Processing relatively thin glass sheets

Details Processing relatively thin glass sheets Processing relatively thin glass sheets

2001-07-12

2004-05-18

Walls, Dionne A. (Department: 1731)

Glass manufacturing

Processes

Glass preform treating

C156S273100, C361S225000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06735982

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND
This invention relates generally to handling relatively thin glass sheets.
Thin glass sheets may be utilized for example in connection with displays for electronic devices. For example, in connection with organic light emitting device (OLED) displays, thin glass sheets may act as the front panel of a display. In some cases, OLED materials may be deposited, together with row and column electrodes, on the thin glass sheet.
In making large displays, a number of display tiles may be formed with such front panels. Those tiles are abutted one against the other. By abutting a large number of such tiles, a relatively large display may be formed.
The display formed in this fashion may be advantageous for a number of reasons including the fact that large displays need not be made from a single substrate. Generally because of the possibility of defects, the larger the substrate that is needed to form the display, the lower the yield per device and the higher the expense per device. By using smaller substrates, which may in turn have a lower chance of defects per wafer, the loss due to defects may be dramatically reduced. By simple probability, a larger wafer would be more likely to have a defect than a similarly designed smaller substrate.
When the individual tiles are butted one against another, seams result. These seams may be visible to the user of the display. In many cases the seams are a distraction and are considered a negative in connection with large displays.
Therefore, it would be desirable to reduce the prominence of seams in such displays. The ability to perceive the seam is a function of how thick is the glass utilized in the front panel. Generally, the thicker the glass, the more easily visible, from some angles, is the seam.
Therefore, it would be desirable to use relatively thin glass in connection with displays as well as other applications. Processing equipment is used to process the glass to fabricate features on the glass, such as the OLED material, the row electrodes, and the column electrodes. Conventional processing equipment is designed for a certain glass thickness. Manufacturing with thinner glass may require special equipment development. This generally may mean that the use of thinner glass may result in a manufacturing cost penalty. If thinner glass could be handled by existing equipment, then there would be a benefit to the display industry and to other industries that use relatively thin glass.
Thus, there is a need for a way to enable easier handling of relatively thin glass sheets.


REFERENCES:
patent: 2476145 (1949-07-01), Gwyn
patent: 9-110458 (1997-04-01), None

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