Display device having a display panel with a bent corner display area, and method of manufacturing the display device

A display device comprising:

• a display panel including a corner;
• and
• a cover window on the display panel,
• wherein the display panel comprises:
• a substrate including:
• a display area including a front display area and a corner display area bent at the corner;
• and a peripheral area outside the display area;
• an insulating layer on the display area, wherein an outer groove or an outer through hole is defined in the insulating layer in the peripheral area;
• an upper inorganic pattern layer on the insulating layer, wherein the upper inorganic pattern layer comprises a protruding tip protruding toward a center of the outer groove or a center of the outer through hole;
• a front display element on the insulating layer and overlapping the front display area;
• and
• a corner display element on the insulating layer and overlapping the corner display area,
• wherein the upper inorganic pattern layer extends between the front display area and the corner display area.

A method of manufacturing a display device including a corner, the method comprising:

• preparing a display substrate comprising a substrate and a line on the substrate, wherein the substrate includes:
• a display area including a front display area and a corner display area at the corner;
• and a peripheral area outside the display area;
• providing an insulating layer on the substrate to overlap the display area and the peripheral area and to cover the line;
• providing an upper inorganic pattern layer including a first upper inorganic pattern layer and a second upper inorganic pattern layer, which overlap the peripheral area and are apart from each other, on the insulating layer;
• and
• forming an outer groove of the insulating layer or an outer through hole in the insulating layer between the first upper inorganic pattern layer and the second upper inorganic pattern layer,
• wherein the upper inorganic pattern layer surrounds the front display area.

A display panel comprising:

• a substrate including a front display area and a peripheral area outside the front display area;
• a pixel circuit on the substrate, wherein the pixel circuit comprises a thin-film transistor overlapping the front display area;
• a line on the substrate and overlapping the peripheral area;
• a lower inorganic pattern layer on the line and apart from the thin-film transistor;
• an insulating layer arranged to cover the thin-film transistor, the insulating layer being disposed on the lower inorganic pattern layer and covering edges of the lower inorganic pattern layer, wherein an outer through hole is defined through the insulating layer to expose the lower inorganic pattern layer;
• an upper inorganic pattern layer on the insulating layer to be apart from the front display area, wherein the upper inorganic pattern layer comprises a protruding tip protruding toward a center of the outer through hole;
• an outer dam on the upper inorganic pattern layer, wherein the outer dam comprises a first organic pattern layer;
• and
• a display element on the insulating layer, wherein the display element comprises a pixel electrode overlapping the front display area.