WO2020085737A1

WO2020085737A1 - Transparent display and glass assembly

Info

Publication number: WO2020085737A1
Application number: PCT/KR2019/013823
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jiwoong BAEK; Jangyoul CHAE
Original assignee: Hankuk Glass Industries Inc.
Priority date: 2018-10-23
Filing date: 2019-10-21
Publication date: 2020-04-30
Also published as: KR20200045913A

Abstract

A transparent display according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes: a transparent substrate film; a transparent electrode layer disposed on an upper surface of the transparent substrate film; a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) mounted on the transparent electrode layer; and a first barrier layer disposed on an upper surface of the transparent electrode layer on which the plurality of LEDs are not mounted.

Description

TRANSPARENT DISPLAY AND GLASS ASSEMBLY

The present invention relates to a transparent display and a glass assembly. Specifically, the present invention relates to a transparent display and a glass assembly capable of displaying characters or images while maintaining virtual transparency. More specifically, the present invention relates to a transparent display and a glass assembly that prevent discoloration of a sealing member by introducing a barrier layer.

In general, a glass window serves to allow external light to be introduced indoors, to perform appropriate ventilation of indoor air by blocking and introducing external air, and to maintain cooling and heating efficiency by blocking heat flow between indoors and outdoors in a closed state.

In recent years, a window made of a light emitting diode (LED) electro-optical glass assembly to which LEDs are inserted has been used as a glass window of a building. The window made of an LED electro-optical glass assembly may exhibit an illumination effect and an advertising effect without impairing an intrinsic function of a glass window. The LED electro-optical glass assembly has the LEDs inserted between two glass sheets, and the LEDs are mounted on a transparent electrode layer formed on a glass sheet. In addition, a space between the glass sheets is sealed by a sealing member so as to protect the LEDs. However, the sealing member is vulnerable to heat generated from the transparent electrode layer and the LEDs. In a case where the sealing member is exposed to heat for a long period of time, a yellowing phenomenon in which the sealing member is discolored yellow occurs. In the case where the sealing member is discolored yellow, all incident external light is not allowed to pass therethrough and vision is obstructed, which causes a problem in that the glass window does not perform the intrinsic function thereof.

The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a transparent display and a glass assembly.

Another embodiment of the present invention provides a transparent display and a glass assembly capable of displaying characters or images while maintaining virtual transparency.

Yet another embodiment of the present invention provides a transparent display and a glass assembly that prevent discoloration of a sealing member by introducing a barrier layer.

An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a transparent display including: a transparent substrate film; a transparent electrode layer disposed on an upper surface of the transparent substrate film; a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) mounted on the transparent electrode layer; and a first barrier layer disposed on an upper surface of the transparent electrode layer on which the plurality of LEDs are not mounted.

The transparent display may further include a second barrier layer disposed on the plurality of LEDs.

The transparent display may further include an LED driver controlling the driving of the transparent display.

The transparent display may further include one or a plurality of flexible printed circuit boards (FPCBs) disposed on at least one edge portion of the transparent electrode layer and electrically connecting the transparent electrode layer and the LED driver to each other.

A ratio (W/L) of a total width (W) of the one or plurality of FPCBs to a length (L) of the edge portion of the transparent electrode layer may be 0.1 to 0.5.

The first barrier layer may have a single inorganic layer structure, a single organic layer structure, or a multilayer structure in which an inorganic layer and an organic layer are stacked.

The inorganic layer may be formed of at least one selected from the group consisting of SiOx, TiOx, NbOx, SiNx, SiOxNy, AlOx, AlOxNy, and TaOx.

The organic layer may be formed of one or more polymer materials selected from the group consisting of an acrylic resin, a silicone-based resin, an optically clear resin (OCR), an optically clear adhesive (OCA) tape, polysiloxane, and polyacrylate.

A thickness of the first barrier layer may be 20 nm to 200 ㎛.

A thickness of the transparent substrate film may be 200 to 300 ㎛.

The transparent electrode layer may include a circuit pattern formed of at least one selected from the group consisting of a metallic nanowire, a transparent conductive oxide, a metal mesh, carbon nanotubes, and graphene.

The transparent electrode layer may have surface resistance of about 0.5 to 3 W/sq.

Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a glass assembly including: a transparent display; a first glass sheet disposed on an upper surface of the transparent display; and a first sealing member sealing a space between the first glass sheet and the transparent display.

The transparent display includes: a transparent substrate film; a transparent electrode layer disposed on one surface of the transparent substrate film; a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) mounted on the transparent electrode layer; and a first barrier layer disposed at an interface between the transparent electrode layer and the first sealing member.

The glass assembly may further include a second barrier layer disposed at an interface between the plurality of LEDs and the first sealing member.

The glass assembly may further include a second glass sheet disposed on a lower surface of the transparent display.

The glass assembly may further include a second sealing member sealing a space between the transparent display and the second glass sheet.

A plurality of transparent displays may be provided and disposed to be spaced apart from each other.

The first sealing member may be formed of at least one selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl butyral (PVB), ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), an ionoplast polymer, and polyurethane.

The second sealing member may be formed of at least one selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl butyral (PVB), ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), an ionoplast polymer, and polyurethane.

When a current of 5 to 20 mA is applied to the transparent electrode layer at an ambient temperature of 60 °C for three days, a discoloration rate may be 1 % or less.

A method of forming the first barrier layer and the second barrier layer may be used without particular limitation as long as it is commonly well known in the art. For example, in a case where the first barrier layer and the second barrier layer each have an inorganic layer structure, they may be formed by a dry coating method. More specifically, methods such as a sputtering method, a chemical vapor decomposition (CVD) method, and an atomic layer deposition (ALD) method may be used. For example, in a case where the first barrier layer and the second barrier layer each have an organic layer structure, they may be formed by a wet coating method. Specifically, methods such as a slot die coating method, a spray coating method, and a lamination method may be used.

In a case where only the first barrier layer is formed and the second barrier layer is not formed, the first barrier layer is formed on the transparent electrode layer, the first barrier layer is partially removed, and then the LEDs may be mounted on the transparent electrode layer. As a method for partially removing the first barrier layer, a masking method and an ultraviolet ray irradiation method may be used.

The first glass sheet may be formed in a flat shape or a curved shape.

The second glass sheet may be formed in a flat shape or a curved shape.

A curvature radius (R) of the curved shape may be 0.2 to 0.3 m or more.

A ratio (D₁/H₁) of a thickness (D₁) of the first sealing member to a height (H₁) of the LED may be 1.5 to 5.0.

A thickness of the first sealing member may be 0.2 to 0.8 mm.

The glass assembly may further include a frame unit having an opening in which the first glass sheet, the transparent display, and the second glass sheet are disposed.

The glass assembly may further include a third glass sheet disposed to face the first glass sheet and to be spaced apart from the first glass sheet, and a spacer inserted into a space between the first glass sheet and the third glass sheet to maintain an interval between the first glass sheet and the third glass sheet.

The third glass sheet may be Low-E glass.

The glass assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes the transparent display having excellent light transmittance and interposed between the glass sheets. Therefore, the glass assembly can display characters or images while maintaining visual transparency. Therefore, the glass assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is applied to an external window of a building, a front glass of a vehicle, and the like. Thus, the glass assembly may provide desired information to a user or may be used in illumination, an advertisement means, and the like while maintaining indoor cooling and heating efficiency.

In addition, the glass assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes the barrier layer on the interface between the transparent electrode layer and the second sealing member. Therefore, the glass assembly can maintain the transparency by preventing the discoloration of the second sealing member, in spite of being used for a long period of time.

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a transparent display according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a transparent display according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a transparent display according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a transparent display according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view illustrating a transparent display according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a glass assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a glass assembly according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a glass assembly according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a glass assembly according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

The terms "first", "second", and "third" are used to explain various parts, components, regions, layers, and/or sections, but are not limited thereto. These terms are used only to discriminate one part, component, region, layer, or section from another part, component, region, layer, or section. Thus, a first part, component, region, layer, or section described below may be referred to as a second part, component, region, layer, or section without departing from the scope of the present invention.

The technical terms used herein are to simply describe a particular exemplary embodiment and are not intended to limit the present invention. Singular forms used herein include plural forms, unless they have clearly opposite meanings. The meaning of "comprising" used herein specifies a specific property, area, integer, step, operation, element, and/or component, and it does not exclude the presence or addition of other specific properties, areas, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components.

When it is described that any one part is located "above" or "on" the other part, the part may be directly located "above" or "on" the other part or any other part may be interposed therebetween. On the contrary, when it is described that any one part is "directly on" the other part, there is no other part interposed therebetween.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms including technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. Terms defined in a generally used dictionary are interpreted as meanings according with related technical documents and currently disclosed contents, and are not to be interpreted as ideal meanings or very formal meanings unless otherwise defined.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail so that those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains may easily implement the exemplary embodiments. However, the present invention may be implemented in various different forms and is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described herein.

The inventors of the present invention intended to provide a glass assembly displaying characters or images while maintaining visual transparency by inserting a separate transparent display in which a light emitting diode (LED) is mounted on a transparent substrate film between glass sheets.

When manufacturing the glass assembly, the transparent display was disposed between the glass sheets, and then the glass sheets and the transparent display were bonded to one another by using a sealing member. However, the phenomenon in which the sealing member was discolored due to heat generated from a transparent electrode layer and the LED in the transparent display occurred.

In this regard, the inventors of the present invention recognized that it is possible to prevent the discoloration phenomenon of the sealing member by disposing a barrier layer at an interface between the transparent electrode layer and the sealing member. Therefore, the glass assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may stably maintain transparency without discoloration of the sealing member in spite of being operated for a long period of time.

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a transparent display 130 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The transparent display 130 of FIG. 1 is merely to illustrate the present invention, and the present invention is not limited thereto. Accordingly, the transparent display 130 of FIG. 1 may be formed in various shapes.

Hereinafter, respective components will be described in detail.

The transparent display 130 includes: a transparent substrate film 131; a transparent electrode layer 132 disposed on an upper surface of the transparent substrate film 131; a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) 133 mounted on the transparent electrode layer 132; and a first barrier layer 134 disposed on an upper surface of the transparent electrode layer 132 where the plurality of LEDs 133 are not mounted.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the transparent substrate film 131 may be a light-transmitting polymer film including a single layer or a plurality of layers. The transparent substrate film 131 may have an insulating property to prevent leakage of power to the outside, and heat resistance to prevent a state change thereof due to external light. Examples of a material of the transparent substrate film 131 include polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polycarbonate (PC), and a cyclo olefin polymer (COP), but are not limited thereto. As an example, the transparent substrate film 131 may be a COP film. In this case, the transparent substrate film 131 has excellent heat resistance, and durability of a glass assembly 100 is improved.

A thickness of the transparent substrate film 131 is not particularly limited. However, in a case where the thickness of the transparent substrate film 131 is too small, when bonding of the glass assembly 100, the transparent substrate film 131 may be deformed or a crack in the transparent electrode layer 132 may occur due to a pressure applied to the LEDs. On the other hand, if the thickness of the transparent substrate film 131 is too large, a crack in a first glass sheet 110 may occur due to a stress. According to an example, the thickness of the transparent substrate film 131 may be about 200 to 300 ㎛. In this case, since the problems described above do not occur and the heat resistance of the transparent substrate film is excellent, it is possible to prevent heat deformation of the transparent substrate film 131 even though the glass assembly 100 is exposed to external light for a long period of time.

In the transparent display 130 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the transparent electrode layer 132 is disposed on an upper surface of the transparent substrate film 131 and serves to drive the LEDs 133.

In addition, since the transparent electrode layer 132 has excellent light transmittance, the transparent electrode layer 132 allows incident external light to pass therethrough, and a portion in which the transparent electrode layer 132 is formed does not obstruct vision of a user and has excellent appearance characteristics. Therefore, the glass assembly 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention has excellent visual transparency.

The transparent electrode layer 132 may include a circuit pattern formed of at least one selected from the group consisting of a metallic nanowire, a transparent conductive oxide, a metal mesh, carbon nanotubes, and graphene.

Here, non-limiting examples of the metallic nanowire include a silver (Ag) nanowire, a copper (Cu) nanowire, and a nickel (Ni) nanowire, and these metallic nanowires may be used alone or in combination of two or more thereof. Non-limiting examples of the transparent conductive oxide include indium tin oxide (ITO), indium zinc oxide (IZO), zinc oxide (ZnO), aluminum zinc oxide (AZO), and indium oxide (In₂O₃), and these transparent conductive oxides may be used alone or in combination of two or more thereof. Non-limiting examples of the metal mesh include a silver (Ag) mesh, a copper (Cu) mesh, and an aluminum (Al) mesh, and these metal meshes may be used alone or in combination of two or more thereof. Among them, a silver nanowire, a copper mesh, and a silver mesh have excellent conductivity and light transmittance, and ITO and IZO each have a low specific resistance value and high visible light transmittance and are capable of being deposited at a low temperature.

According to an example, the transparent electrode layer 132 may include a circuit pattern formed of an electrode material selected from the group consisting of a Ag nanowire, a Cu mesh, and a Ag mesh. In this case, a width and a thickness of the circuit pattern are not particularly limited. However, when the circuit pattern has a width of about 5 to 15 ㎛ and a thickness of about 0.2 to 1 ㎛, the transparent electrode layer 132 has surface resistance of about 0.5 to 3 W/sq.

The glass assembly 100 including the transparent electrode layer 132 has light transmittance of about 70 to 80 % and light reflectance of about 8 to 15 % at a wavelength in a visible light range (a wavelength of 400 to 700 nm). In particular, in a case where the glass assembly 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention has light transmittance of 70 % or more at the wavelength in the visible light range and satisfies the following Relational Expression 1, vision is not obstructed by the transparent electrode layer 132, the transparency from the inside or the outside may be secured, and the appearance characteristics, electrical conductivity, and visual transparency may be further improved.

[Relational Expression 1]

(In Relational Expression 1, T represents light transmittance (%) of the glass assembly at the wavelength in the visible light range, and R_s represents surface resistance (W/sq) of the transparent electrode layer.)

According to an example, the glass assembly 100 has light transmittance of 70 % or more at the wavelength in the visible light range and satisfies the following Relational Expression 2. In this case, since the glass assembly 100 has excellent electrical conductivity, the glass assembly 100 may have low power consumption and low heat generation, and may also have visual transparency to more clearly display characters or images.

[Relational Expression 2]

(In Relational Expression 2, T represents light transmittance (%) of the glass assembly at the wavelength in the visible light range, and R_s represents surface resistance (W/sq) of the transparent electrode layer.)

The transparent electrode layer 132 may be formed by a method that is well known in the art. For example, the transparent electrode layer 132 may include at least one circuit pattern formed by coating the transparent substrate film 131 with the electrode material described above, and then irradiating the coated transparent substrate film with a laser or performing a mask and etching process. Alternatively, a circuit pattern formed of an electrode material may be formed on the transparent substrate film 131 by an inkjet printing process. However, the present invention is not limited thereto.

In the transparent display 130 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the LEDs 133 are light emitting bodies which are mounted on the transparent electrode layer 132 and turned on/off according to power being applied thereto. Since the plurality of LEDs 133 are spaced apart from each other and arranged in a matrix form, various types of characters or images may be displayed and moving images may also be displayed.

The LEDs 133 available in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may be used without particular limitation as long as they are commonly well known in the art. Each of the LEDs 133 may be a single color LED 133 which emits light of red (R), green (G), blue (B), or the like, a two-color (RG) LED 133, and/or a three-color (RGB) LED 133. In a case where each of the LEDs 133 is a three-color (RGB) LED 133, characters or images with various colors may be displayed.

The LEDs 133 may be fixed on the transparent electrode layer 132 by a mounting method that is well known in the art. For example, a pad (not illustrated) including a material having high electrical conductivity such as silver (Ag) may be formed on at least a part of the transparent electrode layer 132. In this case, the LEDs 133 may be fixed on the pad by a low temperature surface mount technology (SMT) process. At this time, the LEDs 133 may be attached to the pad by a solder.

In the transparent display 130 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the first barrier layer 134 is disposed on the upper surface of the transparent electrode layer 132 on which the plurality of LEDs 133 are not mounted. The first barrier layer 134 serves to block heat generated from the transparent electrode layer 132 due to resistance caused when applying electricity to the transparent electrode layer 132. In a case where the first barrier layer 134 is not formed, the heat generated from the transparent electrode layer 132 is directly transferred to a first sealing member 141, resulting in discoloration of the first sealing member 141. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, discoloration of the first sealing member 141 may be prevented by forming the first barrier layer 134.

Specifically, when a current of 5 to 20 mA is applied to the transparent electrode layer 132 at an ambient temperature of 60 °C for three days, a discoloration rate may be 1 % or less.

The first barrier layer 134 may have a single inorganic layer structure, a single organic layer structure, or a multilayer structure in which an inorganic layer and an organic layer are stacked.

Specifically, the inorganic layer may be formed of at least one selected from the group consisting of SiOx, TiOx, NbOx, SiNx, SiOxNy, AlOx, AlOxNy, and TaOx. That is, the inorganic layer may be formed of at least one selected from the group consisting of Si oxide, Ti oxide, Nb oxide, Si nitride, Si oxynitride, Al oxide, Al oxynitride, and Ta oxide.

A thickness of the first barrier layer 134 may be 20 nm to 200 ㎛. In a case where the thickness of the first barrier layer 134 is too small, heat may be insufficiently blocked. In a case where the thickness of the first barrier layer 134 is too large, a thickness of the first sealing member 141 becomes too small, which causes a sealing problem.

More specifically, in a case of a single inorganic layer structure, the thickness of the first barrier layer 134 may be 20 to 200 nm, and in a case of a single organic layer structure, the thickness of the first barrier layer 134 may be 1 to 200 ㎛.

A method of forming the first barrier layer 134 and a second barrier layer 135 may be used without particular limitation as long as it is commonly well known in the art. For example, in a case where the first barrier layer 134 and the second barrier layer 135 each have an inorganic layer structure, they may be formed by a dry coating method. More specifically, methods such as a sputtering method, a chemical vapor decomposition (CVD) method, and an atomic layer deposition (ALD) method may be used. For example, in a case where the first barrier layer 134 and the second barrier layer 135 each have an organic layer structure, they may be formed by a wet coating method. Specifically, methods such as a slot die coating method, a spray coating method, and a lamination method may be used.

In a case where only the first barrier layer 134 is formed and the second barrier layer 135 is not formed, the first barrier layer 134 is formed on the transparent electrode layer 132, the first barrier layer 134 is partially removed, and then the LEDs 133 may be mounted on the transparent electrode layer 132. As a method for partially removing the first barrier layer 134, a masking and an ultraviolet ray irradiation method may be used.

FIG. 2 illustrates a case in which a second barrier layer 135 is further formed. Herein, the same reference symbols are used or omitted for the same configurations.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, in the transparent display 130 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the second barrier layer 135 is disposed on the plurality of LEDs 133. The second barrier layer 135 serves to block heat generated from the LEDs 133 due to resistance caused when electricity is applied to the LEDs 133.

Since a material, a thickness, and a production method of the second barrier layer 135 are the same as those of the first barrier layer 134 except for a disposition position, a duplicated description will be omitted.

In the transparent display 130 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) 137 is disposed on a pad (not illustrated) located at an edge portion of the transparent electrode layer 132 and electrically connects the transparent electrode layer 132 and an external circuit to each other. Here, as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the external circuit may be an LED driver 136 controlling the driving of the LEDs. That is, the LED driver 136 may control the driving of the LEDs through the FPCB 137. Accordingly, a part of the FPCB 137 is in contact with the upper surface of the transparent electrode layer 132, and the other part is exposed to the outside and is in contact with the LED driver 136 which is the external circuit. Therefore, it is preferable that the FPCB 137 has a strip shape with a certain length. In this case, a length of the FPCB 137 may be about 10 to 150 mm, but is not limited thereto.

The number of FPCBs 137 may be one or more. However, in a case where the FPCB 137 is disposed on a large part of the edge portion of the transparent electrode layer 132, bonding reliability of the glass assembly 100 may be deteriorated. Accordingly, it is preferable that a width of each of the FPCBs 137 is adjusted so that a ratio of a total width (W) of the FPCBs 137 to a length (L) of the edge portion of the transparent electrode layer 132 is in a range of about 0.1 to 0.5. The total width (W) of the FPCBs 137 is a sum of widths (W₁) of n FPCBs (n x W₁), and the widths of the FPCBs 137 may be the same or different. FIG. 5 schematically illustrates a relationship between the length (L) of the edge portion and the width (W) of the FPCB 137.

In the glass assembly 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the LED driver 136 is electrically connected to the FPCB 137 of the transparent display 130 and controls the driving of the transparent display 130.

Specifically, when the LED driver 136 receives electrical signals of characters or images to be displayed on the transparent display 130, the LED driver 136 controls power supplied to the plurality of LEDs 133 individually or in groups according to the received electrical signal, such that the plurality of LEDs 133 are turned on/off individually or in groups. Accordingly, the transparent display 130 displays images or characters with a single color or various colors, and may also provide a moving image.

The LED driver 136 may include components commonly well known in the art. As an example, although not illustrated, the LED driver 136 may include a power supply (for example, a voltage regulator and the like), a signal applying unit (for example, a gate driver and the like), and the like. Here, the signal applying unit controls the amount of current applied to each of the LEDs 133 through the power supply according to the electrical signal (for example, a digital signal) received from an external controller (for example, a microcontroller and the like). By doing so, the turning on/off of the plurality of LEDs 133 in the transparent display 130 is controlled individually or in groups, and image or character information may thus be displayed. When each of the LEDs 133 in the transparent display 130 is controlled by being grouped in a combination of R, G, and B, images or characters with various colors may be displayed. However, components and/or a control method of the LED driver 136 may be implemented by various modifications depending on a design scheme, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a glass assembly 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The glass assembly 100 of FIG. 6 is merely to illustrate the present invention, and the present invention is not limited thereto. Accordingly, the glass assembly 100 of FIG. 6 may be formed in various shapes.

As illustrated in FIG. 6, the glass assembly 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes: a transparent display 130; a first glass sheet 110 disposed on an upper surface of the transparent display 130; and a first sealing member 141 sealing a space between the first glass sheet 110 and the transparent display 130.

Hereinafter, respective components will be described in detail.

In the glass assembly 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the first glass sheet 110 is a sheet member containing glass and/or a transparent polymer such as polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and polycarbonate (PC), and may be colorless and transparent or colored and transparent. In this case, light transmittance to visible light of the first glass sheet 110 may be 85 % or more.

The first glass sheet 110 may be formed in a flat shape or a bent shape such as an arc, that is, a curved shape. In a case where the first glass sheet 110 is formed in a curved shape, a curvature radius (R) may be about 0.2 to 0.3 m or more.

In the glass assembly 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a second glass sheet 120 is disposed on a lower surface of the transparent display 130. Similarly to the first glass sheet 110, the second glass sheet 120 is also a sheet member containing glass and/or a transparent polymer such as polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and polycarbonate (PC), and may be colorless and transparent or colored and transparent. In this case, light transmittance of visible light of the second glass sheet 120 may be 85 % or more. A material, color, and/or light transmittance of the second glass sheet 120 may be the same as or different from those of the first glass sheet 110.

The second glass sheet 120 may be formed in a flat shape or a bent shape such as an arc, that is, a curved shape. In a case where the second glass sheet 120 is formed in a curved shape, a curvature radius (R) may be about 0.2 to 0.3 m or more.

In the glass assembly 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the transparent display 130 is interposed between the first glass sheet 110 and the second glass sheet 120, and displays image or character information. Since the transparent display 130 has a yellowness index (YI) of 3.0 or less, incident external light may pass therethrough and visual transparency of the glass assembly 100 is not deteriorated. Therefore, vision of a user is not obstructed.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the number of transparent displays 130 may be one. Alternatively, as illustrated in FIG. 5, a plurality of transparent displays 130 may be provided. The plurality of transparent displays 130 may display one large image. That is, when image signals are split according to a screen split method set in the LED driver, a plurality of split images are generated from the one large image, and each of the split images may be displayed on the transparent display 130 corresponding thereto.

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the transparent display 130 of the glass assembly 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The transparent display 130 of FIG. 1 is merely to illustrate the present invention and the present invention is not limited thereto. Accordingly, the transparent display 130 of FIG. 1 may be formed in various shapes.

The transparent display 130 includes: a transparent substrate film 131; a transparent electrode layer 132 disposed on one surface of the transparent substrate film 131; a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) 133 mounted on the transparent electrode layer 132; and a first barrier layer 134 disposed at an interface between the transparent electrode layer 132 and a first sealing member 141.

In the transparent display 130 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the transparent electrode layer 132 is disposed on one surface of the transparent substrate film 131 and serves to drive the LEDs 133.

According to an example, the transparent electrode layer 132 may include a circuit pattern formed of an electrode material selected from the group consisting of a Ag nanowire, a Cu mesh, and a Ag mesh. In this case, a width and a thickness of the circuit pattern are not particularly limited. However, when the circuit pattern has a width of about 5 to 15 mm and a thickness of about 0.2 to 1 mm, the transparent electrode layer 132 has surface resistance of about 0.5 to 3 W/sq.

[Relational Expression 1]

[Relational Expression 2]

In the transparent display 130 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the first barrier layer 134 is disposed at an interface between the transparent electrode layer 132 and the first sealing member 141. The first barrier layer 134 serves to block heat generated from the transparent electrode layer 132 due to resistance caused when applying electricity to the transparent electrode layer 132. In a case where the first barrier layer 134 is not formed, the heat generated from the transparent electrode layer 132 is directly transferred to a first sealing member 141, resulting in discoloration of the first sealing member 141. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, discoloration of the first sealing member 141 may be prevented by forming the first barrier layer 134.

More specifically, in a case of a single inorganic layer structure, the thickness of the first barrier layer 134 may be 20 to 200 nm, and in a case of a single organic layer structure, the thickness of the first barrier layer 134 may be 1 to 200 mm.

In a case where only the first barrier layer 134 is formed and the second barrier layer 135 is not formed, the first barrier layer 134 is formed on the transparent electrode layer 132, the first barrier layer 134 is partially removed, and then the LEDs 133 may be mounted on the transparent electrode layer 132. As a method for partially removing the first barrier layer 134, a masking and ultraviolet ray irradiation method may be used.

FIG. 2 illustrates a case in which the second barrier layer 135 is further formed. Herein, the same reference symbols are used or omitted for the same configurations.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, in the transparent display 130 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the second barrier layer 135 is disposed at an interface between the LEDs 133 and the first sealing member 141. The second barrier layer 135 serves to block heat generated from the LEDs 133 due to resistance caused when electricity is applied to the LEDs 133.

The LED driver 136 may include components commonly well known in the art. As an example, although not illustrated, the LED driver 136 may include a power supply (for example, a voltage regulator and the like), a signal applying unit (for example, a gate driver and the like), and the like. Here, the signal applying unit controls the amount of current applied to each of the LEDs 133 through the power supply according to the electrical signal (for example, an digital signal) received from an external controller (for example, a microcontroller and the like). By doing so, the turning on/off of the plurality of LEDs 133 in the transparent display 130 is controlled individually or in groups, and image or character information may thus be displayed. When each of the LEDs 133 in the transparent display 130 is controlled by being grouped in a combination of R, G, and B, images or characters with various colors may be displayed. However, components and/or a control method of the LED driver 136 may be implemented by various modifications depending on a design scheme, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

In the glass assembly 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the first sealing member 141 is disposed between the first glass sheet 110 and the transparent display 130 and prevents moisture or external air such as oxygen from permeating into the transparent display 130.

As illustrated in FIG. 6, the first sealing member 141 is disposed on the entire surface of the transparent display 130 to cover the transparent display 130. In this case, the first sealing member 141 protects the LEDs 133 in the transparent display 130 and seals a space between the transparent display 130 and the first glass sheet 110 so that the transparent display 130 and the first glass sheet 110 are not separated from each other. Meanwhile, although not illustrated, the first sealing member 141 may be disposed at an edge portion of the first glass sheet 110. In this case, a space is formed between the first glass sheet 110 and the transparent display 130 by the first sealing member 141.

The first sealing member 141 is formed of an optically transparent polymer so that incident external light is allowed to pass therethrough without obstructing vision of a user. Specifically, the first sealing member 141 is formed of at least one selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl butyral (PVB), ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), an ionoplast polymer, and polyurethane. As an example, the first sealing member 141 may be formed of a PVB resin. In this way, the first sealing member 141 may seal the space between the first glass sheet 110 and the transparent display 130, and may block about 99 % of ultraviolet (UV) rays while blocking external air.

A thickness of the first sealing member 141 is adjusted depending on a height of the LED 133 in the transparent display 130. In order to protect the LEDs 133 in the transparent display 130 and prevent light transmittance from being reduced, a ratio (D₁/H₁) of a thickness (D₁) of the first sealing member 141 to a height (H₁) of the LED 133 may be in a range of 1.5 to 5.

In a case where the thickness of the first sealing member 141 is too large, since a pressure is applied to the transparent display 130 when performing a process of bonding the first glass sheet 110 and the transparent display 130, a crack in the transparent electrode layer 132 may occur or light transmittance may be deteriorated. On the other hand, in a case where the thickness of the first sealing member 141 is too small, sealing characteristics and air blocking properties may be deteriorated. Therefore, the thickness of the first sealing member 141 may be 0.2 to 0.8 mm.

As illustrated in FIG. 7, the glass assembly 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may further include a second glass sheet 120 disposed on a lower surface of the transparent display 130.

In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 7, the glass assembly 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may further include a second sealing member 142 sealing a space between the transparent display 130 and the second glass sheet 120.

In the glass assembly 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the second sealing member 142 is disposed between the second glass sheet 120 and the transparent display 130 and prevents the transparent display 130 and the second glass sheet 120 from being separated from each other. In addition, the second sealing member 142 prevents moisture or an external gas such as oxygen from permeating into the transparent display 130.

The second sealing member 142 may be disposed on the entire surface of the second glass sheet 120. Alternatively, although not illustrated, the second sealing member 142 may be disposed at an edge portion of the second glass sheet 120.

The second sealing member 142 is formed of an optically transparent polymer so that incident external light is allowed to pass therethrough without obstructing vision of a user. Specifically, the second sealing member 142 is formed of at least one selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl butyral (PVB), ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), an ionoplast polymer, and polyurethane. As an example, the second sealing member 142 may be formed of a PVB resin. In this case, the second sealing member 142 may seal the space between the second glass sheet 120 and the transparent display 130 and may block about 99 % of ultraviolet (UV) rays while blocking external air.

A thickness of the second sealing member 142 is not particularly limited. In a case where the thickness of the second sealing member 142 is too large, since a pressure is applied to the transparent display 130 when performing a process of bonding the second glass sheet 120 and the transparent display 130, a crack in the transparent electrode layer 132 may occur or light transmittance may be deteriorated. On the other hand, in a case where the thickness of the second sealing member 142 is too small, sealing characteristics and air blocking properties may be deteriorated. Therefore, the thickness of the second sealing member 142 may be 0.2 to 0.8 mm.

FIG. 8 schematically illustrates a glass assembly 100 according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated in FIG. 8, the glass assembly 100 according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a first glass sheet 110, a second glass sheet 120, a transparent display 130, a first sealing member 141, a second sealing member 142, and a frame unit 150. Since the descriptions of the first glass sheet 110, the second glass sheet 120, the transparent display 130, the first sealing member 141, and the second sealing member 142 are the same as those described above, the descriptions thereof are omitted.

The frame unit 150 is disposed on edge portions of the first glass sheet 110 and the second glass sheet 120, and fixes the first glass sheet 110 and the second glass sheet 120. The frame unit 150 includes an opening (not illustrated). The first glass sheet 110, the transparent display 130, and the second glass sheet 120 are inserted into and mounted in the opening of the frame unit 150. In this case, a part of the FPCB 137 of the transparent display 130 and the LED driver 136 are fastened in the frame unit 150.

Examples of a material of the frame unit 150 include a metal such as aluminum and stainless steel, a plastic such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and wood, but are not limited thereto, and any material may be used as long as it is a material forming a window frame in the art.

FIG. 9 schematically illustrates a glass assembly 100 according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated in FIG. 9, the glass assembly 100 according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a first glass sheet 110, a second glass sheet 120, a transparent display 130, a first sealing member 141, a second sealing member 142, a third glass sheet 160, and a spacer 170. The glass assembly 100 according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention may further include a frame unit 150, if necessary.

Since the descriptions of the first glass sheet 110, the second glass sheet 120, the transparent display 130, the first sealing member 141, the second sealing member 142, and the frame unit 150 are the same as those described above, the descriptions thereof are omitted.

In the glass assembly 100 according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the third glass sheet 160 is disposed to face the first glass sheet 110 and to be spaced apart from the first glass sheet 110.

Similarly to the first glass sheet 110, the third glass sheet 160 is also a sheet member containing glass and/or a transparent polymer such as polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and polycarbonate (PC), and may be colorless and transparent or colored and transparent. A material, color, and/or light transmittance of the third glass sheet 160 may be the same as or different from those of the first glass sheet 110 and the second glass sheet 120.

As an example, the third glass sheet 160 may be Low-E glass. As illustrated in FIG. 9, the Low-E glass includes a glass sheet and a metal layer 161 formed on at least one surface of the glass sheet. In case the Low-E glass is used as the third glass sheet 160, heat insulation properties of a building may be improved by the metal layer 161, and energy may be saved by blocking external heat from being introduced indoors.

The third glass sheet 160 may be formed in a flat shape or a bent shape such as an arc, that is, a curved shape. In a case where the third glass sheet 160 is formed in a curved shape, a curvature radius (R) may be about 0.2 to 0.3 m or more.

In the glass assembly 100 according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the spacer 170 is inserted into a space between the first glass sheet 110 and the third glass sheet 160 and serves to maintain an interval between the first glass sheet 110 and the third glass sheet 160. An air layer is present between the first glass sheet 110 and the third glass sheet 160 by the spacer 170, such that the heat insulation properties may be improved.

The spacer 170 may be disposed on edge portions of the first glass sheet 110 and the third glass sheet 160, or may be disposed in a matrix arrangement when viewed in a plan view. In a case where the spacer 170 is disposed in a matrix arrangement, a thickness deviation between the edge portions and the central portion of the first glass sheet 110 and the third glass sheet 160 may be minimized.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to experimental examples. However, these experimental examples are merely to illustrate the present invention and the present invention is not limited thereto.

[Example 1]

1-1. Production of Transparent Display

A circuit pattern (line width: 15 μm) formed of a copper mesh was formed on one surface of a PET film substrate (size: 500 mm x 600 mm, thickness: 250 μm) by a mask and etching process, thereby forming a transparent electrode layer (surface resistance: about 1 W/sq.). Next, Ag solder points were formed on the transparent electrode layer by a screen printing process, and then a plurality of LEDs (height: about 1 mm) were mounted on each of the Ag solder points by a low temperature surface mount technology (SMT) process. Next, Si OCA (S_OA-0050, manufactured by Sungjin Global Co., Ltd.) barrier layers each having a thickness of 50 μm were formed on the transparent electrode layer and the LEDs. Subsequently, a transparent display was produced by bonding an FPCB to an edge portion of the transparent electrode layer by an anisotropic conductive film (ACF) bonding process.

1-2. Production of Glass Assembly

The transparent display produced in Example 1-1, a PVB resin film (thickness of 1.52 mm, Butacite, manufactured by KURARAY CO., LTD.), and a second glass sheet were sequentially stacked on a first glass sheet, and then bonding was performed by pressurizing with a pressure of 11.5 bar at 130 °C, thereby producing a glass assembly.

[Comparative Example 1]

Comparative Example 1 was carried out in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the Si OCA (S_OA-0050, manufactured by Sungjin Global Co., Ltd.) barrier layers were not formed on the transparent electrode layer and the LEDs in the transparent display production process.

[Comparative Example 2]

Comparative Example 2 was carried out in the same manner as in Comparative Example 1, except that a PVB resin (ES, manufactured by KURARAY CO., LTD.) was used in the glass assembly production process.

[Experimental Example: Evaluation of Discoloration Characteristics]

A current of 18 mA was applied to each of the glass assemblies produced in Example 1 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2 at an ambient temperature of 60 °C for three days, and yellowness indices were measured to determine discoloration rates. The results are summarized in Table 1. At this time, the yellowness index was measured at 550 nm using a UV spectrophotometer according to ASTM E313.

The discoloration rate was calculated as follows.

[1-[Initial yellowness index]/[Final yellowness index]] x 100

Initial yellowness index: measured value before applying current

Final yellowness index: measured value after applying current

Example 1	Comparative Example 1	Comparative Example 2
<0.1 %	53 %	38 %

As shown in Table 1, it was confirmed that the discoloration hardly occurred in Example 1 in which the barrier layer was formed.

The present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments and may be produced in various forms, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains that exemplary embodiments of the present invention may be implemented in other specific forms without modifying the technical spirit or essential features of the present invention. Therefore, it should be understood that the aforementioned exemplary embodiments are illustrative in terms of all aspects and are not limited.

<Description of symbols>

100: Glass assembly

110: First glass sheet

120: Second glass sheet

130: Transparent display

131: Transparent substrate film

132: Transparent electrode layer

133: Light emitting diode

134: First barrier layer

135: Second barrier layer

136: LED driver

137: Flexible printed circuit board

141: First sealing member

142: Second sealing member

150: Frame unit

160: Third glass sheet

170: Spacer

While this invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be practical exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Claims

A transparent display comprising:

a transparent substrate film;

a transparent electrode layer disposed on an upper surface of the transparent substrate film;

a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) mounted on the transparent electrode layer; and

a first barrier layer disposed on an upper surface of the transparent electrode layer on which the plurality of LEDs are not mounted.
The transparent display of claim 1, further comprising

a second barrier layer disposed on the plurality of LEDs.
The transparent display of claim 1, further comprising

an LED driver controlling the driving of the transparent display.
The transparent display of claim 3, further comprising

one or a plurality of flexible printed circuit boards (FPCBs) disposed on at least one edge portion of the transparent electrode layer and electrically connecting the transparent electrode layer and the LED driver to each other.
The transparent display of claim 4, wherein

a ratio (W/L) of a total width (W) of the one or plurality of FPCBs to a length (L) of the edge portion of the transparent electrode layer is 0.1 to 0.5.
The transparent display of claim 1, wherein

the first barrier layer has a single inorganic layer structure, a single organic layer structure, or a multilayer structure in which an inorganic layer and an organic layer are stacked.
The transparent display of claim 6, wherein

the inorganic layer is formed of at least one selected from the group consisting of SiOx, TiOx, NbOx, SiNx, SiOxNy, AlOx, AlOxNy, and TaOx.
The transparent display of claim 6, wherein

the organic layer is formed of one or more polymer materials selected from the group consisting of an acrylic resin, a silicone-based resin, an optically clear resin (OCR), an optically clear adhesive (OCA) tape, polysiloxane, and polyacrylate.
The transparent display of claim 1, wherein

a thickness of the first barrier layer is 20 nm to 200 ㎛.
The transparent display of claim 1, wherein

a thickness of the transparent substrate film is 200 to 300 ㎛.
The transparent display of claim 1, wherein

the transparent electrode layer includes a circuit pattern formed of at least one selected from the group consisting of a metallic nanowire, a transparent conductive oxide, a metal mesh, carbon nanotubes, and graphene.
The transparent display of claim 1, wherein

the transparent electrode layer has surface resistance of about 0.5 to 3 W/sq.
A glass assembly comprising:

a transparent display;

a first glass sheet disposed on an upper surface of the transparent display; and

a first sealing member sealing a space between the first glass sheet and the transparent display,

wherein the transparent display includes:

a transparent substrate film;

a transparent electrode layer disposed on one surface of the transparent substrate film;

a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) mounted on the transparent electrode layer; and

a first barrier layer disposed at an interface between the transparent electrode layer and the first sealing member.
The glass assembly of claim 13, further comprising

a second barrier layer disposed at an interface between the plurality of LEDs and the first sealing member.
The glass assembly of claim 13, further comprising

a second glass sheet disposed on a lower surface of the transparent display.
The glass assembly of claim 15, further comprising

a second sealing member sealing a space between the transparent display and the second glass sheet.
The glass assembly of claim 13, wherein

a plurality of transparent displays are provided and disposed to be spaced apart from each other.
The glass assembly of claim 13, wherein

the first sealing member is formed of at least one selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl butyral (PVB), ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), an ionoplast polymer, and polyurethane.
The glass assembly of claim 16, wherein

the second sealing member is formed of at least one selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl butyral (PVB), ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), an ionoplast polymer, and polyurethane.
The glass assembly of claim 13, wherein

when a current of 5 to 20 mA is applied to the transparent electrode layer at an ambient temperature of 60 °C for three days, a discoloration rate is 1 % or less.
The glass assembly of claim 13, wherein

the first glass sheet is formed in a flat shape or a curved shape.
The glass assembly of claim 15, wherein

the second glass sheet is formed in a flat shape or a curved shape.
The glass assembly of claim 13, wherein

a ratio (D₁/H₁) of a thickness (D₁) of the first sealing member to a height (H₁) of the LED is 1.5 to 5.0.
The glass assembly of claim 13, wherein

a thickness of the first sealing member is 0.2 to 0.8 mm.
The glass assembly of claim 15, further comprising

a frame unit having an opening in which the first glass sheet, the transparent display, and the second glass sheet are disposed.
The glass assembly of claim 15, further comprising:

a third glass sheet disposed to face the first glass sheet and be spaced apart from the first glass sheet; and

a spacer inserted into a space between the first glass sheet and the third glass sheet to maintain an interval between the first glass sheet and the third glass sheet.
The glass assembly of claim 26, wherein

the third glass sheet is Low-E glass.