IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,602,136
Granted Patent B2
US 12,602,136 · App. 18/400,641 · Granted Apr 14, 2026

Display device

Inventors: Chiwook An (Hwaseong-si, KR); Doyeon Kim (Seoul, KR); Sunghyun Park (Seongnam-si, KR); Jaehyun Lee (Seoul, KR); Sung-Woong Cho (Anyang-si, KR)
Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
G06F3/0443G06F3/0412G06F3/0446G09G3/3225H10K59/40H10K59/8731G06F2203/04102G06F2203/04103G06F2203/04111
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,602,136
App. No.
18/400,641
Granted
Apr 14, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A display device includes a display panel, and a touch sensing unit on the display panel, the touch sensing unit including a first conductive pattern on the display panel, an insulating layer covering the first conductive pattern, and a second conductive pattern on the insulating layer, partially crossing the first conductive pattern, and having a thickness that is greater than a thickness of the first conductive pattern.

Claims (60)

1 . A display device comprising:

an organic light emitting device layer;

a thin film encapsulation layer on the organic light emitting device layer;

a buffer layer directly on the thin film encapsulation layer; and

a touch sensing unit directly on the buffer layer, the touch sensing unit comprising:

a first conductive pattern on the buffer layer, and comprising:

a first conductive layer on the buffer layer;

a second conductive layer on the first conductive layer; and

a third conductive layer on the second conductive layer;

an insulating layer covering the first conductive pattern; and

a second conductive pattern on the insulating layer, and having a thickness that is greater than a thickness of the first conductive pattern, and comprising:

a fourth conductive layer on the insulating layer;

a fifth conductive layer on the fourth conductive layer; and

a sixth conductive layer on the fifth conductive layer,

wherein the first conductive pattern has a first inclined surface and the second conductive pattern has a second inclined surface along a first direction when viewed in a second direction crossing the first direction, the first direction and the second direction crossing a third direction along which the thicknesses are defined.

2 . The display device of claim 1 , wherein a first upper surface of the second conductive pattern connected to a side of the inclined surface overlaps the first conductive layer in a plan view, a second upper surface of the second conductive pattern connected to other side of the inclined surface is apart from the first conductive layer in a plan view and has a lower height than that of the first upper surface.

3 . The display device of claim 1 , wherein the first conductive pattern is directly on the buffer layer.

4 . The display device of claim 3 , wherein the first conductive pattern is on the buffer layer.

5 . The display device of claim 1 , wherein the thin film encapsulation layer is formed on the organic light emitting device layer by using at least one of a deposition process, an inkjet printing process, or a coating process.

6 . The display device of claim 5 , wherein the thin film encapsulation layer comprises an inorganic film deposited on the organic light emitting device layer.

7 . The display device of claim 5 , wherein the thin film encapsulation layer comprises an organic film inkjet printed on the organic light emitting device layer.

8 . The display device of claim 5 , wherein the thin film encapsulation layer comprises an organic film coated on the organic light emitting device layer.

9 . The display device of claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the first conductive pattern is less than a thickness of the insulating layer.

10 . The display device of claim 9 , wherein the thickness of the insulating layer is substantially equal to a thickness of the second conductive pattern.

11 . The display device of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the second conductive layer is greater than each of a thickness of the first conductive layer and a thickness of the third conductive layer.

12 . The display device of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the fifth conductive layer is greater than each of a thickness of the fourth conductive layer and a thickness of the sixth conductive layer.

13 . The display device of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the second conductive layer is less than a thickness of the fifth conductive layer.

14 . The display device of claim 1 , wherein a thickness difference between the second conductive layer and the first conductive layer is greater than a thickness difference between the third conductive layer and the first conductive layer.

15 . The display device of claim 1 , wherein a thickness difference between the fifth conductive layer and the fourth conductive layer is greater than a thickness difference between the sixth conductive layer and the fourth conductive layer.

16 . The display device of claim 1 , wherein a thickness difference between the fifth conductive layer and the fourth conductive layer is greater than a thickness difference between the second conductive layer and the first conductive layer.

17 . An electronic device comprising:

a display module comprising an organic light emitting device layer and a thin film encapsulation layer on the organic light emitting device layer;

a window disposed on the display module; and

a touch sensing unit between the display module and the window, the touch sensing unit comprising:

a first conductive pattern on the display module, and comprising:

a first conductive layer;

a second conductive layer on the first conductive layer; and

a third conductive layer on the second conductive layer;

an insulating layer covering the first conductive pattern; and

a second conductive pattern on the insulating layer, having a thickness that is greater than a thickness of the first conductive pattern, and comprising:

a fourth conductive layer on the insulating layer;

a fifth conductive layer on the fourth conductive layer; and

a sixth conductive layer on the fifth conductive layer,

wherein the first conductive pattern has a first inclined surface and the second conductive pattern has a second inclined surface along a first direction when viewed in a second direction crossing the first direction, the first direction and the second direction crossing a third direction along which the thicknesses are defined.

18 . The electronic device of claim 17 , further comprising a protective film below the display module,

wherein the display module, the touch sensing unit, and the window are foldable along a folding axis overlapping the organic light emitting device layer in a plan view.

19 . The electronic device of claim 17 , wherein the organic light emitting device layer comprises:

a plurality of first light emitting areas to emit red light;

a plurality of second light emitting areas to emit green light; and

a plurality of third light emitting areas to emit blue light,

wherein, viewed in a plan view, one or more of the second light emitting areas are a different size than at least one of the first light emitting areas or the third light emitting areas; and

wherein the second conductive pattern comprises:

first touch sensor parts comprising a plurality of metal mesh lines defining a plurality of mesh holes;

second touch sensor parts comprising a plurality of metal mesh lines defining a plurality of mesh holes; and

first connection parts connecting respective ones of the first touch sensor parts,

wherein viewed in a plan view, at least one of the first light emitting areas, at least one of the second light emitting areas, or at least one of the third light emitting areas is located within one of the mesh holes defined by one or more of the first touch sensor parts such that the metal mesh lines of the one or more first touch sensor parts do not overlap with a respective one of the at least one of the first light emitting areas, the at least one of the second light emitting areas, or the at least one of the third light emitting areas, and

wherein at least another one of the first light emitting areas, at least another one of the second light emitting areas, or at least another one of the third light emitting areas is located within one of the mesh holes defined by one or more of the second touch sensor parts such that the metal mesh lines of the one or more second touch sensor parts do not overlap with a respective one of the at least another one of the first light emitting areas, the at least another one of the second light emitting areas, or the at least another one of the third light emitting areas,

wherein the first conductive pattern comprises electrically conductive second connection parts connecting respective ones of the second touch sensor parts, and

wherein a conductive contact hole through the insulating layer connects respective ones of the second connection parts and the second touch sensor parts.

20 . The electronic device of claim 17 , wherein the display module, the touch sensing unit, and the window are foldable along a folding axis overlapping the organic light emitting device layer in a plan view.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 11, 2024
From: AN, CHIWOOK; KIM, DOYEON; PARK, SUNGHYUN; LEE, JAEHYUN; CHO, SUNG-WOONG
To: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 069549/0305 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2016-0097493 · Jul 29, 2016 · national
Continuity (5)
Continuation 18055275 · Nov 14, 2022
Continuation 16742230 · Jan 14, 2020
Continuation 15660827 · Jul 26, 2017
Related Publication 20240134486A1 · Apr 25, 2024
Related Publication 20240231545A9 · Jul 11, 2024
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