IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,176,856
Granted Patent B2
US 11,176,856 · App. 16/274,157 · Granted Nov 16, 2021

Display device and method for inspecting signal lines of the same

Inventors: Donghee Shin (Asan-si, KR); Hyungjin Song (Hwaseong-si, KR); Byoungsun Na (Seoul, KR); Yoomi Ra (Ansan-si, KR); Soohong Cheon (Seoul, KR)
G09G3/006G02F1/1368G02F1/136209G02F1/136259G02F1/136286G09G3/3688G02F2001/136254G02F2001/136263G02F2201/123G09G2300/0426G09G2300/0452G09G2300/0465
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,176,856
App. No.
16/274,157
Granted
Nov 16, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A display device and a method of inspecting signal lines of the display device facilitating inspection of a large number of signal lines are disclosed. According to one embodiment, the display device includes: a substrate; a first signal line disposed in a display area of the substrate; and a first inspection line disposed in a non-display area of the substrate and connected to the first signal line. The first inspection line includes: a first line connected to the first signal line; a second line disposed on a layer substantially the same as a layer on which the first line is disposed, the second line spaced apart from the first line; and a third line disposed on a layer different from the layer on which the first line and the second line are disposed with an insulating layer interposed therebetween, the third line overlapping at least a portion of the first line and a portion of the second line.

Claims (78)

1. A display device comprising:

a substrate;

a first signal line disposed in a display area of the substrate; and

a first inspection line disposed in a non-display area of the substrate and connected to the first signal line,

wherein the first inspection line comprises:

a first line disposed on a first layer and connected to the first signal line;

a second line disposed on the first layer and spaced apart from the first line; and

a third line disposed on a second layer different from the first layer on which the first line and the second line are disposed with an insulating layer interposed therebetween, the third line overlapping at least a portion of the first line and a portion of the second line, and

wherein the first and second lines are not in contact with the third line.

2. The display device of claim 1 , wherein one side edge of the substrate faces an end of the second line.

3. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the third line is connected to the first line through a first contact hole of the insulating layer.

4. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the third line is connected to the second line through a second contact hole of the insulating layer.

5. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the third line is surrounded by the insulating layer.

6. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the third line comprises:

a first pad portion overlapping the first line;

a second pad portion overlapping the second line; and

a line portion disposed between the first pad portion and the second pad portion without overlapping the first line and the second line.

7. The display device of claim 6 , wherein each of the first pad portion and the second pad portion has a width larger than a width of the line portion of the third line.

8. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the first line comprises:

a line portion connected to the first signal line; and

a pad portion connected to the line portion of the first line and overlapping at least a portion of the third line.

9. The display device of claim 8 , wherein the pad portion of the first line has a width larger than a width of the line portion of the first line.

10. The display device of claim 8 , wherein the second line comprises:

a pad portion facing the pad portion of the first line and overlapping at least a portion of the third line; and

a line portion connected to the pad portion of the second line.

11. The display device of claim 10 , wherein the pad portion of the second line has a width larger than a width of the line portion of the second line.

12. The display device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a second signal line disposed in the display area adjacently to the first signal line; and

a second inspection line connected to the second signal line and disposed in the non-display area adjacently to the first inspection line.

13. A display device comprising:

a substrate;

a first signal line disposed in a display area of the substrate;

a first inspection line disposed in a non-display area of the substrate and connected to the first signal line,

a second signal line disposed in the display area adjacently to the first signal line; and

a second inspection line connected to the second signal line and disposed in the non-display area adjacently to the first inspection line;

wherein the first inspection line comprises:

a first line disposed on a fist layer and connected to the first signal line;

a second line disposed on the first layer and spaced apart from the first line; and

a third line disposed on a second layer different from the first layer on which the first line and the second line are disposed with an insulating layer interposed therebetween, the third line overlapping at least a portion of the first line and a portion of the second line,

wherein one side edge of the substrate faces an end of the second line and an end of the second inspection line, and

wherein a first distance between the end of the second line and the one side edge is different from a second distance between the end of the second inspection line and the one side edge.

14. The display device of claim 13 , wherein the second distance is longer than the first distance.

15. A display device comprising:

a substrate comprising a display area in which pixels are disposed, a non-display area disposed adjacent to the display area, and first to n-th inspection areas (n being a natural number larger than 1) arranged in the non-display area along a first direction; and

first to n-th inspection lines disposed in the non-display area and extending along a second direction, the first to n-th inspection lines connected to first to n-th signal lines of the display area, respectively,

wherein the first inspection line extends toward an edge of the substrate and overlaps the first to n-th inspection areas,

a p-th inspection line (p being a natural number larger than 1 and less than or equal to n) extends toward the edge of the substrate and overlaps the first to (n−p+1)-th inspection areas, and

two inspection lines among the first to n-th inspection lines that are adjacent to each other in a q-th inspection area (q being a natural number less than n) are disposed on different layers from each other with respect to an insulating layer interposed therebetween.

16. The display device of claim 15 , wherein an (n−q)-th inspection line and an (n−q+1)-th inspection line in the q-th inspection area are disposed on different layers from each other with respect to the insulating layer.

17. The display device of claim 16 , wherein the first to (n−q)-th inspection lines in the q-th inspection area are disposed on a substantially same layer with respect to the insulating layer.

18. The display device of claim 15 , wherein the q-th inspection area comprises an area between a lowermost pad portion of the (n−q+1)-th inspection line and a lowermost pad portion of the (n−q)-th inspection line.

19. The display device of claim 15 , wherein the q-th inspection area comprises an area between two imaginary parallel lines that pass through facing surfaces of a lowermost pad portion of the (n−q+1)-th inspection line and a lowermost pad portion of the (n−q)-th inspection line, respectively.

20. The display device of claim 15 , wherein the n-th inspection area comprises an area between a lowermost pad portion of the first inspection line and the edge of the substrate.

21. The display device of claim 15 , wherein distances between the edge of the substrate and respective first to n-th ends of the first to n-th inspection lines are different from each other.

22. The display device of claim 21 , wherein a distance between the edge of the substrate and an end of the p-th inspection line is longer than a distance between the edge of the substrate and an end of the (p−1)-th inspection line.

23. The display device of claim 15 , wherein the first inspection line comprises:

a first line disposed on a layer substantially the same as a layer on which the n-th inspection line is disposed, the first line connected to the first signal line;

a second line disposed on a layer substantially the same as the layer on which the n-th inspection line is disposed, the second line spaced apart from the first line; and

a third line disposed on a layer different from the layer on which the n-th inspection line is disposed with an insulating layer interposed therebetween, the third line overlapping at least a portion of the first line and a portion of the second line.

24. The display device of claim 23 , wherein the third line comprises:

a first pad portion overlapping the first line;

a second pad portion overlapping the second line; and

a line portion disposed between the first pad portion and the second pad portion without overlapping the first line and the second line.

25. A method of inspecting signal lines of a display device, the method comprising:

preparing the display device comprising:

a substrate comprising a display area in which pixels are disposed, a non-display area disposed adjacent to the display area, and first to n-th inspection areas (n being a natural number larger than 1) arranged in the non-display area and extending along a first direction; and

first to n-th inspection lines disposed in the non-display area and extending along a second direction intersecting the first direction, the first to n-th inspection lines connected to first to n-th signal lines of the display area, respectively,

the first inspection line extending toward an edge of the substrate and overlapping the first to n-th inspection areas,

a p-th inspection line (p being a natural number larger than 1 and less than or equal to n) extending toward the edge of the substrate and overlapping the first to (n−p+1)-th inspection areas, and

two inspection lines among the first to n-th inspection lines that are adjacent to each other in a q-th inspection area (q being a natural number less than n) being disposed on different layers from each other with respect to an insulating layer interposed therebetween;

sequentially applying inspection signals to exposed inspection lines in the q-th inspection area; and

sequentially applying inspection signals to exposed inspection lines in a (q+1)-th inspection area.

26. The method of claim 25 , wherein sequentially applying the inspection signals to the exposed inspection lines in the q-th inspection area comprises:

disposing an inspection equipment for providing the inspection signal in the q-th inspection area; and

moving the inspection equipment along the second direction allowing an output terminal of the inspection equipment to sequentially contact the exposed inspection lines in the q-th inspection area.

27. The method of claim 25 , wherein sequentially applying the inspection signals to the exposed inspection lines in the (q+1)-th inspection area comprises:

disposing an inspection equipment for providing the inspection signal in the (q+1)-th inspection area; and

moving the inspection equipment along the second direction allowing the output terminal of the inspection equipment to sequentially contact the exposed inspection lines in the (q+1)-th inspection area.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 12, 2019
From: SHIN, DONGHEE; SONG, HYUNGJIN; NA, BYOUNGSUN; RA, YOOMI; CHEON, SOOHONG
To: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 048314/0498 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2018-0028461 · Mar 12, 2018 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190279544A1 · Sep 12, 2019
Cited By (1)
US 12,223,867