1. An organic layer deposition apparatus comprising:
a conveyer unit comprising a transfer unit for fixing a substrate and configured to move along with the substrate, a first conveyer unit for moving in a first direction the transfer unit on which the substrate is fixed, and a second conveyer unit for moving in a direction opposite to the first direction the transfer unit from which the substrate is separated after deposition has been completed; and
a deposition unit comprising a chamber maintained in a vacuum state and an organic layer deposition assembly for depositing an organic layer on the substrate fixed on the transfer unit,
wherein the organic layer deposition assembly comprises:
a deposition source for discharging a deposition material;
a deposition source nozzle unit at a side of the deposition source and comprising a plurality of deposition source nozzles;
a patterning slit sheet facing the deposition source nozzle unit and comprising a plurality of patterning slits disposed along one direction;
a control sensor at the deposition source and for measuring a deposition rate of a deposition material evaporated from the deposition source;
a monitoring sensor at the deposition source and for measuring the deposition rate of the deposition material evaporated from the deposition source; and
a sensor shutter for opening or closing a moving path of the deposition material evaporated from the deposition source to the monitoring sensor,
wherein the transfer unit is configured to cyclically move between the first conveyer unit and the second conveyer unit,
wherein the substrate fixed on the transfer unit is configured to be spaced apart from the organic layer deposition assembly by a set distance while being transferred by the first conveyer unit.
2. The organic layer deposition apparatus of claim 1, wherein the monitoring sensor is configured to measure the deposition rate of the deposition source during the movement of the substrate by the transfer unit, and
an amount of the deposition material evaporated from the deposition source is controlled using the measured deposition rate.
3. The organic layer deposition apparatus of claim 2, wherein, the monitoring sensor is configured to control the deposition rate of the deposition source to deposit the deposition material on the substrate by a set target thickness.
4. The organic layer deposition apparatus of claim 3, wherein the deposition rate of the deposition source is controlled by measuring a thickness of the deposition material deposited on the substrate,
the monitoring sensor is configured to set a reference rate by measuring the deposition rate of the deposition source, and then intermittently configured to confirm whether the deposition rate of the deposition source is the same as the reference rate.
5. The organic layer deposition apparatus of claim 2, wherein the sensor shutter is configured to open the moving path such that the deposition material arrives at the monitoring sensor only when the monitoring sensor measures the deposition rate of the deposition source.
6. The organic layer deposition apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first conveyer unit and the second conveyer unit are configured to pass through the deposition unit.
7. The organic layer deposition apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first conveyer unit and the second conveyer unit are respectively arranged above and below in parallel to each other.
8. The organic layer deposition apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
a loading unit for fixing the substrate on the transfer unit; and
an unloading unit for separating from the transfer unit the substrate on which the deposition has been completed while passing through the deposition unit.
9. The organic layer deposition apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first conveyer unit is configured to sequentially convey the transfer unit into the loading unit, the deposition unit, and the unloading unit.
10. The organic layer deposition apparatus of claim 8, wherein the second conveyer unit is configured to sequentially convey the transfer unit into the unloading unit, the deposition unit, and the loading unit.
11. The organic layer deposition apparatus of claim 1, wherein the deposition source is configured to discharge the deposition material to pass through the patterning slit sheet to be deposited on the substrate in a certain pattern.
12. The organic layer deposition apparatus of claim 11, wherein the patterning slit sheet of the organic layer deposition assembly is formed smaller than the substrate in at least any one of the first direction and a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.
13. The organic layer deposition apparatus of claim 1, wherein a magnetic rail is on a surface of a carrier, each of the first conveyer unit and the second conveyer unit comprises a plurality of coils, wherein the magnetic rail and the plurality of coils are combined together to constitute an operation unit for generating a driving force to move the transfer unit.
14. The organic layer deposition apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first conveyer unit comprises guide members each comprising an accommodation groove, wherein the respective accommodation grooves are configured to accommodate both sides of the transfer unit, to guide the transfer unit to move in the first direction; and a magnetically suspended bearing is configured to suspend the transfer unit from the accommodation grooves so as to move the transfer unit in non-contact with the accommodation grooves.
15. The organic layer deposition apparatus of claim 14, wherein the magnetically suspended bearing comprises side magnetically suspended bearings arranged on both side surfaces of the carrier and upper magnetically suspended bearings arranged above the carrier.
16. The organic layer deposition apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of deposition source nozzles is formed along the first direction,
the plurality of patterning slits is formed along the first direction, and
the organic layer deposition apparatus further comprises a shielding plate assembly disposed along the first direction between the deposition source nozzle unit and the patterning slit sheet and comprising a plurality of shielding plates for defining a plurality of deposition spaces between the deposition source nozzle unit and the patterning slit sheet.
17. The organic layer deposition apparatus of claim 16, wherein each of the plurality of shielding plates extends along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.
18. The organic layer deposition apparatus of claim 16, wherein the shielding plate assembly comprises a first shielding plate assembly comprising a plurality of first shielding plates and a second shielding plate assembly comprising a plurality of second shielding plates.
19. The organic layer deposition apparatus of claim 18, wherein each of the plurality of first shielding plates and each of the plurality of second shielding plates are deposed in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction to define the plurality of deposition spaces between the deposition source nozzle unit and the patterning slit sheet.
20. The organic layer deposition apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of deposition source nozzles is deposed along the first direction, and
the plurality of patterning slits is deposed along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.
21. The organic layer deposition apparatus of claim 20, wherein each of the plurality of deposition sources, the deposition source nozzle unit, and the patterning slit sheet are integrally formed by being connected to each other via a connecting member.
22. The organic layer deposition apparatus of claim 21, wherein the connecting member is configured to guide a flow path of the deposition material.
23. The organic layer deposition apparatus of claim 22, wherein the connecting member is configured to seal a space between the patterning slit sheet and the deposition source and the deposition source nozzle unit.
24. A method of manufacturing an organic light-emitting display device by using an organic layer deposition apparatus for forming an organic layer on a substrate, the method comprising:
conveying, into a chamber, a transfer unit on which the substrate is fixed, by using a first conveyer unit installed to pass through the chamber;
forming an organic layer by depositing a deposition material discharged from an organic layer deposition assembly on the substrate while the substrate is configured to be moved relative to the organic layer deposition assembly with the organic layer deposition assembly in the chamber being spaced apart from the substrate by a set distance; and
conveying the transfer unit from which the substrate is separated to a loading unit by using a second conveyer unit installed to pass through the chamber,
wherein the forming of the organic layer comprises:
measuring a thickness of a deposition material deposited on the substrate;
controlling an amount of a deposition material evaporated from a deposition source by controlling a deposition rate of the deposition source from the measured thickness of the deposition material and a target thickness;
setting a reference rate by measuring the deposition rate of the deposition source in a monitoring sensor at the deposition source; and
confirming whether the deposition rate of the deposition source and the reference rate are identical to each other in the monitoring sensor.
25. The method of claim 24, wherein the monitoring sensor measures the deposition rate of the deposition material during the movement of the substrate by the transfer unit, and
an amount of the deposition material evaporated from the deposition source is controlled using the measured deposition rate.
26. The method of claim 25, wherein, to deposit the deposition material on the substrate by a set target thickness, the deposition rate of the deposition source measured by the monitoring sensor is controlled.
27. The method of claim 24, wherein the confirming of whether the deposition rate of the deposition source and the reference rate are identical to each other in the monitoring sensor is periodically performed.
28. The method of claim 24, wherein the confirming of whether the deposition rate of the deposition source and the reference rate are identical to each other in the monitoring sensor is performed when a moving path of the deposition material is opened such that the deposition material arrives at the monitoring sensor by using a sensor shutter.
29. The method of claim 24, further comprising:
before conveying the transfer unit by using the first conveyer unit, fixing the substrate on the transfer unit in a loading unit; and
before conveying the transfer unit by using the second conveyer unit, separating the substrate on which the depositing has been completed from the transfer unit in an unloading unit.
30. The method of claim 24, wherein the transfer unit is formed to cyclically move between the first conveyer unit and the second conveyer unit.
31. The method of claim 24, wherein the first conveyer unit and the second conveyer unit are respectively arranged above and below in parallel to each other.
32. The method of claim 24, wherein the organic layer deposition assembly comprises:
the deposition source discharging the deposition material;
a deposition source nozzle unit that is disposed at a side of the deposition source and comprises a plurality of deposition source nozzles; and
a patterning slit sheet facing the deposition source nozzle unit and comprising a plurality of patterning slits arranged along a second direction perpendicular to a first direction,
wherein the deposition material discharged from the deposition source passes through the patterning slit sheet to be deposited on the substrate in a certain pattern.
33. The method of claim 32, wherein the patterning slit sheet of the organic layer deposition assembly is formed smaller than the substrate in at least any one of the first direction and the second direction.
34. An organic light-emitting display device comprising:
a substrate;
a thin film transistor on the substrate and comprises a semiconductor active layer, a gate electrode insulated from the semiconductor active layer, and source and drain electrodes each contacting the semiconductor active layer;
a plurality of pixel electrodes on the thin film transistor;
a plurality of organic layers on the plurality of the pixel electrodes; and
a counter electrode on the plurality of organic layers,
wherein a length of a hypotenuse of at least one of the plurality of organic layers on the substrate farther from a center of a deposition region is larger than lengths of hypotenuses of those other organic layers formed closer to the center of the deposition region, and
wherein the at least one of the plurality of organic layers on the substrate is a linearly-patterned organic layer formed using the organic layer deposition apparatus of claim 1.
35. The organic light-emitting display device of claim 34, wherein the substrate has a size of 40 inches or more.
36. The organic light-emitting display device of claim 34, wherein the plurality of organic layers comprise at least an emission layer.
37. The organic light-emitting display device of claim 34, wherein the plurality of organic layers have a non-uniform thickness.
38. The organic light-emitting display device of claim 34, wherein in each of the organic layers formed farther from the center of the deposition region, a hypotenuse farther from the center of the deposition region is larger than the other hypotenuse.
39. The organic light-emitting display device of claim 34, wherein the further one of the plurality of organic layers in the deposition region is from the center of the deposition region, the narrower an overlapped region of two sides of the one of the plurality of organic layers is formed.
40. The organic light-emitting display device of claim 34, wherein hypotenuses of the organic layer disposed at the center of the deposition region have substantially the same length.
41. The organic light-emitting display device of claim 34, wherein the plurality of organic layers in the deposition region are symmetrically arranged about the center of the deposition region.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A bed conveyor for use with a motorized vehicle for transporting palletized loads of stacked packages and delivering the packages by means of an overhead conveyor to a location remote from the truck, the bed conveyor comprising:
a plurality of spaced apart rails, each having a first end and a second end, the rails extending longitudinally along a bed floor of the vehicle, the rails defining a top weight bearing surface for supporting the weight of a plurality of palletized loads of stacked packages;
a pusher member at least partially disposed above the top surface of the plurality of rails, the pusher member being selectively movable between a first position near the first end of the plurality of rails and a second position located rearwardly relative to the first position; and
drive means operatively coupled to the pusher member for selectively moving the pusher member between the first and second positions, the drive means being spaced apart from the top weight bearing surface of the plurality of rails such that the weight of palletized loads of stacked packages is primarily supported by the plurality of rails rather than the drive means.
2. A bed conveyor as recited in claim 1, wherein the drive means comprises one or more chains, belts or cables coupled to the pusher member and a hydraulic pump operatively coupled to drive the one or more chains, belts, or cables.
3. A bed conveyor as recited in claim 2, wherein the drive means comprises a pair of chains centrally disposed between two of the plurality of rails extending longitudinally along the bed floor.
4. A bed conveyor as recited in claim 3, wherein each chain comprises an HD81x standard heavy duty logging chain.
5. A bed conveyor as recited in claim 2, wherein the hydraulic pump is selectively operable to move the pusher member at a rate between about 10 and about 60 feet per minute.
6. A bed conveyor as recited in claim 2, wherein the hydraulic pump is selectively operable to move the pusher member at a rate between about 15 and about 40 feet per minute.
7. A bed conveyor as recited in claim 2, wherein the hydraulic pump is selectively operable to move the pusher member at a rate between about 20 and about 30 feet per minute.
8. A bed conveyor as recited in claim 2, wherein the hydraulic pump comprises a dual valve tandem hydraulic pump configured to provide a flow rate of about 15 gpm on one side and a flow rate of about 6-8 gpm on another side.
9. A bed conveyor as recited in claim 1, wherein the pusher member comprises a rectangular bar, the bed conveyor further comprising a stabilizer assembly to which the pusher member is connected, the stabilizer assembly sliding between two of the plurality of rails extending longitudinally along the bed floor so as to help in maintaining the pusher member substantially perpendicular to the rails.
10. A motorized vehicle for transporting palletized loads of stacked packages and delivering the packages by means of an overhead conveyor to a location remote from the truck, the vehicle having a bed floor for supporting palletized loads of stacked packages, the vehicle including:
a bed conveyor comprising:
a plurality of rails, each having a first end and a second end, the rails extending longitudinally along the bed floor, the rails defining a top weight bearing surface for supporting the weight of a plurality of palletized loads of stacked packages;
a pusher member disposed at least partially above the top surface of the plurality of rails, the pusher member being selectively movable between a first position near the first end of the plurality of rails and a second position located rearwardly relative to the first position; and
drive means operatively coupled to the pusher member for selectively moving the pusher member between the first and second positions, the drive means being spaced apart from the top weight bearing surface of the plurality of rails such that the weight of the palletized loads of stacked packages is primarily supported by the plurality of rails rather than the drive means; and
a lift assembly disposed at a transfer station near the rear of the bed floor, the lift assembly comprising:
a lift platform that is selectively movable from a lower position generally coplanar with the bed floor to a raised position above the bed floor;
a lift mechanism disposed under the lift platform for moving the lift platform between a lowered position and a raised position; and
safety means for preventing injuries to an operator’s foot while operating the lift assembly.
11. A motorized vehicle as recited in claim 10, wherein the safety means for preventing injuries to an operator’s foot comprises substantially vertical side walls disposed on the lift platform, the side walls being inwardly beveled so as to push an operator’s foot away as the lift platform is lowered from a raised position to a lower position.
12. A motorized vehicle as recited in claim 10, wherein the safety means for preventing injuries to an operator’s foot comprises a sensor operatively coupled to the lift mechanism, the sensor being operative to stop downward movement of the lift platform in response to an operator’s foot being disposed directly beneath the lift platform.
13. A motorized vehicle as recited in claim 10, further comprising two hinged arm guards disposed on the bed floor on either side of the lift platform so as to prevent a user from inserting a hand or arm between the lift platform and the bed floor while the arm guards are raised.
14. A motorized vehicle as recited in claim 10, further comprising an overhead conveyor supported near a rear end of the bed floor and arranged to selectively extend outward of the bed floor over a range of elevations and directions.
15. A motorized vehicle as recited in claim 10, wherein the drive means comprises one or more chains, belts or cables coupled to the pusher member and a hydraulic pump operatively coupled to drive the one or more chains, belts, or cables.
16. A motorized vehicle as recited in claim 15, wherein the drive means comprises a pair of chains centrally disposed between two of the plurality of rails extending longitudinally along the bed floor.
17. A motorized vehicle as recited in claim 15, wherein the hydraulic pump comprises a dual valve tandem hydraulic pump configured to provide a flow rate of about 15 gpm on one side and a flow rate of about 6-8 gpm on another side.
18. A motorized vehicle as recited in claim 10, wherein the pusher member comprises a rectangular bar, the motorized vehicle further comprising a stabilizer assembly to which the pusher member is connected, the stabilizer assembly sliding between two of the plurality of rails extending longitudinally along the bed floor so as to help in maintaining the pusher member substantially perpendicular to the rails.
19. A motorized vehicle as recited in claim 10, wherein the lift mechanism is configured to simultaneously lift the lift platform upwardly and rearwardly relative to the bed floor.
20. A truck for transporting palletized loads of stacked packages and delivering the packages by means of an overhead conveyor to a location remote from the truck, the truck having a bed floor for supporting palletized loads of stacked packages, the truck comprising:
a bed conveyor comprising;
a plurality of rails, each having a first end and a second end, the rails extending longitudinally along the bed floor, the rails defining a top weight bearing surface for supporting the weight of a plurality of palletized loads of stacked packages;
pusher means for pushing the plurality of palletized loads of stacked packages between a first position near the first end of the plurality of rails and a second position located rearwardly relative to the first position; and
lift means for selectively lifting a portion of the palletized load of stacked packages above the bed floor of the truck so as to facilitate unloading of individual stacked packages onto an overhead conveyor, said lift means being disposed at or near the second end of the plurality of rails.
21. A truck as recited in claim 20, wherein the lift means comprises:
a lift platform that is selectively movable from a lower position generally coplanar with the bed floor to a raised position above the bed floor;
a lift mechanism disposed under the lift platform for moving the lift platform between a lowered position and a raised position; and
substantially vertically extending side walls disposed under the lift platform, the side walls being inwardly beveled so as to push an operator’s foot away as the lift platform is lowered from a raised position to a lower position.