PROCESS FOR PRODUCING FLEXIBLE OLED SCREENS AND FLEXIBLE OLED SCREENS

Abstract

Processes for producing an OLED screen with a reduced, minimized, or eliminated bezel section surrounding the display are. The circuitry (206) of the display screen is moved to beneath the OLED (212) and transistor layers (210). The screens with the reduced sized may be installed in an aircraft, and, two or more of the OLED screens with reduced sized may be positioned adjacent to each other so as to form an array.

Claims

1. An OLED screen comprising: a display area formed from a plurality of layers, the plurality of layers including an OLED layer, a transistor layer, and a circuitry layer, wherein the circuitry layer is disposed on a first side of the transistor layer, and wherein the OLED layer is disposed on a second side of the transistor layer, the second side opposite the first side.

2. The OLED screen of claim 1, further comprising an encapsulation layer disposed on the OLED layer.

3. The OLED screen of claim 1, further comprising a substrate disposed on the circuitry layer.

4. The OLED screen of claim 1, wherein the screen is adjacent to a second screen so as to form an array, the second screen comprising a display area formed from a plurality of layers, the plurality of layers including an OLED layer, a transistor laver, and a circuitry layer, wherein the circuitry layer is disposed on a first side of the transistor layer, and wherein the OLED layer is disposed on a second side of the transistor layer, the second side opposite the first side.

5. The OLED screen of claim 4, wherein the array is disposed in an aircraft.

6. A process of making an OLED screen comprising: depositing a transistor layer on a circuitry layer; and, depositing an OLED layer on the transistor layer such that the OLED layer and the circuitry layer are on opposite sides of the transistor layer.

7. The process of claim 6, further comprising encapsulating the OLED layer.

8. The process of claim 6, wherein the circuitry layer is disposed on a supporting substrate.

9. The process of claim 6 further comprising: forming an array by adjacently arranging two or more of the OLED screens.

10. The process of claim 9, wherein the array is disposed in an aircraft.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] One or more exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described below in conjunction with the following drawing figure, in which:

[0021] FIG. 1A depicts a front view of a conventional OLED screen;

[0022] FIG. 1B depicts a side, cutaway view of the conventional OLED screen shown in FIG. 1A;

[0023] FIG. 2A depicts a front view of an OLED display screen according to one or more aspects of the present invention;

[0024] FIG. 2B depicts a side, cutaway view of the OLED display screen shown in FIG. 2A;

[0025] FIG. 3 shows an array with multiple OLED screens produced according to one or more aspects of the present invention; and,

[0026] FIG. 4 shows an airplane with multiple OLED screens therein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0027] As noted above, the present invention provides OLED screens that are more readily adapted to use in an aircraft environment compared with production OLED screens that are designed for consumer goods. The processes of the present invention provide OLED screens in which the control circuitry is located underneath the OLED and the TFT layers. Thus, the screens produced according to the present processes have reduced, minimized, or eliminated bezels (compared with conventional OLED screens). This facilitates that use of the screens in an array with less area inside the combined display taken up by the adjacent bezels.

[0028] With these above general aspects of the present invention in mind, one or more embodiments of the present invention will be described with the understanding that the following description is not intended to be limiting.

[0029] As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, a current OLED display screen 100 includes a display area 102 surrounded by a bezel 104 at the perimeter of the display area 102. As discussed above, beneath the bezel 104 is control circuitry 106 for providing a signal to the pixels of the display area 102. The display area 102 is formed from a plurality of layers which includes, a lower substrate layer 108, a thin film transistors layer 110, an OLED layer 112, and an encapsulation layer 114. The substrate layer 108 is used to produce the OLED display screen 100 and provide some protection and structural integrity to the OLED display screen 100. The thin film transistors layer 110 is used to transmit signals from the circuitry 106 to the individual pixels in the OLED layer 112 so that the pixel produces the desired visual effect. The encapsulation layer 114 protects the OLED layer 112.

[0030] Turning to FIGS. 2A and 2B, an OLED display screen 200 according to the present invention also includes a display area 202. It is contempered that the OLED display screen 200 only include the display area 202, but, it may also include a bezel 204 at the perimeter of the display area 202. The bezel 204 is reduced in sized compared with the bezel 104 of the current OLED display screen 100 (FIGS. 1A and 1B).

[0031] As can be seen in FIG. 2B, in the OLED display screen 200 according to the present invention, control circuitry 206 has been moved from the bezel 204 to the display area 202. Thus, the OLED display screen 200 includes a lower substrate layer 208, the control circuitry 206 disposed on the substrate layer 208, a thin film transistors layer 210 disposed on the control circuitry 206, an OLED layer 212 above the thin film transistors layer 210, and an encapsulation layer 214 on top of the OLED layer 212. The use of “above,” “on top” and other similar language is meant in relation to the orientation shown in the drawing.

[0032] Thus, on one side of the thin film transistors layer 210 is the OLED layer 212, while on the opposite side of the thin film transistors layer 210 is the control circuitry or circuit layer 206. Accordingly, in the OLED display screen 200 according to the present invention, rather than connecting the pixel driving circuits 206 to the transistors layer 210 in a horizontal plane (as shown in FIG. 1B), the present invention proposes a connection between the two in a vertical plane.

[0033] In order to manufacture the OLED display screen 200, the circuit layer 206 will be the first layer to be deposited on the substrate 208. Above the circuit layer 206, the TFT layer 210 will be deposited with their already existing fine-masks. The TFT layer 210 will also include spaces on these fine-masks so the conductive molecules can be deposited layer by layer, to form the vertical connections needed. Alternatively, a different manufacturing approach could be to leave holes in every TFT layer and fulfil/deposit the conductive molecules within the holes once the latest TFT layer has been deposit. Once the TFT layer 210 has been deposited, the OLED layer 212 and encapsulation layers 214 can be applied to form the OLED display screen 200.

[0034] As noted above, such an OLED display screen 200 will have reduced, minimized, or eliminated bezels 204.

[0035] While the OLED display screen 200 may be used alone, with the reduced, minimized, or eliminated bezels 204, it is contemplated that an array 300 is formed, as shown in FIG. 3 by combining two or more of the OLED display screens 200. The array 300 is depicted as having four screens 200a, 200b, 200c, 200d; however, any number of screens could be used. In the array 300, the space taken up by the bezels 204 (see FIG. 2A) within the combined display area is smaller than had the same array been formed with the OLED screens 100 with the conventionally sized bezels 104.

[0036] Whether arranged in an array, or used alone, the present processes are believed to provide OLED screens, which, for example, can be used within an aircraft environment. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, an aircraft 400 includes two OLED screens 402.

[0037] While at least one exemplary embodiment of the present invention(s) is disclosed herein, it should be understood that modifications, substitutions and alternatives may be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art and can be made without departing from the scope of this disclosure. This disclosure is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the exemplary embodiment(s). In addition, in this disclosure, the terms “comprise” or “comprising” do not exclude other elements or steps, the terms “a” or “one” do not exclude a plural number, and the term “or” means either or both. Furthermore, characteristics or steps which have been described may also be used in combination with other characteristics or steps and in any order unless the disclosure or context suggests otherwise. This disclosure hereby incorporates by reference the complete disclosure of any patent or application from which it claims benefit or priority.