Rainbow Displays, Inc.

John P Koons

Donald P Seraphim

Raymond G Greene

Robert Babuka

Boris Yost

Sanjay Dabral

Che-Yu Li

Dean W Skinner

J Peter Krusius

Lester Mayes

The present invention features methods and apparatuses for sealing tiled, flat-panel displays (FPDs). Tile edges corresponding with the display's perimeter edges are designed with a wide seal. Interior edges, however, have narrow seals in order to maintain the desired, constant, pixel pitch across tile boundaries. In some cases, this invention applies specifically to arrays of tiles 2&times;2 or less, and, in other cases, to N&times;M arrays, where N and M are any integer numbers. The tiles are enclosed with top and bottom glass plates, which are sealed with an adhesive bond to the tiles on the outside perimeter of the tiled display. Vertical seams (where tiles meet at the perimeter of the FPD) are sealed with a small amount of polymer. The seal may be constructed between a cover plate and a back plate, sandwiching the tiles. The AMLCD edges may be coated with either a non-permeable material or a polymer having an extremely low permeability (for example, Parylene&trade;). Alternatively, the edge sealing of individual tiles can be achieved by using a metallized film adhesive that is bonded to the tile edges. A low-temperature, sintered Solgel can be used to achieve extremely narrow, yet mechanically strong, seals for individual tiles. Still another enhancement employs a metallurgical seal outside a narrow, polymer seal.

Method of constructing and sealing tiled, flat-panel displays

The present invention features flat-panel displays having a mosaic of tiles, and methods of constructing and sealing them. Sealing designs are described to maintain appropriate vacuum levels for FEDs, PFPDs and LCDs. The mosaic of tiles forming a flat-panel display may include subassembly tiles, with each consisting of two, unsealed, substantially parallel plates having a structure positioned between them; these are known as s-tiles. The tiles may be enclosed by a cover plate and backplate. Non-permeable material may be deposited on the cover plate and the backplate, with solderable metal overlaid on the non-permeable material. A metallized, non-permeable spacer/connector is also located between the cover plate and backplate for hermetically sealing the perimeter of the display. A set of electrical-interconnection, metal feed-throughs can also be positioned in the non-permeable spacer/connector. A flat-panel display may also be made up of half-tiles (h-tiles), with each including an individual bottom plate with a structure disposed on them. The mosaic of tiles also has a cover plate that is shared in common with all of the h-tiles. This common cover plate for each type of FPD integrates functions such as masking, screening, color filtering, polarizing and interconnecting. Also provided in the invention is a method for testing the seal of the flat-panel display. A simulated cover plate is attached via a polymeric seal, so that a structure enclosed between the two plates may be evacuated. When a gas is applied around the display seal, its leakage rate is measured, so as to locate the site of defects.

Assembling and sealing large, hermetic and semi-hermetic H-tile flat panel display

The present invention features methods for assembling arrays of AMLCD tiles into tiled, flat-panel displays having visually imperceptible seams between the tiles. Flowable, polymeric adhesive layers are used between a back substrate, various optical components such as masks and polarizers, the tiles, and a front cover plate. Several unique techniques for establishing and maintaining tile-to-tile registration during assembly of the tiled, flat-panel display are presented.

Maintaining three-dimensional tolerances while manufacturing AMLCD

Flat panel displays having tiles and visually imperceptible gaps

Methods of fabricating AMLCD tiled displays are disclosed, in which variations in the width and the SIP location of seals are controlled. The seals can be controlled by using either a trench or a dam that guides the flow and/or the position of the sealing epoxy between the upper and lower glass plates. The purpose of the dam or trench is to prevent the flow of epoxy towards the pixels of the display. The article made by the above method is a substantially flat-panel display (FPD) having a mosaic of individual, hermetically-sealed tiles disposed adjacent one another upon the lower plate or substrate. The tiles have visually imperceptible seams between them. The individual tiles have pixels and edges that are sealed in position, relative to the substrate, by means of a sealing material, such as an epoxy. The dams or trenches are disposed along the individual tiles, adjacent the pixels.

Method for fabricating AMLCD tiled displays with controlled inner seal

The present invention features methods and apparatuses for sealing tiled, flat-panel displays (FPDs). Tile edges corresponding with the display's perimeter edges are designed with a wide seal. Interior edges, however, have narrow seals in order to maintain the desired, constant, pixel pitch across tile boundaries. In some cases, this invention applies specifically to arrays of tiles 2.times.2 or less, and, in other cases, to N.times.M arrays, where N and M are any integer numbers. The tiles are enclosed with top and bottom glass plates, which are sealed with an adhesive bond to the tiles on the outside perimeter of the tiled display. Vertical seams (where tiles meet at the perimeter of the FPD) are sealed with a small amount of polymer. The seal may be constructed between a cover plate and a back plate, sandwiching the tiles. The AMLCD edges may be coated with either a non-permeable material or a polymer having an extremely low permeability (for example, Parylene.TM.). Alternatively, the edge sealing of individual tiles can be achieved by using a metallized film adhesive that is bonded to the tile edges. A low-temperature, sintered Solgel can be used to achieve extremely narrow, yet mechanically strong, seals for individual tiles. Still another enhancement employs a metallurgical seal outside a narrow, polymer seal.

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Warrenton, VA, United States of America

John P Koons