U.S. patent application number 13/908283 was filed with the patent office on 2014-08-28 for display device and method of manufacturing the same.
This patent application is currently assigned to Samsung Display Co., Ltd.. The applicant listed for this patent is Samsung Display Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Hyeong-Cheol Ahn.
Application Number | 20140240614 13/908283 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 51387789 |
Filed Date | 2014-08-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140240614 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ahn; Hyeong-Cheol |
August 28, 2014 |
DISPLAY DEVICE AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME
Abstract
A display device and a method of manufacturing the display
device are provided. The display device includes a digitizer which
is formed so that at least a part thereof is bent and a display
panel which is installed along a shape of an outer surface of the
digitizer.
Inventors: |
Ahn; Hyeong-Cheol;
(Yongin-city, KR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Samsung Display Co., Ltd. |
Yongin-city |
|
KR |
|
|
Assignee: |
Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
Yongin-city
KR
|
Family ID: |
51387789 |
Appl. No.: |
13/908283 |
Filed: |
June 3, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
349/12 ;
29/825 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 3/0412 20130101;
H01L 27/3262 20130101; Y10T 29/49117 20150115; H01L 2251/5338
20130101; G06F 1/1626 20130101; G06F 2203/04107 20130101; G06F
1/1656 20130101; G06F 1/1643 20130101; G06F 2203/04103 20130101;
H01L 27/1274 20130101; G06F 3/046 20130101; H01L 51/56 20130101;
H01L 2227/323 20130101; H01L 27/323 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
349/12 ;
29/825 |
International
Class: |
H01L 27/32 20060101
H01L027/32; H05K 13/00 20060101 H05K013/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 28, 2013 |
KR |
10-2013-0022442 |
Claims
1. A display device comprising: a digitizer formed with at least a
part thereof bent; and a display panel installed to correspond to a
shape of the digitizer.
2. The display device of claim 1, further comprising: an adhesive
layer disposed between the digitizer and the display panel to
adhere the digitizer and the display panel to each other.
3. The display device of claim 1, wherein the digitizer comprises:
a first digitizer on which first lines are formed; and a second
digitizer on which second lines are formed, wherein the second
lines intersect with the first lines at a predetermined angle.
4. The display device of claim 1, further comprising: an
electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding layer bent and adhered
to the digitizer.
5. The display device of claim 4, further comprising: a flexible
printed circuit (FPC) bent and adhered to the EMI shielding
layer.
6. The display device of claim 1, wherein the digitizer is
plastically deformed when bent.
7. The display device of claim 1, wherein the display panel is
flexible.
8. A method of manufacturing a display device, the method
comprising: manufacturing and providing a display panel and a
digitizer; and bending at least a part of the digitizer through a
jig.
9. The method of claim 8, further comprising: adhering the display
panel onto an outer surface of the digitizer to keep a bent state
of the display panel.
10. The method of claim 8, wherein before the at least a part of
the digitizer is bent through the jig, the display panel is adhered
to the digitizer, and then the at least a part of the digitizer and
at least a part of the display panel are simultaneously bent
through the jig.
11. The method of claim 9, further comprising: adhering the display
panel and the digitizer to each other through an adhesive
layer.
12. The method of claim 10, further comprising: adhering the
display panel and the digitizer to each other through an adhesive
layer.
13. The method of claim 8, further comprising: adhering an
electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding layer to the digitizer
before the at least a part of the digitizer is bent through the
jig.
14. The method of claim 13 further comprising: adhering a flexible
printed circuit (FPC) to the EMI shielding layer.
15. The method of claim 8, wherein the display panel is
flexible.
16. The method of claim 8, wherein the digitizer comprises: a first
digitizer on which first lines are formed; and a second digitizer
on which second lines are formed, wherein the second lines are
formed to intersect with the first lines.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent
Application No. 10-2013-0022442, filed on Feb. 28, 2013, in the
Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is
incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] 1. Field
[0003] The present invention relates to a display device and a
method of manufacturing the same.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Technology
[0005] Electronic devices based on mobility have been widely used.
Besides small electronic devices such as mobile phones, tablets
have been widely used as mobile electronic devices.
[0006] Such a mobile electronic device includes a display panel to
provide visual information, such as an image, to a user in order to
support various functions. As other parts for driving the display
panel are made small, the display panel has gradually occupied a
large part of an electronic device. A structure which is bendable,
to have a predetermined angle in a flat state, has been
developed.
[0007] The display panel may be installed in various shapes in the
electronic device. The display panel may be installed in a bent
state in the electronic device. For example, the display panel may
be installed on a curved surface such as a pillar of a building or
the like or may be installed in a bent state when being used for a
design of the electronic device. Various types of members may be
used to keep a shape of the display panel. The design of the
electronic device may be limited or a size of the electronic device
may be increased due to using the members. In other words,
unnecessary effort may be additionally done.
SUMMARY OF CERTAIN INVENTIVE ASPECTS
[0008] Embodiments of the present invention provide a display
device which is simply manufactured and a method of manufacturing
the same.
[0009] According to an aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a display device including: a digitizer formed with at
least a part thereof bent; and a display panel installed to
correspond to a shape of the digitizer.
[0010] The display device may further include an adhesive layer
disposed between the digitizer and the display panel to adhere the
digitizer and the display panel to each other.
[0011] The digitizer may include: a first digitizer on which first
lines are formed; and a second digitizer on which second lines are
formed to intersect with the first lines at a predetermined
angle.
[0012] The display device may further include an electromagnetic
interference (EMI) shielding layer bent and adhered to the
digitizer.
[0013] The display device may further include a flexible printed
circuit (FPC) bent and adhered to the EMI shielding layer.
[0014] The digitizer may be plastically deformed when bent.
[0015] The display panel may be flexible.
[0016] According to another aspect of the present invention, there
is provided a method of manufacturing a display device, including:
manufacturing and providing a display panel and a digitizer; and
bending at least a part of the digitizer through a jig.
[0017] The method may further include: adhering the display panel
onto an outer surface of the digitizer to keep a bent state of the
display panel.
[0018] Before at least a part of the digitizer is bent through the
jig, the display panel may be adhered to the digitizer, and then
the at least a part of the digitizer and at least a part of the
display panel may be simultaneously bent through the jig.
[0019] The method may further include: adhering the display panel
and the digitizer to each other through an adhesive layer.
[0020] The method may further include: adhering an EMI shielding
layer to the digitizer before the at least a part of the digitizer
is bent through the jig.
[0021] The method may further include: adhering a flexible printed
circuit (FPC) to the EMI shielding layer.
[0022] The display panel may be flexible.
[0023] The digitizer may include: a first digitizer on which first
lines are formed; and a second digitizer on which second lines are
formed to intersect with the first lines.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0024] The above and other features and advantages of the present
invention will become more apparent by describing in detail certain
embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings in
which:
[0025] FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a display device according to
an embodiment of the present invention;
[0026] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a display
panel of FIG. 1;
[0027] FIGS. 3A through 3C are views illustrating a method of
manufacturing the display device of FIG. 1, according to an
embodiment of the present invention;
[0028] FIGS. 4A through 4C are views illustrating a method of
manufacturing the display device of FIG. 1, according to another
embodiment of the present invention;
[0029] FIG. 5 is a view illustrating a display device according to
another embodiment of the present invention; and
[0030] FIG. 6 is a view illustrating a display device according to
another embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN INVENTIVE EMBODIMENTS
[0031] The present invention will now be described more fully with
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which certain
embodiments of the invention are shown. The invention may, however,
be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as
being limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these
embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough
and complete, and will fully convey the concept of the invention to
one of ordinary skill in the art. The terminology used herein is
for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is
not intended to be limiting of example embodiments. As used herein,
the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" are intended to include the
plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates
otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms
"comprises", "comprising", "includes" and/or "including," when used
herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps,
operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the
presence or addition of one or more other features, integers,
steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. It
will be understood that, although the terms `first`, `second`,
`third`, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements,
components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements,
components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited
by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one
element, component, region, layer or section from another region,
layer or section.
[0032] FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a display device 100 according
to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a
cross-sectional view illustrating a display panel 150 of FIG.
1.
[0033] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the display device 100 includes
a digitizer 110 and the display panel 150. The digitizer 110 may be
formed so that at least a part thereof is bent. In particular, two
sides of the digitizer 110 may be bent.
[0034] The digitizer 110 includes a first digitizer 111 at which
first lines 111a are formed. The digitizer 110 also includes a
second digitizer 112 at which second lines 112a are formed to
intersect with the first lines 111a, at a predetermined angle. The
first lines 111a of the first digitizer 111 intersect with the
second lines 112a of the second digitizer 112 to form coordinates
in order to transmit a coordinate of a signal of an external device
(not shown) to the outside, or in order to generate a signal.
[0035] The display device 100 includes an adhesive layer 160 which
is disposed on the digitizer 110 and on the display panel 150 to
adhere the digitizer 110 and the display panel 150 to each other.
The adhesive layer 160 may be formed of polyethylene terephthalate
(PET). The adhesive layer 160 may be used, or it may not be used.
However, for the convenience of description, the adhesive layer 160
is used herein.
[0036] The display panel 150 includes a substrate 120, a display
unit 130, and an encapsulating part 140. The substrate 120 may be a
flexible substrate and may be formed of plastic having high heat
resistance and durability such as polyimide, PET, polycarbonate,
polyethylene naphthalate, polyarylate (PAR), polyetherimide, or the
like. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and
the substrate 120 may be formed of various types of materials such
as metal, glass, etc.
[0037] The encapsulating part 140 may be formed in a thin film
encapsulation shape. In addition, the encapsulating part 140 may
include a second substrate (not shown). In this case, the first
substrate and the second substrate may be formed similarly.
However, for the convenience of description, the encapsulating part
140 is formed in the thin film encapsulation shape herein.
[0038] The display unit 130 includes a thin film transistor (TFT)
and a pixel part. The pixel part may be an organic light-emitting
device (OLED). A method of forming the display unit 130 will now be
described in detail with reference to FIG. 2.
[0039] A buffer layer 132 is formed of an organic compound and/or
an inorganic compound on an upper surface of the substrate 120. The
buffer layer 132 may be formed of SiOx (x.gtoreq.1) or SiNx
(x.gtoreq.1). The buffer layer 132 may include an organic material,
such as silicon oxide, silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride,
aluminum oxide, aluminum nitride, titanium oxide, titanium nitride,
or the like, or an organic material such as polyimide, polyester,
acryl, or the like and may be formed of a stack of a plurality of
the exemplified materials.
[0040] An active layer 133 is formed in a predetermined pattern on
the buffer layer 132 and is buried by a gate insulating layer 134.
The active layer 133 includes a source area 133a, a drain area
133c, and a channel area 133b interposed between the source and
drain areas 133a and 133c.
[0041] In order to form the active layer 133, an amorphous silicon
layer is formed on the buffer layer 132 and then crystallized to
form a polycrystalline layer, and the polycrystalline layer is
patterned. The source and the drain areas 133a and 133c of the
active layer 133 are doped with a dopant according to types of TFTs
such as a driving TFT (not shown), a switching TFT (not shown),
etc.
[0042] A gate electrode 135 facing the active layer 133 and an
interlayer insulating layer 136 burying the gate electrode 135 are
formed on an upper surface of the gate insulating layer 134. The
gate electrode 135 may include Au, Ag, Cu, Ni, Pt, Pd, Al, or Mo,
or an alloy such as an alloy of Al and Nd or an alloy of Mo and W,
but it is not limited thereto. The gate electrode 135 may be formed
of various types of materials in consideration of design
conditions. Also, the gate insulating layer 134 is disposed between
the gate electrode 135 and the source and drain areas 133a and 133c
to insulate the gate electrode 135 from the source and drain areas
133a and 133c. The gate insulating layer 134 may be formed of an
inorganic material such as SiNx, SiO2, or the like.
[0043] Contact holes are formed in the interlayer insulating layer
136 and the gate insulating layer 134, and then source and drain
electrodes 137a and 137b are formed on the interlayer insulating
layer 136 to respectively contact the source and drain areas 133a
and 133c.
[0044] A passivation layer 131 is formed on the TFT formed as
described above, and a pixel electrode 138a of an OLED is formed on
the passivation layer 131. The pixel electrode 138a contacts the
drain electrode 137b of the TFT through a via hole H2 formed in the
passivation layer 131. The passivation layer 131 may be formed of
an inorganic material and/or an organic material as a single or
dual layer. The passivation layer 131 may be formed as a planar
layer so that an upper surface thereof is flat regardless of
bending of a lower layer. Alternatively, the passivation layer 131
may be formed to bend with the bending of a lower layer. The
passivation layer 131 may include SiO2, SiNx, SiON, Al2O3, TiO2,
Ta2O5, HfO2, ZrO2, BST, or PZT as the inorganic material or may
include commercial polymer such as polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA),
polystyrene (PS), or the like, a polymer derivative having a
phenol-based group, acrylic polymer, imide-based polymer,
arylester-based polymer, amide-based polymer, fluorinated polymer,
p-xylene polymer, vinyl alcohol polymer, blends thereof, or the
like as the organic material. The passivation layer 131 may be
formed of a transparent insulating material to achieve a resonance
effect.
[0045] After the pixel electrode 138a is formed on the passivation
layer 131, a pixel-defining layer (PDL) 139 is formed of an organic
material and/or an inorganic material to cover the pixel electrode
138a, and an opening is formed in the passivation layer 131 to
expose the pixel electrode 138a. The pixel electrode 138a may be a
reflective electrode and may include a reflective layer formed of
Ag, Mg, Al, Pt, Pd, Au, Ni, Nd, Ir, Cr, or a compound thereof and a
transparent or semi-transparent electrode layer formed on the
reflective layer. The transparent or semi-transparent electrode
layer may include at least one of indium tin oxide (ITO), indium
zinc oxide (IZO), zinc oxide (ZnO), indium oxide (In.sub.2O.sub.3),
indium gallium oxide (IGO), and aluminum zinc oxide (AZO).
[0046] An organic emission layer 138b and a counter electrode 138c
are formed on the pixel electrode 138a. The counter electrode 138c
may be a transparent, or semi-transparent electrode, and it may be
formed as a metallic thin film which includes Li, Ca, LiF/Ca,
LiF/Al, Al, Ag, Mg, or a compound thereof and which has a low work
function. An auxiliary electrode layer or a bus electrode may be
further formed of a transparent electrode forming material, such as
ITO, IZO, ZnO, or In.sub.2O.sub.3, on the metallic thin film.
[0047] The pixel electrode 138a operates as an anode electrode, and
the counter electrode 138c operates a cathode electrode; however,
polarities of the pixel electrode 138a and the counter electrode
138c may be opposite thereto. The pixel electrode 138a and the
counter electrode 138c are insulated from each other by the organic
emission layer 138b, and voltages having different polarities are
applied to the organic emission layer 138b to emit light from the
organic emission layer 138b.
[0048] The display panel 150 according to one embodiment is not
limited to a top emission type, and may be a bottom emission type
in which the light emitted from the organic emission layer 138b is
discharged toward the substrate 120. In this case, the pixel
electrode 138a may be a transparent or semi-transparent electrode,
and the counter electrode 138c may be a reflective electrode. The
display panel 150 may be a dual emission type in which light is
emitted toward both a front side and a back side. However, for the
convenience of description, the display panel 150 will be described
as a top emission type herein.
[0049] The organic emission layer 138b may be a low or high
molecular organic layer. If the organic emission layer 138b is a
low molecular organic layer, a hole injection layer (HIL), a hole
transport layer (HTL), an emission layer (EML), an electron
transport layer (ETL), an electron injection layer (EIL) may be
stacked as a single or multiple structure to form the organic
emission layer 138b. Also, copper phthalocyanine (CuPc),
N,N'-Di(naphthalene-1-yl)-N,N'-diphenyl-benzidine (NPB),
tris-8-hydroxyquinoline aluminum (Alq3), or the like may be used as
an organic material. These low molecular organic layers are formed
according to a vacuum evaporation method. The HIL, the HTL, the
ETL, and the EIL may be applied as common layers to red (R), green
(G), and blue (B) pixels. Therefore, differently from shown in FIG.
2, these common layers may be formed to cover all pixels, like the
counter electrode 138c.
[0050] If the organic emission layer 138b is a high molecular
organic layer, the organic emission layer 138b may mainly include
an HTL and an EML. The HTL may be formed of PEDOT, and the EML may
be formed of a high molecular organic material such as
Poly-Phenylenevinylene (PPV), polyfluorene, or the like. Also, the
HTL and the EML may be formed according to a screen printing
method, an inkjet printing method, or the like.
[0051] The organic emission layer 138b as described above is not
limited thereto and may be applied to various embodiments.
[0052] The encapsulating part 140 may be formed in the thin film
encapsulation shape as described above. In detail, one or more
organic layers and one or more inorganic layers may be alternately
stacked to form the encapsulating part 140. In particular, a
plurality of inorganic layers or a plurality of organic layers may
be stacked.
[0053] The organic layer may be formed of polymer and may be a
single layer or a multi-layer formed of one of polyethylene
terephthalate, polyimide, polycarbonate, epoxy, polyethylene, and
polyacrylate. The organic layer may be formed of polyacrylate, in
detail, may include a polymerized monomer composite including
diacrylate monomer and triacrylate monomer. The polymerized monomer
composite may further include monoacrylate monomer. The polymerized
monomer composite may further include a well-known photo initiator
such as TPO but it is not limited thereto.
[0054] The inorganic layer may be a single layer or a stack layer
including metal oxide or metal nitride. In detail, the inorganic
layer may include one of SiNx, Al.sub.2O.sub.3, SiO.sub.2, and
TiO.sub.2.
[0055] An uppermost layer of the encapsulating part 140 that is
exposed to the outside may be formed as an inorganic layer to
prevent moisture from permeating into the OLED.
[0056] The encapsulating part 140 may include at least one sandwich
structure in which at least one organic layer is inserted into at
least two inorganic layers.
[0057] The encapsulating part 140 may include a first inorganic
layer, a first organic layer, and a second inorganic layer
sequentially from an upper part of the display unit 130. The
encapsulating part 140 may include a first inorganic layer, a first
organic layer, a second inorganic layer, a second organic layer,
and a third inorganic layer sequentially from the upper part of the
display unit 130. The encapsulating part 140 may include a first
inorganic layer, a first organic layer, a second inorganic layer, a
second organic layer, a third inorganic layer, a third organic
layer, and a fourth inorganic layer.
[0058] A halogenated metal layer including LiF may be further
included between the display unit 130 and the first inorganic
layer. The halogenated metallic layer may prevent damage to the
display unit 130 when the first inorganic layer is formed according
to a sputtering method or a plasma deposition method.
[0059] The first organic layer may have a narrower area than the
second inorganic layer, and the second organic layer may have a
narrower area than the third inorganic layer. The first organic
layer may be fully covered with the second inorganic layer, and the
second organic layer may be fully covered with the third inorganic
layer.
[0060] FIGS. 3A through 3C are views illustrating a method of
manufacturing the display device 100 of FIG. 1, according to one
embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 4A through 4C are views
illustrating a method of manufacturing the display device 100 of
FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0061] Referring to FIGS. 3A through 3C, the method of
manufacturing the display device 100 may include two types of
methods that will be described in detail as follows.
[0062] According to one of the two types of methods, the display
panel 150 is manufactured and provided as described above. The
digitizer 110 is also manufactured and provided. In detail, the
digitizer 110 may be formed in various forms. For example, the
digitizer 110 may be formed in a flexible metal layer form of an
electromagnetic induction type. As described above, the first and
second digitizers 111 and 112 are adhered or connected to each
other to manufacture the digitizer 110.
[0063] In particular, if the first and second digitizers 111 and
112 are formed as described above, the first lines 111a and the
second lines 112a may be formed. The first lines 111a and the
second lines 112a may be formed according to a general printed
circuit technology (refer to FIG. 3A).
[0064] If the display panel 150 and the digitizer 110 are
completely provided as described above, the display panel 150 and
the digitizer 110 may be adhered to each other. The adhesive layer
160 may be coated or formed on at least one of the display panel
150 and the digitizer 110, and then the display panel 150 and the
digitizer 110 may be adhered to each other (refer to FIG. 3B).
[0065] After the display panel 150 and the digitizer 110 are
adhered to each other as described above, the display panel 150 and
the digitizer 110 are bent by a jig (J) (not shown). If the jig J
applies a force to the display panel 150 and the digitizer 110, a
metal layer of the digitizer 110 may be plastically deformed.
[0066] At least a part of the digitizer 110 may be bent through the
above-mentioned plastic deformation. The display panel 150 adhered
to the digitizer 110 may be bent together with a shape deformation
of the digitizer 110. In particular, the digitizer 110 is
plastically deformed as described above and thus keeps its bent
state without returning to its original state. Also, the display
panel 150 keeps being adhered to the digitizer 110 and thus may be
bent to correspond to a shape of the digitizer 110 (refer to FIG.
3C).
[0067] Therefore, the display device 100 keeps the bent state of
the display panel 150 without using an additional part for the bent
part of the display panel 150. In particular, the display device
100 plastically deforms the digitizer 110 to bend the digitizer 110
in order to bend the display panel 150 simultaneously with the
digitizer 110. Therefore, a manufacturing time and a manufacturing
process are simplified.
[0068] The other one of the two types of methods will now be
described with reference to FIGS. 4A through 4C. As described
above, the display panel 150 and the digitizer 110 are manufactured
and provided. Also, the digitizer 110 is manufactured, and then at
least a part of the digitizer 110 is bent and provided through the
jig J (refer to FIG. 4A). In particular, in the above-described
case, the display panel 150 and the digitizer 110 are provided
without being adhered to each other.
[0069] The digitizer 110 may be bent through the jig J as described
above. The metal layer of the digitizer 110 is plastically deformed
as described above so that the digitizer 110 keeps a bent state
thereof.
[0070] If the digitizer 110 is provided as described above, the
adhesive layer 160 is coated or coated on at least one of the
display panel 150 and the digitizer 110 to adhere the display panel
150 and the digitizer 110 to each other (refer to FIG. 4B).
[0071] As described above, the display panel 150 is flexibly formed
and thus is bent according to the shape of the digitizer 110 to be
adhered to the digitizer 110 (refer to FIG. 4C).
[0072] Therefore, after the display panel 150 adheres to the
digitizer 110 in the display device 100, the display device 100
keeps the bent state of the display panel 150 through the digitizer
110. Also, the digitizer 110 in the display device 100 is formed in
various shapes to adhere the display panel 150 to the digitizer 110
in order to realize a display panel in various shapes.
[0073] FIG. 5 is a view illustrating a display device 300 according
to another embodiment of the present invention.
[0074] Referring to FIG. 5, the display device 300 includes a
display panel 350, a digitizer 310, an adhesive layer (not shown),
an electromagnetic interface (EMI) shielding layer 370. The display
panel 350, the digitizer 310, and the adhesive layer are
substantially the same as the display panel 150, the digitizer 110,
and the adhesive layer 160 described above, respectively, and thus
their detailed descriptions are omitted herein.
[0075] The EMI shielding layer 370 may be formed of various types
of materials. For example, the EMI shielding layer 370 may include
various types of materials such as copper (Cu), nickel (Ni),
ferrite, etc. The EMI shielding layer 370 is not limited thereto
and thus may include all types of materials which shield against
electromagnetic waves.
[0076] A method of manufacturing the display device 300 formed as
described above may be classified into two types as described above
with reference to FIG. 3. According to one of the two types of
methods, the display panel 350, the digitizer 310, and the EMI
shielding layer 370 are manufactured and provided. As described
above, first and second digitizers 311 and 312 are adhered to each
other to form the digitizer 310, and the EMI shielding layer 370 is
adhered to the digitizer 310.
[0077] If the above-described process is completed, the adhesive
layer is coated or formed on at least one of the digitizer 310 and
the display panel 350, and then the digitizer 310 and the display
panel 350 are adhered to each other. The display panel 350 and the
EMI shielding layer 370 are respectively adhered onto opposite
sides of the digitizer 310.
[0078] When the display panel 350 and the digitizer 310 are adhered
to each other as described above, the display panel 350 and the
digitizer 310 are bent through a jig J. The display panel 350, the
digitizer 310, and the EMI shielding layer 370 are bent
together.
[0079] When the display panel 350, the digitizer 310, and the EMI
shielding layer 370 are bent as described above, the digitizer 310
is bent as described above to be plastically deformed. The EMI
shielding layer 370 is formed of a metallic material and is bent to
be plastically deformed together with the digitizer 310.
[0080] As described above, the digitizer 310 and the EMI shielding
layer 370 are bent to be plastically deformed and thus keep their
bent states. The display panel 350 keeps a bent state thereof
together with the digitizer 310 and the EMI shielding layer
370.
[0081] Therefore, the display device 300 keeps the display panel
350 in a bent state without an additional structure. Also, the
display device 300 bends the EMI shielding layer 370 together with
the digitizer 310 to effectively keep the bent state of the display
panel 350.
[0082] According to the other one of the two types of methods, the
display panel 350, the digitizer 310, and the EMI shielding layer
370 are manufactured and provided as described above. The digitizer
310 and the EMI shielding layer 370 are adhered to each other.
[0083] If the above-described process is completed, at least a part
of the digitizer 310 is bent through a jig J. The EMI shielding
layer 370 is also bent when the digitizer 310 is bent.
[0084] As described above, the digitizer 310 and the EMI shielding
layer 370 are bent to be plastically deformed. In particular, the
digitizer 310 and the EMI shielding layer 370 keep their bent
states through the plastic deformation.
[0085] When the digitizer 310 and the EMI shielding layer 370 are
completely bent as described above, the adhesive layer is coated or
formed on at least one of the digitizer 310 and the display panel
350. The digitizer 310 and the display panel 350 are compressed
against each other to be adhered to each other.
[0086] In particular, if the display panel 350 is adhered to the
digitizer 310 as described above, the display panel 350 is adhered
to the digitizer 310 along an outer surface of the digitizer 310.
At least a part of the display panel 350 is bent together with the
digitizer 310 so that the display panel 350 is adhered to the
digitizer 310.
[0087] Therefore, the display device 300 keeps the bent state of
the display panel 150 without using an additional part for the bent
part of the display panel 150. In particular, the display device
300 plastically deforms and bends the digitizer 310 to bend the
display panel 150 simultaneously with the digitizer 310, thereby
simplifying a manufacturing time and a manufacturing process.
[0088] FIG. 6 is a view illustrating a display device 500 according
to another embodiment of the present invention.
[0089] Referring to FIG. 6, the display device 500 includes a
display panel 550, an adhesive layer (not shown), a digitizer 510,
an EMI shielding layer 570, and a flexible printed circuit (FPC)
580. The display panel 550, the adhesive layer, the digitizer 510,
and the EMI shielding layer 570 are substantially the same as those
described in the previous exemplary embodiments, and thus their
detailed descriptions are omitted herein.
[0090] The FPC 580 may be formed to be substantially the same or
similar to a general FPC. The FPC 580 is electrically connected to
the digitizer 510 to transmit a signal generated by the digitizer
510 to the outside.
[0091] A method of manufacturing the display device 500 as
described above may be similar to the above-described methods. In
detail, according to one of methods of manufacturing a display
device, the display panel 550, the digitizer 510, and the EMI
shielding layer 570 are manufactured and provided as described
above. The FPC 580 is manufactured and provided together with the
display panel 550, the digitizer 510, and the EMI shielding layer
570. First and second digitizers 511 and 512 are adhered to each
other as described above to manufacture the digitizer 510.
[0092] If the preparation is completed as described above, the
display panel 550 and the digitizer 510 are adhered to each other
through the adhesive layer, and the EMI shielding layer 570 and the
FPC 580 are sequentially adhered to the digitizer 510. If the
adhesion is completed as described above, the display panel 550,
the digitizer 510, the EMI shielding layer 570, and the FPC 580 are
sequentially stacked.
[0093] If the above-described process is completed, a force is
applied to the display device 500 to bend at least a part of the
display device 500 through a jig J. The digitizer 510, the EMI
shielding layer 570, and the FPC 580 are bent by the jig J. In
particular, metallic materials of the digitizer 510, the EMI
shielding layer 570, and the FPC 580 may be plastically deformed
when being bent.
[0094] If the plastic deformation occurs as described above, the
digitizer 510, the EMI shielding layer 570, and the FPC 580 do not
return to their original states but keep their bent states. In
particular, the display panel 550 keeps the bent state thereof
together with the digitizer 510, the EMI shielding layer 570, and
the FPC 580 due to the above-described deformation thereof.
[0095] Therefore, the display device 500 keeps the bent state of
the display panel 550 without using an additional part for the bent
part of the display panel 550. In particular, the display device
500 plastically deforms the digitizer 510 to bend the digitizer 510
in order to bend the display panel 550 simultaneously with the
digitizer 510, thereby simplifying a manufacturing time and a
manufacturing process.
[0096] According to one of the methods of manufacturing the display
device 500, the display panel 550, the digitizer 510, the EMI
shielding layer 570, and the FPC 580 are manufactured and provided
as described above.
[0097] When the above-described process is completed, the digitizer
510, the EMI shielding layer 570, and the FPC 580 are adhered to
one another, and then their parts are bent through the jig J. The
digitizer 510, the EMI shielding layer 570, and the FPC 580 are
bent to be plastically deformed. In particular, the digitizer 510,
the EMI shielding layer 570, and the FPC 580 do not return to their
original states but keep their bent states after being bent.
[0098] When the above-described process is completed, the adhesive
layer is coated or formed on at least one of the display panel 550
and the digitizer 510, and then the display panel 550 and the
digitizer 510 are adhered to each other to be fixed. The display
panel 550 is adhered to an outer surface of the digitizer 510 and
thus keeps the bent state thereof together with the digitizer
510.
[0099] Therefore, according to the display device 500 and the
method of manufacturing the display device 500, an additional part
is not used for the bent part of the display panel 550 in order to
bend the display panel 550. In particular, the display device 500
plastically deforms the digitizer 510 to bend the digitizer 510 in
order to bend the display panel 550 simultaneously with the
digitizer 510, thereby simplifying a manufacturing time and a
manufacturing process.
[0100] Also, according to the display device 500 and the method of
manufacturing the display device 500, the bent state of the display
panel 550 is effectively kept through the digitizer 510, the EMI
shielding layer 570, and the FPC 580.
[0101] According to the embodiments of the present invention as
described above, an additional part is not used for a bent part of
a display panel to bend the display panel. In particular, a
digitizer is plastically deformed to be bent in order to bend the
display panel simultaneously with the digitizer, thereby
simplifying a manufacturing time and a manufacturing process.
[0102] While the present invention has been particularly shown and
described with reference to certain embodiments thereof, it will be
understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various
changes in form and details may be made therein without departing
from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by
the following claims.
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