the side surface of the pad PD using the pushers PM1 to PM4, an external force (e.g., a pulling force) is applied to the first pad L1 to move the display panel DP to the pad PD, which may be pre-formed into a shape matching the surface shape. The external force may be applied to the first wing L11 by the first pusher PM1, the external force may be applied to the second wing L12 by the second pusher PM2, the external force may be applied to the third wing L13 by the third pusher PM3, and the external force may be applied to the fourth wing L14 by the fourth pusher PM4.

[0079] The external force of the pushers PM1 to PM4 may be applied by lowering the clamps CP1 to CP4 coupled thereto or by raising the pad PD loaded with the stack LM. The first pad L1 may be bent by the external force acting on the first pad L1. For example, the body L10 of the first pad L1 may be deformed to have a curvature. When the first pad L1 is deformed, the display panel DP coupled to the body L10 may also be deformed. For example, Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown in , the display panel DP may be deformed to include a curved side portion A2 and a corner portion A3. Through the preforming step, the display panel DP may be adhered to the pad PD. In addition, the display panel DP may be formed such that the central portion of the front portion A1 is more convex than other portions in the third direction z.

[0080] After the pre-forming step, a main alignment step of aligning the display panel DP and the cover window CW may be performed. For example, by using a visual alignment device, an alignment mark MK displayed on the first pad L1 and an alignment mark (not shown) displayed on the cover window CW are identified, and the display panel DP and the cover window CW are identified. The positions of the cover window CW and the display panel DP may be compared, and the cover window CW may be aligned. During the main alignment of the display panel DP and the cover window CW, the alignment position may be corrected using the alignment error between the first pad L1 and the display panel DP obtained before the pre-forming step. Therefore, during the main alignment, the position of the display panel DP may be tracked and indicated without using the alignment mark for the display panel DP, and the display panel DP and the cover window CW may be accurately aligned.

[0081] Typically, the mark of the display panel DP is set in the edge area of ​​the display panel DP as a non-display area. This is because when the mark is set in the display area, it may be difficult to identify the mark due to interference with the pixels or conductors located in the display area. When the display panel DP is preformed, the non-display area of ​​the display panel DP is set on the side surface of the pad PD by the curved side portion A2 and the corner portion A3, so that the non-display area in the position of the placed mark can be distorted (for example, when viewed from above, the position of the mark is offset). Therefore, during normal alignment based on the mark of the display panel DP, the position of the mark of the display panel DP can be mistakenly identified, and the alignment of the display panel DP and the cover window CW can exceed the tolerance. Unlike when the mark is set on the display panel DP, when the alignment mark MK is set on the first pad L1, their position is not restricted. As in the embodiment, when the alignment mark MK is set on the first pad L1 in the area overlapping with the front portion A1 of the display panel DP, the position of the alignment mark MK will not be distorted even after preforming. Therefore, the display panel DP and the cover window CW may be more accurately aligned during the main alignment based on the alignment mark MK of the first spacer L1.

[0082] refer to Fig.10 , after the main alignment step, the first liner L1 may be removed. Therefore, the display panel DP attached to the pad PD and the adhesive layer AH attached to the display panel DP may be located on the pad PD. In order to keep the display panel DP in close contact with the pad PD (i.e., in a pre-formed state), the display panel DP may be attached to or adsorbed to the pad PD.

[0083] A physical adhesive chuck, a vacuum chuck, or the like may be applied to the pad PD so that the display panel DP may be attached to or adsorbed to the pad PD. When a physical adhesive chuck is applied, the adhesive force of the surface of the pad PD in contact with the display panel DP may be about 0.4 kgf / mm to about 1.5 kgf / mm. For the adhesive force, the surface of the pad PD may include an adhesive layer PS such as an adhesive rubber. The adhesive layer PS may be located on the entire surface of the pad PD in contact with the display panel DP, or only on a portion of the surface. The adhesive layer PS may be formed by coating an adhesive material or attaching an adhesive sheet to the surface of the pad PD. If the adhesive force of the pad PD is less than about 0.4 kgf / mm, a portion of the display panel DP may be separated from the surface of the pad PD due to the repulsive force of the display panel DP, and may not be able to maintain its preformed state. However, if the adhesive force of the pad PD is greater than about 1.5 kgf / mm, it may be difficult to separate the display panel DP from the pad PD after attaching the display panel DP and the cover window CW.

[0084] When a vacuum chuck is applied, the pad PD may include a plurality of vacuum holes VH connected to the surface in contact with the display panel DP, and the laminating device applying negative pressure may include a device (not shown) that provides positive pressure such as a vacuum pump, a blower, a fan, a cylinder, etc. When negative pressure (vacuum force) is applied to the vacuum holes VH, the pad PD may vacuum adsorb the preformed display panel DP thereon or enhance the adsorption force. When the negative pressure is released or positive pressure is applied to the vacuum holes VH, the display panel DP may be separated from the pad PD.

[0085] When the physical adhesive chuck and the vacuum chuck are applied simultaneously, the display panel DP may be more easily attached and detached.

[0086] In this case, even if the adhesive force on the surface of the pad PD increases beyond the above range, since vacuum adsorption and separation are performed simultaneously, the display panel DP can be maintained in its pre-formed state, and the display panel DP can be separated. For example, the adhesive force of the surface of the pad PD may be about 0.2 kgf / mm to about 2.0 kgf / mm. At the same time, an electrostatic chuck may be further provided on the pad PD to enhance the adsorption force of the display panel DP and to more easily attach or detach the display panel DP.

[0087] refer to Fig.11 , after the primary alignment, the pad PD may be raised, the jig JG may be lowered, or the pad PD may be raised and the jig JG may be lowered so that the adhesive layer AH located in the central area of ​​the display panel DP contacts the cover window CW. At this time, the display panel DP may remain pre-formed so that the adhesive layer AH does not contact the cover window CW at the side portion A2 and the corner portion A3 of the display panel DP. This is because if the adhesive layer AH of the curved area contacts the cover window CW first, the adhesive quality may be deteriorated, such as bubbles between the display panel DP and the cover window CW.

[0088] Next, refer to Fig.12 , the display panel DP is bonded to the cover window CW by applying pressure through the pad PD while the adhesive layer AH is in contact with the cover window CW. First, the front portion A1 of the display panel DP is bonded to the cover window CW, and then the side portion A2 and the corner portion A3 of the display panel DP are bonded to the cover window CW. The pad PD may include an air pump or may be connected to the air pump. The pad PD may include a diaphragm.

[0089] After the main bonding process is completed, the pad PD is lowered, the jig JG is raised, or the pad PD is lowered and the jig JG is raised to separate the pad PD from the display panel DP. Thereafter, the display device 100 in which the display panel DP and the cover window CW are bonded can be removed from the jig JG to complete the main bonding. Bubbles that may exist between the bonded display panel DP and the cover window CW of the display device 100 can be removed by an autoclave process.

[0090] In this way, according to an embodiment, the display panel DP and the cover window CW can be combined together without using a guide film. Therefore, the cost of using a guide film can be reduced or eliminated. In addition, since the guide film is not used, there is no need for a process of combining the guide film and the display panel DP, and after combining the display panel DP and the cover window CW, there is no need to irradiate ultraviolet rays to remove the guide film. Since there is no need to eliminate or reduce the adhesive strength of the adhesive layer attaching the guide film and the display panel DP, the number of process steps can be reduced.

[0091] Fig.13is a plan view schematically showing an adhesive film according to an embodiment.

[0092] and Figure 3 Compared with the adhesive films AF shown in Fig.13 The adhesive films AF shown in FIG. 4 have differences in the positions of the alignment marks MK. The alignment marks MK may be located on the wings L11 to L14. The alignment marks MK may be located close to the body L10. During preforming (see FIG. 4 ), the alignment marks MK may be located on the wings L11 to L14. Fig. 9 ), these alignment marks MK may be located on the side of the pad PD. The main alignment may be performed in a pre-formed state by recognizing the alignment marks MK located on the side using an edge camera of a visual alignment device. However, since a plurality of edge cameras must be used or the edge camera must be moved, Figure 3 As shown in , it may be more disadvantageous than arranging the alignment mark MK on the body L10.

[0093] Fig.14 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a stack structure of a display panel according to an embodiment.

[0094] Fig.14 The cross section shown in may correspond to approximately one pixel area. Fig.14 The display panel DP, which may be bonded to the cover window CW using the aforementioned adhesive film AF, basically includes a substrate SB, a transistor TR formed on the substrate SB, and a light emitting diode LED connected to the transistor TR. The light emitting diode LED may correspond to a pixel.

[0095] The substrate SB may be a flexible substrate that can be bent, folded, or curled. The substrate SB may have a multilayer structure including a first base layer BL1, an inorganic layer IL, and a second base layer BL2. The first base layer BL1 and the second base layer BL2 may include a polymer resin such as polyimide, polyamide, or polyethylene terephthalate. A barrier layer BR may be located on the substrate SB to prevent penetration of moisture, oxygen, and the like. The barrier layer BR may include an inorganic insulating material such as silicon nitride (SiN x ), silicon oxide (SiO x ) or silicon oxynitride (SiO x N y ), and may have a single layer or multiple layers.

[0096] The buffer layer BF may be located on the barrier layer BR. The buffer layer BF may improve the characteristics of the semiconductor layer AL by blocking impurities from the substrate SB during the formation of the semiconductor layer AL, and may relieve the stress of the semiconductor layer AL by flattening the surface of the substrate SB. The buffer layer BF may include an inorganic insulating material such as silicon nitride, silicon oxide, or silicon oxynitride, and may have a single layer or multiple layers. The buffer layer BF may include amorphous silicon (a-Si).

[0097] The semiconductor layer AL of the transistor TR may be located on the buffer layer BF. The semiconductor layer AL may include a first region, a second region, and a channel region between the regions.

[0098] The semiconductor layer AL may include any one of amorphous silicon, polycrystalline silicon, and an oxide semiconductor. The oxide semiconductor may include at least one of zinc (Zn), indium (In), gallium (Ga), and tin (Sn). For example, the semiconductor layer AL may include low temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) or indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO).

[0099] The first gate insulating layer GI1 may be located on the semiconductor layer AL. The first gate insulating layer GI1 may include an inorganic insulating material such as silicon nitride, silicon oxide, or silicon oxynitride, and may have a single layer or a multi-layer.

[0100] A first gate conductive layer, which may include a gate electrode GE of the transistor TR, a gate line GL, a first electrode C1 of the storage capacitor CS, etc., is formed on the first gate insulating layer GI1 and may be located thereon. The first gate conductive layer may include molybdenum (Mo), aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), titanium (Ti), etc., and may be a single layer or a multilayer.

[0101] The second gate insulating layer GI2 may be located on the first gate conductive layer. The second gate insulating layer GI2 may include an inorganic insulating material such as silicon nitride, silicon oxide, or silicon oxynitride, and may have a single layer or a multi-layer.

[0102] A second gate conductive layer including a second electrode C2 of the storage capacitor CS may be located on the second gate insulating layer GI2. The second gate conductive layer may include molybdenum (Mo), aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), titanium (Ti), etc., and may be a single layer or multiple layers.

[0103] The interlayer insulating layer ILD may be on the second gate insulating layer GI2 and the second gate conductive layer. The interlayer insulating layer ILD may include an inorganic insulating material such as silicon nitride, silicon oxide, or silicon oxynitride, and may have a single layer or a multilayer.

[0104] The first data conductive layer that may include the first electrode SE and the second electrode DE of the transistor TR and the data line DL may be located on the interlayer insulating layer ILD. The first electrode SE and the second electrode DE may be connected to the first region and the second region of the semiconductor layer AL, respectively, through contact holes formed in the first gate insulating layer GI1, the second gate insulating layer GI2, and the interlayer insulating layer ILD. One of the first electrode SE and the second electrode DE may be a source electrode, and the other may be a drain electrode. The first data conductive layer includes aluminum (Al), platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), silver (Ag), magnesium (Mg), gold (Au), nickel (Ni), neodymium (Nd), iridium (Ir), chromium (Cr), calcium (Ca), molybdenum (Mo), titanium (Ti), tungsten (W), copper (Cu), etc., and may be a single layer or a multilayer.

[0105] The first planarization layer VIA1 may be on the first data conductive layer. The first planarization layer VIA1 may include an organic insulating material such as a general polymer such as poly(methyl methacrylate) or polystyrene, a polymer derivative having a phenol group, an acrylic polymer, an imide polymer, or a siloxane polymer.

[0106] The second data conductive layer, which may include a voltage line VL, a connection member CM, etc., may be located on the first planarization layer VIA1. The voltage line VL may transmit a voltage such as a driving voltage, a common voltage, an initialization voltage, or a reference voltage. The connection member CM may be connected to the second electrode DE of the transistor TR through a contact hole of the first planarization layer VIA1. The second data conductive layer includes aluminum (Al), platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), silver (Ag), magnesium (Mg), gold (Au), nickel (Ni), neodymium (Nd), iridium (Ir), chromium (Cr), calcium (Ca), molybdenum (Mo), titanium (Ti), tungsten (W), copper (Cu), etc., and may be a single layer or multiple layers.

[0107] The second planarization layer VIA2 may be on the second data conductive layer. The second planarization layer VIA2 may include an organic insulating material such as a general polymer such as poly(methyl methacrylate) or polystyrene, a polymer derivative having a phenol group, an acrylic polymer, an imide polymer, or a siloxane polymer.

[0108] The first electrode E1 of the light emitting diode LED may be located on the second planarization layer VIA2. The first electrode E1 may be referred to as a pixel electrode. The first electrode E1 may be connected to the connection member CM through a contact hole of the second planarization layer VIA2. Therefore, the first electrode E1 may be electrically connected to the second electrode DE of the transistor TR to receive a driving current for controlling the brightness of the light emitting diode LED. The transistor TR to which the first electrode E1 is connected may be a driving transistor or a transistor electrically connected to the driving transistor. The first electrode E1 may be formed of a reflective conductive material or a semi-transmissive conductive material, or may be formed of a transparent conductive material. The first electrode E1 may include a transparent conductive material, such as indium tin oxide (ITO) or indium zinc oxide (IZO). The first electrode E1 may include a metal or a metal alloy such as lithium (Li), calcium (Ca), aluminum (Al), silver (Ag), magnesium (Mg) or gold (Au).

[0109] The pixel defining layer PDL may be located on the second planarization layer VIA2 and the first electrode E1. The pixel defining layer PDL may be referred to as a bank or a barrier rib, and may have an opening overlapping the first electrode E1. The pixel defining layer PDL may include an organic insulating material such as a general polymer (such as poly(methyl methacrylate) or polystyrene), a polymer derivative having a phenolic group, an acrylic polymer, an imide polymer, or a siloxane polymer.

[0110] The light emitting layer EL of the light emitting diode LED may be located on the first electrode E1. In addition to the light emitting layer EL, a functional layer including at least one of a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, an electron transport layer, and an electron injection layer may be located on the first electrode E1.

[0111] The second electrode E2 of the light emitting diode LED may be located on the light emitting layer EL. The second electrode E2 may be referred to as a common electrode. The second electrode E2 is formed of a metal or metal alloy having a low work function such as calcium (Ca), barium (Ba), magnesium (Mg), aluminum (Al) or silver (Ag) to improve light transmittance by forming a thin layer. The second electrode E2 may include a transparent conductive oxide such as indium tin oxide (ITO) or indium zinc oxide (IZO).

[0112] The first electrode E1, the light emitting layer EL, and the second electrode E2 of each pixel may form a light emitting diode LED such as an organic light emitting diode. The first electrode E1 may be an anode, and the second electrode E2 may be a cathode. The light emitting region of the light emitting diode LED may correspond to a pixel.

[0113] The capping layer CPL may be located on the second electrode E2. The capping layer CPL may improve light efficiency by adjusting the refractive index. The capping layer CPL may be located to completely cover the second electrode E2. The capping layer CPL may include an organic insulating material or an inorganic insulating material.

[0114] The encapsulation layer EN may be located on the capping layer CPL. The encapsulation layer EN may encapsulate the light emitting diode LED to prevent moisture or oxygen from penetrating from the outside. The encapsulation layer EN may be a thin film encapsulation layer including a first inorganic layer EIL1, a second inorganic layer EIL2, and an organic layer EOL between the first inorganic layer EIL1 and the second inorganic layer EIL2.

[0115] A touch sensor layer TS including a touch electrode may be located on the encapsulation layer EN. An anti-reflection layer AR may be located on the touch sensor layer TS to reduce reflection of external light.

[0116] The protective film PF may be located under the substrate SB. During the manufacturing process of the display device using the protective film PF, the display panel DP may be protected. The protective film PF may include a polymer such as polyethylene terephthalate, a silicone-based polymer (e.g., polydimethylsiloxane), or an elastomer (e.g., elastomeric polyurethane). A protective sheet PST (also referred to as a cover panel) may be located under the protective film PF. The protective sheet PST may be attached to the rear surface of the protective film PF, and may protect the display panel DP from the environment (e.g., impact, electromagnetic waves, heat, noise, etc.) on the rear surface of the display panel DP, and the protective sheet PST may have a structure in which a shielding layer, a supporting layer, a buffer layer, etc. are stacked. The shielding layer may prevent electromagnetic interference (EMI) and the like from flowing into the display panel DP from the rear surface of the display panel DP. The shielding layer may be a metal layer including a metal (such as copper or aluminum) having excellent thermal conductivity and shielding properties. The supporting layer may be provided to ensure the strength of the protective sheet PST, and to couple / separate the buffer layer to other layers or components. The supporting layer may be a plastic layer made of a polymer such as polyethylene terephthalate or polyimide. The buffer layer may absorb impact and prevent damage to the display panel DP. For example, the buffer layer may prevent damage to the display panel DP due to external impact when the electronic device 1 falls, and may relieve impact and stress. The buffer layer may be a porous layer formed of a material such as polyurethane or polyethylene. The buffer layer may include a foamed resin. An adhesive layer such as a pressure-sensitive adhesive may be located between the shielding layer and the supporting layer, and between the supporting layer and the buffer layer to attach them. In addition to the above layers, the protective sheet PST may also include functional layers such as a light blocking layer and a heat dissipation layer.

[0117] While the present disclosure has been described with reference to the embodiments thereof, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that various changes and modifications can be made thereto without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure as set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

1. An adhesive film, characterized in that include: Adhesive layer; a first liner disposed on a first surface of the adhesive layer; as well as A second liner is disposed on the second surface of the adhesive layer, Wherein, the first liner comprises: a main body overlapping the adhesive layer, and A plurality of wings extend from the body without overlapping the adhesive layer.

2. The adhesive film according to claim 1, characterized in that The body includes a first side and a second side parallel to a first direction and a third side and a fourth side parallel to a second direction crossing the first direction, and The plurality of wings include a first wing and a second wing extending from the first side and the second side in a direction parallel to the second direction.

3. The adhesive film according to claim 2, characterized in that The plurality of wings also include third and fourth wings extending from the third and fourth sides in a direction parallel to the first direction.

4. The adhesive film according to claim 1, characterized in that The body is integrally formed with the plurality of wings.

5. The adhesive film according to claim 1, characterized in that The first pad has a cross-shaped planar shape, and The second gasket has a rectangular planar shape.

6. The adhesive film according to claim 1, characterized in that Also includes: A plurality of alignment marks are formed in the first pad.

7. The adhesive film according to claim 6, characterized in that The plurality of alignment marks are disposed in the body.

8. The adhesive film according to claim 6, characterized in that The plurality of alignment marks are disposed in the plurality of wings.

9. The adhesive film according to claim 6, characterized in that The plurality of alignment marks are printed on the first pad, embossed on the first pad, or formed through the first pad.

Images