JP2004319407A - Connecting structure of organic el panel - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a connecting structure of an organic EL panel capable of facilitating the management of application amount of a moisture proofing agent and improving the reliability in electric connection. <P>SOLUTION: This connecting structure of the organic EL panel comprises the organic EL panel 1 having a plurality of electrode terminals (drawing electrodes) 3c and 6a provided in lines, and a flexible circuit board (circuit board) 8 having connecting terminals (terminal part) 8b to be electrically connected to each of the electrode terminals 3c and 6a. The electrode terminals 3c and 6a are electrically connected to the connecting terminals 8b through an anisotropic conductive film (connecting member) 12, and the moisture proofing agent 11 is applied to cover the connecting parts of the electrode terminals 3c and 6a with the connecting terminals 8b. The organic EL panel 1 has an index part 10 for showing the application range of the moisture proofing agent 11. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a connection structure of an organic EL (electro luminescence) panel, and more particularly to a joining structure of an extraction electrode of an organic EL panel and a terminal portion of a circuit board.
[0002]
[Prior art]
As an organic EL panel, a transparent electrode (anode electrode) serving as an anode by ITO (indium tin oxide) or the like, a hole injection layer, and a hole transport are formed on a glass substrate (a translucent support substrate) made of a glass material. , An organic layer composed of a light emitting layer and an electron transport layer, and a non-transparent back electrode (cathode electrode) such as aluminum (Al) serving as a cathode are sequentially laminated to form an organic EL device as a laminate. A structure in which a predetermined light emitting portion is formed by the organic EL element, and a concave sealing member made of a glass material covering the light emitting portion is hermetically disposed on the glass substrate via an ultraviolet curable adhesive. Is known (see Patent Document 1).
[0003]
JP-A-2002-8855
Such an organic EL panel is a circuit board on which a row of electrode terminals (leading terminals) respectively drawn to one side of the glass substrate from the transparent electrode and the back electrode, and a drive circuit for driving the organic EL panel are mounted. A flexible wiring board (FPC) is used to electrically connect the FPC and the FPC. The flexible wiring board includes: first connection terminals (terminal portions) provided in a row corresponding to the electrode terminals; predetermined circuit wiring electrically connected to the first connection terminals; A second connection terminal is provided at an end of the wiring and is connected to the circuit board. The electrode terminals of the organic EL panel and the first connection terminals of the flexible wiring board are electrically connected by a connection member such as an anisotropic conductive film (anisotropic conductive film).
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Such an organic EL panel may be used in an environment where a temperature change occurs (for example, mounted on a vehicle), and thus there is a possibility that dew condensation may occur on a product including the organic EL panel. In order to suppress the adverse effect of this dew condensation and improve the reliability as a product, it is common to apply a resin-based moisture-proof agent to the joints between the terminals. However, if the joint cannot be easily recognized, the range of application of the desiccant becomes unclear, and the application of the desiccant is insufficient. That is, the entire area of the joint is not covered, and the respective terminals are exposed, and the respective exposed terminal portions are eroded in a high-humidity environment, and the organic EL panel itself does not emit light or the organic EL panel does not emit light. There is a problem that the panel partially emits no light, and the reliability of the electrical connection is reduced.
[0006]
Therefore, the present invention provides a bonding structure of an organic EL panel that can easily control the amount of a moisture-proofing agent applied and can improve the reliability in electrical connection.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention, as set forth in claim 1, includes an organic EL panel including a plurality of extraction electrodes provided in a row, and a terminal unit electrically connected to the extraction electrodes. A flexible circuit board, wherein the extraction electrode and the terminal portion are electrically connected via a connecting member, and a moistureproofing agent is provided so as to cover a joint portion between the extraction electrode and the terminal portion. Is applied, and at least one of the organic EL panel and the circuit board is provided with an indicator indicating an application range of the moisture proofing agent.
[0008]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the bonding structure of the organic EL panel according to the first aspect, the index portion is formed of a constituent material of an organic EL element in the organic EL panel.
[0009]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the bonding structure of the organic EL panel according to the second aspect, the indicator portion is formed of a recognizable constituent material of the organic EL element.
[0010]
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the bonding structure of the organic EL panel according to the first aspect, the indicator is formed of a constituent material of the circuit board.
[0011]
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the bonding structure of the organic EL panel according to the first aspect, the index portion is formed of a hole or a cutout formed in the circuit board.
[0012]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0013]
An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The display panel 1 mainly includes a glass substrate (translucent substrate) 2, a transparent electrode 3, an insulating layer 4, an organic layer 5, a back electrode 6, a sealing member 7, and a flexible circuit board 8. Have been.
[0014]
The glass substrate 2 is a light-transmitting support substrate having a rectangular shape.
[0015]
The transparent electrode 3 is formed by depositing a conductive material such as ITO on the glass substrate 2 by a method such as a vapor deposition method or a sputtering method. Each of the lead portions 3b is provided with an electrode terminal 3c provided at the end of the lead portion 3b, and a constant current from a power supply circuit (not shown) can be selectively applied to each display segment 3a. I have a possible structure. In the electrode terminals 3c, lead portions 3b corresponding to the respective display segment portions 3a are drawn out so as to be intensively arranged on one side of the glass substrate 2.
[0016]
The insulating layer 4 is made of, for example, a polyimide-based insulating material, and is formed by, for example, a photolithography method. The insulating layer 4 has a window 4a corresponding to the display segment 3a, and the window 4a is slightly overlapped with the periphery of the display segment 3a of the transparent electrode 3 in order to clearly display the outline of the light emitting region. It is formed so as to cover the lead portion 3b in order to secure insulation between the transparent electrode 3 and the back electrode 6.
[0017]
The organic layer 5 may have at least a light emitting layer, but in the embodiment of the present invention, a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, a light emitting layer, and an electron transport layer are sequentially laminated by means such as a vapor deposition method. It is formed.
[0018]
The back electrode 6 is formed by forming a metallic conductive material such as aluminum (Al), aluminum lithium (Al: Li), and magnesium silver (Mg: Ag) on the organic layer 6 by a method such as an evaporation method or a sputtering method. This is a single metal electrode having a rectangular shape, and serves as a common electrode of the light emitting portion (display segment portion 3a) in the organic layer 5. The back electrode 6 is electrically connected to a cathode electrode terminal 6 a provided on one side of the glass substrate 2 so as to be adjacent to each electrode terminal 3 c of the transparent electrode 3. The electrode terminal 6a is formed of the same material as the transparent electrode 3 in an elongated shape along the width direction of the back electrode 6.
[0019]
As described above, the organic EL element 9 is obtained by sequentially laminating the transparent electrode 3, the insulating layer 4, the organic layer 5, and the back electrode 6 on the glass substrate 2 to form a laminate.
[0020]
The sealing member 7 is formed by forming a concave portion 7a as a storage portion in a flat plate member made of, for example, a glass material. The sealing member 7 is provided with a support portion 7b formed so as to surround the concave portion 7a in an airtight manner on the glass substrate 2 via, for example, an ultraviolet-curable epoxy resin adhesive 10, so that the sealing member 7 The glass substrate 2 forms an airtight space S for housing the organic EL element 9. The sealing member 7 is slightly smaller than the glass substrate 2 so that the electrode terminals 3c of the transparent electrode 3 and the electrode terminals 6a of the back electrode 6 are exposed to the outside.
[0021]
The organic EL panel 1 is configured by the above components.
[0022]
The flexible circuit board (circuit board) 8 has a predetermined circuit wiring 8a formed on a flexible insulating material, and is used for connection with another device such as a controller for display control or a constant current source circuit. It is a member. A plurality of connection terminals (terminal portions) 8b electrically connected to the respective electrode terminals 3c and 6a of the display panel 1 are provided in a row at the end of the circuit wiring 8a along the width direction of the flexible circuit board 8. Have been. The connection terminal 8b is formed by laminating a conductive material such as silver or gold on a copper foil, for example, and is made of a material having better conductivity than the electrode terminals 3c and 6a made of ITO.
[0023]
Next, a joint structure between the organic EL panel 1 and the flexible circuit board 8 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.
[0024]
In the figure, reference numeral 10 denotes a pair of quadrangular indicators formed using any material of the transparent electrode 3, the insulating layer 4, the organic layer 5, and the back electrode 6 constituting the organic EL element 9. Reference numeral 11 denotes a resin-based desiccant applied within a range specified by the pair of index portions 9. Reference numeral 12 denotes electrode terminals 3c and 6a of the display panel 1 formed in a row on one side of the glass substrate 1 at predetermined intervals, and has a width smaller than the width of the electrode terminals 3c and 6a. This is an anisotropic conductive film (connection member) 11 for electrically connecting the connection terminals 8b of the flexible circuit board 8 formed at the same formation interval as the above. It is desirable that the index portion 10 be made of a material having a tint that constitutes the organic EL element 9 in order to clearly determine the region to which the desiccant 11 is applied.
[0025]
A feature of the bonding structure of the display panel 1 is that the electrode terminals 3 c and 6 a of the organic EL panel 1 and the connection terminals 8 b of the flexible circuit board 8 are bonded by the anisotropic conductive film 11, and then the index portion 10 is formed. A predetermined area including a joint portion between the electrode terminals 3c and 6a and the connection terminal 8b located in the range specified by the above is covered with the moisture proof agent 11. Therefore, in the joint portion between the electrode terminals 3c and 6a and the connection terminal 8b, the region to which the moisture-proofing agent 11 is applied is indicated by the indicator portion 10, so that the moisture-proofing agent 11 is applied by brushing or using a syringe or the like. Even when the application is performed by the application device, the application area (application range) of the moisture-proofing agent 11 can be easily confirmed, and the moisture-proofing agent 11 reaches an appropriate application amount even in the confirmation work after the application. Since it is possible to easily determine whether or not the application amount has been adjusted, the application amount management is facilitated. In addition, since the terminals 3c, 6c, and 8b are not exposed by stably applying the moisture proofing agent 11, the reliability of electrical connection can be improved even in a high-humidity environment.
[0026]
In addition, since the index portion 10 is formed of the constituent material of the organic EL element 9 in the organic EL panel 1, no special material and process are required to form the index portion 10, so that the manufacturing process is complicated. And there is no increase in manufacturing costs.
[0027]
Further, by forming the index portion 10 with the constituent material of the organic EL element 9 in the organic EL panel 1 that can be visually recognized, the application amount management becomes easier. When applying the moisture-proofing agent 11 by using the syringe of the application device, a method of determining the application position using an image processing device may be mentioned, but the image processing by the image processing device In the method, since the index portion 10 can be determined as coordinates, it becomes possible to accurately apply the moisture-proofing agent 10 to the designated application region.
[0028]
Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The same or corresponding parts as those in the above-described embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.
[0029]
The other embodiment of the present invention is different from the above-described embodiment in the formation position of the index portion. That is, the index portion 13 in another embodiment of the present invention has a linear shape and is formed from a component of the flexible circuit board 8 such as a copper foil or a silk print. The index portions 13 are provided on the side of the flexible circuit board 8 on which the circuit wiring portions 8a are formed. The index portions 13 are electrically connected to the electrode terminals 3c and 6a and are provided at both ends of a plurality of connection terminals 8b arranged in a row. It is provided in.
[0030]
Therefore, since the index portion 13 is provided on the flexible circuit board 8, it is possible to obtain the same effect as the above-described embodiment.
[0031]
In each of the above-described embodiments, the segment display type organic EL panel 1 has been described. However, at least one of the plurality of light-transmitting first and second electrode lines (electrodes) is provided. The present invention is applied to an organic EL panel in which a matrix-shaped organic EL element is disposed on a light-transmitting substrate while an organic layer including at least a light-emitting layer is interposed between the electrode lines. May be applied.
[0032]
Further, in each of the above-described embodiments, the anisotropic conductive film 11 is used as a connection member between the electrode terminals 3c and 6a and the connection terminal 8b, but a heat seal is used as another connection member. There may be.
[0033]
Further, in each of the above-described embodiments, the index portions 10 and 13 have a rectangular shape or a linear shape. However, the present invention may be applied to any of the above-described embodiments as long as they indicate the application area of the moisture proofing agent 11. It is not limited to the shape of the form.
[0034]
Further, in the other embodiments described above, the index portion 13 is constituted by the components of the flexible circuit board 8, but in the present invention, a hole or a notch is provided at a predetermined position of the flexible circuit board. May be formed to indicate the application range of the desiccant 11.
[0035]
【The invention's effect】
The present invention includes an organic EL panel including a plurality of extraction electrodes provided in a row, and a flexible circuit board including a terminal portion that is electrically connected to the extraction electrodes. The present invention relates to a joining structure of an organic EL panel in which the terminal portion is electrically connected via a connecting member and a moistureproofing agent is applied so as to cover a joining portion between the extraction electrode and the terminal portion. Can be easily controlled, and the reliability of electrical connection can be improved.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a joint structure of an organic EL panel according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a main part of the organic EL panel according to the embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the organic EL panel and the circuit board of the embodiment.
FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a joint structure of the organic EL panel according to the embodiment.
FIG. 5 is an essential part cross sectional view showing the joint structure of the organic EL panel of the embodiment.
FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a bonding structure of an organic EL panel according to another embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Organic EL panel 2 Glass substrate (translucent substrate)
3 Transparent electrode 3a Display segment 3b Lead 3c Electrode terminal (lead electrode)
5 Organic layer 6 Back electrode 6a Electrode terminal (lead electrode)
8 Flexible circuit board 8a Circuit wiring 8b Connection terminal (terminal part)
9 Organic EL device 10, 13 Indicator 11 Moisture proof agent 12 Anisotropic conductive film (connecting member)

Claims (5)

An organic EL panel including a plurality of extraction electrodes provided in a row, and a flexible circuit board including a terminal portion electrically connected to the extraction electrodes, wherein the extraction electrodes, the terminal portions, Are electrically connected via a connection member, and a moisture-proofing agent is applied so as to cover a joint portion between the extraction electrode and the terminal portion.
A connection structure for an organic EL panel, characterized in that at least one of the organic EL panel and the circuit board is provided with an indicator indicating an application range of the desiccant. The organic EL panel joining structure according to claim 1, wherein the indicator is formed of a constituent material of an organic EL element in the organic EL panel. The connection structure for an organic EL panel according to claim 2, wherein the indicator is formed of a recognizable constituent material of the organic EL element. 2. The organic EL panel bonding structure according to claim 1, wherein the indicator is formed of a constituent material of the circuit board. The joint structure for an organic EL panel according to claim 1, wherein the indicator comprises a hole or a notch formed in the circuit board.

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