Transparent Display with Auxiliary Contacts for High Transmittance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Transparent display apparatuses face challenges in high manufacturing costs and increased energy consumption due to the need for multiple varieties and processes, as well as issues with moisture penetration leading to defects.

Innovation Solution

A transparent display apparatus design featuring a substrate with a transmissive area and non-transmissive area, including power lines, trench lines, and an auxiliary power contact part to enhance light transmittance and prevent moisture ingress, allowing for a simplified structure and varied manufacturing options.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If transparent display apparatuses are manufactured in multiple varieties (or different sizes), then adaptability is improved, but manufacturing cost and energy consumption increase due to increase in the number of processes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing varietyVSAvoidnumber of processes
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The display area is divided into a non-transmissive area containing circuit patterns and a transmissive area. The trench line extends through the insulating layer to separate these areas, enabling independent manufacturing and processing of each zone. This segmentation allows the same base structure to support multiple display size varieties without requiring complete process reconfiguration, thus improving adaptability while controlling process complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If a traditional cathode contact structure is used, then electrical connection is achieved, but light transmittance is reduced due to complex structure

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrical connectionVSAvoidlight transmittance
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The auxiliary power contact part extracts the electrical connection function from the traditional cathode contact structure and relocates it to the transmissive area. By extending the auxiliary power line through the insulating layer to contact the light-emitting element in the transmissive area, the structure maintains electrical connectivity while minimizing obstruction to light paths, thereby improving light transmittance without sacrificing electrical reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Illumination intensity

If the transmissive area is enlarged to improve light transmittance, then illumination intensity is improved, but the area available for circuit patterns is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelight transmittanceVSAvoidcircuit pattern area
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The auxiliary power line extends in a second direction (vertically through layers) rather than only in the first direction (horizontally across the display area). This vertical extension through the insulating layer to reach the light-emitting element in the transmissive area allows the circuit pattern area to remain confined to the non-transmissive area while still providing electrical connection in the transmissive area, thus maintaining both light transmittance and circuit functionality without area compromise.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP4580372A1Transparent display apparatus
Publication Date: 2025.07.02 LG DISPLAY CO LTD
  • EP4580372A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4580372A1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP4580372A1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

Disclosed is a transparent display apparatus that may include a substrate, a transmissive area, a non-transmissive area having a light-emitting area where a light-emitting element is disposed, at least one power line disposed in the non-transmissive area on the substrate and extending in a first direction, at least one trench line disposed in the transmissive area on the substrate and extending in the first direction, and an auxiliary power contact part disposed in the transmissive area on the substrate, electrically connected to an auxiliary power line extending from the at least one power line in a second direction intersecting the first direction, and overlapping at least a portion of the at least one trench line.