Abstract:
An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display that includes a panel assembly outputting an image, an electrode part formed at one side of the panel assembly, and a connection member connected to the electrode part, wherein the connection member includes a body part having a plane shape, a plurality of first electrode lines and a plurality of second electrode lines extending in a longitudinal direction, being wire bonded to the electrode part, spaced apart from one another in a lateral direction in an alternating manner and electrically connecting an external device to the panel assembly.

Description:
This application makes reference to, incorporates the same herein, and claims all benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C. §119 from an application earlier filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office filed on Mar. 25, 2013 and there duly assigned Serial No. 10-2013-0031577. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display outputting an image. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     A display apparatus including an organic light emitting element (an organic light emitting diode) as a self-emissive element has a wide viewing angle, excellent contrast, excellent luminance, an excellent driving voltage, and a fast response speed characteristic. 
     An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display including the above organic light emitting element includes a panel assembly and a data pad transmitting data to the panel assembly. 
     As the organic light emitting diode (OLED) display is changed from high density (HD) to full high density (FHD) and from FHD to ultra-high density (UHD) such that resolution is increased, miniaturization of electrodes forming the data pad is required. 
     However, to realize the miniaturization of the data pad in the conventional organic light emitting diode (OLED) display, additional investment in equipment and new equipment development are required. Accordingly, to manufacture an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display with high resolution, manufacture cost is increased. 
     The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display realizing a fine pitch without increasing manufacturing cost even though resolution is increased. 
     According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display that includes a panel assembly outputting an image, an electrode part arranged at one side of the panel assembly and connection member connected to the electrode part, wherein the connection member may include a body part having a plane shape, a plurality of first electrode lines arranged on the body part and spaced-apart from each other by a first predetermined interval, and a plurality of second electrode lines arranged on the body part and spaced apart from each other by a second predetermined interval, arranged under the first electrode lines, being insulated from the first electrode lines, and having one end connected to the panel assembly and extending further toward the panel assembly than the first electrode lines. 
     The plurality of second electrode lines may be respectively arranged between the plurality of first electrode lines. The first predetermined interval may be the same as the second predetermined interval. Each of the first electrode lines may be respectively positioned at a center between two neighboring second electrode lines, and each of the plurality of second electrode lines may be respectively positioned at a center between two neighboring first electrode lines. The connection member may be a flexible printed circuit (FPC) of a dual structure including an inner metal layer and an outer metal layer, and the plurality of first electrode lines may be the outer metal layer and the plurality of second electrode lines may be the inner metal layer. 
     The OLED display may also include a main board transmitting an electrical signal to the panel assembly and the connection member may be a tape carrier package (TCP) conveying electrical signals between the panel assembly and the main board. The connection member may be a chip on film (COF). The first and second predetermined intervals may be 80 microns. A lateral distance between each first electrode line and neighboring second electrode lines on either side of the first electrode line may be 40 microns. The first and second electrode lines may be wire bonded to the electrode part. A wire connecting one of the first electrode lines may be arranged half way between two wires connecting two neighboring second electrode lines respectively to the electrode part. The plurality of second electrode lines may be spaced apart from the plurality of first electrode lines in a vertical direction. The body may be comprised of an electrical insulator and spaces apart the plurality of second electrode lines from the plurality of first electrode lines in the vertical direction. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A more complete appreciation of the invention, and many of the attendant advantages thereof, will be readily apparent as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference symbols indicate the same or similar components, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a plane view of an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a plane view of an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display including a TCP applied with a structure of the connection member shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a lateral view of an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display including the TCP shown in  FIG. 3 ; and 
         FIG. 5  is a view of the OLED display of  FIG. 1  illustrating the wire binding  140  used to connect the connection member to the electrode part. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown. As those skilled in the art would realize, the described embodiments may be modified in various different ways, all without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. 
     Furthermore, with exemplary embodiments of the present invention, detailed description is given for constituent elements in the first exemplary embodiment with reference to the relevant drawings by using the same reference numerals for the same constituent elements, while only different constituent elements from those related to the first exemplary embodiment are described in other exemplary embodiments. 
     Parts that are irrelevant to the description are omitted in order to clearly describe the present invention, and like reference numerals designate like elements throughout the specification. 
     Throughout this specification and the claims that follow, when it is described that an element is “coupled” to another element, the element may be “directly coupled” to the other element or “electrically coupled” to the other element through a third element. In addition, unless explicitly described to the contrary, the word “comprise” and variations such as “comprises” or “comprising” will be understood to imply the inclusion of stated elements but not the exclusion of any other elements. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 2  is a plane view of an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display  100  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a panel assembly  110 , an electrode part  130 , and a connection member  120 . 
     The panel assembly  110  outputs an image. The panel assembly  110  includes an organic light emitting element (not illustrated). The organic light emitting element may be formed by being patterned in the panel assembly  110 . The panel assembly  110  may include a lower substrate and an upper substrate (not illustrated). The organic light emitting element may be formed on the lower substrate, and the upper substrate may encapsulate the organic light emitting element formed on the lower substrate. The upper substrate may be combined with the lower substrate by a sealant and having a predetermined interval therebetween. 
     The electrode part  130  is formed at one side of the panel assembly  110 . The electrode part  130  allows electrical signals to be transmitted between the panel assembly  110  and other electrical parts. In  FIG. 1 , the electrode part  130  includes a plurality of electrodes, however the electrode part  130  is not limited to include the electrodes. This electrode part  130  may be a gate driving IC or a data driving IC, for example. The electrode part  130  may be formed on the lower substrate (not illustrated) of the panel assembly  110 . 
     The data driving IC receives image data from the outside to generate and supply a data signals corresponding to a pixel to a data line (not illustrated) of the panel assembly  110 . The gate driving IC generates and supplies the gate signal to drive the pixels of the panel assembly  110 . These data driving IC and gate driving IC may be a data driving IC and a gate driving IC of general display panels, and as a result a detailed description thereof is omitted. 
     The connection member  120  is connected to the electrode part  130 . In the organic light emitting diode (OLED) display  100  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the connection member  120  includes a body part  121 , a plurality of first electrode lines  122 , and a plurality of second electrode lines  123 . 
     The body part  121  becomes a body of the connection member  120  and may have a plane shape. The plurality of first electrode lines  122  and the plurality of second electrode lines  123  are formed on the body part  121 . The body part  121  may be made out of one of a plastic, a complex resin, or a transparent film, however it is not limited thereto, as any appropriate material to deposit the plurality of first electrode lines  122  and the plurality of second electrode lines  123  thereon may be used. 
     The first electrode lines  122  are formed on the body part  121 . The first electrode lines  122  are formed to be separated by a predetermined interval. The first electrode lines  122  are electrically connected to the electrode part  130  formed at one side of the panel assembly  110  by bonding. Accordingly, electrical signals may be transmitted from an outside to the panel assembly  110  via the first electrode lines  122 . 
     The second electrode lines  123  are formed on the body part  121 . The second electrode lines  123  are insulated from the first electrode lines  122  and are formed under the first electrode lines  122 . That is, the second electrode lines  123  and the first electrode lines  122  are sequentially formed on the body part  121 . 
     A plurality of second electrode lines  123  are formed to be separated from each other by a predetermined interval. As opposed to the first electrode lines, one end of each second electrode line  123  connected to the panel assembly  110  is formed to be extended toward the panel assembly  110 . 
     In detail, one end of each first electrode line  122  and each second electrode line  123  is electrically connected to the electrode part  130  by bonding. Here, one end of the second electrode line  123  may be further towards the panel assembly than the first electrode lines  122 . That is, one end of each second electrode line  123  may be positioned closer to the electrode part  130  than one end of each first electrode line  122 . 
     Meanwhile, the connection member  120  made out of the above structure may be a flexible printed circuit (FPC) of a dual-layered structure. The flexible printed circuit (FPC) of the dual-layered structure includes an inner layer metal and an outer layer metal. Although not shown, an insulation layer may be formed between the inner layer metal and the outer layer metal. That is, the inner layer metal and the outer layer metal are not connected to each other. 
     Here, in the connection member  120  included in the organic light emitting diode (OLED) display  100  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the first electrode lines  122  may be the outer layer metal and the second electrode lines  123  may be the inner layer metal. 
     This flexible printed circuit (FPC) may be the data pad of the organic light emitting diode (OLED) display  100 . For example, when the electrode part  130  formed at one side of the panel assembly  110  may be a data driving IC, the connection member  120  may be a data pad connected to the data driving IC. The data pad is connected to the data driving IC by bonding to transmit the electrical signal to the data driving IC. 
     Meanwhile, referring to a detailed structure of the connection member  120 , a plurality of second electrode lines  123  may be respectively positioned in an alternating manner between adjacent ones of the plurality of first electrode lines  122 . That is, a plurality of second electrode lines  123  may be formed to not respectively overlap a plurality of first electrode lines  122  in a vertical direction. Accordingly, in the process of connecting the connection member  120  to the electrode part  130  by wire bonding, bonding wires connecting the first electrode lines  122  and the electrode part  130  may be prevented from being interfered with by bonding wires connecting the second electrode lines  123  to the electrode part  130 . 
     Meanwhile, a separation distance A between adjacent ones of the plurality of first electrode lines  122  may be the same as a separation distance B between adjacent ones of the plurality of second electrode lines  123 . For example, if the separation distance A between adjoining ones of the plurality of first electrode lines  122  is about 100 μm, then the separation distance B between adjoining ones of the plurality of second electrode lines  123  may also be about 100 μm. Similarly, if the separation distance A between neighboring ones of the plurality of first electrode lines  122  is about 80 μm, then the separation distance B between neighboring ones of the plurality of second electrode lines  123  may also be about 80 μm. 
     The plurality of first electrode lines  122  are respectively positioned half way between two adjacent second electrode lines  123 , and a plurality of second electrode lines  123  are respectively positioned half way between two adjacent first electrode lines  122 . In detail, before bonding the connection member  120  to the panel assembly  110 , a process of aligning them to a reference position may be performed. According to this structure, in the bonding process to connect the connection member  120  to the electrode part  130 , a defect due to an alignment error may be minimized. 
     As described above, each first electrode line  122  may be arranged half way between two neighboring second electrode lines  123  positioned at the right side and the left side, so that the first electrode line  122  is situated as far away as possible from the two adjacent second electrode lines  123 . Consequently, the separation distance between the second electrode line  123  positioned at the right side of the one first electrode line  122  is the same as the separation distance from the second electrode line  123  positioned at the left side of one first electrode line  122 . Accordingly, even though the alignment error is slightly generated, the first electrode line  122  to be connected to the predetermined part of the electrode part  130  may be prevented from being connected to any second electrode line  123 . 
     Also, by uniformly maintaining the interval of the first electrode line  122  and the second electrode line  123  forming the connection member  120 , wire design of the connection member  120  may be easily performed. 
     Meanwhile, in the organic light emitting diode (OLED) display  100  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the separation distance A of the plurality of first electrode lines  122  forming the connection member  120  is formed at 80 μm and the separation distance B of a plurality of second electrode lines  123  is formed at 80 μm. Also, second electrode lines  123  are respectively positioned at the direct center between a plurality of first electrode lines  122 . Accordingly, the distance C between the first electrode line  122  and the second electrode line  123  may be 40 μm. 
     Alternatively, the separation distance A of a plurality of first electrode lines  122  forming the connection member  120  may be 60 μm and the separation distance B of a plurality of second electrode lines  123  may also be 60 μm. Also, second electrode lines  123  are respectively positioned at the direct center (i.e. half way between) between neighboring ones of the plurality of first electrode lines  122 . Accordingly, the distance C between the first electrode line  122  and the second electrode line  123  may be 30 μm. 
     That is, in the organic light emitting diode (OLED) display  100  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the connection member  120  is formed with the dual-layered structure including the first electrode lines  122  and the second electrode lines  123 . Accordingly, without additional circuit manufacturing equipment to realize the miniaturization, a connection member  120  realizing a fine pitch of less than 40 μm may be easily manufactured by using general circuit manufacturing equipment. 
     Turning now to  FIGS. 3 and 4 ,  FIG. 3  is a plane view of an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display including a TCP applied with a structure of the connection member shown in  FIG. 1 , and  FIG. 4  is a lateral view of an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display including the TCP shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , the organic light emitting diode (OLED) display  100  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include a main board  200 . The main board  200  may transmit electrical signals to the panel assembly  110  and may be arranged at the side of the panel assembly  110 . Alternatively, the main board  200  may instead be disposed under the panel assembly  110 . 
     One example of applying the connection member  120  included in the organic light emitting diode (OLED) display  100  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may be a tape carrier package (TCP). The TCP allows transmitting of electric signals between the panel assembly  110  and the main board  200 . The TCP is formed of the dual-layered structure including the first electrode lines  122  and the second electrode lines  123 , as described above. Accordingly, although the organic light emitting diode (OLED) display  100  has high resolution such that the electrode part  130  is miniaturized, the miniaturization of the TCP may be easily realized without additional manufacturing equipment. 
     Also, another example of applying the connection member  120  of the dual layered structure may be a chip on film (COF) (not illustrated). Again referring to  FIG. 2 , the chip on film (not illustrated) is formed of the dual-layered structure including the first electrode line  122  and the second electrode line  123 . The chip on film is a flexible printed circuit film. The chip on film is formed to be mounted directly on a glass substrate of the panel assembly  110 . The chip on film connects the non-illustrated main board and the panel assembly  110 . For example, when the main board  200  is positioned under the panel assembly  110 , one end of the chip on film is mounted at the edge of the panel assembly  110  and a center portion of the chip on film is bent and the other end thereof is connected to the main board  200 . Accordingly, although the organic light emitting diode (OLED) display  100  has high resolution such that the electrode part  130  is miniaturized, and the miniaturization of the chip on film corresponding thereto may be easily realized. 
     As described above, the dual layered circuit of the connection member  120  according to the organic light emitting diode (OLED) display  100  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may be applied to the data pad and may be applied to the chip on film. 
     Turning now to  FIG. 5 ,  FIG. 5  is a view of the OLED display of  FIG. 1  illustrating the wire bonding  140  used to connect the connection member  120  to the electrode part  130 . As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , first bonding wires  142  electrically connect first electrode lines  122  to corresponding electrode parts  130 . Second bonding wires  123  electrically connect second electrode lines  123  two corresponding electrode parts  130 . As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , first and second bonding wires  142  and  143  are arranged in an alternating manner to correspond to the fact that the first and second electrode lines  122  and  123  are arranged in an alternating manner in the lateral direction. Because the second electrode lines  123  project further towards electrode part  130  than the first electrode lines  122 , the bonding wires  142  and  143  do not interfere with one another, and can adequately connect each of the first and second electrode lines  122  and  123  to the electrode part  130 , even though the spacing therebetween is relatively small and may only be 30 or 40μ. 
     The connection member  120  is formed of the dual-layered structure including the first electrode lines  122  and the second electrode lines  123  such that the connection member  120  may be easily manufactured by general circuit manufacturing equipment. 
     Therefore, by applying the described structure of the connection member  120  to the data pad or the chip on film, although the resolution of the organic light emitting diode (OLED) display  100  is increased, the data pad or the chip on film of the miniaturized structure corresponding to the panel assembly  110  of high resolution may be easily manufactured by using conventional equipment without additional investment or equipment development to obtain the manufacturing equipment for realizing the miniaturization. 
     The drawings and the detailed description described above are examples for the present invention and are provided to explain the present invention, and the scope of the present invention described in the claims is not limited thereto. Therefore, it will be appreciated to those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made and other equivalent embodiments are available. Accordingly, the actual scope of the present invention must be determined by the spirit of the appended claims. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE SYMBOLS IN THE DRAWINGS 
       100 : organic light emitting diode (OLED) display 
       110 : panel assembly 
       120 : connection member 
       121 : body part 
       122 : first electrode line 
       123 : second electrode line 
       130 : electrode part 
       140  wire bond 
       200 : main board