# US 7,612,498 B2 · Display element, optical device, and optical device manufacturing method

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- Number: US 7,612,498 B2
- Document ID: US7612498B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 10/995,231
- Filed: 2004-11-24
- Published: 2005-07-21
- Granted: 2009-11-03
- Earliest claimed: 2003-11-27
- Assignees: Toshiba Matsushita Display Technology Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Hiroshi Sano; Shirou Sumita; Tatsuo Yoshioka
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7612498B2

## CPC

- H10K 59/8731: {multilayered coatings having a repetitive structure, e.g. having multiple organic-inorganic bilayers}
- H10K: ORGANIC ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES

## Abstract

An array substrate includes an almost rectangular effective portion which is formed on the major surface of the substrate and includes a plurality of pixels for displaying images. An organic EL display device includes a sealer which is placed to cover at least the effective portion on the major surface of the array substrate. The sealer has a structure in which at least two almost rectangular buffer layers which have substantially the same pattern and barrier layers each of which is a pattern larger than each buffer layer and covers each buffer layer to shield it from the open air are stacked on each other. The shortest distance from one side of an end of the effective portion to one side of an end of the first buffer layer is different from the shortest distance to one side of an end of the second buffer layer.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An organic electroluminescence (EL) display device comprising:
an array substrate including an effective portion on which an organic EL element is formed; and
a sealer including
a first barrier layer which covers the organic EL element formed on the effective portion, is formed over a range larger than the effective portion and includes an upper surface,
a first buffer layer which is disposed above the upper surface of the first barrier layer, partially covers the first barrier layer and includes an upper surface and an outer end portion,
a second barrier layer which covers the upper surface and the outer end portion of the first buffer layer, adheres to the first barrier layer at a periphery of the first buffer layer and includes an upper surface,
a second buffer layer which is disposed above the upper surface of the second barrier layer, partially covers the second barrier layer and includes an upper surface and an outer end portion, and
a third barrier layer which covers the upper surface and the outer end portion of the second buffer layer and adheres to the second barrier layer at a periphery of the second buffer layer, the outer end portion of the second buffer layer being located in a position different from a position right above the outer end portion of the first buffer layer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

An organic EL display device according to claim 1, wherein the second buffer layer is a pattern smaller than the first s t buffer layer, and the outer end portion of the second buffer layer is located in a position inward of the position right above the outer end portion of the first buffer layer.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

An organic EL display device according to claim 1, wherein the second buffer layer is a pattern larger than the first buffer layer, and the outer end portion of the second buffer layer is located in a position outward of the position right above the outer end portion of the first buffer layer.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

An organic EL display device according to claim 1, wherein the first, second and third barrier layers are formed by using one material selected from a group consisting of a metal material, a metal oxide material and a ceramic-based material.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

An organic EL display device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second buffer layers are formed by using a resin material.