JP2002287120A - Resin substrate and method for manufacturing resin substrate type liquid crystal cell - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for cutting out one or more pieces of single cells from a sheet of resin substrate type liquid crystal cells with a CO2 laser so as not to contaminate the inside of the liquid crystal cell with any molten material remaining attached to a liquid crystal injection hole part 12. SOLUTION: In a process for manufacturing a sheet of the resin substrate type liquid crystal cells, immediately after a display pattern forming step, a hollowed out part 11 with a previously specified dimension is provided in a region designed to be a liquid crystal injection hole along a substrate cutting line. Furthermore, immediately after formation of the hollowed out part 11, the molten material remaining on and around a cutting plane for the hollowed out part 11 is completely removed with cleaning treatment. Subsequently the resin substrate provided with the hollowed out part 11 is used for the following steps of the display pattern forming step so as to turn it into a sheet of the resin substrate type liquid crystal cell.

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 plurality of liquid crystal cells by laminating two transparent resin substrates and cutting the substrates.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A method of manufacturing a plurality of liquid crystal cells by laminating two transparent resin substrates and cutting the substrates will be described below with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. FIG.

The structure of a liquid crystal display device is different depending on the type of monochrome, color, active type, passive type, TN type, STN type, ferroelectric type, antiferroelectric type and the like. In the following description, a STN passive type monochrome liquid crystal display device will be described as a representative example. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the resin substrate as viewed from above, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. 2 and 3 except for the sealing material 21 are omitted. Since a plurality of liquid crystal cells are taken out at once from a resin substrate, a large substrate obtained by patterning a plurality of display patterns of independent pixels on a large substrate is used as shown in FIG. That is, from the substrate of FIG.
One liquid crystal cell can be manufactured.

First, an indium tin oxide film serving as a transparent electrode is formed on a first substrate 17 by a sputtering method or a vacuum evaporation method, and a pattern is formed on a predetermined display pattern portion 16 by a photoetching method. Next, a transparent resin such as polyimide is formed by a printing method on the transparent electrode as an alignment film for determining the alignment direction of the liquid crystal. In addition, an indium tin oxide film serving as a transparent electrode is formed also on the second substrate 18 by a sputtering method or a vacuum evaporation method, and a predetermined pattern is formed by a photoetching method. A transparent resin such as polyimide is formed by a printing method. Further, the orientation direction of the orientation film formed on the first substrate 17 and the second substrate 18 is determined by rubbing.

[0005] Then, an internal spacer for keeping the gap between the first substrate 17 and the second substrate 18 uniform is uniformly spread on the second substrate 18 by a sprayer. In addition,
For the internal spacer, spherical silica beads or spherical plastic beads are used.

The display pattern 16 on the first substrate 17
A thermosetting sealing material 21 for bonding and sealing the first substrate 17 and the second substrate 18 is provided on the peripheral portion by a printing method. Note that a spacer in the seal for keeping the gap between the first substrate 17 and the second substrate 18 uniform is mixed in the sealant 21. Silica beads or glass fibers are used for the spacer in the seal.

Next, a first substrate 17 and a second substrate 18
Are aligned and overlapped using alignment marks provided on both substrates so that a pattern provided on both substrates can form effective pixels. Thereafter, in a cell gap forming step, a predetermined number of the stacked substrates are stacked and baked under pressure, the sealing material is cured to a predetermined uniform gap, and a pair of substrates in which a plurality of liquid crystal cells are integrated is formed. create.

Next, a plurality of liquid crystal cell pattern boundaries in a pair of substrates are separated and cut by a scribe machine to take out a plurality of liquid crystal cells. Liquid crystal is injected from the liquid crystal injection hole 12 into the single liquid crystal cell taken out. Then, the liquid crystal is sealed with an ultraviolet curable resin, and a single liquid crystal cell is completed.

Thereafter, the single liquid crystal cell is modularized by attaching a polarizing film, mounting an IC, mounting a backlight, etc., and functions as a liquid crystal display device.

Note that the pair of substrates described here is
A pair of translucent substrates, a pixel pattern for realizing a liquid crystal display device on a facing surface of the two substrates, and a thermosetting sealing material for bonding the two substrates and sealing the liquid crystal. Further, it refers to a state in which the thermosetting sealing material has not yet been cured and a predetermined uniform gap has not been realized. Further, the liquid crystal cell refers to a liquid crystal substrate obtained by curing a sealing material at a predetermined uniform gap in a gap forming step.

The method of manufacturing a liquid crystal cell according to the present invention relates to the step of separating and cutting a plurality of independent pattern boundaries of a liquid crystal cell in the above-described steps. That is, in order to take out a plurality of single liquid crystal cells from a pair of large-sized substrates created from the large-sized substrate, and to form input electrode terminals for these single-sized liquid crystal cells, A step of cutting a pair of substrates is required.

In the above-described method of manufacturing a liquid crystal cell, there is not much difference in the process between using a glass substrate and a resin substrate. However, in the case of a liquid crystal cell formed using glass as a transparent substrate, in the cutting step, separation and cutting are performed by a scribe and break step. The scribe-break process is to make a linear cut in a predetermined place on the glass with a carbide steel blade or diamond cutter, and then scratch the glass surface along the cut from the back side of the cut part. This is a step in which an impact is applied by an elastic member or the like which is not attached to the glass to propagate a cut in the thickness direction of the glass to break the glass into a predetermined shape.

By the way, since a resin substrate hardly propagates a flaw due to the application of an impact after cutting, a scribe-break process which is usually used for cutting a glass substrate cannot be used. Therefore, when cutting the resin substrate, use a dicing, ultrasonic cutter, or CO2 laser to completely cut the thickness of the board, or cut into a certain depth, and then apply a bending stress to bend the board. Cut the substrate.

[0014]

When dicing, an ultrasonic cutter, or a CO2 laser is used for cutting a resin substrate, an enormous amount of dust and melt are generated at the time of cutting. Here, with reference to FIG. 2 and FIG. 4 to FIG. 6, a phenomenon that will be a problem when cutting a resin substrate will be described using a case where a CO2 laser is used as an example. FIGS. 4 to 6 show a method of cutting the resin substrate by making a cut to a predetermined depth d in the substrate and then applying a bending stress to bend the plate. 4 to 6 correspond to FIG.
3 shows a BB cross section indicated by.

FIG. 4 shows a cross section of the liquid crystal injection hole 12 immediately after the cutting line of the resin substrate is cut by a CO 2 laser. FIG. 5 shows a cross section of the liquid crystal injection hole 12 immediately after cleaning the melt 41.
FIG. 6 shows a cross section of the liquid crystal injection hole 12 immediately after completely cutting the liquid crystal cell by bending stress.

First, as shown in FIG. 4, a cut is made to a predetermined depth d along a cutting line 13 of the first substrate with a CO 2 laser. The predetermined depth d depends on the type of the resin substrate, but when a bending stress is applied to the resin substrate,
The depth is sufficient to easily cut the resin substrate along the cutting line. When the cut is made in the resin substrate by the CO2 laser in this manner, the melt 41 of the resin substrate adheres and remains on the cut surface and its periphery.

The melt 41 remaining on the liquid crystal injection hole 1
If the liquid crystal remains, the molten material infiltrates into the resin substrate liquid crystal cell together with the liquid crystal in the process of injecting the liquid crystal into the resin substrate liquid crystal cell, causing a significant defect in the display quality of the liquid crystal display.

Therefore, immediately after the resin substrate is cut by the CO2 laser, the melt 41 particularly adhering to the liquid crystal injection hole 12 is subjected to a cleaning treatment using a cleaning liquid such as a solvent or a surfactant. However, when the resin substrate liquid crystal cell is subjected to automatic cleaning using ultrasonic waves or the like with a cleaning liquid such as a solvent or a surfactant in the cleaning process of the melt 41, the cleaning liquid such as the solvent or the surfactant is not cleaned at the edge of the resin substrate liquid crystal cell. The resin liquid crystal cell invades the resin substrate liquid crystal cell from the portion, and as a result, the resin substrate liquid crystal cell eventually does not function as a liquid crystal display.

Further, the cutting line and its surroundings are melted by using a cloth or the like containing a cleaning liquid such as a solvent or a surfactant.
Even if it is cleaned by wiping, it is difficult to clean the melt 41 adhered to the groove cut to a predetermined depth d, and it cannot be completely removed from the groove. Furthermore, in a cleaning process using a cloth or the like containing a cleaning solution such as a solvent or a surfactant, the cutting line and the periphery thereof are wiped. Small through holes are opened in some places. When the small through hole is opened in the liquid crystal injection hole 12, a cleaning liquid such as a solvent or a surfactant penetrates into the resin substrate liquid crystal cell. As a result, the resin substrate liquid crystal cell finally becomes a liquid crystal display. Will not work.

The above-described matter also causes a problem when dicing or an ultrasonic cutter is used for cutting the resin substrate.

[Object of the Invention] An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, and to remove a foreign substance such as a molten material 41 and chips when a pair of resin substrates are cut into a single resin substrate liquid crystal cell. An object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a resin substrate liquid crystal cell which is completely removed from the injection hole portion 12 and in which foreign substances other than liquid crystal do not enter the resin substrate liquid crystal cell together with the liquid crystal in the liquid crystal injection process.

[0022]

In order to achieve the above object, a method of manufacturing a resin substrate liquid crystal cell according to the present invention employs the following constitution.

In a liquid crystal cell manufacturing process using a transparent resin substrate, a display pattern is formed on the substrate in a pattern forming process, an alignment process is performed in an alignment process, and a liquid crystal substrate is manufactured. A method of manufacturing one or more liquid crystal cells by cutting a substrate after laminating and adhering liquid crystal substrates, and immediately following a substrate cutting line at a liquid crystal injection hole assumed portion immediately after pattern formation of the substrate. A hollow having a predetermined size is provided, and further, a cut surface of the hollow and a chip or a molten material remaining around the hollow immediately after the formation of the hollow are completely removed by a cleaning process.

[Operation] Immediately after the patterning process of the resin substrate, dicing, an ultrasonic cutter or C is applied to each of the liquid crystal injection holes on the first substrate 17 and the second substrate 18.
A hollow portion having a predetermined size is provided along a cutting line of the resin substrate using an O2 laser or the like.

Next, the resin substrate provided with the hollow portion is subjected to a cleaning process using a cleaning liquid such as a solvent or a surfactant. In the cleaning process, since the resin substrate is not yet a pair of resin substrate bodies, an automatic cleaning process using ultrasonic waves or the like can be easily performed.
Further, since the foreign matter is attached to the cross section of the completely cut resin substrate, it can be completely removed from the resin substrate. After completely removing foreign matters such as the melt 41 and chips from the resin substrate, the resin substrate is put into an assembly process after the display pattern forming process.

Then, after the resin substrates are overlapped and the resin substrate is made into a liquid crystal cell through a gap forming step, the resin substrate is cut again to take out a plurality of single cells. Since the portion 12 has already been cut as a hollow portion, there is no need to cut the liquid crystal injection hole portion 12. As a result, even if a cutting process is performed to take out a single cell from the resin substrate liquid crystal cell, foreign matters such as the melt 41 and chips are not attached to the liquid crystal injection hole portion 12.

Therefore, in the liquid crystal injection process, foreign substances other than liquid crystal can be prevented from entering the resin liquid crystal cell from the injection hole portion 12, and finally, a resin substrate liquid crystal cell completely functioning as a liquid crystal display can be manufactured. It becomes possible.

[0028]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A method for manufacturing a resin substrate liquid crystal cell according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. In the embodiments of the present invention, a case of an acrylic resin substrate having a thickness of 0.4 mm will be described as an example of the resin substrate. For cutting the resin substrate, use CO2
The case where a laser is used will be described.

A transparent resin substrate is prepared, a display pattern forming step is performed to form a pattern to be a display pattern of the resin substrate liquid crystal cell, and then a first substrate 17 and a second substrate 17 are formed as a hollowed out portion forming step. 18 A hollow portion having a width W and a height H is formed along the cutting line 13 of the first substrate and the cutting line 14 of the second substrate on the liquid crystal injection hole 12 side corresponding to each of the assumed sealing material positions 15. 11 is provided by a CO2 laser. The width W of the hollow portion 11 is
The cell width of the single cell finally taken out of the resin substrate liquid crystal cell is the same as the cell width on the liquid crystal injection hole 12 side. Furthermore, it is sufficient that the height of the hollow portion 11 is 3 to 5 mm. In the present embodiment, in order to obtain four resin substrate liquid crystal cells from one resin substrate, four hollow portions are formed.

Next, in a resin substrate cleaning step, the first substrate 17 and the second substrate 18 are mixed with a solvent or an interface in order to remove the melt 41 remaining on the cut surface of the hollow portion 11 of the resin substrate. A process of completely removing the substrate by using a cleaning solution such as an activator and ultrasonic waves in a substrate cleaning machine is performed. At this time, since the resin substrate is not yet a cell body at this time, the automatic cleaning process can be easily performed. Further, since the molten material 41 is adhered and remains on the completely cut cut surface of the resin substrate,
This cleaning process allows easy removal from the resin substrate.

Next, after washing the resin substrate, an alignment film is formed, and the resin substrate is put into an assembling process to perform an alignment process for performing an alignment process. Then, after the resin substrate is made into a pair of resin substrates through a gap setting process as a superposition process of superposing the resin substrates, a first process using a CO2 laser is performed as a cutting process to take out a plurality of single resin substrate liquid crystal cells. Cutting line 13 of the second substrate and cutting line 1 of the second substrate
(4) A cutting process is performed along each of them. At this time, since the liquid crystal injection hole 12 has already been cut in advance as the hollow portion 11, there is no need to cut the liquid crystal injection hole 12 here.

As a result, even if a cutting process is performed by a CO 2 laser to take out a single cell from the liquid crystal cell on the resin substrate, it is possible to prevent the melt 41 from adhering and remaining in the liquid crystal injection hole 12 of the single cell. it can. Therefore, in the liquid crystal injection step,
It is possible to prevent foreign matters other than liquid crystal from entering the resin substrate liquid crystal cell from the liquid crystal injection hole portion 12, and finally, it is possible to manufacture a resin substrate liquid crystal cell that completely functions as a liquid crystal display.

In this embodiment, the CO2 laser is used in the hollow portion forming step and the cutting step. However, the same effect can be obtained by using an ultrasonic cutter or dicing instead of the CO2 laser. Can be

[0034]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the method for manufacturing a resin substrate liquid crystal cell of the present invention, one or more single cells are cut from a resin substrate liquid crystal cell by a CO2 laser, dicing or an ultrasonic cutter. The liquid crystal injection hole portion 12 is not contaminated with a melt or a chip when taken out, and in the liquid crystal injection process, no foreign matter other than liquid crystal enters the resin substrate liquid crystal cell. You can get a display.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a hollow portion of a resin substrate according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a resin substrate liquid crystal cell according to the related art.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a resin substrate liquid crystal cell according to the related art.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a cross section of a liquid crystal injection hole immediately after cutting a resin substrate liquid crystal cell to a predetermined depth by a CO2 laser in a conventional technique.

FIG. 5 shows a conventional technique after cutting a resin substrate liquid crystal cell.
It is a schematic diagram which shows the cross section of the liquid crystal injection hole immediately after the washing process.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing a cross section of a liquid crystal injection hole immediately after completely cutting a resin substrate liquid crystal cell to a predetermined depth and then completely cutting it with a bending stress in a conventional technique.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 11 hollow portion 12 liquid crystal injection hole portion 13 cut line of first substrate 14 cut line of second substrate 15 assumed position of sealing material 16 display pattern portion 17 first substrate 18 second substrate 21 sealing material 41 melt

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A resin substrate for producing a plurality of transparent resin substrate liquid crystal cells, wherein the resin substrate has a plurality of hollow portions at a portion to be a liquid crystal injection portion. 2. A process for forming a transparent resin substrate, forming a hollow portion in a portion of the resin substrate to be a liquid crystal injection hole, and cleaning the resin substrate after the hollow portion forming process. A method for producing a resin substrate for a resin substrate liquid crystal cell, comprising a substrate cleaning step. 3. A pattern forming step in which a transparent resin substrate is prepared and a display pattern of a resin substrate liquid crystal cell is formed, and a hollow portion is formed in a portion to be a liquid crystal injection hole of the resin substrate liquid crystal cell. A forming step, a resin substrate cleaning step of cleaning the resin substrate after the hollow part forming step, an alignment processing step of performing an alignment processing on the resin substrate, and a substrate laminating step of laminating and bonding the resin substrate and the resin substrate. And a cutting step of cutting the superposed resin substrates to form a plurality of resin substrate liquid crystal cells, and an injection step of injecting liquid crystal into the resin substrate liquid crystal cells. 4. The resin substrate or the resin according to claim 2 or 3, wherein a CO2 laser is used for cutting the resin substrate or the superposed resin substrate in the hollow portion forming step or the cutting step. A method for manufacturing a substrate liquid crystal cell. 5. The resin substrate or the resin according to claim 2 or 3, wherein an ultrasonic cutter is used for cutting the resin substrate or the superposed resin substrate in the hollowing portion forming step or the cutting step. A method for manufacturing a substrate liquid crystal cell. 6. A resin substrate or a liquid crystal of a resin substrate, wherein dicing is used for cutting the resin substrate or the superposed resin substrate in the hollow part forming step or the cutting step according to claim 2 or 3. Cell manufacturing method.