Mask Frame Assembly Gap Adjusting Unit for Deposition Flatness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mask frame assemblies for display apparatuses face challenges in maintaining precise deposition patterns due to deformation and misalignment caused by external forces and restoring forces, which affect the accuracy and yield of deposition processes.
Innovation Solution
A mask frame assembly with a frame unit and a gap adjusting unit that includes a guide member and a restoring force generation member, allowing for adjustable opening sizes and precise deposition by applying and removing external forces, thereby maintaining the deposition mask's flatness and preventing deformation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If external force is applied to reduce the distance between adjacent frames, then the deposition mask can be extended and fixed in a flattened state, but the frame unit experiences deformation and misalignment due to restoring forces
Solution Approach 1:
The gap adjusting unit applies preliminary counteracting force to balance the restoring force before the deposition mask is fixed. By pre-adjusting the gap between frames to compensate for the expected restoring force, the system prevents future deformation and misalignment, maintaining both deposition accuracy and frame stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The external force is applied in advance to flatten and extend the deposition mask before it is fixed to the frame unit. This preliminary action ensures the mask is in its optimal flattened state during fixation, preventing subsequent deformation that would occur if the mask were fixed in a non-flattened state.
2Manufacturing precision
If the gap between frames is adjusted using a gap adjusting unit, then the deposition mask flatness is maintained, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gap adjusting unit is divided into independent modular components: guide members for each frame, restoring force generation members (springs), and adjustment mechanisms. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, making the complex system manageable, manufacturable, and maintainable while achieving precise gap control.
Solution Approach 2:
The restoring force generation members (springs) automatically generate the necessary counteracting force without external intervention. The system self-regulates the gap between frames through the elastic restoring force, eliminating the need for complex external control mechanisms while maintaining deposition mask flatness.
3Productivity
If multiple deposition masks are installed, then the deposition capacity increases, but the external force required to maintain flatness increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple deposition masks are installed on separate, independently adjustable frames. Each frame-gap adjusting unit combination can be independently adjusted to maintain optimal flatness for its specific mask, distributing the force requirements across multiple independent systems rather than requiring one large complex force application system.
Solution Approach 2:
The gap adjusting units allow dynamic adjustment of frame positions and gaps based on the specific requirements of each deposition mask. This dynamic adaptability enables the system to maintain optimal flatness for multiple masks with different force requirements, optimizing both productivity and force management.
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 ensures precise and accurate deposition patterns by maintaining the deposition mask's flatness and minimizing deformation, improving the yield and precision of the deposition process.
Implementation Method 1
a restoring force generation member surrounding at least a portion of the guide member and connecting the adjacent frames
Implementation Method 2
the distance between the adjacent frames may changes to a predetermined distance according to a restoring force stored in the gap adjusting unit
Data Source
AI summary
A mask frame assembly and a manufacturing method of the same are provided. The mask frame assembly includes a frame unit having a plurality of frames to form an opening, a deposition mask extended in a first direction and fixed to the frame unit, and a gap adjusting unit installed between one frame and another frame disposed adjacent to the one frame among the plurality of frames, wherein the gap adjusting unit adjusts a distance between the one frame and the another frame.