# US 12,215,413 B2 · Mask assembly and manufacturing method thereof

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- Number: US 12,215,413 B2
- Document ID: US12215413B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/418,200
- Filed: 2020-12-29
- Published: 2023-05-04
- Granted: 2025-02-04
- Earliest claimed: 2020-01-03
- Assignees: Chengdu Boe Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd.; Boe Technology Group Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Chengdu BOE Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd.; BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Fengli Ji; Jinsan Park; Yidan Zhu
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12215413B2

## CPC

- C23C 14/042: {using masks}
- C23C 14/24: Vacuum evaporation
- C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04)

## Abstract

Provided by the present disclosure are a mask assembly and a manufacturing method thereof. In the mask assembly, a plurality of connecting posts are arranged at intervals on an outer periphery of a body of a metal plate, and a plurality of grooves matched with the connecting posts are arranged on a metal frame.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A mask assembly, comprising:
a metal frame, wherein the metal frame is provided with a first operation window penetrating through a thickness direction of the metal frame;
a metal plate, wherein the metal plate and the metal frame are stacked, the metal plate comprises a body and a plurality of connecting posts, the body of the metal plate is arranged in the first operation window and is provided with a plurality of second operation windows penetrating through a thickness direction of the body of the metal plate, the plurality of connecting posts are arranged at intervals along an outer periphery of the body of the metal plate, a part of the metal frame is provided with a plurality of grooves matched with the plurality of connecting posts, the plurality of grooves correspond to the plurality of connecting posts one by one and communicate with the first operation window, and the connecting posts are arranged in the grooves and are welded to the metal frame; and
at least one fine metal mask (FMM), wherein the at least one FMM is arranged on one side, away from the metal frame, of the metal plate; and the at least one FMM is provided with a plurality of openings penetrating through a thickness direction of the at least one FMM, and is welded to the metal frame;
wherein the at least one FMM is only welded to an area, arranged between two adjacent connecting posts, of the metal frame;
wherein the plurality of connecting posts do not support the at least one FMM;
wherein a depth of each of the grooves is H, a thickness of each of the connecting posts is h, and H and h satisfy a condition of H−h>10 μm.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The mask assembly according to claim 1, wherein the at least one FMM comprises a support connecting part and an opening part;
the support connecting part is at least arranged at two ends of the opening part and is welded to the metal frame; and
the plurality of openings are arranged in the opening part.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The mask assembly according to claim 1, wherein an outer contour of the body of the metal plate and an outer contour of the first operation window are identical; and
an outer peripheral wall of the body of the metal plate is attached to an inner peripheral wall of the first operation window.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The mask assembly according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of second operation windows are arranged at intervals; and
there are a plurality of fine metal masks (FMMs), and each of the plurality of FMMs blocks at least one of the second operation windows.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The mask assembly according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of second operation windows are arranged in multiple rows and multiple columns,
the plurality of FMMs correspond to multiple columns of second operation windows one by one,
each of the FMMs blocks the second operation windows in one column of second operation windows, and
two ends of the each FMM in a length direction are welded to the metal frame.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The mask assembly according to claim 5, wherein two connecting posts extending in a column extension direction of the second operation windows are arranged between two adjacent columns of second operation windows; and the two connecting posts are respectively arranged at two ends, along the column extension direction, of the second operation windows; and
two connecting posts extending in the column extension direction of the second operation windows are arranged at two ends, along a row extension direction, of the second operation windows; and the two connecting posts are respectively arranged at two ends, along the column extension direction, of the second operation windows.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The mask assembly according to claim 5, wherein two connecting posts extending in a row extension direction of the second operation windows are arranged between two adjacent rows of second operation windows; and the two connecting posts are respectively arranged at two ends, along the row extension direction, of the second operation windows; and
two connecting posts extending in the row extension direction of the second operation windows are arranged at two ends, along the column extension direction, of the second operation windows; and the two connecting posts are respectively arranged at two ends, along the row extension direction, of the second operation windows.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The mask assembly according to claim 1, wherein a shape of a second operation window is a rectangle with a rounded or chamfered area.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

A manufacturing method of the mask assembly according to claim 1, comprising:
manufacturing the metal frame provided with the first operation window and the plurality of grooves;
manufacturing the metal plate comprising the body and the plurality of connecting posts; wherein the body of the metal plate is provided with the plurality of second operation windows;
manufacturing the at least one FMM provided with the plurality of openings;
stacking the at least one FMM and the metal plate on the metal frame, wherein the at least one FMM is arranged on one side, away from the metal frame, of the metal plate; and
welding the plurality of connecting posts of the metal plate in the grooves, and welding the at least one FMM to the metal frame.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The mask assembly according to claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of second operation windows corresponds to a display area of one display panel.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The mask assembly according to claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of second operation windows matches a shape and size of a display area of a corresponding display panel.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The mask assembly according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of grooves do not penetrate through the thickness direction of the metal frame.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The mask assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least part of the plurality of openings matches shapes and sizes of light emitting areas in display areas of evaporated display panels.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The mask assembly according to claim 1, wherein a size of each opening is smaller than that of a second operation window.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The mask assembly according to claim 1, wherein a surface, away from metal frame, of the metal plate is lower than a surface of other parts of the metal frame that faces toward the metal plate, wherein the other parts of the metal frame are not provided with the plurality of grooves.

### Claim 16 (depends on 4)

The mask assembly according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of second operation windows are arranged in multiple rows and multiple columns,
the plurality of FMMs correspond to multiple rows of second operation windows one by one, and
each of the FMMs blocks the second operation windows in one row of second operation windows.