JP2014191075A - Manufacturing method of laminate - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve display accuracy of a display device.SOLUTION: A manufacturing method of a laminate includes: continuously irradiating a reaction film of a support being conveyed with ultraviolet light from an exposure device to obtain a FPR 12; cutting the FPR 12 into a sheet shape to laminate on a liquid crystal panel; pulling the FPR 12 in a direction A corresponding to a conveyance direction of the support with a tensile force of 20% or more and 180% or less of a tensile force in the conveyance direction of the support during the irradiation with the ultraviolet light by the exposure device; and laminating the FPR 12 with the liquid crystal panel 11 while the FPR 12 is being pulled in the pulling process.

Description

  The present invention relates to a method for producing a laminate including a patterned retardation film and a display panel.

  A patterned retardation film (Film Pattern Retarder, hereinafter referred to as FPR) is used as an optical filter of a stereoscopic image display device using polarized glasses with different directions of circularly polarized light on the left and right sides, and has a line width of 250 to 700 μm. , Has a stripe pattern in which the second phase difference regions are alternately arranged horizontally. In the first phase difference region and the second phase difference region, a liquid crystal layer oriented so that the optical axes are orthogonal to each other is formed, and these line widths are pixel pitches constituting a horizontal line of the display screen of the stereoscopic image display device. Is matched with high accuracy. A stereoscopic image is observed by observing the display light whose polarization direction is modulated for each horizontal pixel line through the corresponding first and second phase difference regions and polarizing glasses.

  As a method for producing FPR, for example, in Patent Document 1, a pretreatment sheet is formed from a mixture containing a polymer compound and a photoisomerization substance, and the pretreatment sheet is uniaxially stretched, and then the irradiation intensity distribution is applied to the pretreatment sheet. A method of forming a first region and a second region having different slow axis directions or fast axis directions by irradiating light having a length is disclosed.

  In addition, the method of Patent Document 2 uses two types of mask plates in which slits and light-shielding portions are exchanged and arranged in the width direction of the support of the FPR when manufacturing the FPR, and these mask plates are used in the film transport direction. Are lined up. Further, in the method of Patent Document 2, ultraviolet rays having different polarization directions are sequentially irradiated to the support through each mask plate while the film is conveyed.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-153707 International Publication No. 2010/090429 A2

  The FPR is required to have extremely high accuracy with respect to the stripe pattern of the first phase difference region and the second phase difference region. This is because the accuracy of the stripe pattern affects the display accuracy of the display device. Therefore, when manufacturing FPR by the method of Patent Document 1, an advanced irradiation technique is required to form regions having different irradiation intensities in the light irradiation step. Also, when manufacturing an FPR by the method of Patent Document 2, the positional relationship between the two types of mask plates and the support, the positional relationship between the two types of mask plates, and the like are set by trial and error.

  However, even if an FPR having a high-precision stripe pattern is manufactured by the methods of Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, the display accuracy of a display device in which the FPR is attached to a display panel is not necessarily high. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to propose a method for manufacturing a laminate that improves display accuracy in a display device.

  The method for producing a laminate of the present invention has a width perpendicular to the transport direction on a support that is continuously transported on a surface on which a reaction film that gives different alignment characteristics to liquid crystals depending on whether or not specific light is irradiated. After irradiating specific light with an irradiation pattern in which irradiation regions and non-irradiation regions are alternately arranged in a direction in the direction, a liquid crystal layer is formed on the reaction film, whereby the first and second phase difference characteristics differ from each other. A step of cutting a long patterned retardation film in which the second retardation regions are alternately formed in the width direction into a desired size by cutting into a desired size, and a patterned retardation sheet. In a direction corresponding to the transport direction, a tension process in which tension is 20% or more and 180% or less of the tension in the transport direction of the support while being irradiated with specific light, It is configured as characterized by having a bonding step of bonding the over emissions retardation sheet and the display panel.

  The present invention is particularly effective when the support is formed by applying tension in the width direction. The display panel includes a plurality of pixels arranged in each of the horizontal and vertical directions, and includes a specific first phase difference region and a second phase difference region of the patterned phase difference sheet in a state where the display panel is pulled by a pulling process. It is preferable to have an alignment step for aligning the patterned retardation sheet and the display panel before the bonding step so that the boundary overlaps the edges of a plurality of pixels arranged in the horizontal or vertical direction.

  Irradiation step of irradiating the reaction film with specific light emitted from the light source unit through a mask in which slits extending in the transport direction of the support are formed at a constant pitch in the width direction of the support; And a liquid crystal layer forming step of forming a liquid crystal layer on the reaction film that has undergone the irradiation step.

  According to the present invention, display accuracy in a display device can be improved.

It is sectional drawing of the display apparatus manufactured by this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows a patterned retardation film. It is the schematic which shows the manufacturing equipment of a pattern phase difference film. It is explanatory drawing which shows the irradiation pattern with respect to the support body in which the reaction film was formed. It is explanatory drawing which shows the deformation | transformation of FPR by cutting | disconnection, and the change by tension | pulling. It is a perspective view which shows the outline of a bonding apparatus. It is explanatory drawing explaining imaging | photography with FPR and a liquid crystal panel in a bonding apparatus. It is explanatory drawing which shows position alignment of FPR and a liquid crystal panel. It is explanatory drawing which shows position alignment of FPR and a liquid crystal panel. It is explanatory drawing which shows position alignment of FPR and a liquid crystal panel. It is the schematic of an extending | stretching apparatus.

  Examples of the laminate manufactured according to the present invention include a display device (display), and examples of the display device include a liquid crystal display device and a plasma display device. As shown in FIG. 1, a liquid crystal display device 10 as an example of a display device is configured by laminating a sheet-like FPR (Film Patterned Retarder) 12 on a liquid crystal panel 11 as a display panel. Is done. Instead of the liquid crystal panel 11, other known liquid crystal panels may be used.

  The liquid crystal panel 11 includes a liquid crystal cell 15 that changes the polarization state of transmitted light and two polarizing plates 16 and 17. The liquid crystal cell 15 includes a glass substrate 20 on the surface on the light source side and a glass substrate 21 on the surface on the viewing side. A plurality of transparent X electrodes 22 are formed on the inner surface of the glass substrate 20, and an alignment film 23 is laminated so as to cover them. A color filter layer 26 and a protective film 27 are formed on the inner surface of the glass substrate 21. A transparent Y electrode 28 is formed on the surface of the protective film 27, and an alignment film 31 is laminated so as to cover the Y electrode. The liquid crystal is sealed between the pair of alignment films 23 and 31 to form a liquid crystal layer 32.

  The liquid crystal panel 11 controls transmission of light from a light source for each pixel arranged in a matrix in a plurality of rows in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction. The liquid crystal panel 11 is driven by a known simple matrix method. That is, a plurality of X electrodes 22 and Y electrodes 28 are provided in a state of being orthogonal to each other. By applying a voltage between any X electrode 22 and Y electrode 28, these X electrode 22 and Y electrode 28 The alignment state of the liquid crystal of the pixel at the position where the line 28 intersects is changed.

  In the color filter layer 26, a plurality of filters 33 are arranged in the vertical direction (vertical direction in FIG. 1) and the horizontal direction (direction perpendicular to the paper surface). In the present embodiment, the three color filters 33 are repeatedly arranged in a direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. Each filter 33 is a filter of any one color of an R filter that transmits red light, a G filter that transmits green light, and a B filter that transmits blue light. The filter 33 is provided for each pixel. Therefore, each pixel is either a red pixel provided with an R filter, a green pixel provided with a G filter, or a blue pixel provided with a B filter.

  The polarizing plate 16 is disposed on the outer surface of the glass substrate 20, and the polarizing plate 17 is disposed on the outer surface of the glass substrate 21. The polarizing plates 16 and 17 are both of the linear polarization type, and have a crossed Nicols arrangement. Thereby, the light from the light source is incident on the liquid crystal cell 15 through the polarizing plate 16, and the polarization state is changed according to the alignment state of the liquid crystal cell 15, whereby the amount of light transmitted through the polarizing plate 17 is changed for each pixel. Control.

  The FPR 12 has first and second phase difference regions R1 and R2 whose details will be described later. In the present embodiment, each of the first phase difference region R1 and the second phase difference region R2 has a width of three pixels (the length in the vertical direction in FIG. 1) and extends in a line shape in the horizontal direction. Are lined up alternately. The first phase difference region R1 and the second phase difference region R2 extend in the horizontal direction with widths of other pixels such as 2 pixels and 4 pixels, for example, instead of the width of 3 pixels. May be. The FPR 12 is bonded to the polarizing plate 17 in a state where the boundaries between the first and second retardation regions R1 and R2 coincide with the pixel boundaries of the liquid crystal panel 11.

  In FIG. 2, in the first and second phase difference regions R1 and R2 of the FPR 12, as indicated by arrows A1 and A2, optical axes, for example, (in-plane) slow axes are orthogonal to each other. Thereby, circularly polarized light having different rotation (turning) directions is obtained. The direction in which the first retardation region R1 and the second retardation region R2 extend respectively coincides with the direction in which the support 40 is conveyed when the FPR 12 is manufactured. The direction in which the first phase difference region R1 and the second phase difference region R2 are alternately arranged coincides with the width direction of the support orthogonal to the transport direction of the support 40 when the FPR 12 is manufactured. Examples of the support 40 include films composed of cellulose acylate such as cellulose triacetate (TAC), norbornene polymer, cycloolefin polymer, and acrylic polymer such as polymethyl methacrylate.

  The FPR 12 has a structure in which an alignment film 41, a liquid crystal layer 42, and an adhesive layer 45 are laminated on one surface of the support 40. The adhesive layer 45 is provided to adhere the FPR 12 and the liquid crystal panel 11. Note that the adhesive layer 45 may be disposed on the surface of the support 40 opposite to the surface on which the alignment film 41 is formed, instead of on the liquid crystal layer 42. The first and second retardation regions R1 and R2 have their slow axes orthogonal to each other by changing the alignment direction of the liquid crystal in the liquid crystal layer. Reference numeral 38 denotes a boundary between the first retardation region R1 and the second retardation region R2 which are non-oriented regions.

  The FPR 12 is manufactured by, for example, the FPR manufacturing facility 50 shown in FIG. The FPR manufacturing equipment 50 includes a transport mechanism 51, a reaction film forming unit 52, an exposure device 53, a tension adjusting unit 54, a rubbing processing unit 55, a liquid crystal layer forming unit 56, an adhesive layer forming unit 57, a cutting unit 58, and the like. The sheet-like FPR 12 is manufactured by performing various treatments on the supplied long support 40. The sheet-like FPR 12 manufactured by the FPR manufacturing facility 50 is guided to a bonding device 59 described later and bonded to the liquid crystal panel 11 (see FIG. 1).

  Note that a winding unit may be provided between the reaction film forming unit 52 and the exposure device 53 and between the liquid crystal layer forming unit 56 and the adhesive layer forming unit 57. The FPR manufacturing facility 50 includes a cutting unit 58, but the cutting unit 58 may be provided outside the FPR manufacturing facility 50. In this case, the FPR manufacturing facility 50 is for manufacturing a long FPR 12 and includes a winding unit (not shown) that winds the long FPR 12 downstream of the adhesive layer forming unit 57.

  The support 40 is transparent and flexible. For example, the support 40 is drawn out from a support roll (not shown) wound in a roll shape and supplied to the FPR manufacturing facility 50. The support 40 is continuously transported at a constant speed by the transport mechanism 51.

  The reaction film forming unit 52 is for forming a reaction film including a photoacid generator that reacts with light irradiated in a subsequent process on one surface of the support 40. In the reaction film forming unit 52, a coating solution containing a photoacid generator is applied to the surface of the support 40, and further a drying process is performed to form a reaction film having a certain thickness on the support 40. When the support 40 is formed from cellulose acylate such as cellulose acetate, the reaction film forming unit 52 may saponify the support surface to be applied before applying the coating solution. In this embodiment, the photoacid generator decomposes by irradiation with ultraviolet rays to generate an acid. For example, a pyridinium salt, an iodonium salt, a sulfonium salt, or the like can be used. However, the photoacid generator may react with light having a specific wavelength other than ultraviolet rays. In addition, regarding the formation of the reaction film, for example, a technique such as spraying other than coating may be used. The support 40 on which the alignment film is formed is sent from the reaction film forming unit 52 to the exposure device 53.

  The exposure device 53 includes a light source unit 61, a mask 62, a backup roller 63, and the like. The light source unit 61 outputs ultraviolet light that decomposes the photoacid generator contained in the reaction film to generate an acid. When the photoacid generator reacts with light other than ultraviolet rays, a light source unit that outputs the reacting light is used. Ultraviolet rays from the light source unit 61 are applied through the mask 62 to the reaction film of the support 40 that is being continuously conveyed and is wound around the peripheral surface 63a of the backup roller 63 and supported on the back surface side. As a result, for example, stripe pattern irradiation is performed in which the portion that becomes the first retardation region R1 is a linear irradiation region and the other portion is a linear non-irradiation region. Details of pattern irradiation will be described later with reference to another drawing. Note that the backup roller 63 is rotatable and may be rotated following the conveyance of the support 40, or may be rotated by a motor or the like in synchronization with the conveyance of the support 40.

  The tension adjusting unit 54 includes, for example, a dancer roller 66 and a spring 67. The position of the dancer roller 66 in the lateral direction in FIG. Thereby, the tension adjusting unit 54 holds the tension in the transport direction of the support 40 being transported, in particular, the tension in the transport direction of the support 40 while the exposure apparatus 53 is irradiating ultraviolet rays at a preset value. . However, instead of the tension adjustment unit 54, various known tension adjustment units that can adjust the tension in the conveyance direction of the support 40 that is continuously conveyed may be used.

  The rubbing processing unit 55 includes a rubbing roller (not shown) and its driving mechanism (not shown), and performs a rubbing process on the reaction film irradiated with ultraviolet rays by the exposure device 53 to give the reaction film an orientation. The alignment film 41 (see FIG. 2) is used. The rubbing processing unit 55 performs a rubbing process on the reaction film on the support 40 in a rubbing direction of 45 ° with respect to the transport direction of the support 40 by a rubbing roller. The support 40 that has undergone the rubbing treatment is sent to the liquid crystal layer forming section 56. In the present embodiment, the rubbing processing unit 55 is provided downstream of the exposure apparatus 53, but instead of this aspect, it may be provided between the reaction film forming unit 52 and the exposure apparatus 53. In this case, the reaction film is subjected to a rubbing process by the rubbing processing unit 55, and becomes an alignment film 41 (FIG. 2) by irradiation of ultraviolet light from the exposure device 53.

  The liquid crystal layer forming unit 56 forms the liquid crystal layer 42 (see FIG. 2) that exhibits retardation characteristics according to the first and second retardation regions R 1 and R 2 on the alignment film 41. In this liquid crystal layer forming part 56, a coating liquid containing a vertical alignment agent, a discotic liquid crystal, etc. is applied to the surface of the alignment film 41, further subjected to treatment such as heat aging and cooling, and further curing the coating film by irradiation with ultraviolet rays. Thus, the liquid crystal layer 42 is obtained.

  The adhesive layer forming part 57 is for forming the adhesive layer 45 on the liquid crystal layer 42 of the support 40 sent from the liquid crystal layer forming part 56. The long pressure-sensitive adhesive film 68 forming the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer 45 is rolled. The adhesive layer forming unit 57 includes a delivery device (not shown) that pulls out and sends out the adhesive film 68 from the adhesive film roll, a roller pair 69, and the like. The roller pair 69 nips the adhesive film 68 and the support 40 supplied from the delivery machine and continuously bonds them together to form a long FPR 12. The cutting unit 58 cuts the long FPR 12 into a target size, for example, a rectangular sheet.

  The alignment state of the liquid crystal of the liquid crystal layer 42 in the FPR 12 is governed by the interaction of the material of the alignment film 41, the liquid crystal, and an alignment controller added as desired. The photoacid generator contained in the reaction film 72 on the support 40 remains undecomposed in the unirradiated region of ultraviolet rays, and decomposes to generate an acidic compound in the irradiated region. When an acidic compound is generated, the above interaction is no longer dominant, the rubbing direction of the alignment film 41 dominates the alignment state, and the liquid crystal is aligned with the slow axis in the rubbing direction, that is, parallel alignment.

  For example, the alignment control agent includes a vertical alignment agent, and the liquid crystal includes a discotic liquid crystal. The vertical alignment agent has an action of raising the discotic liquid crystal vertically with respect to the surface of the alignment film 41 and an action of aligning the discotic liquid crystal in a direction orthogonal to the rubbing direction. As shown in FIG. 4, the mask 62 of the exposure apparatus 53 has a mask pattern in which a plurality of slits 62a whose longitudinal direction is aligned with the transport direction of the support 40 are arranged at a constant pitch in the width direction orthogonal to the transport direction. Have. The light from the light source unit 61 is irradiated to the reaction film 72 through the mask 62. As a result, the surface of the support 40 during continuous conveyance is irradiated with specific light in an irradiation pattern in which irradiation and non-irradiation are alternately arranged in the width direction, and irradiation regions RE and non-irradiation extending in a stripe shape in the conveyance direction. The regions RN are formed so as to be alternately arranged in the width direction.

  The irradiation region RE in which the acid is generated has the function of vertically raising the discotic liquid crystal, but the function of aligning in the direction perpendicular to the rubbing direction is lost. For this reason, in the liquid crystal layer 42 disposed on the irradiation region RE, the discotic liquid crystal stands up and is oriented in the rubbing direction.

  In addition, the action of the vertical alignment agent is still preserved in the non-irradiated region RN. For this reason, in the liquid crystal layer 42 on the non-irradiation region RN, the discotic liquid crystal stands vertically and has an orientation posture orthogonal to the rubbing direction. As a result, the FPR 12 (see FIG. 3) obtained through this irradiation pattern has a fixed-width line of discotic liquid crystal in a posture that is erected and oriented in the rubbing direction, and a discotic that is erected and orthogonal to the rubbing direction. A line having a certain width of liquid crystal is alternately arranged, and has a stripe pattern of a first retardation region R1 and a second retardation region R2 whose slow axes are orthogonal to each other.

  The long FPR 12 is cut into a sheet as shown in FIG. In addition, the broken line in (A) of FIG. 5 is a cutting line which shows a cutting position. In this example, two rectangular sheets are taken in the width direction from the long FPR 12, but the number of sheets cut out in the width direction depends on the width of the long FPR 12 and the size of the target sheet. Different.

  When two sheets are cut out symmetrically with respect to the center in the width direction as in this example, each sheet has the length of the first edge E1 of the sheet corresponding to the cutting line C1 in the center in the width direction, and the width direction. The lengths of the second edges E2 corresponding to the outer cutting lines C2 are different from each other. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5B, the second edge E2 is slightly longer than the first edge E1. For example, from a long FPR 12 having a length in the width direction of 1500 mm, two sheets are taken with a cutting line forming a rectangle of 400 mm × 700 mm having a short side matching the width direction as shown in FIG. In this case, the length of the first edge E1 of each sheet is approximately 700.0 mm, and the length of the second edge E2 is approximately 700.3 mm. For this reason, the first phase difference region R1 and the second phase difference region R2 that extend linearly in the conveyance direction in the long FPR 12 are the second edge side in the sheet as shown in FIG. It becomes a very slightly convex curve. In FIG. 5A, the illustration of the first phase difference region R1 and the second phase difference region R2 is omitted to avoid complication of the illustration. In FIG. 5B, the degree of deformation of the sheet is greatly exaggerated.

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5B, the sheet-like FPR 12 is pulled in a direction corresponding to the long conveying direction. As a result, the first retardation region R1 and the second retardation region R2 that are deformed slightly in the sheet are linearized as shown in FIG. 5C. The sheet-like FPR 12 is liquid crystal by the laminating device 59 (see FIG. 1) in a state where the first retardation region R1 and the second retardation region R2 are held linearly, that is, in a state where tension is applied. It is bonded to the panel 11 (see FIG. 1).

  The bonding device 59 is in a state where the boundary 38 between the first phase difference region R1 and the second phase difference region R2 of the FPR 12 is overlapped with the edges (edges) of a plurality of pixels arranged in a certain direction of the liquid crystal panel 11, and the FPR 12 This is for attaching the liquid crystal panel 11 together. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the bonding device 59 includes a tension part 81, a bonding part 82, and the like, and bonds the liquid crystal panel 11 to the sheet-like FPR 12 held at a predetermined tension.

  The tension portion 81 includes first and second clips 83 and 84, a tension measuring device 87, a tension mechanism 88, a camera 91, a moving mechanism 92, an elevating mechanism 93, a controller 96, and the like. The first clip 83 and the second clip 84 are for gripping the supplied FPR 12, and control the clamping members 83a and 84a that sandwich the FPR 12, and the clamping and release of the clamping members 83a and 84a. Clip bodies 83b and 84b. The first and second clips 83 and 84 have a direction in which the distance between them is changed (referred to as A direction), a vertical direction (B direction) in FIG. 6 orthogonal to the A direction, and a C direction orthogonal to both the A and B directions. And, in the AC plane determined by the A direction and the C direction, are displaced while maintaining their posture and relative position.

  The first clip 83 sandwiches one end of the sheet-like FPR 12 in a direction corresponding to the above-described transport direction, and the second clip 84 sandwiches the other end. Therefore, when the FPR 12 is sandwiched, the first clip 83 and the second clip 84 make the A direction coincide with the transport direction described above. The coincidence does not necessarily have to be a strict coincidence, and there may be a deviation as long as it is a slight deviation within 0.0001 °. Since the first and second clips 83 and 84 are for holding the FPR 12, other holding means, for example, a suction plate (not shown) for holding the FPR 12 by suction on the film surface of the FPR 12, You may replace with the pin (not shown) etc. which penetrate and hold | maintain in the thickness direction.

  The clip body 83 b of the first clip 83 is connected to the tension measuring device 87, and the tension measuring device 87 is connected to the controller 96. The tension measuring device 87 detects the tension applied to the FPR 12 by the first and second clips 83 and 84 and outputs the detection signal to the controller 96. Examples of the tension measuring device 87 include a load cell and a spring measurement.

  The clip body 84 b of the second clip 84 is connected to the pulling mechanism 88. The pulling mechanism 88 includes, for example, a ball screw and a motor that displace the clip main body 84b of the second clip 84, and displaces the clip main body 84b in the A direction with the FPR 12 being held. The controller 96 is also connected to a pulling mechanism 88. When a detection signal from the tension measuring device 87 is input, the position of the clip body 84b is controlled via the pulling mechanism 88. Thereby, the target tension in the A direction is applied to the FPR 12 held between the holding members 83a and 84a. The pulling mechanism 88 may be composed of an air cylinder or the like.

  The target tension is in the range of 20% or more and 180% or less of the tension in the transport direction of the support 40 while the exposure device 53 is irradiated with ultraviolet rays. In addition, the tension in this specification is a tension per 1 m width. That is, when the tension per 1 m width in the conveying direction of the support body 40 during irradiation with ultraviolet rays is T1 (N / m), the A direction is applied in the A direction by the first clip 83 and the second clip 84. The tension per 1 m in the direction perpendicular to is in the range of T1 × 0.20 or more and T1 × 1.80 or less. This tension is applied to change the first phase difference region R1, the second phase difference region R2, and the boundary 38 from a curved line to a straight line having a constant width, which is less than 20% and exceeds 180%. The tension is not a straight line with a sufficient width. A more preferable tension (N / m) applied in the A direction is in the range of 90% to 110%, and the smaller the difference from T1, the better.

  Each clip body 83b, 84b is connected to a moving mechanism 92, and the moving mechanism 92 displaces each clip body 83b, 84b in the B direction and the C direction. Thereby, the FPR 12 clamped by the clamping members 83a and 84a is displaced in the B direction and the C direction. The moving mechanism 92 changes the position of the clip main bodies 83b and 84b in the AC plane while maintaining the posture and the positional relationship between the first clip 83 and the second clip 84. As described above, when the clip bodies 83b and 84b are integrally displaced in the AC plane, the FPR 12 rotates in the AC plane.

  The bonding part 82 is comprised from the mounting base 97, the press member 98, the axis | shaft 99, etc. FIG. The bonding part 82 is provided with a mounting table 97 on its upper surface 82a. The liquid crystal panel 11 is placed on the placement surface 97 a of the placement table 97. The liquid crystal panel 11 is placed with the light source side of the liquid crystal display device 10 (see FIG. 1) facing the mounting surface 97a. That is, in this example, the polarizing plate 16 (see FIG. 1) is directed downward to face the mounting surface 97a, and the polarizing plate 17 (see FIG. 1) is directed upward. As shown in FIG. 7, the mounting surface 97a is made of transparent glass 102, for example, and the mounted liquid crystal panel 11 is illuminated from one panel surface by a lamp 103 disposed inside the mounting table 97.

  The pressing member 98 is for pressing the FPR 12 supplied and superimposed on the liquid crystal panel 11 and sticking it to the liquid crystal panel 11. The pressing member 98 is a plate-like member whose one end is fixed to a rotating shaft 99 provided on the upper surface 82 a of the bonding portion 82. The pressing member 98 moves integrally with the shaft 99 between a pressing position for pressing the FPR 12 and a retracted position retracted from the pressing position, and is in an upright posture as shown in FIG.

  The camera 91 is for detecting the boundary 38 (see FIG. 2) between the first phase difference region R1 and the second phase difference region R2 in the FPR 12 and the relative position of the FPR 12 with respect to the liquid crystal panel 11. The camera 91 is provided with the mounting surface 97a of the mounting table 97 and the lens 91a facing each other. At the time of detection, a polarizing plate 104 is provided between the supplied FPR 12 and the lens 91a in a crossed Nicol arrangement with the polarizing plate 17 disposed on the viewing side in the liquid crystal display device 10, and the camera 91 displaces the polarizing plate 104. Shoot through. The polarizing plate 104 is displaced in the B direction by an elevating mechanism 93 constituted by a motor or the like.

  The light from the lamp 103 transmitted through the boundary 38 between the phase difference regions R1 and R2 that are non-oriented regions maintains the linearly polarized light emitted from the liquid crystal panel 11, and the vibration direction of the polarizing plate 104 Orthogonal to the transmission axis. For this reason, since the light from the boundary 38 does not pass through the polarizing plate 104, it is photographed as a black line by the camera 91.

  The operation of the above configuration will be described. When the long support 40 is supplied to the FPR manufacturing apparatus 50, the transport mechanism 51 causes the reaction film forming unit 52, the exposure device 53, the tension adjusting unit 54, the rubbing processing unit 55, the liquid crystal layer forming unit 56, Guided sequentially to the cutting section 58. The reaction film forming unit 52 continuously applies a coating solution containing a photoacid generator on one surface of the support 40. Thereafter, the reaction film forming unit 52 dries the coating film formed by coating, whereby a reaction film 72 having a certain thickness is formed on the support 40.

  The support 40 on which the reaction film 72 is formed is guided to the exposure device 53, and in a state of being wound around a backup roller, a stripe pattern irradiation in which an ultraviolet irradiation region and a non-irradiation region alternate in the width direction. Is performed continuously. The support 40 during pattern irradiation is held at a preset value of the tension in the transport direction.

  The support 40 is guided to the rubbing treatment unit 55, and the reaction film 72 is rubbed, and the reaction film 72 is changed to the alignment film 41 by this rubbing treatment. Thereafter, the support 40 is guided to the liquid crystal layer forming unit 56, and the liquid crystal layer 42 is formed on the alignment film 41. In the support 40 on which the liquid crystal layer 42 is formed, the adhesive layer 45 is formed on the liquid crystal layer 42 by the adhesive layer forming unit 57, and a long FPR 12 is obtained. The FPR 12 is cut into a sheet having a target size by the cutting unit 58.

  The sheet-like FPR 12 is guided from the FPR manufacturing equipment 50 to the bonding apparatus 59 and bonded to the liquid crystal panel 11 as follows. First, the first clip 83 and the second clip 84 are arranged in a state in which the clamping members 83a and 84a face each other in the A direction that is coincident with the transport direction of the support body 40 while the exposure device 53 is irradiated with ultraviolet rays. Is done. The FPR 12 is sandwiched between the one end and the other end in the A direction by the sandwiching members 83a and 84a. Note that, after the FPR 12 is sandwiched, the A direction and the transport direction at the time of manufacturing the FPR 12 may be matched.

  The tension measuring device 87 measures the tension in the A direction of the FPR 12 held between the first and second clips 83 and 84, and outputs the detection result to the controller 96. The controller 96 displaces the second clip 84 in the A direction via the pulling mechanism 88, and changes the position of the second clip 84 until the detection result by the tension measuring device 87 reaches the target tension described above. As a result, the above-described target tension is applied to the FPR 12 in the A direction. As a result, the first phase difference region R1 and the second phase difference region R2 in the FPR 12 are linear with a constant width, and the boundary. 38 is also linear. Note that it is not necessary to perform photographing with the camera 91 during the displacement of the second clip 84.

  The liquid crystal panel 11 is supplied in advance to the mounting table 97, and the FPR 12 is placed on the liquid crystal panel 11 by the moving mechanism 92 in a state where a predetermined tension is applied in the A direction by the first and second clips 83 and 84. As shown in FIG. 7, the liquid crystal panel 11 is slightly separated. Above the FPR 12, a polarizing plate 104 is disposed in a state slightly separated from the FPR 12.

  While the FPR 12 irradiated with light from the lamp 103 is photographed by the camera 91, the FPR 12 and the liquid crystal panel 11 in a state where a target tension is applied are aligned. In the FPR 12 before the alignment, for example, the boundary 38 is shifted in any arrangement direction of the plurality of pixels 106 arranged in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction in the color filter layer 26 of the liquid crystal panel 11. Therefore, in the camera 91, as shown in FIG. 8, the boundary 38 photographed as a black line intersects with the edges of the plurality of pixels 106 arranged in the horizontal direction and also intersects with the edges of the plurality of pixels 106 arranged in the vertical direction.

  In this way, when the boundary 38 intersects the edges of the plurality of pixels 106 arranged in one direction, the moving mechanism 92 integrates the first and second clips 83 and 84 while maintaining the posture and positional relationship. The FPR 12 is rotated in the AC plane by being displaced in the AC plane. As a result, as shown in FIG. 9, the edges of a plurality of pixels arranged in one direction intersecting the boundary 38 are adjusted to be in a parallel state.

  Next, the moving mechanism 92 integrally displaces the FPR 12 in at least one of the A direction and the C direction while maintaining the posture and the positional relationship of the first and second clips 83 and 84, and thereby the FPR 12 is connected to the AC. Move in the plane. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 10, the boundary 38 is overlapped on the edges of a plurality of pixels arranged in one direction. In the present embodiment, the FPR 12 is rotated and then moved in the AC plane. However, instead of this aspect, the FPR 12 may be moved in the AC plane and then rotated in the AC plane. Through the above steps, the FPR 12 is aligned with the liquid crystal panel 11.

  In this embodiment, the FPR 12 is aligned with the liquid crystal panel 11 in a state where a target tension is applied. However, the present invention is not limited to this mode. For example, after performing the first alignment in which a part of the boundary 38 of the FPR 12 and the edge of a specific pixel arranged in one direction of the liquid crystal panel 11 are overlapped, a target tension is applied to the FPR 12, and then the boundary You may perform the 2nd position alignment which overlaps with the edge of the some pixel in which 38 aligns in one direction.

  The FPR 12 aligned with the liquid crystal panel 11 is lowered to a state where it contacts the liquid crystal panel 11 by the moving mechanism 92 with a desired tension applied, and the pressing member 98 is a film that faces the liquid crystal panel 11. Press from the sheet surface opposite to the surface. As a result, the FPR 12 is bonded to the liquid crystal panel 11 with the boundary 38 overlapping the edges of the plurality of pixels 106 (see FIGS. 8 to 10) arranged horizontally or vertically on the liquid crystal panel 11. As a result, the liquid crystal display device 10 whose display accuracy is improved as compared with the conventional product is obtained.

  In the present embodiment, when the FPR 12 and the liquid crystal panel 11 are aligned, the FPR 12 is moved by moving the FPR 12 with respect to the liquid crystal panel 11 placed on the mounting table 97, but the present invention is not limited to this mode. For example, by providing the mounting table 97 with a displacement mechanism in the A direction and the C direction and a rotation mechanism in the AC plane, in addition to or instead of the movement and rotation of the FPR 12, the movement and rotation of the liquid crystal panel 11 can be performed. You may align by performing.

  The above method has a particularly remarkable effect when the support body 40 that has been subjected to the step of applying tension in the width direction is supplied to the FPR manufacturing facility 50. The support 40 obtained by applying tension in the width direction in the manufacturing process has a larger residual stress in the end portion in the width direction than in the center portion in the width direction, and is cut into a sheet shape by the cut portion 58. The degree of contraction is different between the part corresponding to the end part and the part corresponding to the center part. Therefore, the irradiation region RE, the non-irradiation region RN, and the boundary 38 formed in a line shape with a constant width by the exposure device 53 are curved as described above by cutting into a sheet shape. Therefore, the first phase difference region R1 and the second phase difference region R1, and the first phase difference region R1, and the second phase difference region R1 are attached by applying a tension close to the tension T1 in the transport direction while being irradiated with ultraviolet rays by the exposure device 53. These boundaries 38 are linear, and the resulting liquid crystal display device 10 exhibits good display performance.

  The stretching device 120 in FIG. 11 is for applying tension in the width direction in the process of manufacturing the support 40. The stretching device 120 may be connected to, for example, a film forming unit provided on the upstream side, or may be connected to a sending machine. As the film forming part, a melt film forming part that melts the raw material polymer and extrudes it into a film shape, or a raw material polymer dissolved in a solvent and cast on a casting support to form a casting film, this casting film There is a solution film forming part that peels off after developing self-supporting property. As a sending machine, there is a machine in which a film roll manufactured in these film forming sections and wound in a roll shape is set, and the film is unwound from the film roll and sent to the stretching apparatus 120.

  In the stretching device 120, for example, a plurality of clips 121 are attached to a pair of chains (not shown) arranged on a pair of rails (not shown) extending in the transport direction. . The pair of rails are provided so as to be separated from each other, and the clip 121 sandwiches a side end portion of a long film that is continuously supplied. Each chain moves on the rails, whereby the individual clips 121 move, thereby transporting the film. By changing the distance between the rails in the conveyance direction, the width of the film is expanded (widened), narrowed (reduced), or kept constant.

  The stretching apparatus in FIG. 11 has a preheating part that raises the film temperature while keeping the width constant, a widening part that widens the width provided downstream of the preheating part, and a relaxation part that is provided downstream of the widening part. The widened portion increases the width of the film by setting the temperature of the film to a high temperature such as near the glass transition point. A preheating part prevents the deformation | transformation, a fracture | rupture, etc. of the film in a wide part by heating up the film which goes to a wide part. The relaxation part performs stress relaxation of the film generated in the widened part. Thus, although the support body 40 is obtained, residual stress often remains in the obtained support body 40 even after stress relaxation at the relaxation portion, and the deformation of the FPR 12 accompanying the sheet formation as described above occurs. In addition, in this example, the support body 40 is manufactured with a stretching pattern of holding a constant width, widening, and holding a constant width after widening, but the stretching pattern is not limited thereto.

  Examples 1-7 which manufacture the liquid crystal display device 10 were implemented using the FPR manufacturing equipment 50 and the bonding apparatus 59. FIG. The thickness of the support 40 used is 100 μm. In each embodiment, the tension T1 of the support 40 on which the reaction film 72 is formed while the exposure apparatus 53 is irradiated with ultraviolet rays is changed to “T1” (unit: N / m) in Table 1 by the tension adjusting unit 54. Adjusted to the value shown. In each example, the tension shown in “T2” (unit: N / m) in Table 1 was applied to the sheet-like FPR 12 in the A direction by the tension portion 81. Each value of T1 and T2 in Table 1 is a tension per 1 m width, T1 is a tension in the transport direction, and T2 is a tension in the A direction that is matched with the transport direction. Each of the supports 40 of each example is obtained through a widening step in the width direction by the stretching device 120.

About each obtained liquid crystal display device 10, the magnitude | size of the shift | offset | difference with the boundary 38 of 1st phase difference area | region R1 and 2nd phase difference area | region R2 of FPR12 and the edge of the several pixel 106 located in a line with the horizontal direction of the liquid crystal panel 11 The degree of the height was evaluated using the lamp 103, the polarizing plate 104, and the camera 91. In each evaluation, first, a plurality of sites as evaluation candidates are arbitrarily extracted at nine locations, and preliminary evaluation is performed to evaluate the degree of deviation between the boundary 38 and the edge of the pixel 106 for each extracted location. did. As a result of the preliminary evaluation, the degree of deviation at the place where the magnitude of the deviation between the boundary 38 and the edge of the pixel 106 is the largest is taken as the evaluation result in the liquid crystal display device 10. This evaluation result is described in the “deviation” column of Table 1. The evaluation criteria are as follows. Small and medium are acceptable levels, and large are unacceptable levels.
Small: Less than 10 μm Medium: 10 μm or more and less than 100 μm Large: 100 μm or more

Further, for each of the obtained liquid crystal display devices 10, the image display accuracy was evaluated according to the following criteria. The evaluation result is described in the “display accuracy” column of Table 1. A and B are acceptable levels, and C is an unacceptable level. In the following criteria, “there is light leakage” means that light from a line corresponding to the other adjacent one is observed through one of the first and second phase difference regions R1 and R2, for example. Means.
A: There was no light leakage, and it could be observed as a stereoscopic image B: There was light leakage, but it could be observed as a stereoscopic image C: There was light leakage, and it could not be observed as a stereoscopic image

[Comparative example]
As Comparative Examples for the present invention, Comparative Examples 1 to 5 for manufacturing liquid crystal display devices using the FPR manufacturing equipment 50 and the bonding apparatus 59 were performed. In each comparative example, the tension T1 during which the exposure apparatus 53 was irradiated with ultraviolet rays was adjusted to a value indicated by “T1” (unit: N / m) in Table 1 by the tension adjusting unit 54. Further, the tension shown in “T2” (unit: N / m) in Table 1 was applied to the sheet-like FPR in the A direction by the tension portion 81.

  About the liquid crystal display device obtained by each comparative example, the same evaluation as an Example was performed. That is, the degree of deviation between the boundary between the first phase difference region R1 and the second phase difference region R2 of the FPR, and the edges of a plurality of pixels arranged in the horizontal direction of the liquid crystal panel, and the display accuracy of the image. Each was evaluated.

10 Liquid crystal display device 11 Liquid crystal panel 12 FPR
38 boundary 51 transport mechanism part 53 exposure device 58 cutting part 59 bonding apparatus 81 tension part 82 bonding part 87 tension measuring device 88 tension mechanism 106 pixel 120 stretching apparatus RE irradiation area RN non-irradiation area R1, R2 first and second Phase difference region

Claims (4)

A support film on which a reaction film that gives different alignment characteristics to the liquid crystal depending on the presence or absence of specific light irradiation is formed on the surface has an irradiation area and a non-irradiation area in the width direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction. After irradiating the specific light in an irradiation pattern alternately arranged in a line, by forming a liquid crystal layer on the reaction film, the first and second phase difference regions having different phase difference characteristics can be formed in the width direction. Cutting step to form a patterned retardation sheet by cutting the long patterned retardation film alternately formed into a desired size;
A tension step of pulling the patterned retardation sheet in a direction corresponding to the transport direction with a tension of 20% or more and 180% or less of a tension in the transport direction of the support while being irradiated with the specific light;
The manufacturing method of the laminated body which has a bonding process which bonds the said patterned phase difference sheet with the said display panel in the state pulled by the said tension | pulling process.   The method for producing a laminate according to claim 1, wherein the support is formed by applying a tension in a width direction. The display panel has a plurality of pixels arranged in horizontal and vertical directions,
In a state where the boundary between the specific first phase difference region and the second phase difference region of the patterned retardation sheet overlaps with the edges of a plurality of pixels arranged in the horizontal or vertical direction in a state of being pulled by the pulling step, The manufacturing method of the laminated body of Claim 1 or 2 which has the alignment process which aligns the said patterned retardation sheet and the said display panel before the said bonding process. The specific light emitted from the light source unit is passed through a mask in which slits extending in the transport direction of the support are formed at a constant pitch in the width direction of the support, and the specific light is transmitted in the irradiation pattern to the reaction film. An irradiation process for irradiating
The method for producing a laminate according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a liquid crystal layer forming step of forming a liquid crystal layer on the reaction film that has undergone the irradiation step.

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