FLAT PANEL DISPLAY PACKAGE METHOD

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a flat panel display, particularly to a flat panel display package method.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Compared with the traditional CRT (Cathode Ray Tube), FPD (Flat Panel Display), such as LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) and OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) displays, has the advantages of lightweight and high brightness and has been widely accepted by users. Among them, EPD (ElectroPhoretic Display) is an outstanding one and features flexibility, bistability, self-luminescence and power efficiency. At present, EPD has been applied to electronic tags, electronic signboards, smart cards, e-books, and time display devices. However, EPD is very sensitive to humidity. Once humidity permeates EPD, the electrodes cannot normally drive the ink particles thereinside, which will decrease the mobility and degrade the picture quality. In such a case, the stability and lifetime of EPD is unlikely to satisfy the requirements of the market, and the popularization of EPD should be handicapped. The traditional solution to the humidity damage on EPD is applying a water-proof film onto the surface of EPD. However, humidity permeation is omnidirectional. Thus, humidity can still permeate EPD from the lateral and back sides. Therefore, the traditional solution cannot effectively protect EPD from humidity damage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to completely prevent external humidity from permeating a flat panel display. To achieve the abovementioned objective, the present invention proposes a flat panel display package method comprising steps:

• (a) preparing a display module: fabricating a flat panel display and an electronic baseplate, wherein the electronic baseplate is assembled to the flat panel display and provides a driving signal for the flat panel display, and wherein the combination of the flat panel display and the electronic baseplate forms a display module and defines a module package plane;
• (b) covering the display module: respectively providing a first package film and a second package film for the flat panel display and the electronic baseplate, wherein the first package film outside the module package plane and the second package film outside the module package plane are respectively defined to be a first join region and a second join region; and
• (c) hot pressing and packaging: a hot-pressing machine applying a hot-pressing temperature and a hot-pressing pressure to bond the first and second join regions to prevent from external humidity.

The flat panel display may be an EPD (ElectroPhoretic Display). The first package film covering the flat panel display needs a light transmittance of over 70% to present the pictures of the flat panel display. Each of the first and second package films is a multi-layer film containing a metal layer. The metal layer of the second package film contains aluminum or copper, or the metal layer of the second package film is a stainless-steel layer. A first joiner adhesive is disposed between the first package film and the flat panel display, and a second joiner adhesive is disposed between the second package film and the electronic baseplate, whereby the first package film and the second package film are respectively firmly stuck onto the flat panel display and the electronic baseplate.

In step (b), the first and second join regions have a width of at least 1 mm to attain a better bonding. In step (c), the hot-pressing temperature is between 75 and 95° C., and the hot-pressing pressure is between 0.8 and 1.2 kg/cm², and the time for hot-pressing is between 7 and 13 seconds. The hot-pressing machine can be a roller-type or bar-type hot-pressing machine.

Via the flat panel display package method of the present invention, the first and second package films are airtightly sealed by hot pressing the first and second join regions. Thus, external humidity is impossible to enter the space formed by the first and second package films. Thereby, the flat panel display and the electronic baseplate are protected.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing a FPD package method according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

FIGS. 2A-2D are diagrams schematically showing the steps of a FPD package method according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Below are described in detailed the technical contents of the preset invention in cooperation with the drawings.

Refer to FIG. 1 a flowchart of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The present invention proposes a flat panel display package method comprising steps:

• (a) preparing a display module (S1): fabricating a flat panel display and an electronic baseplate, wherein the electronic baseplate is assembled to the flat panel display and provides a driving signal for the flat panel display, and wherein the combination of the flat panel display and the electronic baseplate forms a display module and defines a module package plane;
• (b) covering the display module (S2): respectively providing a first package film and a second package film for the flat panel display and the electronic baseplate, wherein the first package film and the second package film outside the module package plane are respectively defined to be a first join region and a second join region; and
• (c) hot pressing and packaging (S3): a hot-pressing machine applying a hot-pressing temperature and a hot-pressing pressure to bond the first and second join regions to prevent from external humidity.

The flat panel display may be an EPD (ElectroPhoretic display). The first package film covering the flat panel display needs a light transmittance of over 70% to present the pictures of the flat panel display. A first joiner adhesive is disposed between the first package film and the flat panel display, and a second joiner adhesive is disposed between the second package film and the electronic baseplate, whereby the first package film and the second package film are respectively firmly stuck onto the flat panel display and the electronic baseplate.

In this preferred embodiment, each of the first and second package films is a multi-layer film containing a soft plastic layer, a metal layer, etc. The soft plastic layer is made of PE (polyethylene), PA (polyamide), PET (polyethylene terephthalate), PU (polyurethane), PVA (polyvinyl alcohol), or polyester. The metal layer contains aluminum or copper, or the metal layer is a stainless-steel layer.

Refer to FIGS. 2A-2D diagrams schematically showing the package steps according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Refer to FIG. 1 also. As shown in FIG. 2A, in the step S1 of preparing a display module, the finished flat panel display 10 and the finished electronic baseplate 20 are assembled together to form the display module and electrically coupled to each other, and the display module defines a module package plane. As shown in FIG. 2B and FIG. 2C, in the step S2 of covering the display module, a roller 30 is used to respectively apply a first package film 11 and a second package film 21 uniformly onto the flat panel display 10 and the electronic baseplate 20 of the display module. Before the step S2, a first joiner adhesive 12 is coated onto a portion of the first package film 11 corresponding to the flat panel display 10, and a second joiner adhesive 22 is coated onto a portion of the second package film 21 corresponding to the electronic baseplate 20, whereby the first package film 11 and the second package film 21 are respectively stuck onto the flat panel display 10 and the electronic baseplate 20 firmly. The first joiner adhesive 12 is selected from the adhesives appropriate for the first package film 11 and the flat panel display 10, and the second joiner adhesive 22 is selected from the adhesives appropriate for the second package film 21 and the electronic baseplate 20. The second joiner adhesive 22 may be identical to or different from the first joiner adhesive 12. The size of each of the first and second package films 11 and 21 is greater than the module package plane. The portion of the first package film 11 outside the module package plane is defined to be a first join region 111, and the portion of the second package film 21 outside the module package plane is defined to be a second join region 211. Each of the first and second join regions 111 and 211 has a width of at least 1 mm.

As shown in FIG. 2D, in the step S3 of hot pressing and packaging, the semi-product of the step S2 is placed in a hot-pressing machine, and the hot-pressing machine may be a roller-type hot-pressing machine or a bar-type hot-pressing machine. In this preferred embodiment, the bar-type hot-pressing machine is adopted. The hot-pressing machine has a hot-pressing unit 40 arranged corresponding to the first join region 111 of the first package film 11 and the second join region 211 of the second package film 21. The hot-pressing unit 40 applies a hot-pressing temperature and a hot-pressing pressure to the first and second join regions 111 and 211. The hot-pressing temperature is between 75 and 95° C., and the hot-pressing pressure is between 0.8 and 1.2 kg/cm², and the time for hot-pressing is between 7 and 13 seconds. Thereby, the first and second join regions 111 and 211 are sealed airtightly, and the flat panel display 10 and the electronic baseplate 20 are packaged inside the first and second package films 11 and 21.

In conclusion, the first package film and the second package film respectively cover the flat panel display and the electronic baseplate, whereby external humidity cannot enter the display module from the front side and back side of the display module. Further, the first and second join regions along the circumference of the display module are sealed airtightly with a hot-pressing method, whereby external humidity cannot enter the display module from the lateral sides. Thus, the flat panel display and electronic baseplate packaged inside the first and second package films are fully protected from the damage of external humidity.

From the abovementioned description, it is known that the present invention indeed possesses novelty and non-obviousness and meets the conditions for a patent. Thus, the Inventor files the application for a patent. It will be appreciated if the patent is approved fast.

The embodiments described above are only to exemplify the present invention but not to limit the scope of the present invention. Therefore, any equivalent modification or variation according to the spirit of the present invention is to be also included within the scope of the present invention.