JP2005091723A - Manufacturing method of liquid crystal display device, substrate for liquid crystal display device, and liquid crystal display device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a manufacturing method of a multiple-piece liquid crystal display devices wherein a stable dummy seal width can be ensured even when a step exists on a substrate on which a dummy seal is formed and a uniform cell gap can be ensured, yield can be enhanced and high display quality can be obtained even when lamination by a dropping injection method is performed and to provide the liquid crystal display device. <P>SOLUTION: In the manufacturing method of the multiple-piece liquid crystal display devices wherein a plurality of frame-shaped seal formation parts 3 are formed by using a sealing material on the surface of at least one substrate 1 of a pair of substrates so as to correspond to regions 2 of a plurality of liquid crystal panels to be filled with a liquid crystal, the liquid crystal is dropped onto the surface of the substrate in the plurality of seal formation parts and the one substrate 1 and the other substrate are laminated in a vacuum to encapsulate the liquid crystal, gap materials regulating the cell gap are not put in the regions 2 of the plurality of liquid crystal panels to be filled with the liquid crystal, the gap materials are made to be contained in the sealing material of the seal formation parts 3 and a dummy seal 4 which does not contain the gap materials is formed in a closed loop at a peripheral part of at least the one substrate 1 so as to enclose all the regions 2 of the plurality of liquid crystal panels to be filled with the liquid crystal. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display device and a liquid crystal display device, and more specifically, a plurality of seal portions corresponding to display portions of a plurality of liquid crystal panels are formed in a frame shape on a substrate using a sealing material, The present invention relates to a manufacturing method of a multi-cavity liquid crystal display device, a liquid crystal display device substrate, and a liquid crystal display device, in which a plurality of liquid crystal layers are formed between the opposing substrates by dropping liquid crystal on each seal portion.

  As a method for forming a liquid crystal layer between a pair of substrates, a drop injection method is known in addition to a vacuum injection method. The dropping injection method is used when manufacturing a liquid crystal display device capable of obtaining a large number of liquid crystals by forming a plurality of liquid crystal layers corresponding to a plurality of liquid crystal panels between a pair of substrates, for example, between an element substrate and a counter substrate. Is the method.

In the dropping injection method, a plurality of frame-shaped seal portions are formed on one substrate using a sealing material, liquid crystal is dropped into the plurality of seal portions, and the other substrate is overlapped under reduced pressure to form a plurality of liquid crystals. By forming the layer and curing the seal portion, the bonding of the substrate and the injection and sealing of the liquid crystal can be performed almost simultaneously, and the liquid crystal layer can be formed in a short time (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-311340

  However, in Patent Document 1, since the liquid crystal filled in the display region formed by the sealing material between the substrates includes a gap material that defines a cell gap such as a spacer, the display quality is deteriorated. There is a problem of doing. Therefore, if the spacer is not included in the liquid crystal and the spacer is included in the seal material surrounding the display area, the cell gap may not be sufficiently uniform. For this purpose, a spacer is inserted in the seal material of the frame-shaped seal portion, while all the liquid crystal panels on the substrate are surrounded by the peripheral portion of the substrate in order to increase the pressure between the substrates. When a dummy seal is formed in a closed loop using a sealing material including a spacer similar to the seal portion, the peripheral portion of the substrate is often an area unnecessary for pattern formation, so there are many steps (unevenness), If a spacer in the sealant is placed where there is a level difference (unevenness), the dummy seal width will be widened or narrowed, resulting in adverse effects such as the dummy seal being cut off. As a result, a uniform cell gap cannot be formed. There was a problem.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and even when there is a step on the substrate on which the dummy seal is formed, a stable dummy seal width is ensured and a large number of pieces can be obtained by the dropping injection method. A method for manufacturing a multi-piece liquid crystal display device capable of ensuring a uniform cell gap for each cell, improving yield, and obtaining high display quality even when performing various bonding, a substrate for a liquid crystal display device, and An object is to provide a liquid crystal display device.

  According to the method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display device of the present invention, a plurality of frame-shaped seal forming portions are formed with a sealing material on at least one surface of a pair of substrates so as to correspond to liquid crystal filling regions of a plurality of liquid crystal panels. A method for producing a multi-piece liquid crystal display device in which liquid crystal is dropped into the plurality of seal forming portions on a surface and a liquid crystal layer is formed by bonding one substrate and another substrate under reduced pressure, The liquid crystal filling region of the plurality of liquid crystal panels does not include a gap material that defines the cell gap of the liquid crystal panel, and includes the gap material that defines the cell gap in the seal material of the seal forming portion. A dummy seal for making the cell gap uniform is formed on the periphery of the at least one substrate so as to surround the liquid crystal filling regions of the plurality of liquid crystal panels. It is characterized in that the free of gap material which defines a cell gap of the.

  According to such a manufacturing method of the present invention, a stable dummy seal width can be ensured regardless of a step of wiring or a pattern on the periphery of the substrate, and a uniform cell gap can be secured. In addition to being able to be formed, the risk of dummy seal breakage is reduced, and the yield is improved.

  The substrate for a liquid crystal display device according to the present invention includes a plurality of liquid crystal panels in which a liquid crystal is sealed between a pair of substrates, and the liquid crystal includes a plurality of multi-panels configured so as not to include a gap material that defines a cell gap. A substrate for a liquid crystal display device, comprising a plurality of seal forming portions provided in a frame shape to enclose liquid crystals in respective liquid crystal filling regions of the plurality of liquid crystal panels, and the sealing material includes a cell A plurality of seal forming portions including a gap material defining a gap and a peripheral portion of the at least one substrate are formed so as to surround the plurality of seal forming portions of the plurality of liquid crystal panels. And a dummy seal not including the gap material defining the cell gap is included in the seal material.

  According to such a configuration of the present invention, a stable dummy seal width can be ensured regardless of the step difference of the wiring or pattern in the peripheral portion of the substrate, and a uniform cell gap is formed. In addition, the possibility of dummy seal breakage is reduced and the yield is improved. A uniform cell gap can be ensured even when bonding is performed by the dropping injection method.

  Furthermore, a liquid crystal display device according to the present invention is manufactured using the above-described method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display device.

  According to such a configuration of the present invention, since a uniform cell gap can be ensured, a liquid crystal display device having high display quality can be obtained.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  In the embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of frame-like seal forming portions are formed on at least one surface of a pair of substrates using a sealing material so as to correspond to liquid crystal filling regions of a plurality of liquid crystal panels. A method for manufacturing a multi-piece liquid crystal display device in which liquid crystal is dropped into a plurality of seal forming portions, and one substrate and another substrate are bonded together under reduced pressure (in a vacuum) to enclose the liquid crystal. The liquid crystal filling region of the liquid crystal panel does not include a gap material that defines a cell gap, and a gap material that defines a cell gap is included in the seal material of the seal forming portion, and the peripheral portion of at least one substrate In addition, a dummy seal for making the cell gap uniform is formed so as to surround the liquid crystal filling regions of the plurality of liquid crystal panels, and the gap seal material includes a gap material for defining the cell gap. It was strange. This ensures a stable dummy seal width regardless of the level difference between the wiring and pattern on the periphery of the substrate, and increases the pressure applied to the entire substrate to form a uniform cell gap. In addition, the yield of the dummy seal can be reduced and the yield can be improved.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a seal formation surface (liquid crystal filling surface) of a substrate in the method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

  In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 is, for example, a round substrate, and constitutes an element in a liquid crystal display device. A counter substrate 5 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) (not shown) is disposed so as to face the element substrate 1. The substrate 1 has a diameter of 200 to 300 mm, for example. As the substrates 1 and 5, a glass substrate (transmitting or reflecting) or a silicon substrate is used, and the shape may be other than a round shape. Both substrates may be round or rectangular, one substrate may be round and the other substrate may be rectangular.

  On the surface of the element substrate 1, a seal forming portion (hereinafter referred to as a main seal) 3 is framed with a sealing material so as to correspond to each display area (also a liquid crystal filling area) 2 of a plurality of liquid crystal panels formed on the substrate. A plurality (in the figure, a quadrangular shape) are formed. Each main seal 3 has, for example, a rectangular shape with a size of about 2 inches diagonal or less, and is formed as a liquid crystal filling region without an injection port. The main seal 3 is mixed with a member that defines a cell gap such as a spacer, for example, beads. The liquid crystal 6 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) filled in the liquid crystal filling region 2 is not mixed with a member that defines the cell gap, for example, beads.

  A first dummy seal 4 is formed in a closed loop so as to surround all the main seals 3 of a plurality of liquid crystal panels formed on the substrate 1. The dummy seal 4 is not mixed with a member that defines a cell gap such as a spacer, for example, beads.

  The main seal 3 and the dummy seal 4 are all formed by, for example, a dispenser or screen printing so as to form a closed section (closed loop) in which the start point and the end point coincide.

  As said main seal | sticker 3 and dummy seal | sticker 4, for example, ultraviolet-ray heat combined hardening resin is used.

  Next, with reference to FIG.2 and FIG.3, the effect | action and effect of Example 1 of this invention are demonstrated.

  2 and 3 are side sectional views of a multi-panel liquid crystal display device having a plurality of liquid crystal panels formed by bonding an element substrate 1 (see FIG. 1) and a counter substrate 5 (A in FIG. 1). -Corresponding to a cross section of line A). FIG. 2 shows a case where there is a convex portion 8 as a pattern step in the peripheral portion excluding all of the liquid crystal panel region formed on the substrate, and FIG. 3 shows a pattern step in the peripheral portion excluding all of the liquid crystal panel region formed on the substrate. As shown in FIG. In FIG. 2, (a) shows an embodiment of the present invention, and (b) shows the problems of the prior art.

  2A and 3, a main seal 3 that partitions display areas 2 of a plurality of liquid crystal panels is formed between the element substrate 1 and the counter substrate 5. The distance d1 between the substrate 1 and the substrate 5 is 3 μm, for example. The main seal 3 is formed in a closed loop with a seal material mixed with a gap material 7 such as beads, and the liquid crystal 6 is filled (drop-injected) into the closed loop by a dropping injection device (not shown). ing. A dummy seal 4 that does not include a gap material is formed at a necessary distance d2 from a plurality of main seals on the outermost periphery among a plurality of main seals 3 corresponding to a plurality of liquid crystal panels. The necessary distance means a distance that is at least a distance necessary for forming the liquid crystal panel. The size of each liquid crystal panel is formed larger than the frame shape of the main seal 3 partitioned as a liquid crystal filling region. The dummy seal 4 may be formed near the outermost periphery of the substrates 1 and 5. The dummy seal 4 has a width d3 of, for example, 500 μm and a height of d1 = 3 μm. The interval between the main seals 3 and 3 that divide the display areas of the liquid crystal panels adjacent to each other among the plurality of liquid crystal panels formed on the substrates 1 and 5 is set to the same distance d4, for example.

  If the distance d2 between the first dummy seal 4 and the outermost main seal 3 is set to be the same as the distance d4 between the main seals 3 and 3 of adjacent liquid crystal panels (ie, d2 = d4), the liquid crystal in the region 2 After dropping, the counter substrate 5 is bonded to the element substrate 1 under reduced pressure (in a vacuum) to form the liquid crystal layer 6 and then released to the atmosphere. A uniform applied pressure is applied, and the cell gap can be made uniform.

  In place of the dummy seal 4 of the first embodiment of the present invention that does not include the gap material 7 such as beads at the periphery of the substrate, the cell gap is made uniform by using a dummy seal 4 ′ including the gap material 7 such as beads. In some cases, such a problem as shown in FIG.

  When there is a convex portion 8 as a pattern step in the peripheral portion of the element substrate 1, if the gap material 7 included in the dummy seal 4 ′ overlaps the convex portion 8, the peripheral portion of the substrate as shown in FIG. The space between the substrates 1 and 5 is widened and the cell gap is not uniform.

  On the other hand, if the gap material 7 is not included in the dummy seal 4 as in the first embodiment of the present invention, even if there is a pattern step (convex portion) 8 as shown in FIG. Therefore, a stable dummy seal width d3 can be secured regardless of this step, and the cell gap is stabilized and uniformized.

  Next, a manufacturing method of a multi-cavity liquid crystal display device in Example 1 will be schematically described.

  A frame-shaped main seal 3 is drawn and formed on a surface of one substrate 1 of a pair of substrates so as to correspond to the display areas 2 of the plurality of liquid crystal panels with a seal material including a gap material 7. A dummy seal 4 that does not include a gap material is provided in a closed section (closed loop) at a peripheral portion on the substrate surface so as to surround a plurality of outermost main seal portions of the plurality of main seals formed on To form. Thereafter, an appropriate amount of liquid crystal 6 is dropped onto a region 2 in the plurality of main seals 3 on the substrate surface by using a liquid crystal dropping device (not shown), and the element substrate 1 and After the liquid crystal layer is formed by bonding the counter substrate 5, the liquid crystal layer is released to the atmosphere, and the sealing material is cured by ultraviolet irradiation and heat treatment, so that a multi-piece liquid crystal display device having a plurality of liquid crystal panels is obtained. It is formed. Thereafter, this multi-piece liquid crystal display device is cut into individual liquid crystal panels and separated into individual liquid crystal panels. The scribe line at the time of cutting is an intermediate line with a distance d4 between the main seals 3 and 3.

  FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the seal formation surface (liquid crystal filling surface) of the substrate in the method of manufacturing the liquid crystal display device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 4, parts having the same functions as those in FIG.

  4 differs from FIG. 1 in that no gap material is included so as to surround all of the main seals (including the gap material) 3 of a plurality of liquid crystal panels formed on the element substrate 1 which is one of the substrates. In addition to forming the dummy seal 4 as a first dummy seal in a closed loop, the second dummy seal 10 not including a gap material is formed in a closed loop so as to surround the outside of the first dummy seal 4. It is. All the main seals 3 use a sealing material including a member (for example, a bead) that defines a cell gap such as a spacer, but the first and second dummy seals 4 and 10 include a spacer or the like. A sealing material that does not include a member that defines the cell gap is used.

  The main seal 3, the first dummy seal 4 and the second dummy seal 10 are all drawn by a dispenser so as to form a closed section (closed loop) in which the start point and the end point coincide.

  As the main seal 3 and the first and second dummy seals 4 and 10, for example, ultraviolet heat combined curing resin is used.

  Next, operations and effects of the second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 5 is a side sectional view of a multi-piece liquid crystal display device having a plurality of liquid crystal panels formed by bonding the element substrate 1 (see FIG. 4) and the counter substrate 5 (line BB in FIG. 4). (Corresponding to a cross section). The case where there are a convex part 8 and a concave part 9 as a pattern step in the peripheral part excluding the entire liquid crystal panel region formed on the substrate is shown.

  In the cross-sectional view of FIG. 5, a main seal 3 is formed between the element substrate 1 and the counter substrate 5 to partition the display areas 2 of the plurality of liquid crystal panels. The distance d1 between the substrate 1 and the substrate 5 is 3 μm, for example. The main seal 3 is formed in a closed loop with a seal material mixed with a gap material 7 such as beads, and the liquid crystal 6 is filled (drop-injected) into the closed loop by a dropping injection device (not shown). ing. A first dummy seal 4 that does not include a gap material is formed at a necessary distance d2 from a plurality of main seals on the outermost periphery among a plurality of main seals 3 corresponding to a plurality of liquid crystal panels. The necessary distance means a distance that is at least a distance necessary for forming the liquid crystal panel, and may be a predetermined distance with respect to each of the vertical and horizontal sides of the main seal 3.

  The width d3 of the first dummy seal 4 is, for example, 500 μm and the height is d1 = 3 μm. A second dummy seal 10 that does not include a gap material is formed along the outermost periphery of the substrates 1 and 5 further outside the first dummy seal 4. The width of the second dummy seal 10 is also d3, for example, 500 μm, and the height is d1 = 3 μm. Both the first and second dummy seals 4 and 10 are formed of a seal material in which no gap material 8 such as beads is mixed. The interval between the main seals 3 and 3 that divide the display areas of the liquid crystal panels adjacent to each other among the plurality of liquid crystal panels formed on the substrates 1 and 5 is set to the same distance d4, for example.

  If the distance d2 between the first dummy seal 4 and the outermost main seal 3 is set to be the same as the distance d4 between the main seals 3 and 3 of adjacent liquid crystal panels (ie, d2 = d4), the liquid crystal in the region 2 After dropping, the counter substrate 5 is bonded to the element substrate 1 under reduced pressure (in a vacuum) to form the liquid crystal layer 6 and then released to the atmosphere. A uniform applied pressure is applied, and the cell gap can be made uniform. Further, by providing the second dummy seal 10 along the outermost periphery of the element substrate 1, the first dummy seal 4 disposed at the outer peripheral portion of the cell group (main seal group) in which a plurality of liquid crystal panels are arranged. And a relatively large space 11 (see FIGS. 4 and 5) between the second dummy seal 10 and the space 11 is decompressed when the atmosphere is released after the substrates 1 and 5 are bonded together. Because of the (vacuum) state, it functions to increase the applied pressure over the entire periphery from the outer peripheral portions of the substrates 1 and 5.

  Further, when the gap material 7 is not included in the first and second dummy seals 4 and 10 as in the second embodiment of the present invention, a pattern step (convex portion) is formed around the substrate as shown in FIG. 8. Even if the step (concave portion) 9 exists, the dummy seals 4 and 10 do not have a member that defines the gap. Therefore, the dummy seals 4 and 10 in the peripheral portion of the substrate have the gap material 7 of the main seal 3. A gap that defines the cell gap is formed, and a stable dummy seal width can be secured regardless of the steps 8 and 9, and the cell gap is also stabilized and made uniform.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 2B in the first embodiment described above, when the gap material 7 is included in the dummy seal, there are convex portions 8 and concave portions 9 as pattern steps in the peripheral portion of the element substrate 1. In this case, when the gap material of the dummy seal overlaps the convex portion 8 and the concave portion 9, the gap between the substrates 1 and 5 in the peripheral portion of the substrate is widened and the gap between the substrates 1 and 5 is narrowed, so that the cell gap is not uniform. Can be solved.

  Next, a method for manufacturing a multi-cavity liquid crystal display device in Example 2 will be schematically described.

  A frame-shaped main seal 3 is formed on the surface of one substrate 1 of the pair of substrates 1 and 5 by drawing with a sealing material including a gap material 7 so as to correspond to the display areas 2 of the plurality of liquid crystal panels. A first dummy that does not include a gap material at a necessary distance d2 at a peripheral portion on the substrate surface so as to surround a plurality of outermost main seal portions of a plurality of main seals formed on the substrate 1. The seal 4 is formed in a closed loop, and a second dummy seal 5 that does not include a gap material is formed outside the first dummy seal 4. Thereafter, an appropriate amount of liquid crystal 6 is dropped onto a region 2 in the plurality of main seals 3 on the substrate surface by using a liquid crystal dropping device (not shown), and the element substrate 1 and the substrate 1 are removed under reduced pressure (in vacuum) by a vacuum chamber or the like. After the liquid crystal layer is formed by bonding the counter substrate 5, the liquid crystal layer is released to the atmosphere, and the sealing material is cured by ultraviolet irradiation and heat treatment, so that a multi-piece liquid crystal display device having a plurality of liquid crystal panels is obtained. It is formed. Thereafter, this multi-piece liquid crystal display device is cut into individual liquid crystal panels and separated into individual liquid crystal panels. The scribe line at the time of cutting is an intermediate line with a distance d4 between the main seals 3 and 3.

  According to the present invention described above, even if there is a step in the periphery on the substrate on which the dummy seal is formed, a uniform dummy seal width can be secured and even cells can be bonded by the dropping injection method. A gap can be secured, yield can be improved, and high display quality can be obtained.

  The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, and can be implemented by appropriately changing each embodiment without departing from the scope of the present invention.

The perspective view which shows the seal | sticker formation surface of the board | substrate in the manufacturing method of the liquid crystal display device of Example 1 of this invention. FIG. 5 is a side sectional view of a multi-piece liquid crystal display device having a plurality of liquid crystal panels formed by bonding an element substrate and a counter substrate. FIG. 5 is a side sectional view of a multi-piece liquid crystal display device having a plurality of liquid crystal panels formed by bonding an element substrate and a counter substrate. The perspective view which shows the seal | sticker formation surface of the board | substrate in the manufacturing method of the liquid crystal display device of Example 2 of this invention. FIG. 5 is a side sectional view of a multi-piece liquid crystal display device having a plurality of liquid crystal panels formed by bonding an element substrate and a counter substrate.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1,5 ... Board | substrate, 2 ... Display area (liquid crystal filling area | region), 3 ... Seal formation part (main seal), 4 ... 1st dummy seal, 5 ... 2nd dummy seal

Claims (3)

A plurality of frame-shaped seal forming portions are formed with a sealing material on at least one surface of the pair of substrates so as to correspond to the liquid crystal filling regions of the plurality of liquid crystal panels, and the liquid crystal is formed in the plurality of seal forming portions on the substrate surface. Is a method of manufacturing a multi-piece liquid crystal display device in which liquid crystal is sealed by bonding one substrate and another substrate under reduced pressure,
The liquid crystal filling region of the plurality of liquid crystal panels does not include a gap material that defines the cell gap of the liquid crystal panel, and includes the gap material that defines the cell gap in the seal material of the seal forming portion. ,
A dummy seal is formed on the periphery of the at least one substrate so as to surround the liquid crystal filling regions of the plurality of liquid crystal panels so as to make the cell gap uniform. A manufacturing method of a liquid crystal display device characterized by not including a gap material that defines a cell gap. A plurality of liquid crystal panels in which liquid crystal is sealed is formed between a pair of substrates, and the liquid crystal is a substrate for a multi-piece liquid crystal display device having a configuration that does not include a gap material that defines a cell gap,
A plurality of seal forming portions provided in a frame shape to enclose liquid crystals in respective liquid crystal filling regions of the plurality of liquid crystal panels, wherein the seal material includes a gap material that defines a cell gap. A plurality of seal forming portions;
A dummy seal for making a cell gap uniform is formed around the at least one substrate so as to surround a plurality of seal forming portions of the plurality of liquid crystal panels. A dummy seal not including a gap material that defines the cell gap;
A substrate for a liquid crystal display device, comprising: A liquid crystal display device manufactured using the method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display device according to claim 1.

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