BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a display device in which a light-emitting element that is an electroluminescence (EL) element, an organic EL element, or other self-luminous type display element is mounted.

2. Description of the Related Art

In a display device in which a plurality of light-emitting elements represented by organic EL elements or the like are disposed, a display area is covered by a sealing layer configured of a silicon nitride film or the like in order to prevent the degradation of the organic EL elements due to moisture entering the interior of the display device.

In JP 2008-186681A, it is described to provide a highly reliable organic EL display device capable of preventing degradation due to the influence of moisture. Especially in FIG. 2, an invention is disclosed in which, by coating a coating-type moisture absorbent in a direction away from a corner portion of the display area, moisture or the like is prevented from entering from the corner portion of the display area. When the coating-type moisture absorbent is coated in the direction away from the corner portion as described above, there is a problem in that a picture-frame area is increased.

Here, even when the light-emitting elements in the display area are protected by the sealing layer, adverse effects due to the entry of moisture may occur.

A path for moisture to the display area protected by the sealing layer is assumed to be formed in a planarizing layer formed of an organic insulating film for planarizing irregularities caused by a circuit layer or in a pixel separation film formed of an organic insulating film for separating the light-emitting elements for each pixel.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the problems described above, it is an object of the invention to provide a display device in which the entry of moisture into a display area where a plurality of light-emitting elements are disposed is prevented.

A display device according to an aspect of the invention includes: a first substrate; a circuit layer formed on the first substrate so as to include circuits for controlling currents respectively corresponding to a plurality of unit pixels constituting an image; a resin layer provided on the circuit layer and including a groove surrounding and separating a display area; a plurality of light-emitting elements provided on an upper surface of the resin layer so as to emit light with luminances controlled by the currents; a sealing layer covering the plurality of light-emitting elements; a second substrate disposed above the sealing layer; a sealing material provided between the sealing layer and the second substrate so as to surround the display area and the groove; and a filling layer surrounded by the sealing material between the sealing layer and the second substrate, wherein the groove is formed along a line describing a shape that is inscribed in a rectangle and not in contact with corners of the rectangle as viewed in a direction vertical to the upper surface of the resin layer.

A display device according to another aspect of the invention includes: a first substrate; a circuit layer formed on the first substrate so as to include circuits for controlling currents respectively corresponding to a plurality of unit pixels constituting an image; a resin layer provided on the circuit layer and including a groove surrounding and separating a display area; a plurality of light-emitting elements provided on an upper surface of the resin layer so as to emit light with luminances controlled by the currents; a sealing layer covering the plurality of light-emitting elements; a second substrate having a planar shape smaller than that of the first substrate and disposed above the sealing layer so as to expose a portion of the first substrate; a sealing material provided between the sealing layer and the second substrate so as to surround the display area and the groove; and a filling layer surrounded by the sealing material between the sealing layer and the second substrate, wherein the planar shape of the second substrate includes corner portions that are inscribed in a rectangle and coincident with or inside corners of the rectangle, and the groove is formed along a line describing a similar figure obtained by reducing a shape that is inscribed in the planar shape of the second substrate and not in contact with the corner portions as viewed in a direction vertical to the upper surface of the resin layer.

