OLED Display Peripheral Protrusions for Contrast and Material Savings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Organic light emitting diode (OLED) display devices face challenges in maintaining contrast due to external light reflection and the thickness and cost issues associated with polarizing films, while the encapsulating layer process can degrade OLED quality and waste overcoating materials.
Innovation Solution
A display device design that includes a light blocking portion with openings for pixel areas and color filters, an overcoating layer with an ultraviolet wavelength blocking agent, and protrusions to prevent material waste and exposure to short wavelength light, eliminating the need for a polarizing film and reducing manufacturing steps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a polarizing film is used to improve contrast, then contrast is improved, but device thickness increases and manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the polarizing film from the display device structure, replacing it with a reflective layer that achieves contrast improvement through a different mechanism. This removes the thickness burden of the polarizing film while maintaining or improving contrast performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the optical parameter approach from using polarizing films to using reflective layers with specific reflectivity characteristics. By adjusting the reflectivity parameter of the reflective layer, the device achieves contrast improvement without the thickness penalty of polarizing films.
2Illumination intensity
If a polarizing film is used to improve contrast, then contrast is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the polarizing film from the display device structure, replacing it with a reflective layer that achieves contrast improvement through a different mechanism. This removes the thickness burden of the polarizing film while maintaining or improving contrast performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the optical parameter approach from using polarizing films to using reflective layers with specific reflectivity characteristics. By adjusting the reflectivity parameter of the reflective layer, the device achieves contrast improvement without the thickness penalty of polarizing films.
3Reliability
If overcoating material is applied to the entire substrate including peripheral areas, then encapsulation is achieved, but material waste increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the substrate into display area and peripheral area, and applies the overcoating material selectively only to the display area using the first protrusion as a boundary. This segmentation approach maintains encapsulation reliability for the display area while preventing material waste in the peripheral area.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different treatments to different areas: the display area receives overcoating material for encapsulation, while the peripheral area is excluded by the first protrusion. This local quality approach ensures encapsulation where needed while avoiding material waste where not needed.
4Manufacturing precision
If exposure and development processes are used to form the encapsulating layer, then pattern formation is achieved, but OLED electrical characteristics are degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by forming the first protrusion before applying the overcoating material. This preliminary structure serves as a built-in pattern definition that eliminates the need for subsequent exposure and development processes, thereby protecting OLED electrical characteristics from degradation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the photochemical exposure and development system with a mechanical/physical approach using the first protrusion as a physical barrier and template. This substitution eliminates the harmful effects of exposure processes on OLED electrical characteristics while achieving the desired pattern formation.
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
Improves contrast without polarizing films, reduces manufacturing costs, minimizes OLED electrical characteristic changes, and conserves overcoating materials by eliminating exposure and development processes.
Implementation Method 1
an overcoating layer covering the display area and contacting a lateral surface of the first protrusion
Data Source
AI summary
A display device includes: a display layer having a display area including a plurality of pixel areas and a peripheral area at least partially surrounding the display area; and a cover layer disposed on the display layer to encapsulate the display area. The cover layer includes: a light blocking portion overlapping the display area and the peripheral area and including a plurality of openings to transmit light from the plurality of pixel areas and to block light in the peripheral area; a first protrusion disposed on the light blocking portion in the peripheral area and surrounding the display area; and an overcoating layer covering the display area and contacting a lateral surface of the first protrusion.