Inkjet Conductive Path Design for Display Panel Edge Integrity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inkjet printing of metallic ink for forming conductive paths in display panels faces challenges such as long solvent removal times, potential metal loss, and unintended pattern formation due to conglomeration or condensation, leading to issues like high sheet resistance, contact resistance, and non-uniformity.
Innovation Solution
A display panel design featuring a conductive path formed by inkjet printing with a protective layer and optimized solvent removal using high-degree vacuum drying, minimizing pull-back regions and ensuring uniform resistance, and incorporating extension portions with balanced thickness to prevent ink-peeling and disconnection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If metallic ink is jetted on the substrate, then a conductive path can be formed, but it takes a long time to remove the solvent and metal may be lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the solvent removal parameters by using a high-degree vacuum drying process instead of conventional drying. This accelerates the solvent removal time while preventing metal loss, thus resolving the contradiction between fast processing and maintaining conductive path quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a vacuum environment (inert atmosphere without oxygen and moisture) during the solvent removal process. This prevents oxidation and contamination of the metallic ink while accelerating drying, thereby reducing time loss without compromising conductive path reliability.
2Reliability
If metallic ink is jetted on the substrate, then a conductive path can be formed, but unintended patterns may be obtained due to conglomeration or condensation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a protective layer to the substrate before jetting the metallic ink. This preliminary action prevents unintended conglomeration and condensation of the ink, ensuring that the conductive path forms exactly as intended without additional processing steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective layer acts as an intermediary between the substrate and the metallic ink. It controls the ink's interaction with the substrate, preventing unwanted conglomeration and condensation while allowing the conductive path to form accurately, thus improving pattern precision.
3Reliability
If the conductive path has extension portions, then connectivity is improved, but ink-peeling may occur at spots with greater thickness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different treatments to different parts of the conductive path. Specifically, it addresses spots with greater ink thickness in extension portions by using the protective layer and vacuum drying to prevent ink-peeling, while maintaining uniform thickness elsewhere, thus preserving connectivity without compromising ink uniformity.
4Manufacturing precision
If a protective layer is applied to cover the conductive path, then edge loss is minimized during cleaning, but the process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protective layer is applied to the substrate before the metallic ink jetting process. This preliminary protective measure prevents edge loss during subsequent cleaning operations without adding extra processing steps after the main manufacturing process, thus maintaining precision while minimizing process complexity.
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 solution results in a conductive path with minimized sheet and contact resistance, reduced process time, and improved uniformity, effectively preventing disconnection and ink-peeling, while enhancing touch noise reduction and static electricity discharge.
Implementation Method 1
optimized solvent removal using high-degree vacuum drying
Implementation Method 2
The conductive path is covered with a protective layer so that a loss of an edge or extension portion (or protruded region) of the conductive path is minimized during a cleaning process
Implementation Method 3
The conductive path is configured to be in direct contact with a shielding layer for reducing a touch noise of the display panel so that induced static electricity can be discharged more effectively
Data Source
AI summary
A conductive ink path on a peripheral portion of one surface of a substrate is provided. The conductive ink path comprises a body portion located along an edge of the peripheral portion of the substrate; and at least one extension portion protruded in a direction toward the edge of the substrate, wherein the extension portion includes at least one first segment extended in a first direction and at least two second segments neighboring on the first segment, the first segment includes a connector portion for receiving an electrical signal from the outside, and the first segment is located between the second segments in order to disperse ink in the first segment to the second segments during a manufacturing process.