Patent Document

[0001]     This Non-provisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) on Patent Application No. 10-2005-34752 filed in Korea on Apr. 26, 2005 and Application No. 10-2005-60495 filed in Korea on Jul. 5, 2005, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention generally relates to electro luminescence (hereinafter, EL) display devices.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0005]     An organic EL display device, which utilizes an organic electro luminescent element to emit light by recombination of electrons and holes, has a shorter response time than a passive type display device such as a liquid crystal display (hereinafter, LCD) that requires a separate light source. Furthermore, since an organic EL display device can be driven by low voltage direct current and be manufactured as a thin film, it can be applied to a wall-type display or a portable display.  
         [0006]      FIG. 1   a  is a plane view showing internal construction of a conventional organic EL display device and  FIG. 1   b  is a cross-sectional view along line A-A′ of  FIG. 1   a . For convenience of explanation,  FIGS. 1   a  and  1   b  have been illustrated without a protective plate over the display device.  
         [0007]     The organic EL display device  10  comprises a pixel circuit  12 , which is installed on a substrate  11  and displays images, while a plurality of RGB pixels P is formed within the pixel circuit  12 . For convenience of explanation,  FIG. 1   a  illustrates only one pixel.  
         [0008]     A data driver  13  connected to data line D of each pixel P, is formed at an outer side of the pixel circuit  12  corresponding to an outer circuit  15 , and enables data signals to be transmitted to pixels Ps.  
         [0009]     A first scan driver  14   a  connected to scan lines S of some pixels is located at one side of the pixel circuit  12 , while a second driver  14   b  connected to scan lines S of the other pixels is located at the other side of pixel circuit  12 , and enables scan signals to be transmitted to pixels Ps. As the first driver  14   a  and the second driver  14   b  are connected electrically to the outer circuit  15 , the pixels P can be driven by electrical signals from the outer circuit  15 .  
         [0010]     Outer surfaces of the pixel circuit  12 , of data driver  13 , of first scan driver  14   a , and of second scan driver  14   b , are treated with sealant  18  to allow a protective plate be attached on the substrate  11 , so that all the components including pixels Ps can be isolated from the outside and be protected from impurities such as humidity, oxygen, etc.  
         [0011]     A power supply line (hereinafter, VDD)  16  is located on the substrate  11  between the first scan driver  14   a  and the pixel circuit  12 , and a ground line (hereinafter, GND)  17  is located on the substrate  11  between the second scan driver  14   b  and the pixel circuit  12 , whereby the VDD  16  and the GND  17  are connected to the outer circuit  15 .  
         [0012]     Referring to  FIGS. 1   a  and  1   b , the areas between vertical hemlines of the pixel circuit  12  and terminals of the substrate  11  are called Bezel areas B 1  and B 2 . The Bezel areas B 1 , B 2 , in which no image can be displayed, function as a factor for enlarging the size of an organic EL display device. In a conventional organic EL display device, a display device with a bigger Bezel area needs to be larger-sized than one with a smaller Bezel area, even when the two display devices have a same-sized pixel circuit. In this case, sizes of the main window and the sub-window of a mobile communication terminal adopting such an organic EL display device need to be bigger as well. Moreover, the Bezel areas create, in the main window and in the sub-window of the mobile communication terminal, a considerable size of dead spaces where no image can be displayed.  
         [0013]     Although the protective plate on the display device has been omitted in the above drawings for the convenience of this discussion, in the conventional art, one W 1  of curing margins are provided between sealants  18  and the first scan driver  14   a . Simultaneously, the other W 2  of curing margins are provided between sealants  18  and the first scan driver  14   b.    
         [0014]     These curing margins W 1  and W 2  protect the scan drivers  14   a  and  14   b  from unexpected damage when the protective plate is adhered on the substrate by sealant  18  in the process of optical and/or heat curing. For example, a positioning error can occur due to various factors in the course of optical curing after a prescribed thickness of the sealant  18  has been sprayed on the substrate  11 . A positioning error allows UV rays to cause damage to the first scan driver  14   a  and the second scan driver  14   b . Also, when main circuits such as scan drivers  14   a  and  14   b  are damaged, noise can be generated in the circuit.  
         [0015]     Accordingly, when the size of the curing margins increase, the size of the Bezel areas increases resulting in a decreasing probability of an error. However, increasing curing margins also increases the number of dead spaces where no images can be displayed.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0016]     Accordingly, the present invention is to solve at least the problems and disadvantages of the related art.  
         [0017]     The aspect of the present invention is electro luminescence display devices that can minimize the Bezel area through effective alignment of components thereof.  
         [0018]     An EL display device in accordance with the present invention comprises a pixel circuit comprising a pixel circuit comprising a plurality of pixels on a substrate; a data driver formed on one side of the pixel circuit for supplying a data signal to the plurality of pixels; at least one scan driver formed on at least one side of the pixel circuit for supplying a scan signal to the plurality of pixels; and a plurality of wirings connected to an outer circuit, wherein at least one of the plurality of wings is formed on a portion of perimeter of one or more of the data driver, the pixel circuit or the substrate.  
         [0019]     Also, the scan driver can be located on one side of the pixel circuit together with one side of the data driver, and the plurality of wirings can be formed on a portion of perimeter of the pixel circuit and the scan driver.  
         [0020]     Also, the scan driver can be located on one side of the pixel circuit on the opposite side of the data driver, and the plurality of wiring can be formed on a portion of perimeter of the pixel circuit and the data driver.  
         [0021]     Also, the scan driver can be located on one sides of the pixel circuit, and one or more of the plurality of wirings can be located on a portion of perimeter of at lease one of the data driver or the substrate. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0022]     The invention will be described in detail with reference to the following drawings in which like numerals refer to like elements.  
         [0023]      FIG. 1   a  is a plane view showing internal construction of a conventional organic EL display device.  
         [0024]      FIG. 1   b  is a cross-sectional view along line A-A′ of  FIG. 1   a.    
         [0025]      FIG. 2   a  is a plane view showing internal construction of an organic EL display device in accordance with a first embodiment example of the present invention.  
         [0026]      FIG. 2   b  is a cross-sectional view along line Z-Z′ of  FIG. 2   a.    
         [0027]      FIG. 3  is a plane view showing internal construction of an organic EL display device in accordance with a second embodiment example of the present invention.  
         [0028]      FIG. 4  is a plane view showing internal construction of an organic EL display device in accordance with a third embodiment example of the present invention.  
         [0029]      FIG. 5  is a plane view showing internal construction of an organic EL display device in accordance with a fourth embodiment example of the present invention.  
         [0030]      FIG. 6  is a plane view showing internal construction of an organic EL display device in accordance with a fifth embodiment example of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0031]     Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in a more detailed manner with reference to the drawings.  
       First Embodiment  
       [0032]      FIG. 2   a  is a plane view showing internal construction of an organic EL display device in accordance with a first embodiment example of the present invention, and  FIG. 2   b  is a cross-sectional view along line Z-Z′ of  FIG. 2   a.    
         [0033]     As shown in the drawings, an EL display device  20  as per the present invention comprises an pixel circuit  22  formed on a substrate  21  for displaying images, whereby the pixel circuit  22  includes a plurality of RGB pixels. In addition, a data driver  23  connected to data lines D of the pixels P is formed at one side of the pixel circuit  22 , i.e. at an area adjacent to an outer circuit  25  for supplying data signals to the pixels P.  
         [0034]     Adjacent to the pixel circuit  22 , a first scan driver  24   a  connected to scan line S of the pixels P is formed at one side of the data driver  23 , and a second scan driver  24   b  connected to scan line S of the pixels P is formed at the other side of the data driver  23 , whereby the data driver  23 , the first scan driver  24   a , and the second scan driver  24   b  are electrically connected to the outer circuit  25 . As a result, the pixels P can be driven by the first and the second scan drivers  24   a ,  24   b  upon receiving signals from the outer circuit  25 .  
         [0035]     Power lines connected to the outer circuit  25 , i.e. a power supply line  26  and a ground line  27  are installed at outer side of the first scan driver  24   a  and of the second scan driver  24   b  from the pixel circuit  22 , respectively. There is a sealant  29  on the fringe of them which seals the pixel circuit  22  from impurities such as water and oxygen.  
         [0036]     However, the above allocation of the power supply line  26  and the ground line  27  is only an example from an embodiment of the present invention. The locations of the power supply line  26  and the ground line  27  can vary dependant on the designs. Here, it is important the power supply line  26  and the ground line  27  are placed at outer sides of the first and the second scan drivers  26 ,  27 . As a result, provision of curing margins W 3 , W 4  becomes minimized or unnecessary, as the first and the second scan drivers  24   a ,  24   b  are placed sufficiently inwardly and are protected from ultra violet rays.  
         [0037]     By installing the first scan driver  24   a  and the second scan driver  24   b  at both sides of the data driver  23  as shown in  FIGS. 2   a  and  2   b , and not at both sides of the pixel circuit  22  as in  FIG. 1 , the Bezel areas B 1 , B 2  formed between terminals of the substrate  21  and terminals of the pixel circuit  22  can substantially be reduced. Accordingly, a compact EL display device with a minimal size of Bezel area can be manufactured by optimizing positions of the data driver and the scan drivers.  
         [0038]     Other embodiments of the present invention, of which a description follows below, have been generated by varying positions of the components, wherein like numerals refer to like elements. In the following description, only an explanation on positional differences of the components with direct relevancy to the present invention such as the first scan driver, the second scan driver, the power supply line (hereinafter, VDD), and the ground line (hereinafter, GND) is given, and explanation on functions of such components as well as explanation on other components are omitted.  
       Second Embodiment  
       [0039]      FIG. 3  is a plane view showing internal construction of an organic EL display device in accordance with a second embodiment example of the present invention.  
         [0040]     As a preliminary the drawings of the present invention show a display device in a state the protective plate has been removed and depict the components in a schematic manner. Accordingly, sealant to be applied on outer sides of the pixel circuit  32 , the data driver  33 , the first scan driver  34   a , and the second scan driver  34   b , as well as a protective plate to be affixed on the substrate  31  by sealant are not illustrated.  
         [0041]     As shown in  FIG. 3 , positions of the first scan driver  34   a  and of the second scan driver  34   b  on the organic EL display device  30 , as they are on a non-emitting area, differ from the forming positions of the first scan driver  24   a  and the second scan driver  24   b  in  FIG. 2   a.    
         [0042]     As the first scan driver  34   a  and the second scan driver  34   b  are located on each side of the pixel circuit  32  on the opposite side of the data driver  33 , so the size of Bezel areas formed by spaces between both ends of the pixel circuit  32  and of the substrate  31  are reduced substantially.  
       Third Embodiment  
       [0043]      FIG. 4  is a plane view showing internal construction of an organic EL display device in accordance with a third embodiment example of the present invention.  
         [0044]     As a preliminary, the drawings of the present invention show a display device in a state the protecting plate has been removed and depict the components in a schematic manner. Accordingly, sealant to be applied on outer sides of the pixel circuit  42 , the data driver  43 , the first scan driver  44   a , and the second scan driver  44   b , as well as a protective plate to be affixed on the substrate  41  by sealant are not illustrated.  
         [0045]     As shown in  FIG. 4 , a data driver  43  is formed atone side of the pixel circuit  42 , while a first scan driver  44   a  and a second scan driver  44   b  are formed at other sides of the pixel circuit  42 , respectively, on an organic EL display device  40 .  
         [0046]     Both a VDD  46  and a GND  47  are formed between the data driver  43  and the pixel circuit  42  along rim of the data driver  43  as shown in  FIG. 5 . By not installing the VDD  46  and the GND  47  at both sides of the pixel circuit  42 , the size of Bezel areas are reduced substantially.  
       Fourth Embodiment  
       [0047]      FIG. 5  is a plane view showing internal construction of an organic EL display device in accordance with a fourth embodiment example of the present invention.  
         [0048]     As shown in  FIG. 5 , arrangements of the pixel circuit  42 , data driver  43 , the first scan driver  44   a , and the second scan driver  44   b  on the organic EL display device  40  are the same as in the second embodiment example.  
         [0049]     A VDD  46  is formed between the data driver  43  and the pixel circuit  42 , and a GND  47  is formed along outer rim of the substrate  41  as shown in  FIG. 5 . By not installing the VDD  46  and the GND  47  at both sides of the pixel circuit  42 , the size of Bezel areas are reduced substantially.  
       Fifth Embodiment  
       [0050]      FIG. 6  is a plane view showing internal construction of an organic EL display device in accordance with a fifth embodiment example of the present invention.  
         [0051]     As a preliminary, the drawings of the present invention show a display device in a state the protecting plate has been removed and depict the components in a schematic manner. Accordingly, sealant to be applied on outer sides of the pixel circuit  42 , the data driver  43 , the first scan driver  44   a , and the second scan driver  44   b , as well as a protective plate to be affixed on the substrate  41  by sealant are not illustrated.  
         [0052]     As shown in  FIG. 6 , a GND  47  is formed between the data driver  43  and the pixel circuit  42 , and a VDD  46  is formed along outer rim of the substrate  41  as shown in  FIG. 5 . By not installing the VDD  46  and the GND  47  at both sides of the pixel circuit  42 , the size of Bezel areas are reduced substantially.  
         [0053]     Although the above embodiments of the present invention have been described to comprise one data driver each the present invention is not limited thereto, but rather can adopt a plurality of data driver as well  
         [0054]     The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.

Technology Category: 3