Flexible Display Device with Bridged Wire Traces

Abstract

There is provided a flexible display having a plurality of innovations configured to allow bending of a portion or portions to reduce apparent border size and/or utilize the side surface of an assembled flexible display.

1 . A display apparatus, comprising:
 a base layer; and   a plurality of conductive lines on the base layer, with at least one conductive line having a structure to suppress galvanic corrosion at an end thereof.   
     
     
         2 . The display apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the structure of the at least one conductive line includes a plurality of separated parts of the at least one conductive line that act to suppress galvanic corrosion from occurring along its length. 
     
     
         3 . The display apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the galvanic corrosion is minimized to grow along the conductive line due to one or more spaces formed between the plurality of separated parts of the conductive line. 
     
     
         4 . The display apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the structure of the at least one conductive line further includes a conductive bridge arranged to be in contact with at least two of the separated parts of the at least one conductive line. 
     
     
         5 . The display apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the conductive bridge is in a different layer from the conductive line. 
     
     
         6 . The display apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the structure of the at least one conductive line further includes one or more insulation layers having contact holes through which the conductive bridge and the conductive line are electrically connected together. 
     
     
         7 . The display apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the structure of the conductive line includes a first part extended to a scribed edge or a chamfered edge of the base layer and a second part connected to at least one TFT on the base layer, and
 the first part and the second part of the conductive line being separated from each other on a same plane.   
     
     
         8 . The display apparatus of  claim 7 , the TFT connected to the conductive line has gate electrode in a same metal layer as the conductive line and a source electrode or a drain electrode in a same metal layer as the conductive bridge. 
     
     
         9 . The display apparatus of  claim 7 , The TFT connected to the conductive line has gate electrode in a same metal layer as the conductive bridge and a source electrode or a drain electrode in a same metal layer as the conductive line. 
     
     
         10 . The display apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the first part of the conductive line is cut by a scribing or chamfering process, and the galvanic corrosion starts at the scribed edge or the chamfered edge. 
     
     
         11 . The display apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the structure of the at least one conductive line is in a non-display area. 
     
     
         12 . The display apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein one end of the conductive line is connected to a pad in the non-display area and the other end of the conductive line is connected to a data line or one or more driving circuits. 
     
     
         13 . The display apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the structure of the conductive line is configured to suppress the galvanic corrosion at a scribed edge or a chamfered edge. 
     
     
         14 . The display apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a bend allowance section where the base layer is bent in a predetermined bend angle, wherein the conductive line is routed across an allowance section. 
     
     
         15 . The display apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein one or more conductive lines are test lines used for testing or temporarily operating the driving circuits or pixels during manufacturing of the display apparatus and are arranged across a scribing line or a chamfering line of the base layer. 
     
     
         16 . The display apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the structure includes a multi-layered configuration. 
     
     
         17 . The display apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one conductive line has the multi-layered configuration in which the at least one conductive line includes a primary conductive layer and secondary conductive layers, with the primary conductive layer sandwiched between the secondary conductive layers. 
     
     
         18 . The display apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the multi-layered configuration of the conductive line that allows for sufficient flexibility to maintain mechanical and electrical robustness. 
     
     
         19 . The display apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein outer surfaces of the primary conductive layer are completely covered by the secondary conductive layers to hinder the galvanic corrosion from occurring on the primary conductive layer. 
     
     
         20 . The display apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the primary conductive layer is formed of material with a lower electrical resistance than that of the secondary conductive layers.