JP2009300652A - Device and method for manufacturing information display panel - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a device and method for manufacturing an information display panel, wherein a fixed amount of particles is continuously supplied into a supply mechanism even in the case of mass production. <P>SOLUTION: This invention relates to the device for manufacturing an information display panel which is used in order to arrange particle groups in a plurality of cells divided by partitions formed on one of two substrates at least one of which is transparent, of the information display panel wherein the particle groups sealed in the cells divided by the partitions between the two substrates are moved to display information like an image. The manufacturing device includes: a particle supply mechanism 15 which stores particle groups therein and arranges the particles groups into the cells formed between the substrates through a conveyance pipe and a nozzle by applying a pressure to the stored particle groups; a particle automatic supply device 17 which is connected to the particle supply mechanism and automatically supplies the particle groups into the particle supply mechanism; and a sensor part 19 which is provided in the particle supply mechanism to detect the amount of particle groups within the particle supply mechanism. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention provides an information display panel that displays information such as an image by moving a sealed particle group into a plurality of cells partitioned by a partition wall between two substrates, at least one of which is transparent. The present invention relates to a manufacturing apparatus and a manufacturing method of an information display panel used for arranging particle groups in a cell partitioned by a partition formed on a substrate.

  As an information display device that replaces a liquid crystal display device (LCD), a plurality of cells partitioned by a partition wall are formed between two substrates, at least one of which is transparent, and configured as a particle group having optical reflectivity in the cell There is known an information display panel that encloses the display medium and moves the display medium to display information such as an image. In addition, as particles constituting a particle group as a display medium, charged particles, conductive particles, charge injection particles, and the like have been proposed. Among these, an information display panel that performs display by a method of moving charged particles has a display memory property, and therefore, expectation as an electronic paper is increasing.

  When manufacturing a substrate with partition walls constituting these information display panels, a plurality of cells partitioned by partition walls on the substrate are formed by forming partition walls (for example, grid-shaped partition walls) on the substrate (for example, a glass substrate). A display medium disposing step is performed in which a particle group serving as a display medium is disposed by dropping from above the substrate when disposing the display medium therein. At that time, as a conventional apparatus using a gas as a medium for transporting the particle group to be arranged, the particle group (not shown) is supplied into the tank 53 through the transport pipe 51 and the nozzle 52 as shown in FIG. A supply box (particle supply mechanism) 54 and a pressure supply source 55 for supplying fluid pressure to the supply box 54 are provided. The pressure supply source 55 is placed in the tank 53 using at least one nozzle 52 connected to the supply box 54. There is a panel manufacturing apparatus (see, for example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2) in which particle groups are arranged in a cell formed on a substrate 56.

JP 2005-342614 A JP 2005-258157 A

  When producing an information display panel using the conventional panel manufacturing apparatus, the amount of particles dropped from the nozzle is large, so if the remaining amount of particles in the supply box 54 is kept reduced, The amount of particles supplied to the liquid also decreases, and it becomes difficult to continuously supply the particles at the time of mass production of the information display panel. In addition, when manufacturing is repeated, every time the particle group is dropped from the nozzle, the amount of decrease in the particle group from the supply mechanism fluctuates. From this point, continuous quantitative supply of particles is difficult during mass production. It was.

  An object of the present invention is to solve the above-described problems and to provide an information display panel manufacturing apparatus and manufacturing method capable of continuously and quantitatively supplying particles into a supply mechanism even during mass production. is there.

  The apparatus for producing an information display panel of the present invention displays information such as an image by moving a sealed particle group into a plurality of cells partitioned by a partition wall between two substrates, at least one of which is transparent. An apparatus for manufacturing an information display panel used to arrange a particle group in a cell partitioned by a partition formed on one substrate of the information display panel: the particle group is stored inside and stored A particle supply mechanism that places the particle group in a cell formed on the substrate via a transfer tube and a nozzle by applying pressure to the particle group; connected to the particle supply mechanism, and the particle group is placed in the particle supply mechanism. An automatic particle replenishing device that automatically replenishes; a sensor unit that is provided in the particle supplying mechanism and detects the amount of particles in the particle supplying mechanism.

  As a preferred example of the information display panel manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, a pressure dividing mechanism is provided between the particle supply mechanism and the particle automatic replenishment apparatus, and the sensor unit has a wall part facing the particle supply mechanism. An impact generator on the outside of the wall portion of the particle supply mechanism, comprising a transmissive sensor comprising a light receiver provided on one wall portion and a projector provided on the other wall portion. Connect and remove particles adhering to the respective sensor surfaces of the light receiver and projector of the sensor unit by impact from the impact generator inside the particle supply mechanism, and part of the stirring blades inside the particle supply mechanism There is a case in which a particle scraping mechanism is provided, and particles adhering to the respective sensor surfaces of the light receiver and the projector of the sensor unit are removed by the scraping mechanism inside the particle supply mechanism.

  The information display panel manufacturing method of the present invention is a method for manufacturing an information display panel in which particles are arranged in cells on a substrate using the information display panel manufacturing apparatus having the above-described configuration. After the particle group has been arranged in the cell for the number of substrates, the amount of the particle group replenished by the sensor unit is detected when replenishing the particle into the particle supply mechanism from the particle automatic replenishment device. It is characterized in that the amount of the particle group in the particle supply mechanism used for arranging the particle group in the cell is made constant with respect to a predetermined number of substrates.

  As a preferred example of the method for producing the information display panel of the present invention, replenishment from the automatic particle replenishment device into the particle supply mechanism is performed at a time when the sensor unit detects the replenishment surface of the replenished particle group or from there. It may end after the passage of time.

  According to the present invention, a particle supply mechanism that stores a particle group in the inside and places the particle group in a cell formed on a substrate through a transfer tube and a nozzle by applying pressure to the stored particle group; A particle automatic supply device that is connected to the particle supply mechanism and automatically supplies the particle group in the particle supply mechanism; and a sensor unit that is provided in the particle supply mechanism and detects the amount of the particle group in the particle supply mechanism. After replenishing particles into the particle supply mechanism from the automatic particle replenishment device after the particles have been placed in the cell with respect to a predetermined number of substrates using the apparatus, the amount of the particle groups replenished by the sensor unit is determined. Detect and use a constant amount of particles in the particle supply mechanism used to place the particles in the cell for the next predetermined number of substrates. Can be quantitatively supplied continuously Apparatus and a method for manufacturing the information display panel can be obtained.

  First, a charged particle movement type information display panel which is an example of an information display panel manufactured by the manufacturing apparatus and manufacturing method of the present invention will be described. In the example, an electric field is applied to a display medium configured as a particle group including charged particles having optical reflectivity sealed in a space between two opposing substrates. Along with the applied electric field direction, the display medium is attracted by an electric field force or a Coulomb force, and the display medium is moved by a change in the electric field direction, whereby information such as an image is displayed. Therefore, it is necessary to design the information display panel so that the display medium can move uniformly and maintain the stability when the display information is rewritten or when the display information is continuously displayed. Here, as the force applied to the particles constituting the display medium, in addition to the force attracting each other by the Coulomb force between the particles, an electric mirror image force between the electrode and the substrate, an intermolecular force, a liquid cross-linking force, gravity and the like can be considered.

  Examples of the information display panel of the charged particle movement type produced by the production apparatus and production method of the present invention are shown in FIGS. 1 (a), (b) to 4 (a), (b) and FIG. 5 (a). It demonstrates based on (d).

  In the example shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, at least two types of display media having different optical reflectivity and charging characteristics (at least two types of display media) are configured as a particle group including particles having optical reflectivity and chargeability. Here, a white display medium 3W configured as a particle group including negatively charged white particles 3Wa and a black display medium 3B configured as a particle group including positively charged black particles 3Ba are illustrated. In each cell, the substrate 1 is perpendicular to the substrates 1 and 2 according to an electric field generated by applying a voltage between the electrode 5 (pixel electrode) provided on the substrate 1 and the electrode 6 (pixel electrode) provided on the substrate 2. Move to. Then, as shown in FIG. 1A, the white display medium 3W is visually recognized by the observer and white dot display is performed, or as shown in FIG. 1B, the black display medium 3B is visually recognized by the observer. Black dots are displayed. In addition, in FIG. 1 (a), (b), the partition in front is abbreviate | omitted. The electrode may be provided outside the substrate, inside the substrate, or embedded in the substrate.

  In the example shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, at least two types of display media having different optical reflectivity and charging characteristics are configured as a particle group including particles having at least optical reflectivity and chargeability. Here, a white display medium 3W configured as a particle group including negatively charged white particles 3Wa and a black display medium 3B configured as a particle group including positively charged black particles 3Ba are illustrated. In each cell, it is generated by applying a voltage between a pair of pixel electrodes formed by an electrode 5 (line electrode) provided on the substrate 1 and an electrode 6 (line electrode) provided on the substrate 2 that are oppositely orthogonally crossed. The substrate is moved perpendicular to the substrates 1 and 2 according to the electric field. Then, as shown in FIG. 2 (a), the white display medium 3W is visually recognized by the observer and white dot display is performed, or as shown in FIG. 2 (b), the black display medium 3B is visually recognized by the observer. Black dots are displayed. In addition, in FIG. 2 (a), (b), the partition in front is abbreviate | omitted. The electrode may be provided outside the substrate, inside the substrate, or embedded in the substrate.

  In the example shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, an example of color display in which a display unit (1 dot) is constituted by three cells is shown. In the example shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, as the display medium, all of the cells 21-1 to 21-3 are filled with the white display medium 3W and the black display medium 3B, and the first cell 21-1. A red color filter 22R is provided on the viewer side, a green color filter 22G is provided on the viewer side of the second cell 21-2, a blue color filter 22B is provided on the viewer side of the third cell 21-3, A display unit (one dot) is composed of three cells, the first cell 21-1, the second cell 21-2, and the third cell 21-3. In this example, when performing color display, as shown in FIG. 3A, the white display medium 3W is arranged in all of the first cell 21-1 to the third cell 21-3 on the viewer side. Thus, white dots are displayed to the observer, or, as shown in FIG. 3B, the black color is displayed in all of the first cell 21-1 to the third cell 21-3 on the observer side. By arranging the medium 3B, black dots are displayed to the observer. In addition, in FIG. 3 (a), (b), the partition in front is abbreviate | omitted. Multicolor display can be performed by moving the display medium in each cell.

  In the example shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, one type of display medium (here, charged white particles 3Wa is included) configured as a particle group including particles having at least optical reflectance and chargeability. In accordance with the electric field generated by applying a voltage between the electrode 5 provided on the substrate 1 and the black electrode 6 in each cell formed by the partition wall 4, indicating a white display medium 3 </ b> W configured as a particle group). Then, it is moved in the direction parallel to the substrates 1 and 2. Then, as shown in FIG. 4A, the white display medium 3W is visually recognized by the observer and white dot display is performed, or as shown in FIG. 4B, the color of the black electrode 6 is changed by the observer. The black dots are displayed by visually recognizing. In addition, in the example shown to Fig.4 (a), (b), the partition in front is abbreviate | omitted.

  In the example shown in FIGS. 5 (a) to (d), first, as shown in FIGS. 5 (a) and 5 (c), it is configured as a particle group including particles having at least optical reflectance and chargeability, At least two types of display media having different optical reflectivities and charging characteristics (here, a white display medium 3W configured as a particle group including negatively charged white particles 3Wa and a particle group including positively charged black particles 3Ba) The black display medium 3 </ b> B) is applied between the external electric field forming means 7 provided outside the substrate 1 and the external electric field forming means 8 provided outside the substrate 2 in each cell formed by the partition walls 4. Is moved perpendicularly to the substrates 1 and 2 in accordance with the electric field generated by applying. Then, the white display medium 3W is visually recognized by the observer as shown in FIG. 5B, or white dot display is performed, or the black display medium 3B is visually recognized by the observer as shown in FIG. 5D. Black dots are displayed. In addition, in FIG. 5 (a)-(d), the partition in front is abbreviate | omitted. A conductive member 9 is provided inside the substrate 1, and a conductive member 10 is provided inside the substrate 2. These conductive members may not be provided.

  The information display panel manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention is characterized in that the information display panel configured as described above has an information display used for disposing particle groups in a cell partitioned by a partition formed on one substrate. A panel manufacturing apparatus for storing particles in the interior and supplying particles by placing pressure in the cells formed on the substrate via a transfer tube and a nozzle by applying pressure to the stored particles A mechanism; an automatic particle replenishing device that is connected to the particle supply mechanism and automatically replenishes the particle group in the particle supply mechanism; a sensor unit that is provided in the particle supply mechanism and detects the amount of the particle group in the particle supply mechanism; It is in the point provided with. Further, the information display panel manufacturing method of the present invention is characterized in that, in the information display panel manufacturing method in which the particle group is arranged in the cell on the substrate using the information display panel manufacturing apparatus, a predetermined number of sheets are provided. After the particle group is arranged in the cell with respect to the substrate, the amount of the particle group replenished by the sensor unit is detected when replenishing the particle into the particle supply mechanism from the automatic particle replenishment device, and the next predetermined number The amount of the particle group in the particle supply mechanism used for arranging the particle group in the cell is constant with respect to the substrate. The features of the present invention will be further described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 6 is a view showing an example of an apparatus for manufacturing an information display panel according to the present invention together with a tank. In the example shown in FIG. 6, the apparatus for manufacturing an information display panel of the present invention stores a particle group containing particles 3 therein, and applies pressure to the stored particle group to transfer the particle group to the transport pipe 11 and A pressure for supplying a pressure to the particle supply mechanism 15, and a particle supply mechanism 15 for supplying particles to a substrate (not shown) formed in the substrate 14 through the nozzle 12 and supplying the pressure to the particle supply mechanism 15. Connected to the supply source 16 and the particle inlet 15a of the particle supply mechanism 15 and automatically supplies a particle group into the particle supply mechanism 15, and from the particle automatic supply device 17 to the particle supply mechanism 15. The pressure dividing mechanism 18 that prevents the inflow of particles and the sensor unit 19 that is provided in the particle supply mechanism 15 and detects the amount of particles in the particle supply mechanism 15 are configured.

  FIGS. 7 to 9 are diagrams for explaining each part of the particle supply mechanism 15, the particle automatic supply device 17, the pressure dividing mechanism 18 and the sensor unit 19 in the information display panel manufacturing apparatus of the present invention.

  In the example shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, the particle automatic replenishing device 17 as a common configuration includes a particle container 17a that contains a particle group and the following components, and a drive motor in which a stirring blade 17b is coupled to a drive shaft 17f. 17c, and a conveying screw 17e that rotates according to the rotation of the drive motor 17c and conveys the particles in the particle container 17a to the right in the drawing through the conveying nozzle 17d. Further, the pressure dividing mechanism 18 as a common configuration includes a container 18a, a cylinder 18b disposed so as to pass through the container 18a, and a shaft so as to open and close the opening of the transport nozzle 17d with the stroke of the cylinder 18b. And a moving member 18c that moves in the direction. When the moving member 18c is at the position indicated by the dotted line in the figure, the opening of the transport nozzle 17d is closed. When the moving member 18c is at the position of the solid line in the figure, the opening of the transport nozzle 17d is in an open state.

  In addition to the configuration of the particle automatic replenishing device 17 and the pressure dividing mechanism 18 described above, in the example shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, the sensor unit 19 is one of the particle supply mechanisms 15 having the opposing wall portions 15 b and 15 c. The light-receiving device 19a provided on the wall portion 15b and the projector 19b provided on the other wall portion 15c are constituted by a transmission type sensor. The light receiver 19a receives light emitted from the projector 19b. The replenishment surface 33 that gradually rises according to the amount of the particle group conveyed from the particle automatic replenishment device 18 into the particle supply mechanism 15 blocks the light emitted from the projector 19b, and the light receiver 19a can no longer receive the light. At this point, it is determined that a predetermined amount of particle groups have been supplied into the particle supply mechanism 15.

  Any commercially available transmission sensor can be used as the transmission sensor composed of the light receiver 19a and the projector 19b, and those using infrared rays or lasers can be preferably used. In addition, the mounting of the light receiver 19a and the projector 19b can be provided outside the walls 15b and 15c when the walls 15b and 15c are made of a transparent member. When the wall portions 15b and 15c are made of a non-transparent member, a through hole is provided in the wall portions 15b and 15c, the light receiver 19a and the projector 19b are provided in the through holes, and the respective sensor surfaces are the particle supply mechanism 15. It can be mounted so as to face the inside. Further, the mounting position of the light receiver 19a and the projector 19b can be provided at a position corresponding to the position of the replenishment surface 33 when a desired amount of particle group is accommodated in the particle supply mechanism 15. Furthermore, the determination of the amount of the particle group accommodated in the particle supply mechanism 15 ends the replenishment of the particle from the particle automatic replenishment device 17 when the sensor unit 19 detects a predetermined amount of the particle group by the replenishment surface 33. Alternatively, after the reinforcing surface 33 is detected, the particle supply from the particle automatic supply device 17 may be terminated after the particle supply is continued for a certain period of time.

  As in the example described above, by linking the automatic particle replenishing device 17 and the sensor unit 19, there is a variation in the amount of particle groups remaining in the particle supply mechanism 15 every time the particle arrangement on one substrate is completed. In addition, since the particle group is supplied from the particle automatic supply device 17 into the particle supply mechanism 15 and the supply of the particles is detected by the sensor unit 19 when the fixed supply surface 33 is reached, the particle supply mechanism 15 always ends. A certain amount of particle groups can be kept inside.

  In the example shown in FIG. 8, in addition to the example shown in FIG. 7, an impact generator 31 is connected to the outside of the wall portion 15 d of the particle supply mechanism 15. Therefore, in the example shown in FIG. 8, particles adhering to the respective sensor surfaces of the light receiver 19 a and the projector 19 b of the sensor unit 19 inside the particle supply mechanism 15 can be removed by an impact from the impact generator 31. . As the impact generating device 31, any device having any configuration can be used as long as it can continuously generate impact force and apply the impact force to the particle supply mechanism 15. In addition to the example shown in FIG. 7, in the example shown in FIG. 9, a particle scraping mechanism 32 is provided on a part of a stirring blade (not shown) inside the particle supply mechanism 15. Therefore, in the example shown in FIG. 9, particles attached to the respective sensor surfaces of the light receiver 19 a and the projector 19 b of the sensor unit 19 are removed by scraping by the scraping mechanism 32 inside the particle supply mechanism 15. it can.

FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining an example of an operation flow and an image thereof in the information display panel manufacturing apparatus of the present invention. The operation flow will be described with reference to FIG. 10. First, when the arrangement of the particle group on one substrate starts (step S1), the inside of the particle supply mechanism 15 is pressurized with N _2, thereby the tank 13 from the particle supply mechanism 15. When the particle group is supplied to the substrate (step S2) and the arrangement amount of the particle group in the cell on the substrate reaches a predetermined amount, the arrangement on one substrate is finished (step S3). Thereafter, the pressure dividing mechanism 18 is opened (step S4), and the particle group is replenished into the particle supply mechanism 15 from the particle automatic replenishing device 17 (step S5). Replenishment is continued, and when the replenishment surface 33 of the particle supply mechanism 15 is supplied to the position of the sensor unit 19 and the sensor is shielded from light, the supply of the particle group to the particle supply mechanism 15 from the particle automatic replenishment device 17 is finished ( Step S6). Thereafter, the pressure dividing mechanism 18 is closed (step S7), and the process returns to the beginning of this flow to start arrangement on the next substrate (step 1).

  In the example shown in FIG. 10, every time the supply of the particle group to one substrate is finished, the particle automatic supply device 17 always supplies the particle group into the particle supply mechanism 15. It may be configured such that the supply of the particle group into the particle supply mechanism 15 is performed by the particle automatic supply device 17 after the supply of the particle group to the plurality of substrates is completed.

  Actually, in the apparatus for manufacturing an information display panel of the present invention described above, sensor mounting holes are provided in each of the wall portions 15b and 15c of the particle supply mechanism 15, and light reception by a photoelectric sensor (PX-H71Z) manufactured by Keyence Corporation. And a light emitting device, and by detecting the replenishment surface 33 of the particle group in the particle supply mechanism 15 by a photoelectric sensor, even when there is a fluctuation in the amount of decrease in the particle group, at the time of supplying the particle to the next substrate The replenishment surface could always be kept constant. In addition, when a piston type air vibrator that generates an impact is installed on the outer wall of the particle supply mechanism 15 and manufactured, a stable replenishment surface can be detected without particles adhering to the sensor window surface, and the number of particles can be reduced. The replenishment surface could always be kept constant even when the amount varied. Furthermore, by providing a particle group scraping mechanism on the stirring blade in the particle supply mechanism 15, a stable replenishment surface can be detected without particles adhering to the sensor window surface, and the amount of decrease in the particle group varies. Even so, the supply surface could always be kept constant.

  Hereinafter, each member which comprises the information display panel used as the object of this invention is demonstrated.

  As the substrate, at least one substrate is a transparent substrate on which the color of the display medium can be confirmed from the outside of the panel, and a material having high visible light transmittance and good heat resistance is preferable. The back substrate as the other substrate may be transparent or opaque. Examples of substrate materials include polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polyethylene (PE), polycarbonate (PC), polyimide (PI), polyethersulfine (PES), acrylic polymer substrates Alternatively, a glass sheet, a quartz sheet, a metal sheet, or the like is used, and a transparent one is used on the display surface side. The thickness of the substrate is preferably 2 to 2000 μm, more preferably 5 to 1000 μm. If it is too thin, it will be difficult to maintain the strength and the uniformity of the distance between the substrates, and if it is thicker than 2000 μm, it will be a thin information display panel. Is inconvenient.

  As the electrode forming material provided on the substrate as necessary, metals such as aluminum, silver, nickel, copper and gold, indium tin oxide (ITO), zinc aluminum oxide (AZO), indium oxide, conductive tin oxide, Examples include conductive metal oxides such as antimony tin oxide (ATO) and conductive zinc oxide, and conductive polymers such as polyaniline, polypyrrole, and polythiophene, which are appropriately selected and used. As a method for forming the electrode, a method of patterning the above-exemplified materials into a thin film by sputtering, vacuum deposition, CVD (chemical vapor deposition), coating, or the like, or a method of laminating metal foil (for example, rolled copper foil) Method) or a method of forming a pattern by mixing and applying a conductive agent to a solvent or a synthetic resin binder. The electrode provided on the viewing side (display surface side) substrate needs to be transparent, but the electrode provided on the back side substrate does not need to be transparent. In any case, the above-mentioned material that is conductive and capable of pattern formation can be suitably used. In addition, the electrode thickness should just be sufficient if electroconductivity is ensured and there is no trouble in light transmittance, and 0.01-10 micrometers, Preferably 0.05-5 micrometers is suitable. The material and thickness of the electrode provided on the back side substrate are the same as those of the electrode provided on the display surface side substrate described above, but need not be transparent.

The shape of the partition provided on the substrate is appropriately set according to the type of display medium involved in display, the shape and arrangement of the electrodes to be arranged, and is not generally limited. However, the width of the partition is 2 to 100 μm, preferably 3 The height of the partition wall is adjusted to 10 to 500 μm, preferably 10 to 200 μm. The height of the partition may be the same as or lower than the gap between the substrates. The inter-substrate gap is held by the inter-substrate gap securing member or the inter-substrate gap securing member of the partition wall.
In forming the partition wall, a both-rib method in which ribs are formed on each of the opposing substrates 1 and 2 and then bonded, and a single-rib method in which ribs are formed only on one substrate are conceivable. In the present invention, any method is preferably used.
As shown in FIG. 11, the cells formed by the partition walls made up of these ribs are exemplified by a square shape, a triangular shape, a line shape, a circular shape, and a hexagonal shape as viewed from the substrate plane direction. And a mesh shape. It is better to make the portion corresponding to the cross section of the partition wall visible from the display surface side (the area of the cell frame) as small as possible, and the clearness of the display state increases.
Examples of the method for forming the partition include a mold transfer method, a screen printing method, a sand blast method, a photolithography method, and an additive method. Any of these methods can be suitably used for an information display panel mounted on the information display device of the present invention, and among these, a photolithography method using a resist film and a mold transfer method are suitably used.

Next, the chargeable particles (hereinafter also referred to as particles) constituting the particle group as the display medium in the information display panel that is the subject of the present invention will be described. The particles are used as a display medium by being composed of particles as they are, or by being combined with other particles as a display medium.
The particles can contain a charge control agent, a colorant, an inorganic additive, and the like, if necessary, in the resin as the main component. Examples of resins, charge control agents, colorants, and other additives will be given below.

  Examples of the resin include urethane resin, urea resin, acrylic resin, polyester resin, acrylic urethane resin, acrylic urethane silicone resin, acrylic urethane fluororesin, acrylic fluororesin, silicone resin, acrylic silicone resin, epoxy resin, polystyrene resin, styrene Acrylic resin, polyolefin resin, butyral resin, vinylidene chloride resin, melamine resin, phenol resin, fluororesin, polycarbonate resin, polysulfone resin, polyether resin, polyamide resin and the like can be mentioned, and two or more kinds can be mixed. In particular, acrylic urethane resin, acrylic silicone resin, acrylic fluororesin, acrylic urethane silicone resin, acrylic urethane fluororesin, fluororesin, and silicone resin are suitable from the viewpoint of controlling the adhesive force with the substrate.

  The charge control agent is not particularly limited. Examples of the negative charge control agent include salicylic acid metal complexes, metal-containing azo dyes, metal-containing oil-soluble dyes (including metal ions and metal atoms), and quaternary ammonium salt systems. Examples thereof include compounds, calixarene compounds, boron-containing compounds (benzyl acid boron complexes), and nitroimidazole derivatives. Examples of the positive charge control agent include nigrosine dyes, triphenylmethane compounds, quaternary ammonium salt compounds, polyamine resins, imidazole derivatives, and the like. In addition, metal oxides such as ultrafine silica, ultrafine titanium oxide, ultrafine alumina, nitrogen-containing cyclic compounds such as pyridine and derivatives and salts thereof, various organic pigments, resins containing fluorine, chlorine, nitrogen, etc. are also charged. It can also be used as a control agent.

  As the colorant, various organic or inorganic pigments and dyes as exemplified below can be used.

Examples of the black colorant include carbon black, copper oxide, manganese dioxide, aniline black, activated carbon and the like.
Examples of blue colorants include C.I. I. Pigment blue 15: 3, C.I. I. Pigment Blue 15, Bituminous Blue, Cobalt Blue, Alkaline Blue Lake, Victoria Blue Lake, Phthalocyanine Blue, Metal-free Phthalocyanine Blue, Phthalocyanine Blue Partial Chlorides, Fast Sky Blue, Indanthrene Blue BC, and the like.
Examples of red colorants include bengara, cadmium red, red lead, mercury sulfide, cadmium, permanent red 4R, resol red, pyrazolone red, watching red, calcium salt, lake red D, brilliant carmine 6B, eosin lake, rhodamine lake B, Alizarin Lake, Brilliant Carmine 3B, C.I. I. Pigment Red 2 etc.

Yellow colorants include chrome yellow, zinc yellow, cadmium yellow, yellow iron oxide, mineral first yellow, nickel titanium yellow, navel yellow, naphthol yellow S, Hansa Yellow G, Hansa Yellow 10G, Benzidine Yellow G, Benzidine Yellow GR, Quinoline Yellow Lake, Permanent Yellow NCG, Tartrazine Lake, C.I. I. Pigment Yellow 12 etc.
Examples of green colorants include chrome green, chromium oxide, pigment green B, C.I. I. Pigment Green 7, Malachite Green Lake, Final Yellow Green G, etc.
Examples of the orange colorant include red chrome yellow, molybdenum orange, permanent orange GTR, pyrazolone orange, Vulcan orange, indanthrene brilliant orange RK, benzidine orange G, indanthrene brilliant orange GK, C.I. I. Pigment Orange 31 etc.
Examples of purple colorants include manganese purple, first violet B, and methyl violet lake.
Examples of white colorants include zinc white, titanium oxide, antimony white, and zinc sulfide.

  Examples of extender pigments include barite powder, barium carbonate, clay, silica, white carbon, talc, and alumina white. Examples of various dyes such as basic, acidic, disperse, and direct dyes include nigrosine, methylene blue, rose bengal, quinoline yellow, and ultramarine blue.

Examples of inorganic additives include titanium oxide, zinc white, zinc sulfide, antimony oxide, calcium carbonate, lead white, talc, silica, calcium silicate, alumina white, cadmium yellow, cadmium red, cadmium orange, titanium yellow, Examples include bitumen, ultramarine blue, cobalt blue, cobalt green, cobalt violet, iron oxide, carbon black, manganese ferrite black, cobalt ferrite black, copper powder, and aluminum powder.
These pigments and inorganic additives can be used alone or in combination. Of these, carbon black is particularly preferable as the black pigment, and titanium oxide is preferable as the white pigment. The above colorant can be blended to produce particles of a desired color.

  Further, the particles preferably have an average particle diameter d (0.5) in the range of 1 to 20 μm and are uniform and uniform. If the average particle diameter d (0.5) is larger than this range, the display is not clear. If the average particle diameter d (0.5) is smaller than this range, the cohesive force between the particles becomes too large, which hinders movement as a display medium.

Furthermore, in the present invention, regarding the particle size distribution of each particle group, the particle size distribution Span represented by the following formula is less than 5, preferably less than 3.
Span = (d (0.9) −d (0.1)) / d (0.5)
(However, d (0.5) is a numerical value expressing the particle diameter in μm that 50% of the particles are larger than this and 50% is smaller than this, and d (0.1) is a particle in which the ratio of the smaller particles is 10%. (Numerical value expressed in μm, and d (0.9) is a numerical value expressed in μm for a particle diameter of 90% or less.)
By keeping Span within a range of 5 or less, the size of particles included in each particle group is uniform, and uniform movement as a display medium becomes possible.

  Furthermore, it is important that the ratio of d (0.5) of the particle group having the minimum diameter to d (0.5) of the particle group having the maximum diameter among the used particle groups is 10 or less. Even if the particle size distribution Span is made small, particles having different charging characteristics move in opposite directions. Therefore, it is preferable to make the particle sizes similar to each other and easily move in the opposite direction. Is in this range.

The particle size distribution and the particle size can be obtained from a laser diffraction / scattering method or the like. When laser light is irradiated onto particles to be measured, a light intensity distribution pattern of diffracted / scattered light is spatially generated, and this light intensity pattern has a corresponding relationship with the particle diameter, so that the particle diameter and particle diameter distribution can be measured. .
Here, the particle size and particle size distribution in the present invention are obtained from a volume-based distribution. Specifically, using a Mastersizer2000 (Malvern Instruments Ltd.) measuring instrument, particles are introduced into a nitrogen stream, and the attached analysis software (software based on volume-based distribution using Mie theory) The diameter and particle size distribution can be measured.

Furthermore, when applied to an information display panel in which particles as a display medium are driven in a gas space, it is important to manage the gas in the voids surrounding the display medium between the substrates, contributing to improved display stability. To do. Specifically, it is important that the relative humidity at 25 ° C. is 60% RH or less, and preferably 50% RH or less for the humidity of the gas in the gap.
The void portion is a portion sandwiched between the opposing substrate 1 and substrate 2 in FIGS. 1A, 1B, 4A, 4B, and 5A to 5D. The electrodes 5 and 6 (when electrodes are provided inside the substrate), the occupied portions of the display media 3W and 3B, the occupied portions of the partition walls 4 (when the partition walls are provided), and the so-called seal portion of the information display panel are excluded. It shall refer to the gas portion in contact with the display medium.
The gas in the gap is not limited as long as it is in the humidity region described above, but dry air, dry nitrogen, dry argon, dry helium, dry carbon dioxide, dry methane, and the like are preferable. This gas needs to be sealed in an information display panel so that the humidity is maintained, for example, filling a display medium, assembling an information display panel, etc. in a predetermined humidity environment, It is important to apply a sealing material and a sealing method that prevent moisture from entering from the outside.

The distance between the substrates in the information display panel that is the subject of the present invention is not limited as long as the display medium can be moved and the contrast can be maintained. It is adjusted to 100 μm, particularly preferably 10 to 50 μm.
The volume occupation ratio of the display medium in the air space between the opposing substrates is preferably 5 to 70%, more preferably 5 to 60%. When it exceeds 70%, the movement as a display medium is hindered, and when it is less than 5%, the contrast tends to be unclear.

  The information display panel produced by the manufacturing apparatus and the manufacturing method of the present invention includes a notebook computer, an electronic notebook, a portable information device called PDA (Personal Digital Assistants), a display unit of a mobile device such as a mobile phone and a handy terminal, an electronic Electronic paper such as books, electronic newspapers, electronic manuals (electronic instruction manuals), signboards, posters, bulletin boards such as blackboards and whiteboards, electronic desk calculators, home appliances, display parts for automobiles, point cards, IC cards, etc. Card display unit, electronic advertisement, information board, electronic POP (Point Of Presence, Point Of Purchase advertising), electronic price tag, electronic shelf label, electronic score, display unit of RF-ID equipment, POS terminal, car navigation device It is suitably used for display units of various electronic devices such as watches. In addition, it is also suitably used as so-called rewritable paper that rewrites the display using external rewriting means.

  The driving method of the information display panel manufactured by the manufacturing apparatus and manufacturing method of the present invention is represented by a simple matrix driving method and a static driving method that do not use a switching element in the panel itself, and a thin film transistor (TFT). Various types of driving methods such as an active matrix driving method using a three-terminal switching device or a two-terminal switching device represented by a thin film diode (TFD) and an external electric field driving method using an external electric field forming means can be applied.

(A), (b) is a figure which shows an example of the fundamental structure of the information display panel used as the object of this invention. (A), (b) is a figure which shows the other example of the fundamental structure of the information display panel used as the object of this invention. (A), (b) is a figure which shows the further another example of the fundamental structure of the information display panel used as the object of this invention. (A), (b) is a figure which shows the further another example of the fundamental structure of the information display panel used as the object of this invention. (A)-(d) is a figure which shows the further another example of the fundamental structure of the information display panel used as the object of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the manufacturing apparatus of the information display panel of this invention with a tank. It is a figure for demonstrating an example of each part of the particle supply mechanism in the manufacturing apparatus of the information display panel of this invention, a particle | grain automatic supply mechanism, a pressure parting mechanism, and a sensor part. It is a figure for demonstrating the other example of each part of the particle | grain supply mechanism in the manufacturing apparatus of the information display panel of this invention, a particle | grain automatic supply mechanism, a pressure parting mechanism, and a sensor part. It is a figure for demonstrating the further another example of each part of the particle | grain supply mechanism in the manufacturing apparatus of the information display panel of this invention, a particle | grain automatic supply mechanism, a pressure parting mechanism, and a sensor part. It is a figure for demonstrating an example of the operation | movement flow in the manufacturing apparatus of the information display panel of this invention, and its image. It is a figure which shows an example of the shape of the partition in the information display panel used as the object of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating an example of the manufacturing apparatus of the conventional information display panel.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 2 Substrate 3W White display medium 3B Black display medium 3Wa Negatively charged white particle 3Ba Positively charged black particle 4 Partition 5, 6 Electrode 7, 8 External electric field formation means 9, 10 Conductive member 11 Transport pipe 12 Nozzle 13 Tank 14 Substrate 15 Particle supply mechanism 15a Particle inlet 15b, 15c, 15d Wall 16 Pressure supply source 17 Automatic particle supply device 17a Particle container 17b Stirring blade 17c Drive motor 17d Transfer nozzle 17e Transfer screw 17f Drive shaft 18 Pressure dividing mechanism 18a Container 18b Cylinder 18c Moving member 19 Sensor unit 19a Light receiver 19b Projector 21-1 First cell 21-2 Second cell 21-3 Third cell 22R Red color filter 22G Green color filter 22B Blue color filter 31 Impact generator 32 Scraping mechanism 3 supply plane

Claims (7)

  An information display panel for displaying information such as images is formed on one substrate by moving a sealed particle group in a plurality of cells partitioned by a partition wall between two substrates, at least one of which is transparent An apparatus for manufacturing an information display panel used for arranging particle groups in a cell partitioned by a partition wall: storing a particle group inside and applying pressure to the stored particle group, thereby conveying a tube And a particle supply mechanism that arranges the particle group in a cell formed on the substrate through the nozzle; and a particle automatic supply device that is connected to the particle supply mechanism and automatically supplies the particle group in the particle supply mechanism; And a sensor unit that detects the amount of the particle group in the particle supply mechanism.   2. The apparatus for manufacturing an information display panel according to claim 1, wherein a pressure dividing mechanism is provided between the particle supply mechanism and the automatic particle supply device.   The sensor unit is composed of a transmission type sensor composed of a light receiver provided on one wall part and a light projector provided on the other wall part of a particle supply mechanism having opposing wall parts. The apparatus for manufacturing an information display panel according to claim 1 or 2.   An impact generator is connected to the outside of the wall of the particle supply mechanism, and particles adhering to the respective sensor surfaces of the light receiver and the projector of the sensor unit are removed by the impact from the impact generator inside the particle supply mechanism. The apparatus for manufacturing an information display panel according to any one of claims 1 to 3.   A particle scraping mechanism is provided in a part of the stirring blade inside the particle supply mechanism, and the particles adhering to the respective sensor surfaces of the light receiver and the projector of the sensor unit are removed by the scraping mechanism inside the particle supply mechanism. The apparatus for manufacturing an information display panel according to any one of claims 1 to 3.   In the manufacturing method of the information display panel which arrange | positions a particle group in the cell on a board | substrate using the manufacturing apparatus of the information display panel of any one of Claims 1-5, With respect to a predetermined number of board | substrates. After the particle group is placed in the cell, the amount of the particle group replenished by the sensor unit is detected when replenishing the particle into the particle supply mechanism from the automatic particle replenishment device. On the other hand, a method for manufacturing an information display panel, characterized in that the amount of particle groups in a particle supply mechanism used for arranging the particle groups in a cell is constant.   The replenishment into the particle supply mechanism from the particle automatic replenishment device is terminated when the sensor unit detects the replenishment surface of the replenished particle group or after a lapse of a predetermined time thereafter. Manufacturing method of information display panel.

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