# US 11,910,646 B2 · Display apparatus having discharge element > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,910,646 B2 - Document ID: US11910646B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/025,740 - Filed: 2020-09-18 - Published: 2021-11-04 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2020-04-29 - Assignees: Samsung Display Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Samsung Display Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Ilhun Seo; Daewoo Lee; Woosik Jun; Yunmo Chung - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11910646B2 ## CPC - H10K 59/126: Shielding, e.g. light-blocking means over the TFTs - H10K 59/1201: {Manufacture or treatment} - H10K 59/1213: {the pixel elements being TFTs} - H10K 59/123: Connection of the pixel electrodes to the thin film transistors [TFT] - H10K 59/124: Insulating layers formed between TFT elements and OLED elements - H10K 59/122: Pixel-defining structures or layers, e.g. banks - H10K 59/8722: {Peripheral sealing arrangements, e.g. adhesives, sealants} - H10K: ORGANIC ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES ## Abstract A display apparatus includes: a lower substrate including a display area and a non-display area; a thin film transistor at the display area; a display element at the display area and electrically connected to the thin film transistor; and a discharge element at the non-display area. The discharge element includes at least one electrode layer, at least one discharge layer on the electrode layer, and at least one first insulating layer between the electrode layer and the discharge layer, and a distance from an upper surface of the lower substrate to an upper surface of the discharge layer is greater than or equal to a distance from the upper surface of the lower substrate to an upper surface of a top layer of the thin film transistor. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A display apparatus comprising: a lower substrate comprising a display area and a non-display area; a thin film transistor on the lower substrate in a first direction at the display area; a display element at the display area and electrically connected to the thin film transistor; a discharge element at the non-display area; and a driving circuit configured to generate at least one of a scan signal or an emission control signal, the driving circuit being located at the non-display area between the discharge element and the thin film transistor, and spaced from the discharge element in a plan view, wherein the discharge element comprises at least one electrode layer, at least one discharge layer on the at least one electrode layer and spaced entirely apart from the display element and the driving circuit in a plan view, and at least one first insulating layer on and overlapping with the at least one electrode layer in the first direction between the at least one electrode layer and the at least one discharge layer, and wherein a distance from an upper surface of the lower substrate to an upper surface of the at least one discharge layer is greater than or equal to a distance from the upper surface of the lower substrate to an upper surface of a top layer of the thin film transistor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the display element comprises a pixel electrode, a counter electrode, and an intermediate layer between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode, the intermediate layer comprising an emission layer. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The display apparatus of claim 2, wherein the at least one discharge layer comprises a same material as that of the pixel electrode. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The display apparatus of claim 3, wherein the at least one discharge layer has a same layered structure as that of the pixel electrode. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The display apparatus of claim 4, wherein a direction from an edge of the lower substrate to a center of the lower substrate is a second direction crossing the first direction, and a width in the second direction of the upper surface of the at least one discharge layer is less than or equal to a width in the second direction of an upper surface of the pixel electrode. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The display apparatus of claim 2, wherein the at least one first insulating layer comprises a same material as that of a layer below the pixel electrode in contact with the pixel electrode. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The display apparatus of claim 6, wherein the at least one first insulating layer has a same layered structure as that of the layer below the pixel electrode in contact with the pixel electrode. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The display apparatus of claim 7, wherein the discharge element further comprises a second insulating layer between the at least one first insulating layer and the at least one discharge layer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the discharge element comprises: a first electrode layer, a first discharge layer above the first electrode layer, and a first-first insulating layer between the first electrode layer and the first discharge layer; and a second electrode layer, a second discharge layer above the second electrode layer, and a first-second insulating layer between the second electrode layer and the second discharge layer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The display apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer are integrally formed. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The display apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first-first insulating layer and the first-second insulating layer are integrally formed. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The display apparatus of claim 9, further comprising: an upper substrate; and a sealing member at the non-display area of the lower substrate, and between the upper substrate and the lower substrate, the sealing member surrounding the display area, wherein the first discharge layer is located outside a periphery of the sealing member, and the second discharge layer is located within an internal boundary defined by the sealing member. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrode layer extends along at least part of an edge defining a periphery of the display area. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The display apparatus of claim 13, wherein the at least one discharge layer comprises a first discharge layer and a second discharge layer spaced from each other in a direction in which the at least one electrode layer extends. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The display apparatus of claim 13, wherein the at least one discharge layer comprises a plurality of isolated-shape conductive layers spaced from each other in a direction in which the at least one electrode layer extends. ### Claim 16 A display apparatus comprising: a lower substrate comprising a display area and a non-display area; a thin film transistor on the lower substrate in a first direction at the display area; a display element at the display area and electrically connected to the thin film transistor; a discharge element at the non-display area; and a driving circuit between the discharge element and the thin film transistor and spaced from the discharge element in a plan view, wherein the discharge element comprises at least one electrode layer, at least one discharge layer on the at least one electrode layer, and at least one first insulating layer on and overlapping with the at least one electrode layer in the first direction between the at least one electrode layer and the at least one discharge layer, wherein a distance from an upper surface of the lower substrate to an upper surface of the at least one discharge layer is greater than or equal to a distance from the upper surface of the lower substrate to an upper surface of a top layer of the thin film transistor, wherein the at least one electrode layer comprises a first electrode layer and a second electrode layer, the at least one discharge layer comprises a first discharge layer above the first electrode layer and a second discharge layer above the second electrode layer, and the at least one first insulating layer comprises a first-first insulating layer between the first electrode layer and the first discharge layer and a first-second insulating layer between the second electrode layer and the second discharge layer, and wherein the display apparatus further comprises a metal layer on the lower substrate, and electrically connecting the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer to each other. ### Claim 17 A display apparatus comprising: a lower substrate comprising a display area and a non-display area; a pixel circuit on the lower substrate in a first direction at the display area or the non-display area, and comprising a top conductive layer; a display element at the display area and electrically connected to the pixel circuit; a discharge element at the non-display area; and a driving circuit configured to generate at least one of a scan signal or an emission control signal for the pixel circuit, the driving circuit being located at the non-display area between the discharge element and the pixel circuit, and spaced from the discharge element in a plan view, wherein the discharge element comprises at least one electrode layer, at least one discharge layer above the at least one electrode layer and spaced entirely apart from the display element and the driving circuit in a plan view, and at least one first insulating layer on and overlapping with the at least one electrode layer in the first direction between the at least one electrode layer and the at least one discharge layer, and wherein a distance from an upper surface of the lower substrate to an upper surface of the at least one discharge layer is greater than or equal to a distance from the upper surface of the lower substrate to an upper surface of the top conductive layer of the pixel circuit. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The display apparatus of claim 17, wherein a direction from an edge of the lower substrate to a center of the lower substrate is a second direction crossing the first direction, and a width in the second direction of the upper surface of the at least one discharge layer is less than or equal to a width in the second direction of the upper surface of the top conductive layer of the pixel circuit. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The display apparatus of claim 17, wherein the discharge element comprises: a first electrode layer, a first discharge layer above the first electrode layer, and a first-first insulating layer between the first electrode layer and the first discharge layer; and a second electrode layer, a second discharge layer above the second electrode layer, and a first-second insulating layer between the second electrode layer and the second discharge layer. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The display apparatus of claim 19, further comprising a metal layer on the lower substrate and electrically connecting the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer to each other.