Abstract:
A flat display panel having a first substrate, a display unit disposed on the first substrate, a second substrate disposed on the first substrate to cover the display unit and not covering a predetermined region of the first substrate, a terminal unit disposed on the predetermined region of the first substrate and is electrically connected to the display unit, and a glass strengthener coated on the first substrate and adjacent to the second substrate at a location to increase the strength of the first substrate. The flat display panel having the substrate on which a terminal unit is formed has increased strength.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of Korean Application No. 10-2009-0038452, filed Apr. 30, 2009, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    Aspects of the present invention relate to a flat display panel, and more particularly, to a flat display panel in which a substrate on which a terminal unit is formed has increased strength. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    A flat display panel includes a first substrate on which a display unit is disposed and a second substrate that contacts the first substrate and seals the display unit. A pad unit is electrically connected to the display unit and is disposed on the first substrate. A portion of the first substrate where the pad unit is formed is not covered by the second substrate and is not covered by the second substrate. That is, the portion of the first substrate where the pad unit is formed is formed of a single substrate and does not contact the second substrate. Accordingly, the portion of the first substrate where the pad unit is formed has strength weaker than other portions of the first substrate, and thus may be easily damaged by an external impact. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    Aspects of the present invention provide a flat display panel in which a substrate has increased strength. 
         [0007]    According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a flat display panel including a first substrate; a display unit disposed on the first substrate; a second substrate disposed on the first substrate to cover the display unit and not covering a predetermined region of the first substrate; a terminal unit disposed on the predetermined region of the first substrate and is electrically connected to the display unit; and a glass strengthener coated on the first substrate and adjacent to the second substrate at a location to increase strength of the first substrate. 
         [0008]    According to an aspect of the present invention, the glass strengthener may be coated on the predetermined region of the first substrate. 
         [0009]    According to an aspect of the present invention, the glass strengthener may be coated to cover the terminal unit. 
         [0010]    According to an aspect of the present invention, the glass strengthener may be coated on a region separating the second substrate from the predetermined region of the first substrate and on the predetermined region. 
         [0011]    According to an aspect of the present invention, the flat display panel may further include a desiccating agent coated on the glass strengthener that is coated on the predetermined region. 
         [0012]    According to an aspect of the present invention, the glass strengthener may be coated on the region separating the second substrate from the predetermined region. 
         [0013]    According to an aspect of the present invention, the flat display panel may further include a desiccating agent that is coated on the predetermined region. 
         [0014]    According to an aspect of the present invention, the desiccating agent may be coated to cover the terminal unit. 
         [0015]    According to an aspect of the present invention, the flat display panel may further include a desiccating agent covering the terminal unit, wherein the glass strengthener is coated to cover the desiccating agent. 
         [0016]    According to an aspect of the present invention, the glass strengthener may be coated to cover the region separating the second substrate from the predetermined region and the desiccating agent. 
         [0017]    According to an aspect of the present invention, the flat display panel may further include a flexible printed circuit substrate electrically connected to the terminal unit. 
         [0018]    In a flat display panel according to an embodiment of the present invention, the strength of the substrate can be increased. 
         [0019]    Additional aspects and/or advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0020]    These and/or other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which: 
           [0021]      FIG. 1  is a schematic perspective view of a flat display panel according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0022]      FIG. 2  is a schematic perspective view of a flat display panel according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0023]      FIG. 3  is a schematic perspective view of a flat display panel according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0024]      FIG. 4  is a schematic perspective view of a flat display panel according to another embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0025]      FIG. 5  is a schematic perspective view of a flat display panel according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       [0026]    Reference will now be made in detail to the present embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elements throughout. The embodiments are described below in order to explain the present invention by referring to the figures. 
         [0027]    As referred to herein, when a first element is said to be disposed or formed “on” a second element, the first element can directly contact the second element, or can be separated from the second element by one or more other elements located therebetween. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being disposed or formed “directly on” another element, there are no intervening elements present. 
         [0028]      FIG. 1  is a schematic perspective view of a flat display panel  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 1 , the flat display panel  100  includes a first substrate  101 , a second substrate  102 , a terminal unit  103 , a glass strengthener  104 , and a flexible printed circuit substrate  107 . 
         [0029]    A display unit (not shown) is disposed on a region  101   a  of the first substrate  101 . The second substrate  102  is disposed on the first substrate  101  covering the display unit. The first substrate  101  and the second substrate  102  are joined by a sealant (not shown), and the display unit is sealed by the second substrate  102 . The second substrate  102  is disposed so as to not cover a region  101   b  of the first substrate  101 . 
         [0030]    The terminal unit  103  is disposed on the region  101   b  of the first substrate  101 . The terminal unit  103  is electrically connected to the display unit and the flexible printed circuit substrate  107 . External power and signals are transmitted to the display unit through the flexible printed circuit substrate  107  and the terminal unit  103 . 
         [0031]    The glass strengthener  104  is formed on the region  101   b  of the first substrate  101  to cover the terminal unit  103 . In the case of a flat display panel, the region  101   b  of the first substrate  101  is not covered by the second substrate  102  so that the terminal unit  103 , which electrically connects a display unit (not shown) and a flexible printed circuit substrate  107 , can be disposed thereupon. The region  101   b  of the first substrate  101  where the terminal unit  103  is disposed is not a region where the first substrate  101  and the second substrate  102  are joined, but rather is a single substrate (the first substrate  101 ), and thus is weak to external impact. Thus, in the flat display panel  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention, the exposed region  101   b  of the first substrate  101  where the terminal unit  103  is disposed is strengthened by the glass strengthener  104 . The glass strengthener  104  may be formed on the region  101   b  of the first substrate  101  in order to completely cover the terminal unit  103 . While not required in all aspects, the strengthener  104  can be formed by coating the terminal unit  103  while attached to the region  101   b,  or can be separately formed and connected to the terminal unit  103  and/or region  101   b.  Examples of the glass strengthener  104  include metal glazes, silicon oxide, tin oxide, ceramic coatings, strengthening polymers or other similar compounds or materials, however, aspects of the present invention are not limited thereto. 
         [0032]      FIG. 2  is a schematic perspective view of a flat display panel  200  according to another embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 2 , in the flat display panel  200 , a region of the first substrate  101  where the glass strengthener  104  is formed different from that of the flat display panel  100  of  FIG. 1 . 
         [0033]    More specifically, in the flat display panel  200 , the glass strengthener  104  is not only formed on the region  101   b  of the first substrate  101 , but also is formed on a region  101   c  separating the second substrate  102  from the region  101   b  of the first substrate  101 . When the glass strengthener  104  is formed on the region  101   b  of the first substrate  101  and the region  101   c  separating the second substrate  102  from the region  101   b  of the first substrate  101 , the glass strengthener  104  is formed to cover the terminal unit  103 . With further forming of the glass strengthener  104 , the region  101   b  of the first substrate  101  is strengthened. 
         [0034]      FIG. 3  is a schematic perspective view of a flat display panel  300  according to another embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 3 , in the flat display panel  300 , a desiccating agent  105  is formed on the glass strengthener  104  of the flat display panel  200  according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0035]    More specifically, after forming the glass strengthener  104  on the region  101   b  of the first substrate  101  and the region  101   c  separating the second substrate  102  from the region  101   b  of the first substrate  101 , the desiccating agent  105  is formed on the glass strengthener  104  formed on the region  101   b  of the first substrate  101 . Thus, according to another embodiment of the present invention, the region  101   b  of the first substrate  101  is strengthened by the glass strengthener  104  and the desiccating agent  105  can prevent wires (not shown) of the terminal unit  103  from corroding. While not required, it is understood that the desiccating agent  105  can be coated on the formed glass strengthener  104 . Examples of the desiccating agent  105  include silica gels, molecular sieves such as aluminosilicate minerals, zeolites, and active carbons, and activated alumina, however aspects of the present invention are not limited thereto. 
         [0036]      FIG. 4  is a schematic perspective view of a flat display panel  400  according to another embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 4 , in the flat display panel  400 , the glass strengthener  104  is formed on the region  101   c  separating the second substrate  102  from the region  101   b  of the first substrate  101 , but is not formed on the region  101   b  of the first substrate  101  where the terminal unit  103  is disposed. In addition, the desiccating agent  105  is formed on the region  101   b  of the first substrate  101 , and preferably, the desiccating agent  105  is formed on the region  101   b  of the first substrate  101  in order to cover the terminal unit  103 . The corrosion of wires of the terminal unit  103  can be prevented since the desiccating agent  105  covers the terminal unit  103 , and the strength of the first substrate  101  can be increased by the glass strengthener  104 . 
         [0037]      FIG. 5  is a schematic perspective view of a flat display panel  500  according to another embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 5 , in the flat display panel  500 , the glass strengthener  104  is formed on a region where the desiccating agent  105  is formed and on the region  101   c  separating the second substrate  102  from the region  101   b  of the first substrate  101 . More specifically, the desiccating agent  105  is formed on the region  101   b  of the first substrate  101  to cover the terminal unit  103 . Afterwards, the glass strengthener  104  is formed on the desiccating agent  105  and the region  101   c  separating the second substrate  102  from the region  101   b  of the first substrate  101 . The desiccating agent  105  can prevent the wires of the terminal unit  103  from corrosion, and the glass strengthener  104  can further increase the strength of the first substrate  101  since the glass strengthener  104  is formed on the desiccating agent  105  and the region  101   c  separating the second substrate  102  from the region  101   b  of the first substrate  101 . 
         [0038]    Although a few embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in this embodiment without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents.