Display and manufacturing method thereof

A display and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The display includes a frame, an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panel, a transparent element and a glue. The OLED panel is disposed in the frame. The transparent element is disposed on the OLED panel. The glue is filled between the OLED panel and the transparent element and between the OLED panel and the frame.

This application claims the benefit of Taiwan application Serial No. 101109376, filed Mar. 19, 2012, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates in general to a display and a manufacturing method thereof, and more particularly to an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display and a manufacturing method thereof.

2. Description of the Related Art

Along with the development and advance in the display technology, various displays are constantly provided. The organic light-emitting diode (OLED), having the features of self-luminosity, small volume and high color saturation, has been recognized as the star of the future in the display technology.

In the course of the development in the OLED, the research personnel found that the OLED may easily be damaged by moisture or oxygen and the lifespan of the OLED is largely reduced. The research personnel use various designs to increase the water resistance and oxygen barrier performance of the OLED but at the same time the process speed of the OLED is slowed down. Therefore, the development of technology of the OLED encounters a bottleneck.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The disclosure is directed to a display and a manufacturing method thereof. The design of filling the glue between the organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panel and the frame makes the display have the advantages of high water resistance, high oxygen barrier performance, and fast process speed.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a display is provided. The display includes a frame, an OLED panel, a transparent element and a glue. The OLED panel is disposed in the frame. The transparent element is disposed on the OLED panel. The glue is filled between the OLED panel and the transparent element, and filled between the OLED panel and the frame.

According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, a manufacturing method of a display is provided. The manufacturing method includes the following steps. An OLED panel is provided. A glue is coated on the OLED panel. The OLED panel is disposed in the frame. The transparent element is disposed on the glue. The transparent element and the OLED panel are compressed, such that the glue is filled between the OLED panel and the transparent element and between the OLED panel and the frame.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A number of embodiments are disclosed below for elaborating the disclosure. The design of filling a glue between an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panel and a frame makes a display have the advantages of high water resistance, high oxygen barrier performance, and fast process speed. However, the embodiments of the invention are for detailed descriptions only, not for limiting the scope of protection of the invention. Furthermore, secondary or unimportant elements are omitted in the accompanying diagrams of the embodiments for highlighting the technical features of the invention.

Referring toFIG. 1, a schematic diagram of a display100is illustrated. The display100includes a frame110, an OLED panel120, a transparent element130and a glue140. The frame110, such as an iron frame, is used for carrying and protecting the internal elements of the display100. The OLED panel120can be active or passive. The OLED panel120is disposed in the frame110. The transparent element130can be a panel or an optical film, wherein the panel is such as a touch panel or a 2D/3D switch panel, and the optical film can be a polarizer, a phase delayer, a barrier or a lenticular lens. The transparent element130is disposed on the OLED panel120, wherein the transparent element130and the OLED panel120can be disposed in the frame110at the same. The transparent element130can be partly or entirely exposed outside the frame110. The glue140is filled between the OLED panel120and the transparent element130for binding the OLED panel120and the transparent element130. Besides, the glue140is filled between the OLED panel120and the frame110.

The OLED panel120may be easily damaged by moisture or oxygen and its lifespan is thus shortened. The glue140of the present embodiment is filled not only between the OLED panel120and the transparent element130for binding the transparent element130and the OLED panel120but also between the OLED panel120and the frame110, such that both the top surface120aand the side surface120bof the OLED panel120are well protected.

The glue140is filled between the OLED panel120and the frame110. On one hand, the glue140binds the OLED panel120and the frame110, such that when the display100wobbles, the OLED panel120can be firmly disposed in the frame110, and be prevented from any damage caused by moving in and colliding with the frame110. On the other hand, the glue140covers the side packaging region of the OLED panel120. The glue140covers the side packaging region of the OLED panel120effectively blocks the moisture and oxygen in the air which will invade the OLED panel120via the side packaging region of the OLED panel120and shorten the lifespan of the OLED panel120.

In the present embodiment, to well protect the side surface120bof the OLED panel120, the fill rate of the glue140filled between the OLED panel120and the frame110is at least greater than 50%, such as greater than 70% or 90%. The fill rate can be determined according to the material of the glue140and the process speed.

Referring toFIGS. 2 to 9, a flowchart of a manufacturing method of the display100is illustrated. Firstly, inFIGS. 2 to 5, the OLED panel120(illustrated inFIG. 5) is provided. In the step of providing the OLED panel120, as indicated inFIG. 2, a thin film transistor (TFT) substrate121is provided. The TFT substrate121is used for providing a driving circuit.

Next, inFIG. 2, a plurality of OLEDs122are disposed on the TFT substrate121. The OLEDs122can emit white lights or color lights (such as red, green, and blue lights). In the present embodiment, the OLEDs122emits white lights. The OLEDs122can be arranged in arrays to form a plurality of pixels arranged in matrixes.

Then, inFIG. 2, the OLEDs122are covered with a protection layer123to prevent the OLEDs122being damaged in subsequent manufacturing process.

Next, inFIG. 3, a sealant124is disposed at a periphery of the TFT substrate121. The height D1of the sealant124is greater than the aggregate thickness D2of the OLEDs122and the protection layer123.

Then, inFIG. 3, under a vacuum environment, a filler material126is disposed on the TFT substrate121by one drop filling (ODF) process. In general, the OLEDs122can be uneven, and the protection layer123disposed thereon can also be uneven. The one drop filling process assures that the filler material126is spread over the uneven protection layer123.

Next, inFIG. 4, under a vacuum environment, a color filter substrate125is disposed on the sealant124. In other embodiments, when the OLEDs122emit color lights, a transparent protection substrate (not illustrated) instead of the color filter substrate125is disposed on the sealant124.

Then, inFIG. 5, under a vacuum environment, as the color filter substrate125and the sealant124are bound, the filler material126diffuses on the protection layer123until the filler material126is completely filled among the color filter substrate125, the sealant124and the TFT substrate121, and no moisture or oxygen is left among the color filter substrate125, the sealant124and the TFT substrate121.

Next, inFIG. 5, the filler material126and the sealant124are cured by an ultra-violet light L1(or a heat source). Thus, the manufacturing of the OLED panel120is completed. Meanwhile, the OLEDs122are well protected by the protection layer123and the filler material126.

In one embodiment, the color filter substrate125and the TFT substrate121can be bound by the sealant124but not used the filler material126by the one drop filling process (ODF) process.

In one embodiment, the OLEDs122can be directly bound by an optically clear adhesive (OCA) film (not illustrated) but not used the filler material126by the one drop filling process (ODF) process.

In the embodiment that only the sealant124is used for binding, a gap will existing between the color filter substrate125and the TFT substrate121, and moisture or oxygen in the air can easily infiltrate the OLED panel120via the gap. Moreover, to assure the water resistance and oxygen barrier performance of the sealant124, additional laser light (not illustrated) can be used for curing the sealant strips one by one, hence increasing the manufacturing cost and slowing down the process speed.

In the embodiment that the optically clear adhesive film (OCA film) is used, small gaps still exists between the uneven OLEDs122, then moisture or oxygen can easily infiltrate the small gaps.

In comparison, in the embodiment that the filler material126is used by one drop filling process (ODF) process, the moisture or oxygen can be prevented from being left among the color filter substrate125, the sealant124and the TFT substrate121, such that the lifespan and optical performance of the OLEDs122are assured. Furthermore, in the embodiment that the filler material126is used by one drop filling process (ODF) process, the filler material can be entirely cured by using an ultra-violet light L1(or heat source), not only the manufacturing cost can be reduced but also the process speed can be increased.

Following the steps of providing the OLED panel120, the method proceeds to the steps inFIGS. 6 and 7.

InFIGS. 6 and 7, the glue140is coated on the OLED panel120. The glue140can be an optical clear resin (OCR). InFIG. 6, the glue140can be uniformly coated on some regions and then be brushed over the OLED panel120. InFIG. 7, the glue140is directly coated on an entire layer.

In the present step, since the top surface120aof the OLED panel120is very even, the glue140can be seamlessly coated on the OLED panel120.

In the present step, the water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) of the glue140is less than 20 g/m2-day to assure that the glue140has high water resistance; the oxygen transmission rate (OTR) of the glue140is less than 1×10−3cc/m2-day to assure that the glue140has high oxygen barrier performance; the optical transmission rate of the glue140is greater than 90% to assure that the glue140has high transmittance.

Then, inFIG. 8, the transparent element130and the OLED panel120are compressed, such that the glue140is filled between the OLED panel120and the transparent element130, and the glue140overflows to be filled between the OLED panel120and the frame110by capillarity effect.

In the compressing step, the glue140can infiltrate the gap between the OLED panel120and the frame110under a decompression exhaust environment (such as 50 to 1 Pa).

Next, inFIG. 9, the glue140is cured with an ultra-violet light L2(or a heat source). Thus, the manufacturing of the display100is completed.

As disclosed above, the OLEDs122are protected by at least four layers, including the protection layer123, the filler material126, the glue140, and the frame110, such that the OLEDs122effectively prevented from the damage caused by moisture and oxygen.