Display device

Abstract

To provide a display device in which the bonding power between a display panel and a sealing substrate is improved.SOLUTION: A display device according to the present invention includes a display panel including a display region where a plurality of light-emitting elements are disposed and a non-display region surrounding the display region, a sealing substrate disposed with a space above the display panel, a sealing member disposed between the display panel and the sealing substrate in the non-display region and connecting the display panel and the sealing substrate, a plurality of supporting members disposed between the display panel and the sealing substrate in the display region, and a first fusion pattern disposed so that at least a part overlaps with the supporting member and the sealing substrate. The display region includes a first region where the supporting member and the first fusion pattern are disposed, and a second region where the supporting member is not disposed. The light-emitting element is disposed in at least a part of the second region.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a display device, and more particularly to a display device having improved bonding strength between a display panel and a sealing substrate. [Background technology]

[0002] The importance of display devices has increased with the development of multimedia. Accordingly, various types of display devices, such as an organic light emitting display (OLED) and a liquid crystal display (LCD), are being used.

[0003] The display device includes a display panel such as an organic light-emitting display panel or a liquid crystal display panel as a device for displaying an image. The light-emitting display panel may include a light-emitting element, such as a light-emitting diode (LED), which may be an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) that uses an organic material as a fluorescent material, or an inorganic light-emitting diode that uses an inorganic material as a fluorescent material.

[0004] As display devices are used in a wide variety of devices and situations, improving reliability against external shocks is a constant challenge. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 1997-105919 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems with the conventional display devices, and an object of the present invention is to provide a display device in which the bonding strength between the display panel and the sealing substrate is improved. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A display device according to the present invention, which has been made to achieve the above object, includes a display panel including a display area in which a plurality of light-emitting elements are arranged and a non-display area surrounding the display area, a sealing substrate spaced apart from the display panel, a sealing member disposed between the display panel and the sealing substrate in the non-display area to bond the display panel and the sealing substrate, a plurality of support members disposed between the display panel and the sealing substrate in the display area, and a first fusion pattern disposed such that at least a portion of the support members overlaps with the sealing substrate, the display area including a first area in which the support members and the first fusion pattern are arranged, and a second area in which the support members are not arranged, and the light-emitting elements are arranged in at least a portion of the second area. The display panel further includes a base substrate, and the support member is in direct contact with an upper surface of the base substrate and a lower surface of the encapsulation substrate. It is characterized by:

[0008] It is preferable that the display panel includes a plurality of pixels arranged in the display area, at least some of the pixels include the light-emitting element, and the support member is arranged so as not to overlap the light-emitting element. The pixels preferably include a first type pixel in which the support member is arranged, and a second type pixel in which the support member is not arranged and which includes the light emitting element. It is preferable that the pixel includes a light-emitting region in which the light-emitting element is arranged, and a non-light-emitting region in which the light-emitting element is not arranged and the support member is arranged. stomach. before The first fusion pattern is preferably extended from the sealing substrate to the base substrate and is disposed so that at least a portion of the first fusion pattern overlaps with the base substrate. The first fusion pattern is preferably formed by mixing materials constituting the support member, the sealing substrate, and the base substrate. The first fusion pattern preferably includes a fusion region in which the base substrate, the support member, and the sealing substrate are partially fused together, and a melt region disposed so as to surround the fusion region. It is preferable that the first fusion pattern includes a portion whose width increases from the base substrate toward the encapsulation substrate.

[0009] It is preferable that the support member includes a first boundary surface in contact with the base substrate and a second boundary surface in contact with the sealing substrate, and that no physical boundary exists in the portion of the extension line of the first boundary surface and the second boundary surface where the first fusion pattern is formed. It is preferable that the first fusion pattern includes a first portion overlapping the display panel, a second portion contacting the sealing member, and a third portion overlapping the encapsulation substrate, and further includes a third interface between the second portion and the sealing member, a fourth interface between the first portion and the display panel, and a fifth interface between the third portion and the encapsulation substrate. The first fusion pattern preferably has a different refractive index than the support member. It is preferable that the sealing member further includes a second fusion pattern disposed so that at least a portion of the second fusion pattern overlaps with the sealing member and the sealing substrate. It is preferable that the sealing member and the second fusion pattern are disposed in the non-display area so as to surround the display area.

[0010] In addition, a display device according to the present invention, which has been made to achieve the above-mentioned object, comprises a display panel including a base substrate and a plurality of pixels arranged on the base substrate, a sealing substrate arranged to face the display panel at a distance, a plurality of support members arranged between the base substrate and the sealing substrate, and a first fusion pattern arranged across the support members, the base substrate, and the sealing substrate, and is characterized in that the pixels include a first type pixel in which the support members are arranged, and a second type pixel in which the support members are not arranged and which includes a light-emitting element.

[0011] It is preferable that the first type pixel does not include the light emitting element, and the support member directly contacts the upper surface of the base substrate and the lower surface of the encapsulation substrate. It is preferable that the support member includes a first boundary surface in contact with the base substrate and a second boundary surface in contact with the sealing substrate, and that no physical boundary exists in the portion of the extension line of the first boundary surface and the second boundary surface where the first fusion pattern is formed. The second type pixels preferably include a first sub-pixel emitting light of a first color and a second sub-pixel emitting light of a second color different from the first color. It is preferable that the display panel includes a display area in which the plurality of pixels are arranged, and a non-display area surrounding the display area, and further includes a sealing member arranged in the non-display area to surround the display area and bond the encapsulation substrate and the display panel to each other. It is preferable that the display device further includes a second fusion pattern disposed across the support member, the base substrate, and the sealing substrate, the second fusion pattern surrounding the display area so as to have a closed curve shape.

[0012] In addition, in order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a display device according to the present invention has a display panel including a base substrate defining a display area and a non-display area surrounding the display area, and a plurality of pixels arranged on the base substrate within the display area, a sealing substrate arranged to face the display panel at a distance, a sealing member arranged in the non-display area surrounding the display area and joining the display panel and the sealing substrate to each other, a plurality of support members arranged in the display area, and a fusion pattern arranged across the support members, the base substrate, and the sealing substrate, and the pixels include a light-emitting area in which a light-emitting element is arranged, and a non-light-emitting area in which the light-emitting element is not arranged and the support member is arranged.

[0013] It is preferable that the supporting member does not overlap the light emitting element in the thickness direction. It is preferable that the support member directly contacts an upper surface of the base substrate and a lower surface of the encapsulation substrate, and the fusion pattern is formed by fusing the support member, the encapsulation substrate, and the base substrate. The fusion pattern is preferably formed by mixing the materials constituting the support member, the sealing substrate, and the base substrate. The fusion pattern preferably has a different refractive index than the support member. Effect of the Invention

[0014] According to the present invention, a display device includes a display panel including a plurality of pixels, and a plurality of support members disposed in a display region of the display panel. The support members are disposed in some of the plurality of pixels or in a partial region of each pixel so as not to overlap with the light-emitting elements. The support members can be in direct contact with the display panel and the encapsulation substrate, and can improve the bonding strength between the display panel and the encapsulation substrate in addition to the sealing member that seals the display region. Furthermore, by further including a fusion pattern disposed across the support member, durability against external impacts may be further improved. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic perspective view of a display device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] 1 is a plan view of a display device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 3] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a display device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 4] 1 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of a display panel according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 5] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a pixel included in a display device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 6] 1 is a plan view illustrating a sealing member and a supporting member disposed on a display panel according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of part A in FIG. [Figure 8] 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII' in FIG. 7. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of part B in FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XX' in FIG. [Figure 11] 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating light emission through a support member included in a display device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 12] 2A to 2C are cross-sectional views illustrating a manufacturing process of a display device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] 2A to 2C are cross-sectional views illustrating a manufacturing process of a display device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] 2A to 2C are cross-sectional views illustrating a manufacturing process of a display device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a portion of a display device according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16] 13 is a plan view showing a second fusion pattern disposed in a display device according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 17] FIG. 13 is a plan view showing a display panel on which a support member is disposed according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is an enlarged view of part C in FIG. [Figure 19] FIG. 19 is an enlarged view of part D in FIG. [Figure 20] 19 is a cross-sectional view taken along line EE' in FIG. 18. [Figure 21] 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a portion of a display device according to still another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 22] 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a portion of a display device according to still another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 23] 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a portion of a display device according to still another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016] Next, a specific example of an embodiment of a display device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0017] The advantages and features of the present invention, as well as the methods of achieving them, will become apparent from the following detailed description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but may be embodied in various different forms, and the present embodiments are provided merely to complete the disclosure of the present invention and to fully inform those skilled in the art of the scope of the invention to which the present invention pertains, and the present invention is defined only by the scope of the claims.

[0018] When elements or layers are referred to as being "on" another element or layer, this includes all cases where the elements are directly on top of the other elements or have other layers or elements interposed therebetween. Like reference numbers refer to like components throughout the specification. Although the terms "first", "second" and the like are used to describe various components, it is of course not intended that these components be limited by these terms. These terms are merely used to distinguish one component from another. Therefore, it is of course possible for the first component referred to below to be the second component within the technical spirit of the present invention.

[0019] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a display device according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view of a display device according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a display device according to one embodiment of the present invention. 3 is a cross section of the display device 10 of FIG. 1 taken along a first direction DR1, and shows only the display panel 100, the sealing substrate 500, and the sealing member 700. As shown in FIG.

[0020] In this specification, the first direction DR1 is a direction parallel to the short side of the display device 10 on a plane, for example, the lateral direction of the display device 10. The second direction DR2 is a direction parallel to the long side of the display device 10 on a plane, for example, the vertical direction of the display device 10. The third direction DR3 is the thickness direction of the display device 10. Furthermore, the first direction DR1 may be the right side when viewing the display device 10 from the third direction DR3, and the opposite direction of the first direction DR1 may be the left side, the second direction DR2 may be the upper side when viewing the display device 10 from the third direction DR3, and the opposite direction of the second direction DR2 may be the lower side, and the third direction DR3 may be the upper side, and the opposite direction of the third direction DR3 may be the lower side.

[0021] 1 to 3, the display device 10 is applicable to various electronic devices such as small and medium-sized electronic devices such as tablet PCs, smartphones, car navigation units, cameras, center information displays (CIDs) provided in automobiles, smart watches, personal digital assistants (PDAs), portable multimedia players (PMPs), and game consoles, as well as medium and large-sized electronic devices such as televisions, external billboards, monitors, personal computers, and notebook computers. However, these are presented as exemplary embodiments, and it is obvious that the present invention can be applied to other electronic devices without departing from the concept of the present invention.

[0022] The display device 10 may be a light-emitting display device such as an organic light-emitting display device using an organic light-emitting diode, a quantum dot light-emitting display device including a quantum dot light-emitting layer, an inorganic light-emitting display device including an inorganic semiconductor, and a micro light-emitting display device using a micro light emitting diode (LED). In the following description, the display device 10 will be described as an organic light emitting display device, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The display device 10 includes a display panel 100 (or a first substrate), a display driver 200, a display circuit board 300, a sealing substrate 500 (or a second substrate), a sealing member 700, and a supporting member 900.

[0023] The display panel 100 has a rectangular plane having a short side in a first direction DR1 and a long side in a second direction DR2 intersecting the first direction DR1. A corner where a short side in the first direction DR1 and a long side in the second direction DR2 meet may be rounded or formed at a right angle. The planar shape of the display panel 100 is not limited to a rectangle, but may be other polygonal, circular, or elliptical. The display panel 100 is formed to be flat, but is not limited to this. For example, the display panel 100 may include curved portions formed on the left and right edges, the curved portions having a constant curvature or a varying curvature. Additionally, the display panel 100 can be made flexible so that it can be curved, bent, folded, or rolled.

[0024] The display panel 100 includes a display area DPA and a non-display area NDA. The display area DPA is an area where the screen is displayed, and the non-display area NDA is an area where the screen is not displayed. The display area DPA can also be called an active area, and the non-display area NDA can also be called a non-active area. The display area DPA may generally occupy the center of the display panel 100.

[0025] The display area DPA includes a plurality of pixels PX. The pixels PX are arranged in rows and columns. The shape of each pixel PX may be a rectangle or a square on a plane, but is not limited to this, and may also be a rhombus with each side tilted in one direction. The pixels PX can be arranged in an alternating stripe or pentile type. Each pixel PX includes one or more light-emitting elements ("EL" in FIG. 5) that emit light in a specific wavelength band, and displays a specific color.

[0026] The non-display area NDA is disposed around the display area DPA. The non-display area NDA completely or partially surrounds the display area DPA. The display area DPA has a rectangular shape, and the non-display areas NDA are arranged adjacent to the four sides of the display area DPA. The non-display area NDA may constitute a bezel of the display panel 100. In each non-display area NDA, wiring or a circuit driving unit included in the display panel 100 may be arranged, or an external device may be mounted.

[0027] The display driver 200 outputs signals and voltages for driving the display panel 100 . For example, the display driver 200 supplies a data voltage to a data line. Moreover, the display driver 200 supplies a drive voltage to the drive voltage wiring, and supplies a scan control signal to the scan driver. The display driver 200 is formed as an integrated circuit (IC) and mounted on a display circuit board 300 . Alternatively, the display driver 200 may be attached to the display panel 100 by a chip on glass (COG) method, a chip on plastic (COP) method, or an ultrasonic bonding method.

[0028] A display circuit board 300 is disposed in the non-display area NDA at one side of the display panel 100 . For example, in the non-display area NDA at the lower end of the display panel 100, a display circuit board 300 is disposed. The display circuit board 300 can be bent under the display panel 100 , and one side of the display circuit board 300 disposed on the lower surface of the display panel 100 can be attached to the lower surface of the display panel 100 . Although not shown in the drawings, the display circuit board 300 can be attached and fixed to the bottom surface of the display panel 100 by an adhesive member. The adhesive member may be a pressure sensitive adhesive. Alternatively, the display circuit board 300 may be omitted, and one edge of the display panel 100 may be bent downward.

[0029] The display circuit board 300 is attached onto the display pad of the display panel 100 using an anisotropic conductive film. This electrically connects the display circuit board 300 to the display pads of the display panel 100 . The display circuit board 300 can be a flexible printed circuit board, a printed circuit board, or a flexible film, such as a chip on film.

[0030] The encapsulation substrate 500 (or the second substrate) is disposed on the display panel 100 . For example, the sealing substrate 500 is disposed to face and separate from the display panel 100 in the third direction DR3, and has a smaller planar area than the display panel 100 but is disposed to cover at least the display area DPA of the display panel 100. However, without being limited thereto, the encapsulation substrate 500 may be formed to have substantially the same planar area as the display panel 100 and disposed to cover the display area DPA and the non-display area NDA of the display panel 100 . The sealing substrate 500 , together with a sealing member 700 described later, seals the light-emitting element EL and the circuit elements arranged on the display panel 100 . In some embodiments, a touch member, a polarizing member, etc. may be further disposed on the encapsulation substrate 500.

[0031] In an exemplary embodiment, the encapsulation substrate 500 can be a transparent plate or a transparent film. For example, the encapsulation substrate 500 may include a glass material, a quartz material, and the like. In some embodiments, the encapsulation substrate 500 and the light-emitting element EL are spaced apart, and the space between them can be filled with an inert gas such as nitrogen gas. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the space between the sealing substrate 500 and the light emitting element EL may be filled with a filler or the like.

[0032] The sealing member 700 is disposed between the display panel 100 and the sealing substrate 500 . For example, the sealing member 700 is disposed in the non-display area NDA of the display panel 100 to surround the display area DPA, and seals the light emitting elements and circuit elements of the display panel 100 together with the sealing substrate 500 . In the display area DPA of the display panel 100, cells CL are arranged, each including a light-emitting element ("EL" in FIG. 5) described later, a plurality of circuit elements, a plurality of insulating layers, and the like. The sealing member 700 seals the space between the display panel 100 and the sealing substrate 500 in which the cells CL of the display panel 100 are arranged, and the space may be in a vacuum state with moisture and air removed during the manufacturing process of the display device 10. The sealing member 700, together with the sealing substrate 500, prevents damage to the light emitting element ("EL" in FIG. 5) caused by air, moisture, or the like.

[0033] The sealing member 700 bonds the display panel 100 and the encapsulation substrate 500 to each other. The sealing member 700 is disposed in the non-display area (NDA) of the display panel 100 and is coupled to and in contact with the upper surface of the display panel 100 and the lower surface of the encapsulation substrate 500 . In some embodiments, the sealing member 700 may be a hardened Frit. In this specification, "frit" may refer to a structure having glass characteristics formed by melting and hardening a powder-type glass, optionally containing an additive. The powder-type glass is disposed between the display panel 100 and the encapsulation substrate 500 and then undergoes a firing and melting process to form a frit that bonds the display panel 100 and the encapsulation substrate 500 to each other. In the following, an example in which the sealing member 700 is a hardened frit will be described.

[0034] During the manufacturing process of the display device 10, the sealing member 700 is formed through a firing and melting process, so that the display panel 100 and the encapsulation substrate 500 are physically bonded to each other through the sealing member 700. According to one embodiment, the display device 10 includes a sealing member 700 disposed in the non-display area NDA as well as a plurality of support members 900 disposed in the display area DPA. The support member 900 is disposed so as to be in direct contact with the display panel 100 and the encapsulation substrate 500, and may further include a region where there is no physical boundary with at least the encapsulation substrate 500 and where the support member 900 is fused thereto. The display device 10 includes the support member 900 to improve the bonding strength between the encapsulation substrate 500 and the display panel 100 .

[0035] In addition, the display device 10 may further include a fused portion at the boundary between the support member 900 and the encapsulation substrate 500 or the display panel 100 . The support member 900 may be fused and bonded to at least the encapsulation substrate 500, and may be fused so that there is no physical boundary between the display panel 100 and the encapsulation substrate 500 in addition to the portion where a physical boundary exists. In the display device 10, the support member 900 including the fused portion can bond the display panel 100 and the encapsulation substrate 500 with stronger bonding strength, and the durability of the display device 10 against external impact is improved. This will be explained in more detail below.

[0036] FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of a display panel according to an embodiment of the present invention. For ease of explanation, FIG. 4 only shows the pixels PX, scan lines SL, data lines DL, first scan control lines SCL1, second scan control lines SCL2, first scan driver 110, second scan driver 120, display driver 200, display pads DP, and fan-out lines FL of the display panel 100.

[0037] 4, the display panel 100 includes a display area DPA in which pixels PX are formed to display an image, and a non-display area NDA which is a peripheral area of ​​the display area DPA. The non-display area NDA is an area extending from the outside of the display area DPA to the edge of the display panel 100. The scan lines SL, data lines DL and pixels PX are arranged in a display area DPA. The scan lines SL are formed in parallel with a first direction (X-axis direction), and the data lines DL are formed in parallel with a second direction (Y-axis direction) that intersects with the first direction (X-axis direction).

[0038] Each pixel PX is connected to at least one of the scan lines SL and one of the data lines DL. Each of the pixels PX includes a thin film transistor including a driving transistor and at least one switching transistor, an organic light emitting diode, and a capacitor. When a scan signal is applied from the scan line SL, each pixel PX receives a data voltage from the data line DL, and emits light by supplying a drive current to the organic light-emitting diode in accordance with the data voltage applied to the gate electrode of the drive transistor. The structure of the elements arranged in the pixel PX will be described in detail later with reference to FIG.

[0039] The first scan driver 110, the second scan driver 120, the display driver 200, the first scan control line SCL1, the second scan control line SCL2, and the fan-out line FL are disposed in the non-display area NDA. The first scan driver 110 is connected to the display driver 200 via a first scan control line SCL1. To this end, the first scan driver 110 receives a first scan control signal from the display driver 200 . The first scan driver 110 generates a scan signal according to the first scan control signal and supplies the scan signal to the scan lines SL. The second scan driver 120 is connected to the display driver 200 via a second scan control line SCL2. To this end, the second scan driver 120 receives the second scan control signal from the display driver 200 . The second scan driver 120 generates a scan signal according to the second scan control signal and supplies the scan signal to the scan lines SL. The first scan driver 110 is connected to the scan lines SL which are connected to the pixels PX in the display area DPA. The second scan driver 120 is connected to the scan lines SL which are connected to the pixels PX.

[0040] The fan-out lines FL connect the display pads DP to the data lines DL, the first scan driver 110, and the second scan driver 120. That is, the fan-out lines FL are disposed between the display pads DP and the data lines DL, between the display pads DP and the first scan driver 110, and between the display pads DP and the second scan driver 120. The pad area PDA includes a display pad DP. The display pad area PDA is disposed at one side end of the base substrate of the display panel 100 ("101" in FIG. 5). For example, the pad area PDA is disposed at the lower end of the base substrate ("101" in FIG. 5).

[0041] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of one pixel included in a display device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 shows a cross section across a partial area of ​​any one of the pixels PX arranged in the display area DPA. Referring to FIG. 5, the display panel 100 includes a base substrate 101, a thin film transistor T1 disposed on the base substrate 101, and a light emitting element EL.

[0042] Each pixel PX of the display panel 100 includes at least one thin film transistor T1 and a light emitting element EL, and is connected to the above-mentioned scan line SL and data line DL. In the drawings, one thin film transistor T1 is arranged in one pixel PX, but the present invention is not limited to this. The base substrate 101 may be a rigid substrate. The base substrate 101 may be made of an insulating material such as glass, quartz, or polymer resin.

[0043] Examples of polymeric materials may be polyethersulphone (PES), polyacrylate (PA), polyarylate (PAR), polyetherimide (PEI), polyethylenenapthalate (PEN), polyethyleneterepthalate (PET), polyphenylenesulfide (PPS), polyallylate, polyimide (PI), polycarbonate (PC), cellulose triacetate (CAT), cellulose acetate propionate (CAP), or combinations thereof. The base substrate 101 may also include a metallic material.

[0044] A buffer layer 102 is disposed on the base substrate 101 . The buffer layer 102 is formed on the base substrate 101 in order to protect the thin film transistor T1 and the light emitting element from moisture that may penetrate through the base substrate 101, which is susceptible to moisture permeation. The buffer layer 102 may be composed of multiple inorganic films stacked one on top of the other. For example, the buffer layer 102 may be formed of a multi-layer structure in which one or more inorganic materials selected from the group consisting of silicon oxide (SiOx), silicon nitride (SiNx), and silicon oxynitride (SiON) are alternately stacked. The buffer layer 102 may be omitted.

[0045] On the buffer layer 102, a thin film transistor T1 is disposed. Each thin film transistor T1 includes an active layer ACT1, a gate electrode G1, a source electrode S1, and a drain electrode D1. In FIG. 5, the thin film transistor T1 is illustrated as being formed in a top gate manner in which the gate electrode G1 is located on the top of the active layer ACT1, but it should be noted that this is not limited to this. That is, the thin film transistor T1 can be formed in a bottom gate manner in which the gate electrode G1 is located at the bottom of the active layer ACT1, or in a double gate manner in which the gate electrode G1 is located at both the top and bottom of the active layer ACT1.

[0046] On the buffer layer 102, the active layer ACT1 is disposed. The active layer ACT1 is made of a silicon-based semiconductor material or an oxide-based semiconductor material. Although not shown in the drawing, a light-shielding layer for blocking external light from entering the active layer ACT1 may be formed between the buffer layer 102 and the active layer ACT1. A gate insulating layer 103 is disposed on the active layer ACT1. The gate insulating layer 103 may be formed of a multi-layer structure in which one or more inorganic materials selected from the group consisting of silicon oxide (SiOx), silicon nitride (SiNx), and silicon oxynitride (SiON) are alternately stacked.

[0047] On the gate insulating layer 103, a gate electrode G1 and a gate line are formed. The gate electrode G1 and the gate line may be formed of a single layer or multiple layers of any one of molybdenum (Mo), aluminum (Al), chromium (Cr), gold (Au), titanium (Ti), nickel (Ni), neodymium (Nd), and copper (Cu), or an alloy thereof. An interlayer insulating layer 105 is formed on the gate electrode G1 and the gate line. The interlayer insulating layer 105 may be formed of a multi-layer structure in which one or more inorganic materials, such as silicon oxide (SiOx), silicon nitride (SiNx), and silicon oxynitride (SiON), are alternately stacked.

[0048] On the interlayer insulating layer 105, a source electrode S1, a drain electrode D1, and a data line are formed. The source electrode S1 and the drain electrode D1 are each connected to the active layer ACT1 via a contact hole passing through the gate insulating layer 103 and the interlayer insulating layer 105. The source electrode S1, the drain electrode D1, and the data line may be formed of a single layer or multiple layers of any one of molybdenum (Mo), aluminum (Al), chromium (Cr), gold (Au), titanium (Ti), nickel (Ni), neodymium (Nd), and copper (Cu), or an alloy thereof. A protective layer 107 for insulating the thin film transistor T1 is formed on the source electrode S1, the drain electrode D1 and the data line. The protective layer 107 may be formed of an inorganic film, for example, a multi-layer in which one or more inorganic materials selected from the group consisting of silicon oxide (SiOx), silicon nitride (SiNx), and silicon oxynitride (SiON) are alternately stacked.

[0049] A planarization layer 108 is disposed on the protective layer 107 . The planarization layer 108 smoothes out the step caused by the thin film transistor T1. The planarization layer 108 can be formed of an organic film such as an acrylic resin, an epoxy resin, a phenolic resin, a polyamide resin, or a polyimide resin.

[0050] A pixel defining film 109 and a light emitting element EL are disposed on the planarization layer 108 . The light-emitting element EL may be an organic light-emitting device. In this case, the light-emitting element EL includes an anode electrode AND, a light-emitting layer OL, and a cathode electrode CTD. The anode electrode AND is formed on the planarization layer 108 . The anode electrode AND is connected to the source electrode S1 of the thin film transistor T1 via a contact hole that penetrates the protective layer 107 and the planarizing layer .

[0051] A pixel definition film 109 is formed on the planarization layer 108 to cover the edge of the anode electrode AND to define the pixel. That is, the pixel defining film 109 serves as a pixel defining film that defines the pixels. Each pixel is an area in which an anode electrode AND, a light-emitting layer OL, and a cathode electrode CTD are laminated in this order, and where holes from the anode electrode AND and electrons from the cathode electrode CTD are combined with each other in the light-emitting layer OL to emit light. An emission layer OL is formed on the anode electrode AND and the pixel defining film 109 . The light-emitting layer OL can be an organic light-emitting layer. The light emitting layer OL emits one of red light, green light, and blue light.

[0052] Alternatively, the light emitting layer OL may be a white light emitting layer that emits white light. In this case, the light emitting layer OL may have a form in which a red light emitting layer, a green light emitting layer, and a blue light emitting layer are stacked, and may be a common layer formed in common to the pixels. In this case, the display panel 100 may further include separate color filters for displaying red, green, and blue colors. The light-emitting layer OL may include a hole transporting layer, a light-emitting layer, and an electron transporting layer. The light-emitting layer OL can be formed in a tandem structure of two or more stacks, and in this case, a charge generation layer is formed between the stacks. The cathode electrode CTD is formed on the light emitting layer OL. The cathode electrode CTD is formed to cover the light emitting layer OL. The cathode electrode CTD may be a common layer formed in common to the pixels.

[0053] When the light-emitting element EL of the display panel 100 is formed in a top emission mode in which the light-emitting element EL emits light upward, the anode electrode AND may be formed of a metal material having high reflectivity, such as a laminated structure of aluminum and titanium (Ti / Al / Ti), a laminated structure of aluminum and ITO (ITO / Al / ITO), an APC alloy, and a laminated structure of APC alloy and ITO (ITO / APC / ITO). The APC alloy is an alloy of silver (Ag), palladium (Pd) and copper (Cu). In addition, the cathode electrode CTD may be formed of a transparent conductive material (TCO) such as ITO or IZO that can transmit light, or a semi-transmissive conductive material such as magnesium (Mg), silver (Ag), or an alloy of magnesium (Mg) and silver (Ag). When the cathode electrode CTD is made of a semi-transparent metal material, the light output efficiency can be increased due to micro-cavity.

[0054] When the light emitting element EL is formed in a bottom emission mode in which the light emitting element EL emits light downward, the anode electrode AND may be formed of a translucent metal material such as ITO or IZO, or a semi-transmissive metal material such as magnesium (Mg), silver (Ag), or an alloy of magnesium (Mg) and silver (Ag). The cathode electrode CTD may be formed of a metal material with high reflectivity, such as a laminated structure of aluminum and titanium (Ti / Al / Ti), a laminated structure of aluminum and ITO (ITO / Al / ITO), an APC alloy, and a laminated structure of an APC alloy and ITO (ITO / APC / ITO). When the anode electrode AND is made of a semi-transparent metal material, the light output efficiency can be increased due to micro-resonance.

[0055] FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a sealing member and a supporting member disposed on a display panel according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of part A in FIG. FIG. 6 shows a schematic arrangement of a sealing member 700 arranged in the non-display area NDA of the display panel 100 and a support member 900 arranged in the display area DPA, and FIG. 7 shows a number of pixels PX arranged in the display area DPA.

[0056] 6 and 7, a display panel 100 of the display device 10 includes a plurality of pixels PX arranged in a display area DPA. A plurality of pixels PX are arranged in one direction and the other direction. For example, the pixels PX are arranged in one direction intersecting the first direction DR1 and the second direction DR2 and tilted therefrom, and in another direction perpendicular to the one direction, and are disposed over the entire surface of the display area DPA. In the drawing, a plurality of pixels PX are shown arranged at regular intervals. In the space between the pixels PX, a separate member, for example, a spacer or a separate structure, may be disposed, but is not limited thereto. In addition, the multiple pixels PX are not arranged at a distance from each other, but are arranged substantially adjacent to each other, and may be an area defined by a space in which light-emitting elements ("EL" in FIG. 7) or circuit elements are repeatedly arranged.

[0057] A display device 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a sealing member 700 disposed in a non-display area NDA and surrounding a display area DPA, and a plurality of support members 900 disposed spaced apart from each other in the display area DPA and forming a pattern over the entire surface of the display area DPA. The sealing member 700 is disposed in the non-display area NDA of the display panel 100 to form a closed curve shape on a plane, and is disposed so as to surround the display area DPA. As described above, the sealing member 700 surrounds the light-emitting elements EL arranged in the display area DPA, and seals the space between the sealing substrate 500 and the display panel 100. The space may be in a vacuum state with moisture or air removed during the manufacturing process of the display device 10, and the sealing member 700, together with the sealing substrate 500, prevents damage to the light emitting element EL due to air or moisture.

[0058] The support members 900 may be disposed within the display area DPA and spaced apart from one another at a fixed distance. The support members 900 may form an island or linear pattern across the display area DPA. The sealing member 700 and the supporting member 900 are in contact with the upper surface of the display panel 100 and the lower surface of the encapsulation substrate 500, respectively. The sealing member 700 is disposed to surround the display area DPA, and seals the space between the sealing substrate 500 and the display panel 100 to protect the light-emitting elements EL in the display area DPA. In addition, the sealing member 700 bonds the display panel 100 and the encapsulation substrate 500 to each other.

[0059] The sealing member 700 includes a frit and is in direct contact with the display panel 100 and the encapsulation substrate 500 to bond them together. According to an embodiment, the display device 10 further includes a support member 900 to improve the bonding strength between the display panel 100 and the encapsulation substrate 500 in the display area DPA. The support member 900, like the sealing member 700, can be in direct contact with the display panel 100 and the encapsulation substrate 500 to bond them together. A detailed description of the sealing member 700 and the supporting member 900, including their cross-sectional shapes, will be given later with reference to other drawings. On the other hand, the display area DPA of the display panel 100 is an area in which a plurality of pixels PX including the light-emitting elements EL are arranged, and is an area from which light emitted from the light-emitting elements EL is output. However, the display device 10 includes a support member 900 that is arranged in at least a portion of the display area DPA, and the support member 900 is arranged only in an area in which the light-emitting element EL is not arranged.

[0060] According to an embodiment, the display panel 100 of the display device 10 includes a first area AA1 in which the support member 900 is arranged, and a second area AA2 in which the support member 900 is not arranged, which is an area other than the first area AA1. The first area AA1 is an area where the support member 900 is arranged and where the light-emitting element EL or the light-emitting layer OL is not arranged, and the second area AA2 includes an area where the support member 900 is not arranged and where the light-emitting element EL is arranged. The first area AA1 and the second area AA2 are areas that are divided based on an area where the support member 900 is arranged, and are defined regardless of the plurality of pixels PX arranged in the display area DPA. Thereby, the support member 900 is disposed so as not to overlap with the light-emitting element EL or the circuit elements. However, in some embodiments, the display device 10 may include pixels in which the support members 900 are arranged and pixels in which they are not, or the support members 900 may be arranged in a partial region of each pixel PX.

[0061] According to an embodiment, the pixels PX of the display device 10 include a first-type pixel PXA in which the support member 900 is disposed, and a second-type pixel PXB in which the support member 900 is not disposed. The first type pixels PXA and the second type pixels PXB are defined as pixels (e.g., first type pixels PXA) in which a support member 900 is arranged and which do not include an light-emitting element EL, and pixels (e.g., second type pixels PXB) in which a support member 900 is not arranged and which include an light-emitting element EL, among the plurality of pixels PX arranged in the display area DPA. At least one first-type pixel PXA is disposed in each unit pixel region including a plurality of pixels PX. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, nine pixels PX are arranged in a unit pixel region (part A in FIG. 6), and one first type pixel PXA and eight second type pixels PXB are arranged in the unit pixel region (part A). The first-type pixels PXA are arranged in a plurality of unit pixel regions (A portions), respectively, to form an island pattern over the entire display area DPA. The first-type pixels PXA are spaced at regular intervals, and at least one second-type pixel PXB is located between them.

[0062] However, this is not limited to this. The unit pixel region shown in FIG. 7 is a diagram exemplified to explain this embodiment, and the unit pixel region is a region defined for convenience of explanation. Furthermore, an area in which nine pixels are arranged is not necessarily defined as a unit pixel area. A plurality of pixels PX are arranged in the display area DPA of the display panel 100, and some of these pixels may be first-type pixels PXA on which the support members 900 are disposed. That is, the display panel 100 may include a plurality of pixels defined as first-type pixels PXA in which the support members 900 are disposed, and the remaining pixels may be second-type pixels PXB in which the light-emitting elements EL are disposed.

[0063] The second type pixel PXB includes a number of sub-pixels that emit light of different colors. For example, the second type pixel PXB may include a first subpixel PX1 including an light-emitting element EL that emits light of a first color, a second subpixel PX2 including an light-emitting element EL that emits light of a second color, and a third subpixel PX3 including an light-emitting element EL that emits light of a third color. In an exemplary embodiment, the first color may be, but is not limited to, blue, the second color may be green, and the third color may be red. In the display area DPA of the display panel 100, a first sub-pixel PX1, a second sub-pixel PX2, and a third sub-pixel PX3 are arranged in one direction and in the other direction, and are arranged alternately with each other. For example, at least one other subpixel (the second subpixel PX2 or the third subpixel PX3) is disposed between the first subpixels PX1. The sub-pixels (PX1, PX2, PX3) are not arranged consecutively along one or the other direction in which they are arranged, and the same sub-pixels (PX1, PX2, PX3) are arranged spaced apart from each other.

[0064] In some embodiments, the display panel 100 may include a larger number of at least any of the first to third sub-pixels (PX1, PX2, PX3) than the other sub-pixels. Of the first to third sub-pixels (PX1, PX2, PX3) included in the unit pixel area, any one of the sub-pixels may be included in greater number than the other sub-pixels, and any one of the more numerous sub-pixels may be replaced with the first-type pixel PXA. For example, the display panel 100 may include a greater number of second sub-pixels PX2 emitting a second color within a unit pixel area than the first and third sub-pixels PX1 and PX3.

[0065] As a result, any one of the second sub-pixels PX2 may be replaced with a first-type pixel PXA, and the first-type pixel PXA may have an adjacent sub-pixel in one direction or the other direction in which the multiple pixels PX are arranged as the first sub-pixel PX1 or the third sub-pixel PX3. As described above, each of the sub-pixels (PX1, PX2, PX3) is not disposed adjacent to the same sub-pixel, and at least one other sub-pixel is disposed between the same sub-pixels. Since the second sub-pixel PX2 is disposed adjacent to the adjacent first sub-pixel PX1 or third sub-pixel PX3, the first-type pixel PXA is disposed adjacent to the first sub-pixel PX1 or the third sub-pixel PX3. However, without being limited thereto, the first-type pixel PXA may be arranged by replacing the first sub-pixel PX1 or the third sub-pixel PX3.

[0066] The second-type pixel PXB, that is, the first to third sub-pixels (PX1, PX2, PX3), does not include a support member 900, but includes a light-emitting element EL and a circuit element for driving the light-emitting element EL. That is, the pixel PX shown in FIG. 5 can be understood as showing a part of the cross section of the second-type pixel PXB. On the other hand, the first-type pixel PXA may include the support member 900, but may not include the light-emitting element EL and the circuit elements for driving the light-emitting element EL. The support member 900 is disposed directly on the base substrate 101 of the display panel 100 in an area defined as the first-type pixel PXA, and at least a portion of its upper surface is in direct contact with the lower surface of the encapsulation substrate 500. The support member 900 directly contacts the base substrate 101 and the encapsulation substrate 500 to bond them to each other. For a more detailed description of the support member 900, further reference is made to other figures.

[0067] 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VIII-VIII' in FIG. 7, and FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of a portion B in FIG. FIG. 8 shows a cross section across a portion of a first-type pixel PXA and a portion of a second-type pixel PXB among a plurality of pixels PX included in a display panel 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 shows an enlarged view of a portion of the support member 900 shown in FIG.

[0068] 8 and 9, the support member 900 is disposed in the first-type pixel PXA located between the second-type pixels PXB including the light-emitting element EL. The insulating layers disposed in the second-type pixel PXB are disposed so as to be in contact with the support member 900 at the boundary with the first-type pixel PXA. However, without being limited thereto, the insulating layer of the second-type pixel PXB may be disposed to be spaced apart from the support member 900. The support member 900 is disposed directly on the base substrate 101 of the display panel 100 . At least a portion of the lower surface of the support member 900 is in direct contact with the upper surface of the base substrate 101 , and at least a portion of the upper surface of the support member 900 is in direct contact with the lower surface of the encapsulation substrate 500 .

[0069] Since the support member 900 is in direct contact with the base substrate 101 and the sealing substrate 500, the bonding strength between the display panel 100 and the sealing substrate 500 is improved. In some embodiments, the support member 900 may include at least one of an inorganic insulating material such as silicon oxide (SiOx), silicon nitride (SiNx), silicon oxy-nitride (SiOxNy), etc., or an organic insulating material such as polyimide (PI), photoresist (PR), etc. In the figures, the support member 900 is shown as being made of a single layer, but is not limited thereto. The support member 900 may also have a structure in which multiple layers containing the materials described above are stacked in sequence.

[0070] Furthermore, according to one embodiment, the display device 10 includes a fusion pattern FSP in which the support member 900 is fused to the encapsulation substrate 500 or the display panel 100 so that no physical boundary exists between them. In one embodiment, the fusion pattern FSP is formed at least at the interface formed by the support member 900 and the encapsulation substrate 500 . For example, the fusion pattern FSP is disposed across the encapsulation substrate 500 , the support member 900 and the display panel 100 . The fusion pattern FSP is formed so that its height HF is greater than the thickness HB of the support member 900 , and at least a portion of the fusion pattern FSP is disposed within the encapsulation substrate 500 and the base substrate 101 of the display panel 100 . In the figure, the fusion pattern FSP is shown extending from the base substrate 101 of the display panel 100 through the support member 900 to the encapsulation substrate 500, but is not limited thereto. The fusion pattern FSP is disposed across at least the boundary between the support member 900 and the encapsulation substrate 500 to supplement the interfacial bonding force between the sealing member 700 and the encapsulation substrate 500 .

[0071] According to one embodiment, the fusion pattern FSP is an area where there is no physical boundary between the support member 900, the display panel 100, and the encapsulation substrate 500 due to the fusion of the support member 900 and the display panel 100 or the encapsulation substrate 500, and is an area formed by mixing the material of the support member 900 with the material of the display panel 100 or the encapsulation substrate 500. For example, when the support member 900 is positioned so as to be in direct contact with the sealing substrate 500 and the base substrate 101 of the display panel 100, the fusion pattern FSP is formed by mixing the sealing substrate 500, the base substrate 101 and the material constituting the support member 900. The fusion pattern FSP is formed when a portion of the material constituting the support member 900 flows into the interior of the sealing substrate 500 and the base substrate 101, and a portion of the material constituting the sealing substrate 500 and the base substrate 101 flows into the support member 900 and mixes therewith. As a result, in the portion where the fusion pattern FSP is formed, there is no physical boundary where the upper surface of the support member 900 and the lower surface of the sealing substrate 500 contact each other. Furthermore, in the portion where the fusion pattern FSP is formed, there is no physical boundary where the lower surface of the support member 900 and the upper surface of the display panel 100 or the base substrate 101 come into contact.

[0072] The support member 900, the sealing substrate 500, and the display panel 100 are fused together, and the materials constituting them are mixed to form the fusion pattern FSP, thereby further improving the bonding strength between the display panel 100 and the sealing substrate 500. In the figure, only one fusion pattern FSP is shown in the width direction of the support member 900, but this is not limiting. A plurality of fusion patterns FSP may be formed along the width direction of the support member 900, and these are formed to be spaced apart from each other. As described above, the support member 900 includes a portion that is in physical contact with the display panel 100 or the encapsulation substrate 500 at the boundary therewith. The support member 900 is in direct contact with the display panel 100 and the encapsulation substrate 500, and there are physical boundaries where they contact each other. For example, there are physical boundaries between the lower surface of the encapsulation substrate 500 and the upper surface of the support member 900 , and between the upper surface of the base substrate 101 of the display panel 100 and the lower surface of the support member 900 .

[0073] The fusion pattern FSP is formed over at least a portion of the boundary between the sealing member 700 and the display panel 100 and the encapsulation substrate 500 . The fusion pattern FSP is a region where the support member 900, the display panel 100, and the encapsulation substrate 500 are fused together without any physical boundary therebetween. According to one embodiment, the fusion pattern FSP includes a fusion area FA, which is an area where the material constituting the support member 900 and the materials constituting the base substrate 101 and sealing substrate 500 of the display panel 100 are fused together, and a melted area MA, which surrounds the fusion area FA and is an area where the materials constituting the support member 900, the display panel 100, and the sealing substrate 500 are melted and mixed together. The fused region FA is a portion where the materials of the support member 900, the sealing substrate 500, and the display panel 100 are fused together by plasma generated by a pulsed laser irradiated to form the fused pattern FSP during the manufacturing process of the display device 10. The melted region MA is a region formed by the plasma melting the surrounding region of the fused region FA with high-temperature heat and then solidifying it. The melted region MA also contains the support member 900 and the materials constituting the sealing substrate 500 and the display panel 100 mixed together. According to an embodiment, the fusion pattern FSP includes a fusion region FA and a melt region MA to bond the display panel 100 and the encapsulation substrate 500 with greater strength.

[0074] Specifically, the support member 900 includes a first boundary surface CS1 that forms a physical boundary with the upper surface of the base substrate 101 of the display panel 100, and a second boundary surface CS2 that forms a physical boundary with the lower surface of the encapsulation substrate 500. According to one embodiment, the fusion pattern FSP formed across the support member 900 between the display panel 100 and the encapsulation substrate 500 includes a third interface CS3 formed with the support member 900, a fourth interface CS4 formed with the base substrate 101 of the display panel 100, and a fifth interface CS5 formed with the encapsulation substrate 500. The first interface CS1 and the second interface CS2 are interfaces where the support member 900 and the display panel 100 or the encapsulation substrate 500 come into contact with each other, and are physically separated from each other. At the first interface CS1 and the second interface CS2, the material constituting the support member 900 does not migrate to the display panel 100 or the encapsulation substrate 500 or mix with the materials constituting these. The support member 900 can maintain a state in which it is bonded to the display panel 100 and the encapsulation substrate 500 at a first boundary surface CS1 and a second boundary surface CS2, respectively.

[0075] The fusion pattern FSP includes a fusion region FA and a melt region MA. Of the extended portion of the first interface CS1, a portion where no physical boundary exists ("NPA" in FIG. 9) is formed where the fusion pattern FSP is formed. Furthermore, an area NPA where no physical boundary exists is also formed in an extended portion of the second boundary surface CS2 and in a portion of the upper surface of the display panel 100 or the base substrate 101 where the fusion pattern FSP is formed. That is, in at least a portion of the interface between the support member 900 and the display panel 100 or the encapsulation substrate 500, there is no physical boundary and a fused region is formed.

[0076] The third boundary surface CS3 to the fifth boundary surface CS5 are boundaries that form with the support member 900, the base substrate 101 of the display panel 100, and the fusion pattern FSP inside the sealing substrate 500, respectively. According to one embodiment, unlike the first boundary surface CS1 and the second boundary surface CS2, the third boundary surface CS3 to the fifth boundary surface CS5 of the fusion pattern FSP are not physical boundaries but boundaries between regions where component differences exist depending on positions. The fusion pattern FSP is formed by mixing the materials of the base substrate 101 of the display panel 100, the sealing substrate 500, and the sealing member 700 together. The fusion pattern FSP contains and mixes all of the materials of the base substrate 101, the sealing member 700, and the sealing substrate 500, so that all of the materials are detected in the fusion pattern FSP. For example, the insulating material component which is the first component constituting the support member 900 and the glass component which is the second component of the base substrate 101 and the sealing substrate 500 are each detected in a mixed state from the fusion pattern FSP. On the other hand, only insulating material components are detected in the support member 900, and only glass components are detected in the base substrate 101 and the sealing substrate 500, so that at the third boundary surface CS3 to the fifth boundary surface CS5 of the fusion pattern FSP, although they are not physical boundaries, there are boundaries due to differences in components.

[0077] In an embodiment, the fusion pattern FSP includes a larger amount of the second component of the encapsulation substrate 500 or the base substrate 101 than the support member 900 with respect to the third boundary surface CS3. Similarly, the fusion pattern FSP has a greater content of the first component of the support member 900 than the base substrate 101 based on the fourth boundary surface CS4, and a greater content of the first component of the support member 900 than the encapsulation substrate 500 based on the fifth boundary surface CS5. However, with the third boundary surface CS3 to the fifth boundary surface CS5 as references, the base substrate 101, the support member 900, the sealing substrate 500, and the fusion pattern FSP contain common components, and therefore no physical boundaries exist.

[0078] The fusion pattern FSP may be formed by partially fusing the support member 900, the display panel 100, and the encapsulation substrate 500 with a pulsed laser irradiated from the upper surface of the encapsulation substrate 500 during the manufacturing process of the display device 10. As will be described later, the pulsed laser is set so that the focal point of the laser is located inside the display panel 100 , and mixing of materials occurs at the boundaries between the display panel 100 and the encapsulation substrate 500 and the support member 900 . However, this is not limited to this. The fusion pattern FSP arranged in the display area DPA of the display device 10 may have a variety of shapes and arrangements depending on the position where the pulse laser is irradiated. The display device 10 includes a fusion pattern FSP disposed across at least the boundary between the encapsulation substrate 500 and the support member 900, thereby improving the bonding strength between the encapsulation substrate 500 and the display panel 100.

[0079] The fusion pattern FSP has a shape that extends in the thickness direction of the display device 10, has a maximum width WF at the portion that overlaps with the support member 900, and has a shape that becomes narrower as it approaches the display panel 100 and the encapsulation substrate 500. For example, the fusion pattern FSP has a width at the portion overlapping the support member 900 that is greater than both ends of the fusion pattern FSP in the extending direction. In addition, the fusion area FA of the fusion pattern FSP includes a first portion overlapping the display panel 100, a second portion overlapping the sealing member 700, and a third portion overlapping the sealing substrate 500, and the maximum width of the third portion is greater than the maximum widths of the first and second portions. Additionally, the maximum width of the second portion is greater than the maximum width of the first portion.

[0080] The pulsed laser that forms the fusion pattern FSP is set so that the focal point of the laser is located inside the display panel 100, and the fusion region FA of the fusion pattern FSP has a shape in which the maximum width increases from the first portion to the third portion. The first portion of the fused region FA is located closer to the focal point of the laser than the second portion, so that the first portion is formed with an inclined side surface to be connected to the second portion. The second portion is an area where the top surface of the display panel 100 is extended and where no physical boundary exists, called an NPA, has the maximum width. The maximum width of the third portion is the maximum width of the fused region FA, and since the third portion is located farther from the laser focus than the second portion, the maximum width of the third portion is greater than the maximum width of the second portion.

[0081] The maximum width WF and height HF of the fusion pattern FSP vary depending on the thickness HS of the support member 900 . The thickness HS of the supporting member 900 is adjusted according to the distance between the display panel 100 and the encapsulation substrate 500, and the width WS of the supporting member 900 varies according to the size and unit area of ​​each pixel PX. In an exemplary embodiment, the thickness HS of the support member 900 may range from 5 μm to 10 μm, or around 5 μm, and the width WS of the support member 900, or the width of each pixel PX, may range from 20 μm to 30 μm, or around 25 μm. The fusion pattern FSP may have a height HF that can extend from the base substrate 101 of the display panel 100 to the encapsulation substrate 500 and a maximum width WF that can be formed within the support member 900 .

[0082] In some embodiments, the height HF of the fused pattern FSP is greater than the thickness HS of the support member 900 and the maximum width WF is less than the width WS of the support member 900. In an exemplary embodiment, the height HF of the fused pattern FSP may range from 10 μm to 20 μm, or from 12 μm to 18 μm. The maximum width WF of the fusion pattern FSP may be in the range of 8 μm to 12 μm, or 9 μm to 11 μm, and preferably about 10 μm. However, this varies depending on the distance between the display panel 100 and the encapsulation substrate 500, or the material and thickness of the support member 900, etc. The above-mentioned size of the fusion pattern FSP is an exemplary numerical range, and the present embodiment is not limited thereto.

[0083] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XX' in FIG. FIG. 10 shows a cross section of a portion of the non-display area NDA of the display panel 100 located in the first direction DR1 of the display area DPA, crossing a portion where the sealing member 700 is disposed. 10, a sealing member 700 is disposed between a base substrate 101 and an encapsulation substrate 500 in a non-display area (NDA) of a display panel 100. As shown in FIG. According to an embodiment, at least a portion of the sealing member 700 directly contacts the upper surface of the base substrate 101 and the lower surface of the encapsulation substrate 500 , and the display panel 100 and the encapsulation substrate 500 of the display device 10 are interconnected by the sealing member 700 .

[0084] The sealing member 700 includes a frit and interconnects the display panel 100 and the encapsulation substrate 500 through a physical bond, and includes a physical boundary between the sealing member 700 and the base substrate 101 of the display panel 100 and the encapsulation substrate 500 . However, this is not limited to this. In some embodiments, the display device 10 further includes a fusion pattern FSP disposed at the boundary where the sealing member 700 forms with the encapsulation substrate 500 or the display panel 100, thereby further improving the bonding strength between the display panel 100 and the encapsulation substrate 500. The description of this will be referred to in other embodiments.

[0085] Since the display device 10 includes the support member 900 and the encapsulation substrate 500, the display panel 100 and the encapsulation substrate 500 have sufficient bonding strength, and therefore the width of the sealing member 700 can be minimized, thereby providing a large display area DPA. In some embodiments, the sealing member 700 may have a width in the range of 10 μm to 100 μm. The support member 900 has a minimum width within a range larger than the width WF of the fusion pattern FSP in order to secure a space for forming the fusion pattern FSP. However, this is not limited to this.

[0086] On the other hand, the fusion pattern FSP is formed by mixing at least the materials constituting the sealing substrate 500 and the support member 900, and thus has a refractive index different from that of the surrounding area. For example, in the portion where the fusion pattern FSP overlaps the support member 900 , the fusion pattern FSP has a different refractive index from the support member 900 by further including the material constituting the sealing substrate 500 compared to the support member 900 . According to one embodiment, the support member 900 is formed by fusing the encapsulation substrate 500, the display panel 100, and the support member 900, so that the refractive index of the support member 900 is different from that of the support member 900, thereby improving the light output efficiency of the light emitted from the light-emitting element EL.

[0087] FIG. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing light emission through a support member included in a display device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 shows a schematic cross section of the display device 10 across the display area DPA and non-display area NDA. 11, the display device 10 includes cells CL each including a plurality of light-emitting elements EL in a display region DPA, and a support member 900 for bonding a display panel 100 and an encapsulation substrate 500 to each other.

[0088] As described above, among the multiple pixels PX arranged in the display area DPA, the pixels PX in which the support member 900 is arranged are first-type pixels PXA, and the cells CL including the light-emitting elements EL are second-type pixels PXB. The light emitted from the light-emitting element EL of the second-type pixel PXB generally travels toward the upper surface of the display panel 100 or the encapsulation substrate 500 ("L1" in FIG. 11). However, at least some of these may face toward the side of the display panel 100 rather than toward the top. In the unit pixel region, a plurality of second-type pixels PXB and at least one first-type pixel PXA are arranged. That is, at least one support member 900 is included in the unit pixel region.

[0089] At least a portion of the light emitted from the second-type pixels PXB arranged in the unit pixel region travels toward the support member 900 ("L2" in FIG. 11). According to one embodiment, the support member 900 includes a fusion pattern FSP formed by fusing at least the encapsulation substrate 500 and the support member 900 together and mixing the materials that make up the encapsulation substrate 500 and the support member 900, and the fusion pattern FSP has a refractive index different from that of the support member 900. The light incident on the support member 900 is incident on the third boundary surface CS3 of the fusion pattern FSP through the support member 900 made of an inorganic or organic insulating material. In one embodiment, the fusion pattern FSP has a lower refractive index than the support member 900, and light incident on the fusion pattern FSP through the support member 900 is totally reflected at the third boundary surface CS3. The totally reflected light is reflected within the support member 900 and emitted through the encapsulation substrate 500 . The display device 10 includes a fusion pattern FSP formed to overlap the support member 900, and can improve the light output efficiency of the light emitted from the light emitting element EL.

[0090] The display device 10 includes a sealing member 700 disposed in the non-display area NDA of the display panel 100 and a supporting member 900 disposed in the display area DPA, so that the display panel 100 and the sealing substrate 500 are bonded with high strength. In particular, in the display area DPA, at least a fusion pattern FSP formed by fusing the encapsulation substrate 500 and the support member 900 is disposed, and durability against external impacts is improved at the interface between the support member 900 and the encapsulation substrate 500. According to an embodiment, the display device 10 includes, in addition to the sealing member 700, a support member 900 having a fusion pattern FSP disposed at least at the boundary with the encapsulation substrate 500, thereby improving the bonding strength between the display panel 100 and the encapsulation substrate 500. The display device 10 has improved durability against external impacts, and the light emission efficiency of the light-emitting element EL via the support member 900 is improved.

[0091] A method for manufacturing the display device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below. 12 to 14 are cross-sectional views illustrating a manufacturing process of a display device according to one embodiment of the present invention. First, referring to FIG. 12, a display panel 100 including a plurality of pixels PX and a support member 900 is prepared.

[0092] As described above, the display panel 100 includes a plurality of pixels PX arranged in the display area DPA, and the pixels PX include a first-type pixel PXA in which a support member 900 is arranged and a second-type pixel PXB in which the support member 900 is not arranged. The process of forming the support member 900 is carried out by a general process for forming an inorganic insulating material or an organic insulating material. In some embodiments, if the support member 900 includes an inorganic insulating material, it may be formed by a process such as sputtering, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), etc., and if the support member 900 includes an organic insulating material, it may be formed by a photoresist (PR) or inkjet process, etc. However, this is not limited to this.

[0093] Furthermore, although not shown in the figure, the first-type pixel PXA including the support member 900 can be formed by forming the second-type pixel PXB and multiple insulating layers on the base substrate 101 over the entire display area DPA, and then etching and removing some of the insulating layers to secure an area in which the first-type pixel PXA is formed. Alternatively, in some cases, the support member 900 may be formed first, and then the step of forming the second-type pixels PXB in other regions may be performed. A detailed explanation of this will be omitted. In addition, the insulating layers, the semiconductor layers, and the conductive layers included in each pixel PX are formed by processes that can be commonly adopted in this technical field. The following description will focus on the order of formation and arrangement of the members included in the display device 10, and will omit a description of the process of forming these members.

[0094] Next, referring to FIG. 13, an encapsulation substrate 500 is prepared, and the display panel 100 and the encapsulation substrate 500 are attached to each other by a sealing member 700 and a supporting member 900 . The sealing member 700 is disposed in the non-display area NDA of the display panel 100, and the support member 900 is disposed in the display area DPA. The sealing member 700 and the supporting member 900 are in direct contact with the display panel 100 or the base substrate 101, and the encapsulation substrate 500, respectively. The sealing member 700 is directly disposed on one surface of the display panel 100, and then bonds the sealing substrate 500 and the display panel 100 together, but is not limited thereto. In some embodiments, the sealing member 700 may be formed on one surface of the encapsulation substrate 500 before a bonding process of the display panel 100 and the encapsulation substrate 500 is performed.

[0095] The sealing member 700 may include the frit as described above, which is formed by printing on the sealing substrate 500 or the display panel 100 and then performing a drying and firing process. In some embodiments, the sealing member 700 is formed by preparing frit crystals on one surface of the display panel 100 or the encapsulation substrate 500, and then drying and baking the frit crystals. Frit crystals are glasses in powder form, optionally with additives. As discussed above, the sealing member 700 can include a frit, where the frit crystals melt and harden to form a structure having glass properties to form the sealing member 700 . In this step, moisture and air existing in the space between the display panel 100 and the encapsulation substrate 500 is removed, and the encapsulation substrate 500 and the sealing member 700 seal the space.

[0096] Next, referring to FIG. 14, a pulsed laser is irradiated onto the support member 900 to form a fusion pattern FSP, and the display panel 100, the support member 900, and the encapsulation substrate 500 are partially fused together. The pulsed laser is irradiated onto at least the support member 900 to form a fusion pattern FSP disposed across the support member 900 between the display panel 100 and the encapsulation substrate 500 . For example, the base substrate 101, the support member 900, and the sealing substrate 500 of the display panel 100 are irradiated with a pulsed laser. According to one embodiment, the support member 900 is made of a transparent material that allows light to pass through. The support member 900 may include a material that is transparent to light so that the pulsed laser can be irradiated across the encapsulation substrate 500 and the display panel 100 . The pulsed laser is irradiated from the upper surface of the encapsulation substrate 500 or the lower surface of the display panel 100 , passes through the sealing member 700 , and reaches the encapsulation substrate 500 or the display panel 100 , thereby fusing the sealing member 700 to the display panel 100 and the encapsulation substrate 500 .

[0097] According to one embodiment, a pulsed laser is irradiated from the upper surface of the encapsulation substrate 500 and the focal point FPL of the laser is set to be located within the display panel 100 . For example, the pulsed laser is set so that the distance between the focus FPL of the laser and the upper surface of the display panel 100 is in the range of 0.1 μm to 200 μm. As described above, the fused pattern FSP formed by the pulsed laser includes a fused region FA having a shape whose width increases with increasing distance from the laser focal point FPL. In some embodiments, the pulsed laser irradiates for a duration of 10 fs (femto-sec.) to 50 ps (pico-sec), at a frequency of 1 kHz to 10 MHz, and has an energy of 0.1 μJ or more.

[0098] The pulsed laser partially fuses the materials constituting the encapsulation substrate 500, the support member 900, and the display panel 100 together. In the display area DPA, the pulsed laser is selectively irradiated onto the first-type pixel PXA or the area where the support member 900 is located so as not to damage the light-emitting element EL included in the second-type pixel PXB. The display device 10 according to one embodiment includes a sealing member 700 and a support member 900 disposed between the display panel 100 and the encapsulation substrate 500, and a fusion pattern FSP disposed at least partially across the support member 900 and the encapsulation substrate 500, thereby improving the bonding strength between the display panel 100 and the encapsulation substrate 500 and improving the durability of the display device 10 against external impact.

[0099] Various embodiments of the display device 10 will now be described with reference to other drawings. FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view showing a portion of a display device according to another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 16 is a plan view showing a second fusion pattern disposed on the display device according to another embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Figures 15 and 16, a display device (10_1) according to one embodiment of the present invention further includes a fusion pattern FSP arranged across the support member 900 in the display area DPA, as well as a second fusion pattern FSP2 arranged across the sealing member 700 in the non-display area NDA. The embodiment shown in Figs. 15 and 16 differs from the embodiment in Fig. 10 in that the display device (10_1) further includes a second fusion pattern FSP2. Hereinafter, overlapping explanations will be omitted and differences will be mainly explained.

[0100] The display device (10_1) includes a support member 900 and a fusion pattern FSP (hereinafter referred to as a first fusion pattern) arranged across the sealing substrate 500 or the base substrate 101 of the display panel 100 to improve the bonding strength between the display panel 100 and the sealing substrate 500. Without being limited thereto, during the manufacturing process of the display device (10_1), the sealing member 700 may also be irradiated with a pulsed laser, and the display device (10_1) further includes a second fusion pattern FSP2 formed by fusing the sealing member 700 to the encapsulation substrate 500 and the base substrate 101 of the display panel 100. The display device (10_1) further includes a second fusion pattern FSP2 in addition to the first fusion pattern, which further improves the durability of the display device (10_1) against external impacts.

[0101] The second fusion pattern FSP2 has substantially the same shape as the first fusion pattern disposed across the support member 900. However, the second fusion pattern FSP2 is formed by fusing the sealing member 700 and the sealing substrate 500 or the base substrate 101, and is different in that the materials constituting these are mixed. That is, according to one embodiment, the second fusion pattern FSP2 includes a frit component that forms the sealing member 700 in addition to the material that forms the encapsulation substrate 500 or the base substrate 101. During the manufacturing process of the display device (10_1), the sealing member 700 as well as the supporting member 900 are irradiated with a pulsed laser, and the sealing member 700, the base substrate 101, and the sealing substrate 500 are fused to each other to form a second fusion pattern FSP2.

[0102] The sealing member 700 includes a first extension portion extending in a first direction DR1 along the non-display area NDA, a second extension portion extending in a second direction DR2, and at least one corner portion having a curvature where the first extension portion and the second extension portion are connected. The sealing member 700 is formed in a closed curve shape to surround the display area DPA, and includes a first extension portion and a second extension portion corresponding to a short side extended in a first direction DR1 of the display panel 100 and a long side extended in a second direction DR2. The sealing member 700 may include a first corner portion where the first extension portion and the second extension portion meet, the first corner portion being formed to have a curvature, and may form a closed curve shape to surround the display area DPA.

[0103] The second fusion pattern FSP2 is disposed along the sealing member 700 in the non-display area NDA. Unlike the first fusion patterns which correspond to the support member 900 and are spaced apart from each other to form island-shaped patterns in the display area DPA, the second fusion patterns FSP2 are disposed along the sealing member 700. That is, according to one embodiment, the second fusion pattern FSP2 is disposed so as to form a closed curve shape surrounding the display area DPA on a plane. The second fusion pattern FSP2 is formed so that its width WFS is smaller than the width of the sealing member 700, and is disposed inside and along the sealing member 700 on a plane. In the display device (10_1), the second fusion pattern FSP2 is arranged along the arrangement of the sealing member 700 to draw a closed curve shape, thereby improving the bonding strength between the display panel 100 and the sealing substrate 500. In addition, since the sealing member 700 includes the second fusion pattern FSP2 to further improve the adhesive strength of the sealing member 700, the sealing member 700 may have a narrow width, thereby minimizing the area of ​​the non-display area NDA.

[0104] However, without being limited thereto, the second fusion pattern FSP2 may be arranged along the sealing member 700, and a plurality of patterns may be arranged spaced apart from each other. Additionally, in some embodiments, the second fusion pattern FSP2 may be formed along at least a first corner portion of the sealing member 700. The sealing member 700, which bonds the display panel 100 and the encapsulation substrate 500 to each other, has a second fusion pattern FSP2 formed at a first corner where the first extension portion and the second extension portion meet, thereby further improving durability at the first corner, where the adhesive strength is relatively weak.

[0105] Meanwhile, as described above, the display panel 100 of the display device 10 includes the first area AA1 and the second area AA2 that are divided around the area where the support member 900 is disposed. The support member 900 may be arranged so as not to overlap with the light-emitting element EL or the light-emitting layer OL, and is not necessarily divided into different types of pixels (PXA, PXB) and arranged only in a specific type of pixel (e.g., the first type pixel PXA). According to one embodiment, each pixel PX of the display panel 100 may include an emitting area EMA in which an emitting element EL is arranged, and a non-emitting area NEA in which the emitting element EL is not arranged, and the support member 900 may be arranged in the non-emitting area NEA of each pixel PX.

[0106] Figure 17 is a plan view showing a support member arranged on a display panel according to another embodiment of the present invention, Figure 18 is an enlarged view of portion C in Figure 17, Figure 19 is an enlarged view of portion D in Figure 18, and Figure 20 is a cross-sectional view cut along line E-E' in Figure 18. FIG. 20 shows a cross section across two adjacent pixels PX. 17 to 20, in a display panel 100 of a display device (10_2) according to another embodiment of the present invention, each pixel PX includes a light-emitting area EMA and a non-light-emitting area NEA, and a support member (900_2) is arranged in the non-light-emitting area NEA of each pixel PX.

[0107] The display panel 100 of the display device (10_2) includes pixels of the same type (e.g., third type pixels), and each pixel PX includes an emitting area EMA in which an emitting element EL or an emitting layer OL is arranged, and a non-emitting area NEA in which no emitting element EL is arranged and a support member (900_2) is arranged. In this case, the non-light emitting area NEA of each pixel PX is the first area AA1 in which the support member (900_2) is arranged, and the light emitting area EMA is the second area AA2. The display device (10_2) includes sub-pixels that emit light of different colors as the same type of pixel PX. The display device (10_2) includes a first sub-pixel PX1, a second sub-pixel PX2, and a third sub-pixel PX3, each of which includes a non-emitting area NEA (or a first area AA1) and a emitting area EMA (or a second area AA2). Each of these devices includes a light-emitting element EL and a support member (900_2), but the types of the light-emitting layer OL of the light-emitting element EL are different. FIG. 20 shows a cross section across the first sub-pixel PX1 and the second sub-pixel PX2.

[0108] The display panel 100 includes pixels of the same type (for example, third type pixels), and only pixels of the same type are arranged in a unit pixel region (part C in FIG. 17). In addition, a support member 900_2 is included for each pixel PX, and the support members 900_2 are spaced apart at uniform intervals within the unit pixel region. The support member (900_2) is disposed in the non-light emitting area NEA of each pixel PX, and at least one light emitting area EMA is disposed between a plurality of support members (900_2). As described above, the fusion pattern FSP has a width in the range of about 10 μm, and the width of each pixel PX has a width in the range of about 25 μm. In some embodiments, the support member 900 has a width small enough to be contained within each pixel PX, but has an extent large enough that the fusion pattern FSP can be formed. In this case, each pixel PX includes a region in which the light-emitting element EL is arranged and a region in which the support member 900 is arranged.

[0109] Each pixel PX includes a light emitting area EMA in which the light emitting element EL is disposed and in which light generated in the light emitting layer OL is emitted, and a non-light emitting area NEA in which the light emitting element EL is not disposed. Circuit elements for driving the light-emitting element EL are disposed in at least a portion of the non-light-emitting area NEA. The light emitting area EMA and the non-light emitting area NEA are areas defined by the arrangement or position of the light emitting element EL or the light emitting layer OL, and may be divided by an opening area of ​​the pixel defining film 109 in some cases. That is, the light emitting area EMA can be an opening area where the openings of the pixel defining film 109 are arranged, and the non-light emitting area NEA can be a non-opening area where the pixel defining film 109 is arranged.

[0110] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the support member (900_2) is disposed within the non-light-emitting area NEA of each pixel PX and does not overlap with the light-emitting element EL. Moreover, the support member (900_2) does not overlap with the circuit elements included in each pixel PX, such as a plurality of wirings and transistors. The support member (900_2) is in direct contact with the base substrate 101 and the encapsulation substrate 500 as described above. The fusion pattern FSP is disposed at least between the support member (900_2) and the encapsulation substrate 500, and may be extended from the encapsulation substrate 500 to the base substrate 101. The shape and arrangement of the fusion pattern FSP are the same as those described above, and therefore will not be described in detail.

[0111] A display device (10_2) according to another embodiment of the present invention includes a first area AA1 in which a support member (900_2) is arranged for each pixel PX, and a second area AA2 in which a support member (900_2) is not arranged for each pixel PX. In the display device (10_2), a support member (900_2) is arranged for each pixel PX, and many more support members (900_2) and fusion patterns FSP are arranged over the entire surface of the display area DPA. Therefore, in the display device (10_2), the bonding strength between the display panel 100 and the sealing substrate 500 is further improved, and the durability of the display device (10_2) against external impact is further improved.

[0112] FIG. 21 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a portion of a display device according to still another embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 21, a display device (10_3) has a support member (900_3) having a structure in which a plurality of layers are laminated in order. The support member (900_3) may be made of an inorganic insulating material or an organic insulating material, but in some embodiments, the support member (900_3) has a structure in which multiple insulating layers IL made of an inorganic insulating material or an organic insulating material are stacked.

[0113] The fusion pattern FSP, which is extended from the base substrate 101 to the sealing substrate 500, is formed so as to penetrate a plurality of insulating layers IL of the support member (900_3). In an exemplary embodiment, the support member (900_3) is formed of a multi-layer structure including alternating layers of inorganic materials such as silicon oxide (SiOx), silicon nitride (SiNx), silicon oxynitride (SiON), or organic materials such as photoresist (PR) or polyimide (PI). However, this is not limited to this. The embodiment shown in FIG. 21 differs from the embodiment in FIG. 8 in that the support member (900_3) has a structure in which a plurality of insulating layers IL are laminated. Hereinafter, duplicated explanations will be omitted.

[0114] Meanwhile, the fusion pattern FSP has various shapes depending on the focus FPL of the pulsed laser irradiated during the manufacturing process of the display device 10_3, the intensity of the laser, and the like. In the display device (10_3), the interfacial bonding strength between the support member (900_3) or the sealing member 700 and the encapsulation substrate 500 may be somewhat weak, and to compensate for this, a fusion pattern FSP may be selectively formed. According to some embodiments, in the display device (10_3), the fusion pattern FSP is disposed only at the interface between the support member (900_3) and the encapsulation substrate 500 or the display panel 100.

[0115] 22 and 23 are schematic cross-sectional views showing a part of a display device according to still another embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 22, in a display device (10_4) according to still another embodiment of the present invention, a fusion pattern (FSP_4) is disposed across the interface between a support member (900_4) and an encapsulation substrate 500. In the display device (10_4) according to the embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG.

[0116] The fusion pattern (FSP_4) is disposed at a distance from the upper surface of the display panel 100. A physical boundary exists at the interface where the lower surface of the support member (900_4) meets the upper surface of the display panel 100, while a fusion pattern (FSP_4) is arranged at the interface where the upper surface of the support member (900_4) meets the lower surface of the encapsulation substrate 500, resulting in a partial absence of a physical interface. In this case, the fusion pattern (FSP_4) is formed by fusing the support member (900_4) and the sealing substrate 500, and is formed by mixing the materials that constitute these members. The embodiment shown in FIG. 22 differs from the embodiment shown in FIG. 8 in that the fusion pattern (FSP_4) is disposed only at the interface between the support member (900_4) and the sealing substrate 500. In the embodiment shown in FIG. Hereinafter, overlapping explanations will be omitted and differences will be mainly explained.

[0117] During the manufacturing process of the display device (10_4), when the laser focus FPL is set to be located within the support member (900_4), the fusion pattern (FSP_4) is formed only in the portion of the support member (900_4) where the laser is irradiated from the laser focus FPL. For example, when the laser focus FPL is set within the support member (900_4) and a pulsed laser is irradiated from the upper surface of the encapsulation substrate 500, the fusion pattern (FSP_4) is formed only between the support member (900_4) and the encapsulation substrate 500. As described above, the interfacial bonding strength between the encapsulation substrate 500 and the support member (900_4) or the sealing member 700 may be weak, and the display device (10_4) may be more susceptible to defects occurring between the encapsulation substrate 500 and the sealing member 700 due to external impact.

[0118] To compensate for this, the display device (10_4) according to an embodiment of the present invention further includes a fusion pattern (FSP_4), and in particular, the fusion pattern (FSP_4) is selectively disposed at the interface where the encapsulation substrate 500 and the support member (900_4) come into contact with each other. The fusion pattern (FSP_4) is formed by a process of irradiating a pulsed laser, so that the focus FPL of the laser is set to be located within the support member (900_4) and, when the laser is irradiated from the top surface of the encapsulation substrate 500, damage to the circuit elements and the light-emitting element EL included in the display panel 100 is prevented.

[0119] Although not shown in the drawings, the display device (10_4) may further include a second fusion pattern FSP2 selectively formed only at the interface between the sealing member 700 and the encapsulation substrate 500. In this case, the second fusion pattern FSP2 is formed by fusing the sealing member 700 and the sealing substrate 500 together, so that the materials constituting these are mixed together. The lower surface of the sealing member 700 may form a physical boundary with the display panel 100 or the upper surface of the base substrate 101, and a portion of the upper surface of the sealing member 700 has a second fusion pattern FSP2 formed thereon, and no physical boundary exists at the boundary with the encapsulation substrate 500. The explanation for this is the same as above.

[0120] Referring to FIG. 23, in a display device (10_5) according to yet another embodiment of the present invention, a fusion pattern (FSP_5) is selectively formed only at the boundary between the support member (900_5) and the encapsulation substrate 500 and the boundary between the support member (900_5) and the display panel 100. These are spaced apart from each other in the thickness direction of the display device (10_5). The embodiment shown in FIG. 23 differs from the embodiment shown in FIG. 22 in that it further includes a fusion pattern (FSP_5) formed at the boundary between the support member (900_5) and the display panel 100. Other overlapping explanations will be omitted.

[0121] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the technical scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0122] 10, 10_1~10_5 Display device 100 Display Panel 101 Base board 102 Buffer layer 103 Gate insulating layer 105 Interlayer insulation layer 107 Protective layer 108 Planarization layer 109 Pixel-defined membrane 110 First scan driver 120 Second scan driver 200 Display driver 300 Display Circuit Board 500 Sealing substrate 700 Sealing material 900, 900_2~900_5 Support members DPA display area FA fusion area FSP, FSP_4, FSP_5 fusion patterns FSP2 2nd fusion pattern MA melting area NDA Hidden Area OL Light-emitting layer PX pixels PXA Type 1 Pixel PXB Type 2 Pixel

Claims

1. A display panel including a display area in which a plurality of light-emitting elements are arranged and a non-display area surrounding the display area; a sealing substrate disposed on the display panel at a distance; a sealing member disposed between the display panel and the encapsulation substrate in the non-display region to bond the display panel and the encapsulation substrate; a plurality of support members disposed between the display panel and the sealing substrate in the display region; a first fusion pattern disposed so that at least a portion of the first fusion pattern overlaps the support member and the sealing substrate; the display region includes a first region in which the support member and the first fusion pattern are arranged, and a second region in which the support member is not arranged, The light emitting element is disposed in at least a portion of the second region, The display panel further includes a base substrate, The display device, wherein the support member is in direct contact with an upper surface of the base substrate and a lower surface of the sealing substrate.

2. the display panel includes a plurality of pixels arranged in the display area; At least some of the pixels include the light emitting element, The display device according to claim 1 , wherein the support member is disposed so as not to overlap with the light emitting element.

3. The display device according to claim 2 , wherein the pixels include a first type pixel in which the support member is disposed, and a second type pixel in which the support member is not disposed and which includes the light emitting element.

4. 3. The display device according to claim 2, wherein the pixel includes a light-emitting region in which the light-emitting element is arranged, and a non-light-emitting region in which the light-emitting element is not arranged and the support member is arranged.

5. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the first fusion pattern extends from the encapsulation substrate to the base substrate and is disposed such that at least a portion of the first fusion pattern overlaps with the base substrate.

6. The display device according to claim 5 , wherein the first fusion pattern is formed by mixing materials constituting the support member, the sealing substrate, and the base substrate.

7. The display device according to claim 5 , wherein the first fusion pattern includes a fusion region in which the base substrate, the support member, and the sealing substrate are partially fused together, and a melted region arranged to surround the fusion region.

8. The display device of claim 7 , wherein the fusion region, which is an internal portion of the first fusion pattern, has a width that increases from the base substrate toward the encapsulation substrate.

9. the support member includes a first interface surface in contact with the base substrate and a second interface surface in contact with the sealing substrate; The display device according to claim 5 , wherein no physical boundary exists in a portion of an extension line of the first boundary surface and the second boundary surface where the first fusion pattern is formed.

10. the first fusion pattern includes a first portion overlapping the display panel, a second portion contacting the support member, and a third portion overlapping the sealing substrate; 10. The display device of claim 9, further comprising: a third interface between the second portion and the support member, a fourth interface between the first portion and the display panel, and a fifth interface between the third portion and the encapsulation substrate.

11. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the first fusion pattern has a refractive index different from that of the support member.

12. The display device of claim 1 , further comprising a second fusion pattern disposed so that at least a portion of the second fusion pattern overlaps the sealing member and the encapsulation substrate.

13. The display device of claim 12 , wherein the sealing member and the second fusion pattern are disposed in the non-display area and surround the display area.

14. A display panel including a base substrate and a plurality of pixels disposed on the base substrate; a sealing substrate disposed opposite to the display panel and spaced apart from the display panel; a plurality of support members disposed between the base substrate and the sealing substrate; a first fusion pattern disposed across the support member, the base substrate, and the encapsulation substrate; The display device, wherein the pixels include a first type pixel in which the support member is disposed, and a second type pixel in which the support member is not disposed and which includes a light emitting element.

15. The first type pixel does not include the light emitting element, The display device according to claim 14 , wherein the support member is in direct contact with an upper surface of the base substrate and a lower surface of the encapsulation substrate.

16. the support member includes a first interface surface in contact with the base substrate and a second interface surface in contact with the sealing substrate; The display device of claim 15, wherein no physical boundary exists in a portion of an extension line of the first boundary surface and the second boundary surface where the first fusion pattern is formed.

17. 16. The display device of claim 15, wherein the second-type pixels include a first sub-pixel emitting light of a first color and a second sub-pixel emitting light of a second color different from the first color.

18. the display panel includes a display area in which the plurality of pixels are arranged, and a non-display area surrounding the display area; The display device of claim 15, further comprising a sealing member disposed in the non-display region to surround the display region and bond the encapsulation substrate and the display panel to each other.

19. a second fusion pattern disposed across the support member, the base substrate, and the encapsulation substrate; The display device of claim 18 , wherein the second fusion pattern surrounds the display area to have a closed curve shape.

Images