Electronic ink display device

Abstract

An electronic ink (E-ink) display device includes a thin film transistor (TFT) array substrate, at least two front panel laminates (FPLs), a protective sheet, and an edge sealant. The at least two FPLs are tiled on the TFT array substrate. A gap is provided between adjacent two of the at least two FPLs. Each of the at least two FPLs includes an E-ink material layer. The protective sheet is disposed on the at least two FPLs to completely cover the at least two FPLs. The gap is filled by the edge sealant. The edge sealant is located between the TFT array substrate and the protective sheet.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic ink display device, and more particularly to an electronic ink display device in which at least two front panel laminates (FPLs) are spliced ​​on a single thin film transistor (TFT) array substrate. Prior Art

[0002] E-ink display technology, with its low power consumption, high contrast, and wide viewing angle, is well-suited for static display applications. However, the current approach to applying E-ink display technology to large advertising formats involves splicing multiple E-ink display modules together. However, the manufacturing cost of these modules is high, and the need for mechanical components to facilitate splicing also increases manufacturing costs. Furthermore, visible seams greater than 2 mm can be seen between adjacent E-ink display modules, resulting in image mura and a negatively impacting the viewing experience. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The present invention provides an electronic ink display device comprising a thin film transistor array substrate, at least two front panels, a protective film, and a first sealing material. The at least two front panels are spliced ​​onto the thin film transistor array substrate, with a gap between adjacent front panels. Each of the at least two front panels includes an electronic ink material layer. The protective film is disposed on the at least two front panels to completely cover the at least two front panels. The first sealing material is used to fill the gap and is located between the thin film transistor array substrate and the protective film.

[0004] In some embodiments, the electronic ink display device further includes a second sealing adhesive material, which surrounds at least two front panels and is distributed between the thin film transistor array substrate and the protective film.

[0005] In some embodiments, each of the at least two front panels further includes a transparent substrate and a transparent electrode layer, wherein a protective film is attached to the transparent substrate. The transparent electrode layer is located between the transparent substrate and the electronic ink material layer. The electronic ink material layer is located between the transparent electrode layer and the thin-film transistor array substrate.

[0006] In some embodiments, each of the at least two front panels further includes a conductive material, which is sandwiched between the transparent electrode layer and the thin film transistor array substrate, and between the electronic ink material layer and the second sealing adhesive material.

[0007] In some embodiments, there is a gap between the at least two adjacent front panels in the first direction, and there is a seam in the first direction between the display area of ​​the electronic ink material layer of one of the at least two adjacent front panels and the display area of ​​the electronic ink material layer of the other of the at least two adjacent front panels, and the length of the seam in the first direction is less than 1 mm.

[0008] In some embodiments, the protective film is a water vapor barrier film.

[0009] In some embodiments, the first sealing adhesive is a heat-curable, single-component, non-conductive, oxygen-barrier adhesive.

[0010] In some embodiments, the transparent substrate is made of optically transparent adhesive.

[0011] The present invention further provides an electronic ink display device comprising a thin film transistor array substrate, a first transparent substrate, a second transparent substrate, a first transparent electrode layer, a second transparent electrode layer, a first electronic ink material layer, a second electronic ink material layer, and a sealing adhesive. The first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate are spliced ​​together on the thin film transistor array substrate, with a gap between them. The first transparent electrode layer is located between the first transparent substrate and the thin film transistor array substrate. The second transparent electrode layer is located between the second transparent substrate and the thin film transistor array substrate. The first transparent electrode layer and the second transparent electrode layer are spliced ​​together on the thin film transistor array substrate, with a gap between them. The first electronic ink material layer is located between the first transparent electrode layer and the thin film transistor array substrate. The second electronic ink material layer is located between the second transparent electrode layer and the thin film transistor array substrate. The first electronic ink material layer and the second electronic ink material layer are spliced ​​together on the thin film transistor array substrate, with a gap between them. The sealing adhesive is used to fill the gap.

[0012] In some embodiments, there is a gap between the first electronic ink material layer and the second electronic ink material layer in the first direction, and there is a seam between the display area of ​​the first electronic ink material layer and the display area of ​​the second electronic ink material layer in the first direction, and the length of the seam in the first direction is less than 1 mm.

[0013] To make the above features and advantages of the present invention more clearly understood, embodiments are given below and described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Simple diagram description

[0014] A better understanding of the present invention can be gained from the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that, in accordance with standard industry practice, the various features are not drawn to scale. In fact, the dimensions of the various features may be arbitrarily increased or decreased for clarity of discussion. FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of an electronic ink display device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a joint of an electronic ink display device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Implementation Method

[0015] The following discusses embodiments of the present invention in detail. However, it should be understood that the embodiments provide many applicable concepts that can be implemented in a wide variety of specific contexts. The embodiments discussed and disclosed are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. The terms "first" and "second" used herein do not specifically denote order or precedence; they are used solely to distinguish between elements or operations described using the same technical terms.

[0016] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic ink display device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The electronic ink display device 100 includes a single thin-film transistor array substrate 10, multiple front panels 20, a protective film 30, a first sealing material 40, and a second sealing material 50. It should be noted that while Figure 1 shows two front panels 20, the present invention is not limited thereto. In embodiments of the present invention, the number of front panels 20 may be two or more.

[0017] A plurality of front panels 20 are tiled on a single thin film transistor array substrate 10. A gap 60 is defined between two adjacent front panels 20.

[0018] Each front panel 20 includes an electronic ink material layer 21, a transparent substrate 22, a transparent electrode layer 23, and a conductive material 24. The transparent electrode layer 23 is located between the transparent substrate 22 and the electronic ink material layer 21. The electronic ink material layer 21 is located between the transparent electrode layer 23 and the thin film transistor array substrate 10.

[0019] Specifically, the two adjacent transparent substrates 22 of the front panel 20 are spliced ​​together on the thin-film transistor array substrate 10, with a gap 60 between the two adjacent transparent substrates 22 of the front panel 20. The two adjacent transparent electrode layers 23 of the front panel 20 are spliced ​​together on the thin-film transistor array substrate 10, with a gap 60 between the two adjacent transparent electrode layers 23 of the front panel 20. The two adjacent electronic ink material layers 21 of the front panel 20 are spliced ​​together on the thin-film transistor array substrate 10, with a gap 60 between the two adjacent electronic ink material layers 21 of the front panel 20. A protective film 30 is disposed on the two adjacent transparent substrates 22 of the front panel 20 to completely cover the two adjacent transparent substrates 22 of the front panel 20.

[0020] The electronic ink material layer 21 comprises a bi-stable display material (i.e., electronic ink) that is activated by charged particles. When an image signal is input into the electronic ink display device 100, the electronic ink is activated by the input electric field, causing the reflected light to display an image. This image is retained without the need for additional power.

[0021] In an embodiment of the present invention, to avoid obstructing the display screen, the transparent substrate 22 may be formed by curing a light-transmitting adhesive material. For example, the transparent substrate 22 may be made of an optically clear adhesive (OCA) for attaching the protective film 30. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. In other embodiments of the present invention, the transparent substrate 22 may also be made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), plastic, acrylic, or other suitable materials.

[0022] The transparent electrode layer 23 may be made of indium tin oxide (ITO), indium zinc oxide (IZO) or other transparent conductive materials.

[0023] The conductive material 24 is sandwiched between the transparent electrode layer 23 and the thin film transistor array substrate 10 , and the conductive material 24 is sandwiched between the electronic ink material layer 21 and the second sealing adhesive 50 .

[0024] When the electric field between each pixel electrode of the thin-film transistor array substrate 10 and the transparent electrode layer 23 of the front panel 20 changes, the electronic ink moves upward or downward depending on the direction of the electric field, causing each pixel to exhibit different colors and / or optical properties. In an embodiment of the present invention, the thin-film transistor array substrate 10 is a glass substrate or a flexible substrate.

[0025] The protective film 30 is disposed on the plurality of front panels 20 to completely cover the plurality of front panels 20. Specifically, the protective film 30 is disposed on the plurality of front panels 20, the first sealing adhesive 40, and the second sealing adhesive 50. The protective film 30 completely covers the plurality of front panels 20 and the first sealing adhesive 40, and partially covers the second sealing adhesive 50. In an embodiment of the present invention, the protective film 30 is a water vapor barrier film.

[0026] The first sealing material 40 is used to fill the gap 60 and is located between the thin film transistor array substrate 10 and the protective film 30. The first sealing material 40 can prevent moisture from penetrating into the electronic ink material layer 21 and enhance the moisture resistance of the electronic ink display device 100.

[0027] The second sealing material 50 surrounds the plurality of front panels 20 and is disposed between the thin-film transistor array substrate 10 and the protective film 30. In other words, the second sealing material 50 is adjacent to the plurality of front panels 20, the thin-film transistor array substrate 10, and the protective film 30. The second sealing material 50 prevents moisture from penetrating the electronic ink material layer 21 and enhances the moisture resistance of the electronic ink display device 100.

[0028] The first sealing adhesive 40 is adhered to the first side wall of the electronic ink material layer 21 , and the second sealing adhesive 50 is adhered to the second side wall of the electronic ink material layer 21 . The first side wall and the second side wall are located on opposite sides of the electronic ink material layer 21 .

[0029] In an embodiment of the present invention, the first sealant 40 and the second sealant 50 are made of the same material. In this embodiment, the first sealant 40 is a heat-curable, one-component, non-conductive, oxygen-barrier adhesive. In other words, the first sealant 40 is a low-oxygen-transmission-rate (OTR) (or high-oxygen-barrier) adhesive, such as Henkel's Loctite epoxy adhesive, model 7301N.

[0030] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of seam SS of electronic ink display device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG1 and FIG2 , front panel 20 is disposed on thin-film transistor array substrate 10 along direction Y. Adjacent pairs of front panels 20 are spliced ​​along direction X. Alternatively, adjacent pairs of front panels 20 may be spliced ​​along a direction (i.e., direction Z, not shown) that is perpendicular to both directions X and Y.

[0031] Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 , a gap 60 is formed between two adjacent front panels 20 in the direction X. A gap 60 is formed between the two electronic ink material layers 21 of the two adjacent front panels 20 in the direction X. A seam SS (i.e., a seam visible when viewing the electronic ink display device 100) is formed between the active area AA of the electronic ink material layer 21 of one of the two adjacent front panels 20 and the active area AA of the electronic ink material layer 21 of the other of the two adjacent front panels 20 in the direction X. The length of the seam SS in the direction X is less than 1 mm.

[0032] As described above, the size of the seam SS of the electronic ink display device 100 of the present invention is less than 1 mm, achieving an extremely narrow seam line and eliminating image mura, thereby improving the viewing experience when electronic ink display technology is applied to large advertising boards.

[0033] In addition, the electronic ink display device 100 of the present invention directly splices multiple front panels 20 on a single thin film transistor array substrate 10, rather than splicing multiple electronic ink display modules of huge cost, thereby saving manufacturing costs.

[0034] The above summarizes the features of several embodiments so that those skilled in the art can better understand the aspects of the present invention. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that they can readily use this disclosure as a basis for designing or modifying other processes and structures to achieve the same objectives and / or advantages as the embodiments described herein. Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that these equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and that various changes, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0035] 10: Thin film transistor array substrate 20:Front panel 21: Electronic ink material layer 22:Transparent substrate 23: Transparent electrode layer 24: Conductive materials 30: Protective film 40: First sealing material 50: Second sealing material 60: Gap 100: Electronic ink display device AA: Display area SS:Seam X,Y: direction

[0036] Domestic storage information (please note the order of storage institution, date, and number) none Overseas deposit information (please note the order of deposit country, institution, date, and number) none

Claims

1. An electronic ink display device, comprising: A thin film transistor array substrate; at least two front panel laminates (FPLs) bonded to the thin film transistor array substrate, with a gap between adjacent front panels, each of the at least two front panels including an electronic ink material layer; a protective film disposed on the at least two front panels to completely cover the at least two front panels; and a first sealing adhesive material, used to fill the gap and located between the thin film transistor array substrate and the protective film.

2. The electronic ink display device according to claim 1, further comprising: A second sealing material surrounds the at least two front panels and is distributed between the thin film transistor array substrate and the protective film.

3. The electronic ink display device of claim 2, wherein each of the at least two front panels further comprises: a transparent substrate, to which the protective film is attached; and a transparent electrode layer, located between the transparent substrate and the electronic ink material layer; The electronic ink material layer is located between the transparent electrode layer and the thin film transistor array substrate.

4. The electronic ink display device of claim 3, wherein each of the at least two front panels further comprises: A conductive material is sandwiched between the transparent electrode layer and the thin film transistor array substrate, and between the electronic ink material layer and the second sealing adhesive.

5. The electronic ink display device of claim 1, wherein two adjacent front panels have the gap in a first direction, a seam is formed between a display area of ​​the electronic ink material layer of one of the at least two adjacent front panels and a display area of ​​the electronic ink material layer of the other of the at least two adjacent front panels in the first direction, and a length of the seam in the first direction is less than 1 mm.

6. The electronic ink display device according to claim 1, wherein the protective film is a water vapor barrier film.

7. The electronic ink display device according to claim 1, wherein the first sealing adhesive is a heat-curable, single-component, non-conductive, oxygen-barrier adhesive.

8. The electronic ink display device according to claim 3, wherein the transparent substrate is made of optically transparent adhesive.

9. An electronic ink display device comprising: a thin film transistor array substrate; a first transparent substrate and a second transparent substrate, which are spliced ​​on the thin film transistor array substrate, with a gap between the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate; a first transparent electrode layer, which is located between the first transparent substrate and the thin film transistor array substrate; a second transparent electrode layer located between the second transparent substrate and the thin film transistor array substrate, the first transparent electrode layer and the second transparent electrode layer being spliced ​​together on the thin film transistor array substrate, with the gap between the first transparent electrode layer and the second transparent electrode layer; a first electronic ink material layer located between the first transparent electrode layer and the thin film transistor array substrate; a second electronic ink material layer located between the second transparent electrode layer and the thin film transistor array substrate, the first electronic ink material layer and the second electronic ink material layer being spliced ​​together on the thin film transistor array substrate, with the gap between the first electronic ink material layer and the second electronic ink material layer; and a sealing material for filling the gap.

10. The electronic ink display device of claim 9, wherein the gap is provided between the first electronic ink material layer and the second electronic ink material layer in a first direction, a seam is provided between a display area of ​​the first electronic ink material layer and a display area of ​​the second electronic ink material layer in the first direction, and a length of the seam in the first direction is less than 1 mm.

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