Display Panel Link-Line Shielding to Prevent Cutting Short Circuits
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing display device manufacturing processes face issues with short circuits occurring between electrodes during the cutting of pad portions, particularly in small-sized panels, due to the proximity of melted odd and even electrodes, which is exacerbated by the reduced distance between pads.
Innovation Solution
The display device incorporates shield electrodes made of a transparent electrode material, such as ITO, which are formed above the gate and data link lines to overlap with the trimming line, preventing short circuits by minimizing the melt and spread of these lines during the cutting process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the panel size is reduced, then the distance between pads becomes smaller, but the risk of short circuit between melted electrodes increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a shield electrode as an intermediary element positioned between adjacent link lines. This shield electrode acts as a physical barrier that prevents direct contact between melted electrodes during the cutting process. The shield electrode is electrically disconnected from both adjacent link lines and is maintained at a different potential, creating an electrical isolation zone that blocks short circuit current paths while allowing thermal energy to dissipate safely.
2Productivity
If the distance between pads is reduced, then more link lines can be arranged densely, but the melt and spread of link lines during cutting causes short circuits
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the continuous link lines by introducing shield electrodes as dividing elements. These shield electrodes create distinct electrical zones between adjacent link lines, effectively segmenting the electrical pathways. This segmentation allows for denser arrangement of link lines while maintaining electrical isolation, as each link line is separated by its own shield electrode barrier that prevents lateral spread of molten material from causing short circuits.
3Reliability
If shield electrodes are formed above link lines, then short circuits are prevented, but the device structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The shield electrode is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as an electrical barrier to prevent short circuits, serves as a thermal management element to dissipate heat from the cutting process, provides mechanical support during the cutting operation, and can be integrated with existing electrode fabrication processes. By consolidating these functions into a single structural element, the patent reduces the need for additional separate components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while achieving reliable short circuit prevention.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The shield electrodes effectively prevent short circuits between the link lines by maintaining a sufficient distance and using a less-meltable material, ensuring dense line arrangements without electrical failures.
Implementation Method 1
shield electrodes formed above the gate link lines and the data link lines and configured to partially cover the gate link lines and the data link lines... preventing short circuits by minimizing the melt and spread of these lines during the cutting process
Data Source
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AI summary
A display device is disclosed which includes: gate lines (GL) and data lines (DL) crossing each other to define unit pixel regions in a display area (100b); a pixel electrode (Pix) in each unit pixel region; a data shorting bar (ODS, EDS) in a non-display area (100a) in substantially parallel with the gate lines (GL); a gate shorting bar (OGS, EGS) in the non-display area (100a) in substantially parallel with the data lines (DL); gate link lines (OGL, EGL) electrically connecting the gate lines (GL) to the gate shorting bar (OGS, EGS); data link lines (ODL, EDL) electrically connecting the data lines (DL) to the data shorting bar (ODS, EDS); and first shield electrodes including a conductive material that has a higher melting temperature than that of at least one of the gate link lines (OGL, EGL) and the data link lines (ODL, EDL), wherein at least one of the gate link lines (OGL, EGL) and the data link lines (ODL, EDL) are the first shield electrodes.