Mask Strip With Bendable Regions For OLED Coating Precision
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Solution Overview
Problem
In the manufacturing of OLED display panels, metal mask strips experience uneven internal stress and wrinkle due to buckling effects, leading to deformation of pattern regions and inaccurate coating, while laser welding spots create gaps and alignment issues, potentially damaging the substrate.
Innovation Solution
A mask strip with bendable regions between welding and pattern regions, allowing for lower welding spots on the mask plate frame, eliminating gaps, and reducing wrinkle transfer, thereby improving coating accuracy and alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the mask strip is stretched and welded directly to the mask plate frame, then the welding process can be completed, but wrinkles and deformation occur in the pattern region due to uneven internal stress and buckling effects
Solution Approach 1:
The mask strip is divided into three functional regions: a first welding region, a pattern region, and a second welding region. The welding regions are positioned at different heights relative to the mask plate frame, with the first welding region at a lower height than the pattern region. This segmentation allows the welding process to be separated from the pattern region, preventing wrinkle formation in the pattern area while maintaining effective welding attachment.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a height dimension difference between the welding region and the pattern region on the mask plate frame. The first welding region is positioned at a lower height than the pattern region, creating a stepped structure. This dimensional change allows welding operations to occur at a lower elevation without affecting the flatness and positioning of the pattern region, thereby resolving the conflict between welding feasibility and pattern region precision.
2Strength
If laser welding is used to attach the mask strip to the mask plate frame, then strong bonding is achieved, but gaps and alignment issues occur between the mask plate and substrate
Solution Approach 1:
The mask strip structure segments the welding function from the pattern function by positioning welding regions at different heights. The first welding region at lower height provides strong laser welding bonding to the mask plate frame, while the pattern region maintains its original position and flatness, ensuring accurate alignment with the substrate without gaps caused by welding distortion.
Solution Approach 2:
The first welding region acts as an intermediary element between the mask strip and the mask plate frame. By positioning this welding region at a lower height, it serves as a separate bonding interface that does not directly interfere with the pattern region's alignment function, thereby maintaining both strong bonding and precise alignment.
3Device complexity
If the mask strip is welded at the same level as the pattern region, then the structure is simple, but welding spots create gaps that affect coating accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The mask strip is segmented into distinct functional zones with the first welding region separated from the pattern region in the height dimension. This segmentation creates a stepped structure where welding occurs at a lower level, preventing welding spots from creating gaps that would affect coating accuracy, while the pattern region maintains its precision for accurate coating application.
Solution Approach 2:
By utilizing the height dimension to position the first welding region below the pattern region level, the invention resolves the conflict between structural simplicity and coating precision. The welding operation is moved to a different vertical plane, eliminating interference with the pattern region's coating function while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
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 enhances coating accuracy by flattening wrinkles and preventing substrate damage, ensuring precise coating and alignment by bending the mask strip to align with the mask plate frame's welding regions, reducing the gap between the mask plate and substrate.
Implementation Method 1
a bendable region, the bendable region being disposed both between the first welding region and the pattern region, and between the second welding region and the pattern region
Implementation Method 2
The metal mask strip is welded to the mask plate frame by laser welding
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are a mask strip, a mask plate frame, a mask plate, and a welding method thereof. The mask strip includes a first welding region, a second welding region, and a pattern region between the first welding region and the second welding region. In addition, a bendable region is disposed both between the first welding region and the pattern region and between the second welding region and the pattern region.