JP2002040448A - Method for filling liquid crystal - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method capable of preventing the adhesion of liquid crystals to the outer side of a cell of a liquid crystal panel when filling the cell with the liquid crystals. SOLUTION: A structure 21 constituted by aligning a first substrate 11 and a second substrate 13 by a sealing material 19 in the state of maintaining a prescribed gap 15 between these substrates is arranged into an internally evacuatable process chamber 27 in such a manner that the side provided with a liquid injection hole 21a exists on a lower side in a perpendicular direction. Negative pressure is generated within the gap 15 in the structure 21 by generating the negative pressure in the process chamber 27. Liquid crystals are so supplied that the liquid crystals come into contact only the liquid crystal injection hole 21a in the state that the processing to generate the negative pressure ends.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A liquid crystal panel is frequently used as a simple display device, and is expected as one of the promising candidates for a display device to replace a CRT (cathode ray tube). As a conventional general method for manufacturing such a liquid crystal panel, for example, Document I (“Latest Technology of Liquid Crystal”, Industrial Research Committee (1984.
1) pp. 156-167). FIG.
(A)-(D) are the figures for the explanation. In particular, this figure shows a liquid crystal injection step and a step of sealing a liquid crystal injection hole in the conventional method.

In this method, a first substrate 11 and a second substrate 13 for a liquid crystal panel in which electrodes, liquid crystal driving elements, alignment films (all not shown), etc. are formed on a glass substrate, The substrates are bonded together by a sealing material 19 in a state where a predetermined gap 15 is maintained between the substrates (generally, a state where the gap 15 is formed by the spacer 17). Thus, a structure 21 to be injected with liquid crystal is obtained.
(A)). However, a liquid crystal injection hole 21a is formed in a part of the structure 21 by, for example, providing a portion where the sealing material is not applied in a sealing material applying step. The above-mentioned bonding is performed by the method disclosed in the above-mentioned Document I or the document “Electronic Materials” published by the Industrial Research Institute, Inc., December 1992, pp. 57-5
The method can be performed by a method called an optical pressing method disclosed in 8). The latter uses an ultraviolet-curable adhesive as the sealing material 19,
In this method, the sealing material 19 is cured by irradiating ultraviolet rays while pressing the first and second substrates 11 and 13 with a pressing plate (one pressing plate is a quartz plate).

Next, the gap 1 of the structure 21 to be injected with liquid crystal is
5 and the liquid crystal 23 prepared to be injected into this gap are evacuated by the exhaust means 25 (FIG. 8A). In FIG. 8A, reference numeral 23a denotes a tank for containing the liquid crystal 23, and reference numeral 27 denotes a processing chamber for injecting the liquid crystal 23 into the gap 15 of the structure 21. Thereafter, the liquid crystal injection target structure 21 is moved so that the liquid crystal injection hole 21a thereof contacts the liquid crystal 23 (FIG. 8B). Evacuation of the processing chamber 27 is terminated when appropriate. When the liquid crystal injection hole 21a comes into contact with the liquid crystal 23, the liquid crystal is injected to some extent into the space 15 according to the capillary phenomenon (FIG. 8B).

Next, a sufficiently dried inert gas such as an argon gas or a nitrogen gas is introduced into the processing chamber 27 from a gas supply means 29, and the pressure of the inert gas is used to make use of the pressure of the first and second substrates. The liquid crystal is filled in the space 15 between them (FIG. 8C).

Thereafter, the liquid crystal injection hole 21a is closed (sealed) by a suitable sealing material 19a (FIG. 8).
(D)). Thereby, the injection of the liquid crystal and the sealing of the liquid crystal injection hole are completed.

[0007]

However, in the conventional liquid crystal injection method, as described with reference to FIG. 8B, the liquid crystal injection hole 2 of the structure 21 to be injected with liquid crystal is generally used.
1a is formed on the entire side of the tank 2
The liquid crystal is injected from the liquid crystal injection hole 21a in a state where the liquid crystal is immersed to a certain depth in the liquid crystal 23 in 3a. For this reason, since the liquid crystal is unnecessarily attached to the outer surface of the structure 21 to be injected with the liquid crystal, there are problems such as: cleaning is required, and liquid crystal is wasted. .

In addition, the conventional liquid crystal injection method has another problem as described below. In the conventional liquid crystal injection method, when the liquid crystal is injected into the gap between the first and second substrates, these substrates are not particularly pressurized. May be wider than the allowable value (indicated by a broken line in FIG. 8C). This is particularly remarkable when an STN type liquid crystal is used. If the liquid crystal injection hole is sealed while the distance between the first and second substrates is wider than the allowable value, a liquid crystal panel in which the distance between the substrates deviates from the allowable value is produced, and the desired characteristics cannot be obtained. The danger of becoming extremely high. In order to prevent this, conventionally, after sealing the liquid crystal and before sealing the liquid crystal injection hole, the sample (or a stacked body when a plurality of the samples are stacked via a spacer) is first and second. A method of pressing the substrate surface with a pressure plate such as a pressure roller, correcting the interval between the first and second substrates, and taking out excess liquid crystal in the gap from the gap, and then sealing the liquid crystal injection hole. (For example, a fully automatic pressure sealing device K already marketed by the applicant of this application)
-Refer to the catalog of STF-1).

However, it is inefficient to provide a step of pressing the sample after injecting the liquid crystal and before sealing the liquid crystal injection hole. In addition, since the excess liquid crystal overflowing from the gap due to the pressure adheres to the outside of the structure to be injected with liquid crystal,
As described above, there are problems such as: cleaning is required, and liquid crystal is wasted. As a method for preventing this, for example, liquid crystal is injected while the structure 21 shown in FIG. 8 is pressed by, for example, a plate material (not shown) so as to sandwich the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 13. A method is conceivable. Also, considering mass processing, FIG.
Or a plurality of structures 21 shown in FIG. 3 are directly laminated or laminated via spacers, and each structure 2 is pressed from both ends of this laminate (not shown) by, for example, a plate material.
A method of injecting a liquid crystal into each of the voids 15 can be considered. However, in the method in which the first and second substrates of the structure are pressed by a solid member such as a plate material, the step of laminating a large number of structures 21 becomes complicated, especially when considering large-scale processing, and furthermore, each structure has It is considered difficult to pressurize the body evenly.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method for injecting liquid crystal which can easily prevent unnecessary adhesion of liquid crystal to a structure to be injected with liquid crystal. Is to provide. Further, a liquid crystal capable of easily preventing unnecessary adhesion of the liquid crystal to the structure to be injected with the liquid crystal and maintaining the distance between the first and second substrates at an allowable value and performing the same by an industrial method. It is to provide an injection method.

[0011]

In order to achieve this object, according to the liquid crystal injection method of the present invention, the first substrate and the second substrate are sealed while maintaining a predetermined gap between the substrates. Injecting liquid crystal through the liquid crystal injection hole provided in a part of the structure into the gap of the structure formed by bonding, the inside of the pressure / decompression chamber provided in the processing chamber where the inside can be exhausted The structure is arranged such that the side where the liquid crystal injection hole is provided is the lower side in the vertical direction, and at least one of the first substrate surface and the second substrate surface that hits the outer surface of the structure is pressed at an arbitrary pressure. A step of forming a state in which the gas atmosphere can be set to be in contact with a gas atmosphere constituting an independent system, and a processing step of making the inside of the space in the structure a negative pressure by making the processing chamber a negative pressure. , The state after finishing the process of negative pressure And a step of injecting the liquid crystal while controlling the pressure to a negative pressure so as to increase the injection speed of the liquid crystal into the gap, and a step of supplying the liquid crystal so that the liquid crystal contacts only the liquid crystal injection hole. Features.

In the present invention, the meaning on the lower side in the vertical direction includes a case where the lower side is substantially lower in the vertical direction within the scope of the object of the present invention. Further, the meaning that the liquid crystal is in contact with only the liquid crystal injection hole includes the case where the liquid crystal is in contact with a portion other than the liquid crystal injection hole near the liquid crystal injection hole within the scope of the present invention.

[0013]

According to the method of the present invention, the liquid crystal is supplied only to the liquid crystal injection hole. Further, since the liquid crystal is supplied from the lower side in the vertical direction, it is easy to make the liquid crystal contact only the liquid crystal injection hole.
In other words, when a specified amount of liquid crystal is supplied in a state where the liquid crystal injection hole is vertically upward, the liquid crystal is likely to spread around the liquid crystal injection hole due to the action of gravity. , The liquid crystal is less likely to spread around the liquid crystal injection hole. Since the liquid crystal supplied by the method of the present invention has a negative pressure in the void of the structure to be injected with the liquid crystal during the liquid crystal injection process, the liquid crystal is supplied through the liquid crystal injection hole.
Entering the void.

Further, in the present invention, the supply of the liquid crystal to the liquid crystal injection hole may be performed in a state where only the liquid crystal injection hole is in contact with the liquid crystal tank in the processing chamber. Liquid crystal may be injected by making a fixed amount adhere. Then, the structure in which the liquid crystal has been fixedly attached to the liquid crystal injection hole may be taken out of the processing chamber, and the liquid crystal may be injected into the gap using the atmospheric pressure during and after the taking out. In the case where the liquid crystal is supplied to the liquid crystal injection hole in a state where the liquid crystal tank is brought into contact with only the liquid crystal injection hole in the processing chamber, the processing chamber is used until the liquid crystal injection is completed, so that the use time of the processing chamber becomes longer. .
On the other hand, when the liquid crystal is fixedly attached to the liquid crystal injection hole and the liquid crystal injection is performed outside the processing chamber as in the preferred embodiment, the liquid crystal injection operation can be performed outside the processing chamber, thereby improving the use efficiency of the processing chamber. Can be achieved.

In a case where at least one of the first and second substrates is brought into contact with a gaseous atmosphere and a process of injecting liquid crystal while further controlling the pressure of the gaseous atmosphere is further added, the distance between the first and second substrates may be increased. The liquid crystal is injected into the gap between the substrates while applying pressure so that the liquid crystal becomes an allowable value, so that a sample in which the interval between the substrates is set to an allowable value and the liquid crystal injection amount is appropriate when the injection is completed can be obtained. . Also, since the pressurization of the substrate surface is performed by gas, it is considered that the pressure control at the time of pressurization and at the time of pressurization can be performed more delicately than when the substrate surface is pressurized with a solid material. It is thought that the nature increases. Further, when a large number of samples are pressurized, these samples may be placed in, for example, a pressure chamber, and the liquid crystal injection hole of each sample may be in communication with the outside of the pressure chamber (the liquid crystal injection hole itself may be out of the pressure chamber. ) So that it can be easily pressurized at once by storing it, so that mass processing is easy.

The structure in which the liquid crystal has been supplied to the liquid crystal injection hole and which has been brought into contact with the gaseous atmosphere is taken out of the processing chamber as it is, and the atmospheric pressure during and after the taking out is used. Then, the liquid crystal may be injected. Also in this case, since the liquid crystal injection operation can be performed outside the processing chamber, the use efficiency of the processing chamber can be improved accordingly.

[0017]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to some drawings. However, the drawings used in the description schematically show the shapes, dimensions, and arrangement relations of the components so that these inventions can be understood. Also,
In the drawings used in the following description, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals.

1. First Embodiment FIGS. 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B and 3
(A), (B) is a diagram for explaining the first embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, it is a process diagram showing a state of a sample and a liquid crystal injection device in a main step in a step of performing liquid crystal injection, respectively.

First, a structure composed of a first substrate and a second substrate bonded to each other with a sealing material while maintaining a predetermined gap between the substrates, that is, a structure to be injected with liquid crystal is manufactured. This manufacturing method is not particularly limited.
For example, it can be manufactured by the method described in the section of the prior art. That is, a first substrate 11 and a second substrate 13 for a liquid crystal panel in which an electrode, a liquid crystal driving element, an alignment film (all not shown) and the like are formed on a glass substrate, and a predetermined gap 15 is formed between these substrates. The structure 21 to be injected with the liquid crystal is manufactured by bonding with the sealant 19 while being maintained by the spacer 17 (FIG. 1A).

Next, a processing chamber 27 for injecting liquid crystal, which is equipped with an exhaust device 25 for exhausting the interior of the chamber.
The structure 21 to be injected with liquid crystal is disposed therein such that the side on which the liquid crystal injection hole is provided is the lower side in the vertical direction. In this case, the structure 21 was fixed to the supporting / transporting means (not shown) provided in the processing chamber 27 in advance as described above. Here, the supporting / transporting means is a transporting mechanism that can fix the structure 21 and can move up, down, left, and right within the processing chamber 27.

In the processing chamber 27, means 40 for supplying liquid crystal so that the liquid crystal is in contact only with the liquid crystal injection hole (hereinafter, also referred to as "liquid crystal supply means 40") is provided (FIG. A), (B)). The liquid crystal supply means 40 in the case of this embodiment is a container 41 for containing the liquid crystal 23, a part of which is a convex portion 43, and a liquid crystal injection hole is provided at the top of the convex portion 43. A container 41 having an opening 45 opposed to 21a, and a liquid level for controlling the liquid crystal liquid level so that the liquid crystal contained in the container 41 always shows a constant liquid level at the outlet of the opening 45. Control means 47
It consists of The liquid level control means 47 can be realized by various conventionally known techniques. In this case, a movable partition plate 47a provided in the container 41 for changing the liquid crystal occupied volume in the container 41, Means (sliding means for partition wall plate) 47b for sliding the plate so that the liquid level is constant. The partition plate sliding means 47b can be any type such as an electric type, a gas type, and a liquid type. In this embodiment, the air pressure control device 47b is provided externally.
Air chamber (FIG. 1)
(A) Shown by P in FIG. ) Is controlled by the air pressure control device 47b to slide the partition plate 47a. In addition, the liquid level of the liquid crystal at the opening 45 is detected by an arbitrary suitable sensor, and this information is fed back to the air pressure control device 47b to adjust the pressure. Here, it is omitted.

Next, the void 1 of the structure 21 to be injected with liquid crystal is
In order to evacuate the inside of the chamber 5 and the liquid crystal 23, the inside of the processing chamber 27 is evacuated by the exhaust means 25 (FIG. 1A). In addition,
The exhaust may be performed under such conditions that the inside of the gap 15 has a predetermined negative pressure suitable for liquid crystal injection, and that the liquid crystal 23 is degassed as desired.

Next, the structure 21 to be injected with the liquid crystal is moved so that the liquid crystal injection hole 21a contacts the liquid crystal 23 at the opening 45 of the liquid crystal supply means 40 (FIG. 2A).
This movement can be performed by the above-mentioned supporting / transporting means (not shown). The evacuation of the processing chamber 27 ends when appropriate.
When the liquid crystal injection hole 21a comes into contact with the liquid crystal 23 at the opening 45 of the liquid crystal supply means 40, the liquid crystal 23 enters into the gap because the inside of the gap has a negative pressure. At this time, since the liquid level of the liquid crystal is kept constant near the opening 45 by the liquid level control means 47, the liquid crystal always comes into contact with the liquid crystal injection hole 21a. Therefore, liquid crystal is injected into the space 15 as desired (FIG. 2B). Further, in the case of the present invention, the liquid crystal is in contact with the structure 21 to be injected with the liquid crystal only through the liquid crystal injection hole, so that the liquid crystal does not needlessly adhere to the outside of the structure 21.

The structure 21 into which the liquid crystal has been injected is placed in the processing chamber 2.
Take out from 7. By sealing the liquid crystal injection hole 21a of this structure with a sealing material (see FIG.
(See (C)), and the liquid crystal panel is completed.

In the above description, an example has been described in which the structure 21 is kept in the processing chamber 27 until the liquid crystal injection is completed. However, for example, when the volume of the gap 15 is small, as shown in FIGS. 3A to 3C, a process of causing the liquid crystal supply means 40 to apply the liquid crystal 23 only to the liquid crystal injection hole 21 a in the processing chamber 27. Until (Fig. 3 (A)
And (B)), the structure 21 is taken out of the processing chamber (FIG. 3 (C)), and the liquid crystal is injected into the gap by using the atmospheric pressure during and after the take-out. good. Since the use of the processing chamber 27 is improved only by the work of attaching the liquid crystal injection hole 21a for the liquid crystal, the use efficiency of the processing chamber 27 is improved. Incidentally, in the case of the first embodiment, a specific method of causing the liquid crystal to adhere to the liquid crystal injection hole 21a quantitatively can be, for example, as follows. That is, once the liquid level of the liquid crystal is adjusted by the liquid crystal supply means 40, the partition plate slide means 47b (see FIG. 1) is fixed (not pressurized). In this state, the structure 21 is brought into contact with the convex portion 43 (see FIG. 1) of the liquid crystal supply means 40 by the above-mentioned supporting / transporting means (not shown). At the time of this contact, a substantially constant amount of liquid crystal moves from the opening 45 (see FIG. 1) of the liquid crystal supply means 40 to the liquid crystal injection hole 21a side and adheres. Next, the structure is raised by the supporting / transporting means. Through this series of processes, the liquid crystal can be fixedly attached to the liquid crystal injection hole 21a.

2. Second Embodiment Next, the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 13 of the structure 21
An example will be described in which at least one of the processes is pressurized by a gas atmosphere. This description will be made with reference to FIGS.

First, a structure 21 to be injected with a liquid crystal is manufactured, for example, in the same manner as in the first embodiment. Next, in the second embodiment, the gas atmosphere in which the outer surfaces of the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 13 which correspond to the outer surface of the structure 21 to be injected with liquid crystal can be set to an arbitrary pressure. It is brought into contact with a gas atmosphere that constitutes an independent system. For this reason, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4A, means for arbitrarily pressurizing and depressurizing (hereinafter, pressurizing / depressurizing means) 10
1 and a pressurizing / depressurizing chamber 103 connected thereto, and a pressure adjusting mechanism provided between the pressurizing / depressurizing means 101 and the pressurizing / depressurizing chamber 103 and capable of arbitrarily setting the internal pressure of the pressurizing / depressurizing chamber 103. 105 and gas atmosphere contacting means 107
Is used. Here, the pressurizing / depressurizing means 101 can be constituted by a device having, for example, a compressor and an exhaust device, and switching and using these as appropriate. Further, the pressurizing / depressurizing chamber 103 in this case is a trunk-like box that can be freely opened and closed,
A box 103b having a notch 103a for exposing an end of the structure 21 to be injected with liquid crystal on which the liquid crystal injection hole 21a is provided, and an airtight holding member (not shown) provided in the notch 103a. (Packing) 103c. In the configuration of the pressurization / decompression chamber 103 in this case, the liquid crystal injection hole 21a is exposed outside the pressurization / decompression chamber 103. The pressurizing / depressurizing chamber 103 of the gas atmosphere contacting means 107 is configured so as to be able to be taken in and out of the processing chamber 27, and can be mounted on a supporting / transporting means (not shown) provided in the processing chamber 27. There is a configuration. Further, the liquid crystal injection device used in the second embodiment includes an exhaust unit 25 and a liquid crystal supply unit 40 as in the first embodiment.

Next, the liquid crystal is injected into the gap 15 of the structure 21 to be injected with the liquid crystal according to the same procedure as described in the first embodiment. However, in the second embodiment, when the liquid crystal is injected into the space 15 of the structure 21, the pressure / decompression means 101
Is operated to pressurize the inside of the pressurization / decompression chamber 103 here. Of course, the pressure in the pressurizing / depressurizing chamber 103 is prevented from increasing the distance between the first and second substrates 11 and 13 due to the liquid crystal being injected into the gap 15 and the distance is set to an allowable value. Pressure adjusting mechanism 1 so that the pressure can be maintained at
05 to control. In addition, pressurization / decompression chamber 1 during injection
The profile of the pressure control of 03 is determined according to the design of the liquid crystal panel.

After the liquid crystal has been injected as described above, a structure 121 to be sealed is obtained (FIG. 4B). The structure 121 to be sealed obtained in this way is one in which the distance between the first and second substrates is a predetermined value (without bulging of cells) and the amount of liquid crystal in the void is also appropriate. become. Needless to say, since the liquid crystal is brought into contact only with the liquid crystal injection hole 21a at the time of liquid crystal injection, the liquid crystal does not adhere to the outside of the structure 21.

Next, the sealing material 19a is applied to the liquid crystal injection hole 21a by using the sealing material supply means 19x to seal the liquid crystal injection hole 21a. Thus, a desired liquid crystal panel 111 is obtained (FIG. 4C).

In the above description, the structure 21 is moved together with the pressurizing / depressurizing chamber 103 until the liquid crystal injection is completed.
The example in which it is put in the processing chamber 27 has been described. However, for example, when the volume of the gap 15 is small, as shown in FIG. 5A, the structure 21 having the liquid crystal 23 adhered to the liquid crystal injection hole 21a is placed together with the pressurizing / depressurizing chamber 103 together with the processing chamber 27. The liquid crystal may be injected into the gap while taking out the outside and using the atmospheric pressure during and after the extraction while controlling the pressure of the pressurization / decompression chamber. According to this procedure, the use of the processing chamber 27 can be improved only by attaching the liquid crystal injection hole 21a to the liquid crystal, as described with reference to FIGS. 3A to 3C in the first embodiment. , Processing chamber 27
Use efficiency is increased.

In the case of the second embodiment, when the liquid crystal is injected into the gap, the pressure in the pressurizing / depressurizing chamber 103 may be controlled to a negative pressure (see FIG. 5B). . By doing so, it is considered that the distance between the first and second substrates is increased at the time of liquid crystal injection, and it is considered that the liquid crystal injection time can be reduced.

3. Third Embodiment Next, an example in which the liquid crystal supply means has a different configuration will be described. This description is made with reference to FIGS. 6 (A), 6 (B) and 7 (A),
This is performed with reference to (B). Note that FIGS. 6 and 7
FIG. 13 is a perspective view for explaining the positional relationship between the structure 21 to be injected with liquid crystal and the liquid crystal supply means 140 in the third embodiment and the operation of the liquid crystal supply means 140. The liquid crystal supply means 140 is also provided in the processing chamber 27 (FIG. 1).
, Etc.), but illustration of the processing chamber and the like is omitted in FIGS.

The liquid crystal supply means 140 in the third embodiment
Uses a technique called a pin bonding method. Hereinafter, the configuration will be described in detail.

The liquid crystal supply means 140 includes a tank 141 for receiving the liquid crystal 23 and having an open top, and a liquid crystal moving member 143 provided above the tank 141. The convex portion 143a has a convex portion 143a and a concave portion 14 for storing a fixed amount of liquid crystal in the convex portion 143a.
Liquid crystal moving member 143 having 3b (see FIG. 6A)
And a mechanism (not shown) for moving the liquid crystal moving member 143 between the tank 141 and the structure 21 in a predetermined manner (details will be described later). However, the convex portion 143a is
It is configured to be at a position facing the liquid crystal injection hole 21a of the structure 21 to be injected with liquid crystal. Also, the convex portion 143
The shape and size of the opening of the concave portion 143b provided in the liquid crystal injection hole 21a are the same or almost the same as the shape and size of the liquid crystal injection hole 21a. To move the liquid crystal moving member 143 in a predetermined manner means that the liquid crystal moving member 143 can be moved up and down between the tank 141 and the structure 21 to be injected with liquid crystal, and the convex portion 143a is moved in the tank. To move so as to be able to rotate so as to face 141 or to the structure 21 side.

Hereinafter, a liquid crystal injection process using the liquid crystal supply means 140 will be described in order to deepen the understanding of the third embodiment. However, a description will be given from a state where the inside of the gap 15 of the structure 21 to be injected with liquid crystal has been exhausted.

First, the liquid crystal moving member 143 is rotated such that the convex portion 143a faces the tank 141.
The concave portion 143b is lowered so as to be in contact with the liquid crystal 23 (FIG. 6A). After contacting the liquid crystal 23 for a predetermined time, the liquid crystal moving member 143 is raised (FIG. 6B). At this time, if the concave portion 143b has a predetermined shape and size in advance, the liquid crystal moving member 143 rises with a fixed amount of liquid crystal accumulated in the concave portion 143b. Here, it is considered that the predetermined shape and size are such that capillary action or surface tension acts.

Next, the liquid crystal moving member 143 is rotated such that the convex portion 143a faces the structure 21 to be filled with liquid crystal (FIG. 7A). Next, the liquid crystal moving member 143
Is moved upward such that the concave portion 143b is in contact with the liquid crystal injection hole 21a of the structure 21 to be injected with the liquid crystal (FIG. 7).
(B)). At this time, the liquid crystal accumulated in the concave portion 143b adheres to the liquid crystal injection hole 21a of the structure 21 to be injected with liquid crystal. The liquid crystal moving member 143 moves away from the structure 21. Thereafter, when the atmosphere is introduced into the processing chamber 27 (see FIG. 1), the liquid crystal attached to the liquid crystal injection hole 21a enters the gap 15 because the inside of the gap 15 is under a negative pressure. Also in the case of the third embodiment, the liquid crystal supply means 14 is provided in the processing chamber 27 in order to increase the efficiency of use of the processing chamber.
This structure may be taken out of the processing chamber after performing the process up to the step of 0, in which the liquid crystal 23 is fixedly attached only to the liquid crystal injection hole 21a. Also in the third embodiment, the gas contact means 107 described in the second embodiment can be used.

The liquid crystal supply means 140 of the third embodiment comprises:
It is considered to be particularly suitable when the volume of the void 15 of the structure 21 to be injected with liquid crystal is not so large and the injection amount of liquid crystal is small.

Although the embodiments of each invention of this application have been described above, these inventions are not limited to the above embodiments. For example, in the above-described embodiment, an example has been described in which liquid crystal is injected into a liquid crystal injection target structure having one liquid crystal injection hole. However, according to the present invention, liquid crystal is injected into a liquid crystal injection target structure having a plurality of liquid crystal injection holes. Injection is also applicable. In this case, the liquid crystal supply means is provided with a liquid crystal supply unit corresponding to the number of the liquid crystal injection holes (in the example of the embodiment, the convex portion 43 having an opening (see FIG. 1) or the convex portion 143a having a concave portion). ). Further, in the above-described embodiment, an example in which liquid crystal is injected into one liquid crystal injection target structure has been described. However, the present invention can be applied to a case where liquid crystal is injected into a plurality of liquid crystal injection target structures. In this case, for example, a method of preparing a number of liquid crystal supply means corresponding to a plurality of structures to be injected with liquid crystal, or a method in which the number of liquid crystal supply means is one but the structure of liquid crystal supply means and the structure to be injected with liquid crystal are provided. A method may be adopted in which both or one of them is appropriately moved to sequentially supply the liquid crystal.

In the above-described embodiment, the convex portion is provided on the liquid crystal supply means side. However, the convex portion is not provided on the liquid crystal supply means side, and the liquid crystal injection hole of the structure to be liquid crystal injected is provided. May be made convex.

The liquid crystal supply means described above is merely an example within the scope of the present invention, and it is apparent that various modifications can be made.

[0043]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the method of the present invention, the liquid crystal is supplied only to the liquid crystal injection hole. Further, since the liquid crystal is supplied from below in the vertical direction, the liquid crystal is easily specified and brought into contact with the liquid crystal injection hole. The liquid crystal supplied in this manner enters the void through the liquid crystal injection hole because the void of the structure to be injected with the liquid crystal has a negative pressure in the liquid crystal injection process. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the liquid crystal from adhering to the outside of the structure into which the liquid crystal is to be injected, so that the cleaning step which has conventionally been a problem can be eliminated, and furthermore, the useless use of the liquid crystal can be suppressed.

In a case where at least one of the first and second substrates is brought into contact with a gaseous atmosphere and a process of injecting liquid crystal while further controlling the pressure of the gaseous atmosphere is further added, the substrate is injected when the injection of liquid crystal is completed. A sample in which the interval between them is an allowable value and the liquid crystal injection amount is appropriate is obtained. Also, since the pressurization of the substrate surface is performed by gas, it is considered that the pressure control at the time of pressurization and at the time of pressurization can be performed more delicately than when the substrate surface is pressurized with a solid material. It is thought that the nature increases. Further, when a large number of samples are pressurized, these samples may be placed in, for example, a pressure chamber, and the liquid crystal injection hole of each sample may be in communication with the outside of the pressure chamber (the liquid crystal injection hole itself may be out of the pressure chamber. ) And can be easily pressurized at once by storing,
Easy mass processing. Therefore, in addition to preventing the liquid crystal from adhering to the outside of the structure to be injected with the liquid crystal, the distance between the substrates can be industrially controlled.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIGS. 1A and 1B are explanatory diagrams of a first embodiment. FIG.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are explanatory diagrams following the first embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3A to 3C are explanatory diagrams following the first embodiment in FIG. 2;

FIGS. 4A to 4C are explanatory diagrams of a second embodiment.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are explanatory diagrams following the FIG. 4 of the second embodiment.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are explanatory diagrams of a third embodiment.

FIGS. 7A and 7B are explanatory diagrams subsequent to FIG. 6 of the third embodiment.

FIGS. 8A to 8D are explanatory views of a liquid crystal injection method and an injection sealing method of a conventional technique.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11: First substrate 13: Second substrate 15: Void 17: Spacer 19: Seal material (for sealing the edge of the substrate) 19a: Seal material for sealing 19x: Seal material supply means 21: Liquid crystal injection target Structure 21a: Liquid crystal injection hole 23: Liquid crystal 25: Exhaust means 27: Processing chamber 40: Liquid crystal supply means 41: Container 43: Convex part 45: Opening 47: Liquid level control means 47a: Partition plate 47b: Partition Plate sliding means 101: pressurizing / depressurizing means 103: pressurizing / depressurizing chamber 103a: notch 103b: box 103c: airtight holding member (packing) 105: pressure adjusting mechanism 107: gas atmosphere contacting means 111: liquid crystal panel 121 : Structure to be sealed

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A structure in which a first substrate and a second substrate are bonded together with a sealant while maintaining a predetermined gap between the substrates, and a part of the structure is formed in the gap. In injecting the liquid crystal through the provided liquid crystal injection hole, in the pressurization / decompression chamber provided in the processing chamber in which the inside can be evacuated, the structure body is placed on the lower side in the vertical direction with the liquid crystal injection hole provided. And at least one of the first substrate surface and the second substrate surface that hits the outer surface of the structure is a gas atmosphere that can be set to an arbitrary pressure and constitutes an independent system. A step of forming a state in which the processing chamber is brought into contact with, a processing step of applying a negative pressure to the inside of the processing chamber by applying a negative pressure to the processing chamber, and a step of injecting liquid crystal after the processing of applying the negative pressure is completed. So that the liquid crystal contacts only the holes A method for injecting liquid crystal, comprising: a processing step of supplying liquid crystal; and a step of injecting liquid crystal while controlling the pressure to a negative pressure so as to increase the injection speed of liquid crystal into the gap. 2. Injecting the liquid crystal is performed by taking out the structure in which the liquid crystal has been supplied to the liquid crystal injection hole while keeping the structure in contact with the gas atmosphere, outside the processing chamber, and reducing the atmospheric pressure during and after the taking out. 2. The liquid crystal injection method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of utilizing the liquid crystal. 3. The liquid crystal injection method according to claim 1, wherein processing is performed on a plurality of structures to be injected with liquid crystal.