Patent Publication Number: US-9419355-B2

Title: Display module with dual power lines

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority under 35 USC §119 to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2012-141982, filed on Dec. 7, 2012 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO), the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     Exemplary embodiments of the present inventive concept relate to a display module. More particularly, exemplary embodiments of the present inventive concept relate to a display module with dual power lines. 
     DISCUSSION OF THE RELATED ART 
     Generally, a display module may include a display panel, a printed circuit board (PCB), a driver integrated circuit and a flexible printed circuit (FPC). The A PCB may generate drive signals for driving the display panel. The driver integrated circuit may be mounted to the display panel, and the driver integrated circuit may transmit the drive signal and a power to the display panel. The FPC may be electrically connected between the driver integrated circuit and the PCB. 
     The FPC may include the power wiring for transmitting the power, and the drive signal wirings for transmitting the drive signal. The power wirings may be arranged on a lower plane of the FPC. The drive signal wirings may be arranged on an upper plane of the FPC. The power wirings and the drive signal wirings may intersect each other. 
     A ground slit may cause a discontinuity of the drive signal wirings. A discontinuity may be generated due to the intersection between the drive signal wirings and the power wirings. The ground slit may change an impedance of the drive signal wirings. The drive signal transmitted through the drive signal wirings may be distorted by the change in impedance. For example, the power wiring intersecting the drive signal wiring may cause an electromagnetic interference (EMI). 
     SUMMARY 
     Exemplary embodiments of the present inventive concept may provide a display module capable of preventing the generation of ground slits. 
     According to some exemplary embodiments of the present inventive concept, a display module may be provided. The display module may include a display panel, a driver integrated circuit, a flexible printed circuit (FPC), a drive signal wiring and a power wiring. The driver integrated circuit may apply a power and a drive signal to the display panel. The FPC may be electrically connected between the driver integrated circuit and a printed circuit board (PCB). The drive signal wiring may be extended from the FPC to the display panel through the driver integrated circuit on a first plane. The drive signal wiring may be extended from a FPC to a display panel through a driver integrated circuit on the first plane to transmit the drive signal to the display panel. The power wiring may transmit the power to the display panel. The power wiring may include a first power line extended from the FPC to the driver integrated circuit, and a second power line extended from the first power line to the display panel on a second plane different from the first plane. 
     In exemplary embodiments of the present inventive concept, the first plane and the second plane may be parallel with each other. 
     In exemplary embodiments of the present inventive concept, the first plane may be an upper surface of the display panel. The second plane may be a lower surface of the display panel. 
     In exemplary embodiments of the present inventive concept, the second power line may include first sub-lines and second sub-lines. The first sub-lines may be arranged at both sides of the first power line. The first sub-lines may be extended in parallel with the first power line. The second sub-lines may be connected to ends of the first sub-lines. The second sub-lines may be configured to surround the ends of the first sub-lines. 
     In exemplary embodiments of the present inventive concept, the second sub-lines may be substantially perpendicular to the first sub-lines. 
     In exemplary embodiments of the present inventive concept, the first power line may be arranged on the first plane. 
     In exemplary embodiments of the present inventive concept, the power wiring may include a plug formed in the display module to electrically connect the first power line with the second power line. 
     In exemplary embodiments of the present inventive concept, the display module may further include a first conductive film interposed between the display panel and the drive integrated circuit, and a second conductive film interposed between the display panel and the FPC. 
     In exemplary embodiments of the present inventive concept, the second conductive film may have a plug portion inserted into the display panel to electrically connect the first power line with the second power line. 
     According to exemplary embodiments of the present inventive concept, a display module may be provided. The display module may include a display panel, a driver integrated circuit, a flexible printed circuit (FPC), a drive signal wiring and a power wiring. The display panel may include an upper panel and a lower panel. The drive signal wiring may be arranged on an upper surface of the lower panel. The power wiring may include a first power line arranged on the upper surface of the lower panel in a first direction, and a second power line arranged on a lower surface of the lower panel in a second direction. A second direction may be substantially perpendicular to the first direction. The driver integrated circuit may apply a power and a drive signal to the display panel through the drive signal wiring and the power wiring. The FPC may be electrically connected between the driver integrated circuit and a printed circuit board (PCB). 
     In exemplary embodiments of the present inventive concept, the second power line may include first sub-lines and second sub-lines. The first sub-lines may be arranged at both sides of the first power line. The first sub-lines may be extended in parallel to the first power line. The second sub-lines may be connected to ends of the first sub-lines. The second sub-lines may be configured to surround the ends of the first sub-lines. 
     In exemplary embodiments of the present inventive concept, the display module may further include a first conductive film interposed between the display panel and the drive integrated circuit, and a second conductive film interposed between the display panel and the FPC. 
     In exemplary embodiments of the present inventive concept, the second conductive film may have a plug portion inserted into the display panel electrically connecting the first power line with the second power line. 
     According to exemplary embodiments of the present inventive concept, the second power line of the power wiring may be arranged at the display panel, and the second power line need not intersect with the drive signal wiring. A ground slit need not be generated between the power wiring and the drive signal wiring. As a result, the drive signal transmitted through the drive signal wiring need not be distorted. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A more complete appreciation of the present disclosure and many of the attendant aspects thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating a display module in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present inventive concept; 
         FIG. 2  is a plan view illustrating the display module in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a bottom view illustrating the display module in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view taken along a line IV-IV′ in  FIG. 2 ; and 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view illustrating a display module in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present inventive concept. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     Various exemplary embodiments of the present inventive concept will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some exemplary embodiments of the present inventive concept are shown. The present invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the exemplary embodiments of the present inventive concept set forth herein. Rather, these exemplary embodiments of the present inventive concept are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the present invention to those skilled in the art. In the drawings, the sizes and relative sizes of layers and regions may be exaggerated for clarity. 
     It will be understood that when an element or layer is referred to as being “on,” “connected to” or “coupled to” another element or layer, it can be directly on, connected or coupled to the other element or layer or intervening elements or layers may be present. Like numerals may refer to like elements throughout the disclosure. 
     Exemplary embodiments of the present inventive concept are described herein with reference to cross-sectional illustrations that may be schematic illustrations of idealized exemplary embodiments of the present inventive concept (and intermediate structures). As such, variations from the shapes of the illustrations, for example, of manufacturing techniques and/or tolerances, may be expected. Thus, exemplary embodiments of the present inventive concept should not be construed as limited to the particular shapes of regions illustrated herein but are to include deviations in shapes that result, for example, from manufacturing. 
     Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present inventive concept will be explained in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating a display module in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present inventive concept.  FIG. 2  is a plan view illustrating the display module in  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 3  is a bottom view illustrating the display module in  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view taken along a line IV-IV′ in  FIG. 2 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 4 , a display module  100  of this example embodiment may include a display panel  110 , a driver integrated circuit  120 , a flexible printed circuit (FPC)  130 , a drive signal wiring  140  and a power wiring  150 . 
     The display panel  110  may display an image responsive to a drive signal. The drive signal may be transmitted from a printed circuit board (PCB) (not shown). A power may be supplied to the display panel  110 . The drive signal and the power may be transmitted to the display panel  110  through the drive signal wiring  140  and the power wiring  150 . The display panel  110  may include an upper panel  112  on which display elements may be arranged, and a lower panel  114  on which wirings may be arranged. 
     In exemplary embodiments of the present inventive concept, the display panel  110  may include an organic light emitting display (OLED) panel. The display panel  110  may include other display panels such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel, a plasma display panel, etc. 
     The driver integrated circuit  120  may be arranged on an edge portion of an upper surface of the lower panel  114  in the display panel  110 . The driver integrated circuit  120  may apply the drive signal and the power to the display panel  110 . In exemplary embodiments of the present inventive concept, the driver integrated circuit  120  may be attached to the edge portion of the upper surface of the lower panel  114  using a second conductive film  162 . The second conductive film  162  may include an anisotropic conductive film (ACF). 
     The FPC  130  may be electrically connected between the driver integrated circuit  120  and the PCB. The FPC  130  may be arranged on the edge portion of the upper surface of the lower panel  114 . The FPC  130  may be extended from the driver integrated circuit  120  toward the PCB. Thus, the FPC  130  may be positioned between the driver integrated circuit  120  and the PCB. In exemplary embodiments of the present inventive concept, the FPC  130  may be attached to the edge portion of the upper surface of the lower panel  114  using a first conductive film  160 . The first conductive film  160  may include an ACF. 
     The drive signal wiring  140  may be extended from the FPC  130  to the driver integrated circuit  120  in a first direction. The drive signal wiring  140  may be electrically connected to the display panel  110 . The driver signal wiring  140  may include one or more wirings arranged in the FPC  130 , and one or more wirings arranged in the driver integrated circuit  120 . In exemplary embodiments of the present inventive concept, the drive signal wiring  140  may be arranged on a first plane. The FPC  130  and the driver integrated circuit  120  may be positioned on the edge portion of the upper surface of the display panel  110 . The first plane may correspond to the upper surface of the lower panel  114 . 
     The power wiring  150  may be extended from the FPC  130  to the lower panel  114  of the display panel  110  through the driver integrated circuit  120 . In exemplary embodiments of the present inventive concept, the power wiring  150  may include a first power line  152  and a second power line  154 . 
     The first power line  152  may be arranged in the FPC  130  and the driver integrated circuit  120 . The first power line  152  may be positioned at both sides of the drive signal wiring  140  in the first direction. The first power line  152  may be arranged on the first plane. The first power line  152  may be substantially parallel to the drive signal wiring  140 . The first power line  152  and the drive signal wiring  140  may be substantially parallel with each other. The first power line  152  need not intersect the drive signal wiring  140 . 
     The second power line  154  may extend from the first power line  152  to the lower panel  114  of the display panel  110 . The second power line  154  may be positioned in the display panel  110 . In exemplary embodiments of the present inventive concept, the second power line  154  may be positioned on a second plane different from the first plane. The second plane may correspond to a lower surface of the lower panel  114 . Therefore, the first power line  152  may be arranged on the upper surface of the lower panel  114 . The second power line  154  may be arranged on the lower surface of the lower panel  114 . 
     The power wiring  150  may further include a plug  159 . The plug  159  may be vertically formed in the edge portion of the lower panel  114 . The plug  159  may be electrically connected between the first power line  152  and the second power line  154 . In exemplary embodiments of the present inventive concept, the plug  159  may be formed by a process for forming a via hole through the lower panel  114 , a process for forming a seed layer on an inner surface of the via hole, and/or a plating process on the seed layer. 
     In exemplary embodiments of the present inventive concept, the second power line  154  may include one or more first sub-lines  156  and one or more second sub-lines  158 . The one or more first sub-lines  156  may be extended from the first power line  152  in the first direction. The first power line  152  may be located at two opposite sides of the drive signal wiring  140 . One or more first sub-lines  156  substantially parallel to the first power line  152  may also be positioned at the opposing sides of the drive signal wiring  140 . 
     The one or more second sub-lines  158  may be connected between ends of the first sub-lines  156 , the on or more second sub-lines  158  being oriented toward the upper panel  112 . The one or more second sub-lines  158  may be extended in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction. In exemplary embodiments of the present inventive concept, ends of the one or more first sub-lines  156  oriented toward the upper panel  112  may be positioned closer to the upper panel  112  than an end of the drive signal wiring  140 . The one or more second sub-lines  158  may surround the end of the drive signal wiring  140 . The one or more second sub-lines  158  need not intersect a drive signal wiring  140 . 
     According to exemplary embodiments of the present inventive concept, the one or more first sub-lines  158  substantially parallel to the drive signal wiring  140  may be positioned at the opposing sides of the drive signal wiring  140 . The one or more second sub-lines  158  may surround the end of the drive signal wiring  140 . The second power line  154  on the lower surface of the lower panel  114  need not intersect a drive signal wiring  140 . The ground slit, which may be caused by an intersection between the power wiring  150  and the drive signal wiring  140 , need not be generated. As a result, the drive signal transmitted through the drive signal wiring  140  need not be distorted. 
       FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view illustrating a display module in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present inventive concept. 
     A display module  100   a  of an exemplary embodiment of the present inventive concept may include elements substantially the same as those of the display module  100  in  FIG. 1  except for a plug. The same reference numerals may refer to the same elements and any further illustrations with respect to the same elements may be omitted herein for brevity. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the second conductive film  162  may have a plug portion  164 . For example, the plug portion  164  may be integrally formed with the second conductive film  162 . The plug portion  164  may be inserted into the via hole in the lower panel  114 . The first power line  152  and the second power line  154  may be electrically connected with each other via the plug portion  164 . 
     According to exemplary embodiments of the present inventive concept, the second power line of the power wiring may be arranged at the display panel, so that the second power line need not intersect a drive signal wiring. Thus, a ground slit need not be generated between the power wiring and the drive signal wiring. As a result, the drive signal transmitted through the drive signal wiring need not be distorted. 
     The foregoing is illustrative of exemplary embodiments of the present inventive concept and is not to be construed as limiting thereof. Although a few exemplary embodiments of the present inventive concept have been described, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in the exemplary embodiments of the present inventive concept without materially departing from the novel teachings of the present inventive concept. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present inventive concept.