JP3271029B2 - Electrode film with spacer for liquid crystal cell and method of manufacturing the same. - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a novel method for manufacturing a spacer in a liquid crystal cell used for various display devices. In particular, the present invention relates to a spacer suitable for a flexible film liquid crystal cell.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, liquid crystal display devices have been used for various purposes, but their manufacture is made through various materials and numerous manufacturing steps. Reduction and high accuracy are important issues.
Among them, the liquid crystal cell, which is the center of the liquid crystal display device, is a collection of fine technologies, and the distance between two electrode substrates, the so-called cell gap, is the display quality of the liquid crystal cell such as response speed, contrast, viewing angle characteristics, display unevenness, etc. The control of the cell gap is a very important issue in the production of a liquid crystal cell. For example, an STN type liquid crystal requires extremely strict cell gap control, and in order to obtain a uniform display quality, the cell gap variation is ± 1.
% Or less is required. Even in a normal case, for example, if the cell gap is about 7 μm, the variation of the cell gap is usually set in units of 0.1 μm.

In order to realize the control of the cell gap, a spacer is inserted between two substrates for control. As such a spacer, a method of using a glass spacer or a plastic spacer and dispersing the same (described below) is well known.

The glass spacer is specially made for a liquid crystal cell by spinning non-alkali glass under strict control, and its size is usually 2 to 12 μm in diameter.
m and a length of about 20 to 120 μm. The error of the diameter of the glass spacer, which is a control factor of the cell gap, is usually extremely high, such as ± 0.1 to 0.2 μm. By dispersing the glass spacers in the cell and distributing the spacers as uniformly as possible in various parts of the cell, the cell gap is controlled to be uniform in the cell. However, its use required some ingenuity. That is,
A method of uniformly dispersing spacers in the cell, a method of preventing the spacers from overlapping each other, and a method of dispersing the uniformly dispersed spacers later to cause uneven dispersion or damage the electrode substrate surface. Various measures such as a method for preventing the glass spacer have been put into practical use.

[0005] The plastic spacer is a particle having a true spherical shape and does not overlap with the spacer at the same time as the glass spacer. However, the plastic spacer is an elastic body because of plastic, and is elastically deformed by pressure in actual use. Therefore, it is necessary to devise a spacer design in consideration of the deformation amount. The accuracy of particle size is still required to be about ± 0.3 μm for plastic spacers, but plastic spacers are elastically deformed, which affects the particle size distribution state and the distribution density of spacers in cells. Plastic spacers are used for very sophisticated management.

As a method for making the distribution density of the spacers uniform by the above-mentioned spraying method, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-127170.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. H11-157, No. 1 discloses a method in which spacers are sprayed and attached from a nozzle while rotating a substrate with an alignment film. On the other hand, as an attempt to overcome the difficulty in making the distribution density uniform and preventing the overlap of the spacers in the above-mentioned spraying method, the following methods (1) and (2) for integrally forming the spacer directly on the electrode substrate have been proposed.

A method in which a resin containing a pigment is printed and formed on a surface of a glass electrode substrate by a known printing method such as silk screen printing to form a spacer (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-692)
No. 35). : A method of pressing a diamond cone-shaped cutting edge on the surface of a glass electrode substrate to form a concave portion whose peripheral edge is raised like a bank and use it as a spacer (disclosed in JP-A-63-4219). A method in which a photosensitive resin resist is applied to the surface of a glass electrode substrate, a photomask having a desired spacer shape and distribution is overlapped, exposed and developed, and the remaining resist pattern is used as a spacer (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-90622). Gazette).

[0008]

As described above, the spacer used for controlling the cell gap of the conventional liquid crystal cell is as follows.
In the case of the scatter type glass spacer and the plastic spacer, the response speed, contrast, viewing angle characteristics,
It is difficult to strictly control the cell gap control directly related to the display quality of the liquid crystal cell such as display unevenness, and in particular, it is not possible to arrange each spacer at a desired position at a desired distribution density, and furthermore, it is difficult to disperse the spacer. Various complicated measures such as methods were required. Although it is possible to arrange spacers at desired positions and densities in the above-described direct formation method, the shape of the spacers is first broken when transferring from the plate to the glass substrate [FIG. ], And the spacer shape is further collapsed before curing [FIG.
(C)]. In this case, there is a problem that the shape of the spacer is limited to a shape having a bank-like protuberance on the periphery of the concave portion, and that a large number of spacers are sequentially formed one by one, resulting in poor productivity. In this case, the cross-sectional shape of the horizontal (parallel to the electrode substrate) surface of the spacer can be formed with a desired shape and dimensions with high precision, but the cross-sectional shape of the vertical surface cannot be controlled. In addition, there are problems that many steps such as application of a resist solution, mask exposure, and development are required, work time and cost are increased, and the yield is reduced.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a spacer having a desired shape, size, position, and distribution density, a method of manufacturing the spacer with higher precision and fewer steps, and a liquid crystal cell. In particular, for a spacer suitable for manufacturing a flexible liquid crystal cell made of a plastic film, with a view to providing a method of manufacturing a spacer, an electrode film provided with a spacer, and a liquid crystal cell using an electrode film with a spacer. I have.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, a method of manufacturing a spacer according to the present invention is to form an electrode film with a spacer by forming it in advance on a electrode film for forming a liquid crystal cell by a special printing method. is there. That is, the present invention provides a method for producing an electrode film with a spacer for a liquid crystal cell, comprising the following steps (a) to (e). (a) A roll intaglio having the same shape as the spacer shape having a trapezoidal cross section and a flat head and having a concave and convex portion having an inverse unevenness is rotated, and at least the concave portion of the roll intaglio has a viscosity of 5000.
a filling step of filling an ionizing radiation-curable resin liquid of cps or less . (b) for the ionizing radiation-curable resin liquid filled in the roll intaglio in the filling step, the ionizing radiation-curable
A contacting step of volatilizing a solvent contained in the resin liquid and contacting a strip-shaped film substrate running in synchronization with the rotation direction of the roll intaglio; (c) While the film substrate is in contact with the roll intaglio in the contacting step, curing by irradiating ionizing radiation to the ionizing radiation-curable resin liquid between the roll intaglio and the film substrate and curing. Process. (d) an adhesion step of bringing the ionizing radiation-curable resin liquid cured in the curing step into close contact with the film substrate. (e) a peeling step of peeling the cured film of the ionizing radiation-curable resin liquid and the film substrate adhered in the contact step from the roll intaglio. Further, in the above-mentioned manufacturing method, a liquid crystal cell characterized in that an electrode film base having electrodes formed on the surface is used as the film base, and the electrode side of the film base is brought into contact with the roll intaglio side. And a method for manufacturing an electrode film with a spacer. Further, the present invention is characterized by an electrode film with a spacer obtained by the above manufacturing method and a liquid crystal cell using the electrode film with the spacer.

[0011]

According to the present invention, the spacer is printed on the electrode film by the roll intaglio having the concave portion, so that the spacer can be provided in a desired distribution state with respect to the electrode film surface. Further, in order to form a spacer by curing reaction of an ionizing radiation curable resin, it is the this efficiently providing a spacer on the electrode film. Further, as illustrated in FIG. 5, after the resin liquid is cured and molded in the concave portion of the roll intaglio, the film base is peeled off. Therefore, the cross-sectional shape of the spacer is arbitrarily designed according to the concave shape of the roll intaglio in both horizontal and vertical cross sections. As a result, the spacer head in contact with the opposing electrode film can be made flat, so that elastic deformation due to pressure becomes extremely small, and cell gap control by the spacer becomes easy. In addition, in order to print the provided spacer on the electrode film surface, the spacer can be fixedly provided on the electrode surface. As a result, deterioration of display quality such as scratches due to the movement of the spacer after the liquid crystal cell is formed. No worries.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a process chart showing an embodiment of a method for producing an electrode film with a spacer according to the present invention,
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing one embodiment of the apparatus for manufacturing an electrode film with a spacer according to the present invention. Here, first,
A method and an apparatus for manufacturing a light diffusion sheet according to the present embodiment will be briefly described. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a roll intaglio in which a concave portion 2 having the same shape as the desired spacer shape and having irregularities reversed is formed.
Is an ionizing radiation-curable resin liquid, 4 is an electrode film, 5 is a pressing roll that abuts against the roll intaglio and presses the roll intaglio 1, 6 is a feed roll, and 7a and 7b are for curing the ionizing radiation-curable resin liquid 3. Curing device, 8 is a spacer, 9
Denotes an electrode film with spacers, and 10 denotes a coating device for coating the ionizing radiation-curable resin liquid 3 on the roll intaglio 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, the method of manufacturing the electrode film with spacers of this embodiment includes a filling step 101, a contact step 102, a curing step 103, a close contact step 104, and a peeling step 105. In the filling step 101, the roll intaglio 1 in which the recess 2 corresponding to the spacer shape is formed
Is rotated, and at least the concave portion 2 of the roll intaglio 1 is filled with the ionizing radiation-curable resin liquid 3. The contact step 102 is a step of contacting the electrode forming surface of the electrode film 4 running in synchronization with the rotation direction of the roll intaglio 1 with the ionizing radiation-curable resin liquid 3 filled in the roll intaglio 1 in the filling step 101. It is. In the curing step 103, while the electrode film 4 is in contact with the roll intaglio 1 in the contacting step 102, the ionizing radiation curable resin liquid 3 between the roll intaglio 1 and the electrode film 4 is applied to the ionizing radiation from the curing device 7a. This is the step of irradiating and curing. The adhesion step 104 includes
In this step, the ionizing radiation-curable resin liquid 3 to be cured in the curing step 103 and the electrode film 4 are brought into close contact with each other. Note that the curing step 103 and the contact step 104 usually proceed simultaneously.
The peeling step 105 is a step of peeling the spacer-equipped electrode film 9 obtained by curing the ionizing radiation-curable resin liquid 3 in the contacting step 104 with the spacer 8 adhered to the electrode film from the roll intaglio 1. . In the case where an electrode forming step is performed after the spacer forming step, a film substrate having no electrode is used here.

Next, an apparatus for manufacturing an electrode film with spacers according to this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIG. The roll intaglio 1 is formed by providing a cylindrical plate material with a concave portion 2 corresponding to a spacer having a desired shape, which will be described later, that is, having the same shape and reverse unevenness. The roll intaglio 1 can be manufactured by directly laminating a cylindrical plate material, cutting by milling with a mill formed by electroforming, electroforming, photoetching, or the like. Examples of the material of the roll intaglio 1 include metals such as copper, chromium and iron, synthetic resins such as NBR, epoxy and ebonite, and ceramics such as glass. The size of the roll intaglio 1 is not particularly limited, and can be appropriately selected according to the size of the electrode film with spacers to be manufactured. Although not shown, the roll intaglio 1 is provided with a driving device and is formed so as to rotate around the axis in the direction of the arrow. In addition, although not shown, in addition to the spacers, a light collecting microlens group, an alignment film layer, a color filter, a black stripe, and the like are also formed by the method shown in FIG.
After forming one pattern on the film substrate, it is possible to take up the film once and then again pass it off-line to the apparatus shown in FIG. 2 (however, the roll intaglio is equipped with another pattern). From the above, a plurality of printing units of the apparatus of FIG. 2 are continuously connected in the same manner as in normal multi-color rotary printing, and the web web of the film base material is sequentially passed in-line through each printing unit to form a plurality of patterns. Is preferably formed on the front surface or the back surface.

As described above, as a method for adjusting the viscosity of the ionizing radiation-curable resin liquid 3 to a predetermined value, the inside of the roll intaglio 1 is hollow, and the temperature of the hollow portion is adjusted to an appropriate temperature. A method in which a fluid such as water, oil, steam or the like flows in and out to control the plate surface temperature of the roll intaglio 1 to a predetermined value can also be applied. In general, the higher the temperature is, the lower the viscosity is. However, if the temperature is too high, the resin liquid 3 is decomposed and evaporated, and the dimensional change of the electrode film occurs. Therefore, the plate temperature is about 15 ° C. to 50 ° C. Is preferred.

The ionizing radiation-curable resin liquid 3 is prepared by appropriately mixing a prepolymer, oligomer and / or monomer having a plurality of polymerizable unsaturated bonds such as acryloyl groups and methacryloyl groups or epoxy groups in the molecule. Compositions can be used. As the prepolymer and oligomer, unsaturated polyesters such as a condensate of an unsaturated dicarboxylic acid and a polyhydric alcohol, epoxy resin, polyester methacrylate, polyether methacrylate, polyol methacrylate, methacrylates such as melamine methacrylate, polyester acrylate,
Examples include acrylates such as epoxy acrylate, urethane acrylate, polyether acrylate, polyol acrylate, and melamine acrylate.

Further, the monomers include styrene, α
Styrene-based monomers such as methylstyrene, methyl acrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, methoxyethyl acrylate, acrylates such as butyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, ethyl methacrylate, methoxyethyl methacrylate, Methacrylic esters such as ethoxymethyl methacrylate, acrylic acid-2- (N,
Substituted amino alcohol esters of unsaturated acids such as N-diethylamino) ethyl, unsaturated carboxylic amides such as acrylamide and methacrylamide, dipropylene glycol diacrylate, ethylene glycol diacrylate, propylene glycol dimethacrylate, diethylene glycol dimethacrylate and the like. Polyfunctional compounds, vinylpyrrolidone, and / or polythiol compounds having two or more thiol groups in the molecule, such as trimethylolpropane trithioglycolate, trimethylolpropane trithiopropylate, pentaerythritol tetrathioglycol, etc. can give.

In particular, in the case of curing by ultraviolet rays, acetophenones, benzophenones, Michler benzoyl benzoate, α-amyloxime ester, tetramethyl meth Rum monosulfide, thioxanthones, and / or n-butylamine, triethylamine, tri-n-butylphosphine, or the like as a photosensitizer may be used in combination. Further, in order to accurately form a fine spacer, it is necessary to faithfully reproduce the shape of the fine concave portion of the roll intaglio 1.
It is preferable that the viscosity be 5000 cps or less, particularly 1000 cps or less so that the ionizing radiation-curable resin liquid is sufficiently filled in the resin.

The pressing roll 5 only needs to be able to press the electrode film 4, but usually has a diameter of about 50 to 150 mm, and its surface material can be formed of an elastic material such as silicon rubber, NBR, EPT or the like. The pressing roll 5 and the feed roll 6 are rotatable to feed the electrode film 4. These may be of a type in which they roll around with the roll intaglio 1, but can also be driven by a driving device. It is also possible to provide a winding sheet supply device for feeding the electrode film 4 and a winding device for winding the electrode film with spacers on which the spacers are formed.

The curing device 7a emits ionizing radiation,
This is an apparatus for curing the ionizing radiation-curable resin liquid 3. In order to completely cure the spacer 8 detached from the roll intaglio 1 and adhered to the electrode film 4 side, a curing device 7 is used.
b may be provided. Here, the ionizing radiation means an electromagnetic wave or a charged particle beam having energy quanta capable of polymerizing and cross-linking a molecule, and usually, an ultraviolet ray, an electron beam or the like is used. In the case of ultraviolet rays, a light source such as an ultra-high pressure mercury lamp, a high pressure mercury lamp, a low pressure mercury lamp, a carbon arc, a black light lamp, and a metal halide lamp can be used as the curing devices 7a and 7b.

In the case of an electron beam, irradiation with various electron beam accelerators such as a Cockloft-Walton type, a Vandegraph type, a resonance transformer type, an insulating core transformer type, a linear type, a dynamitron type, and a high frequency type. A device equipped with a source can be used, 100-1000 KeV, preferably 100
Irradiate electrons with energy of ~ 300 KeV. The irradiation dose is usually preferably about 0.5 to 30 Mrad.

The coating apparatus 10 is an apparatus for applying the ionizing radiation-curable resin liquid 3 to the roll intaglio 1, and it is desirable to use a T-die type nozzle coating apparatus shown in FIG.
In this nozzle coating apparatus, a nozzle having a predetermined size has a T-die-shaped rectangular or linear discharge port, and the longitudinal direction of the discharge port is a direction (width direction) orthogonal to the rotation direction of the roll intaglio 1.
And a discharge device provided to cover a predetermined width of the entire width of the roll intaglio 1, and to pressurize the ionizing radiation-curable resin liquid 3 and discharge it in a curtain shape onto the roll intaglio 1. It has. Further, in the nozzle coating apparatus, it is preferable to provide the cavity 12 in the middle of the nozzle in order to reduce unevenness of the discharge amount and change with time. Further, the coating device 1
In addition to the above, a coating device for the electrode film 4 by an appropriate means such as a roll coating method or a knife coating method may be adopted.

The solvent drying device 11 is a device for volatilizing the solvent of the resin. As the solvent drying device 11, warm air, an infrared heater, or the like can be used. By providing the solvent drying device 11, a solvent-type resin can be used, so that the range of choice of the resin to be used is widened and the adjustment of the resin coating suitability becomes easy. When the solventless ionizing radiation-curable resin liquid 3 is used, the drying device 1
1 is unnecessary.

Next, the method of manufacturing the electrode film with spacers of this embodiment will be described together with the operation of the manufacturing apparatus shown in FIG. First, the concave portion 2 of the roll intaglio 1 is filled with an ionizing radiation-curable resin liquid 3 by a coating apparatus 10 (filling step 101), and the electrode surface side of the electrode film 4 is filled in the roll intaglio 1 The resin liquid 3 is also brought into contact with the resin liquid 3 (contact step 102).

Here, as a method for filling the concave portion 2 of the roll intaglio 1 with the ionizing radiation-curable resin solution 3, as shown in FIG. Is applied in a predetermined amount, and when the electrode film 4 is supplied to the roll intaglio 1, the ionizing radiation applied through the electrode film 4 by the pressing of the pressing roll 5 from the back surface of the electrode film 4. Curable resin liquid 3
To fill the inside. In this case, a solvent-type curable resin can also be used, and the ionizing radiation-curable resin liquid 3 applied to the plate surface of the roll intaglio 1 is used to control fluidity to some extent. The solvent used for diluting the solvent is dried and removed by a drying device 11, and the curing device 7a further semi-cures or completely cures the ionized radiation-curable resin liquid 3 obtained by drying the solvent by crosslinking polymerization, addition polymerization or the like. Let it cure.

Next, while the electrode film 4 is in contact with the roll intaglio 1, specifically, at a time when it is located between the pressing roll 5 and the feed roll 6 in FIG. The curable resin liquid 3 is cured (curing step 103). The curing device 7a may be a single curing device as shown in FIG. 2, but a plurality of curing devices are arranged facing the roll intaglio to cure the ionizing radiation-curable resin liquid 3 in the roll intaglio 1 in multiple stages. You may do so. In this way, even if the running speed of the electrode film 4 is increased, a sufficient irradiation amount can be obtained. Also, by gradually curing, the distortion of the cured product of the resin liquid 3 and the curing of the electrode film 4 This is preferable for reducing distortion due to heat received during the process.

In this embodiment, when ionizing radiation is irradiated by the curing device 7a, the irradiation is performed from the electrode film 4 side. However, the roll intaglio 1 is made of a material such as quartz, glass or the like having good transparency of ionizing radiation. Form and roll intaglio 1
Irradiation can also be performed from the inside of the. That is, the irradiation is performed by an irradiation device installed in the roll hollow. Irradiation may be performed from both the electrode film side and the intaglio inner side.

The curing device 7a makes the ionizing radiation-curable resin liquid 3 inside the concave portion 2 of the roll intaglio 1 adhere to the electrode film 4 (adhesion step 104). At this time, the degree of curing should be at least such that the fluidity of the resin 3 is lost and the adhesiveness to the electrode film 4 is generated.

After passing through the curing device 7a, the electrode film 4 is peeled from the roll intaglio 1 (peeling step 105). As a result, the cured ionizing radiation-curable resin liquid 3 becomes spacers 8 and is integrated with the electrode film 4 and is detached from the recess 2 to obtain an electrode film 9 with spacers having spacers on the electrode film surface.

The electrode film 4 used in the present invention is formed by forming an electrode 42 on the surface of a flexible film substrate 41. The electrode 42 is usually patterned into a desired shape. Further, a known orientation treatment is performed on the electrode surface and the non-electrode surface before or after formation of the spacer. As the flexible film substrate 41, for example, dimensional stability of a polyester film such as polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, and polyarylate, mechanical strength, and sufficient transparency if used as a transparent electrode. Is used. The thickness is usually about 12 μm to 500 μm.

As the electrode 42, for example, when a transparent electrode is used, tin oxide, indium oxide, indium tin oxide (ITO) or the like is used. If it is not a transparent electrode,
Metals such as gold, silver, aluminum, and nickel are used. These are vacuum deposition, sputtering, film formed on the film substrate surface by a method such as electroless plating, by photoetching (photolithography) such Thereafter, the is formed on the electrode of the desired electrode Pas terpolymers down shape Normal.
Other techniques, using a conductive ink, silk screen printing, printing of intaglio printing, or by using a device such as in FIG. 2 used for spacer formation according to the present invention, a desired electrode path terpolymers down electrode Can also be formed. In this case, the recess 2 of the roll intaglio on the electrode path terpolymer down shape.
As the conductive ink, gold, silver, aluminum, nickel, ITO or other powder or flaky foil pieces, acrylic resin,
An ink dispersed in a binder such as a polyurethane resin or a polyester resin is used.

[0032] Incidentally, aligned with the position of the predetermined relationship between the spacer 8 and the electrodes 42 of the desired path ter emissions (registration)
In this case, a registration mark RM1 is formed at a predetermined position in the margin of the electrode 42 as shown in FIG.
The register mark RM2 is also formed at a predetermined position in the margin of the pattern of the spacer 8 together. The positional relationship between the registration marks RM1 and RM2 is determined by the error of the misalignment between the two registration marks RM1 and RM2 when the pattern of the spacer 8 and the electrode 42 are overlapped, that is, the running direction (y Coordinate)),
When both the positional deviation Δx in the width direction (x coordinate) orthogonal to the film substrate running direction and the positional deviation Δx are set to zero, the spacer 8
The positions of the register marks RM1 and RM2 are set so that the electrode 42 and the electrode 42 have a desired positional relationship. Then, in the apparatus as shown in FIG.
On the film substrate on which the spacer 8 is formed, the positional deviation error Δx,
Δy is detected, and printing is corrected so that both Δx and Δy become zero. That is, for example, the spacer 8 is
2, Δx = + 1.0 mm, Δy =
If the distance is −0.5 mm, the correction roll 51 as shown in FIG. 2 adjusts the path length (path) in the running direction of the film so that the spacer 8 is shifted by +0.5 mm in the y direction. Although not shown, the intaglio roll 1 is moved in the width direction so that the spacer 8 is shifted by -1.0 mm in the x direction, and converges to Δx = 0 and Δy = 0.

Also, the registration marks RM1, RM2
Is not limited to the path terpolymers down shown in FIG. 6 (c), it is possible to use various patterns used registration of conventional multi-color printing. In particular, when both the spacer 8 and the electrode 42 are formed by the apparatus as shown in FIG. 2, FIG.
As shown in (b), register marks RM1 and RM2 are formed in the margins of the widthwise ends of the intaglio rolls 1 respectively. Needless to say, the RM1 and RM2 are cut off at the stage of assembling into the liquid crystal cell, or provided at a position where there is no problem in practical use.

Still another embodiment of the present invention is as follows. : There is also a method of forming an alignment treatment using the apparatus shown in FIG. That is, line-like (diffraction grating) minute irregularities of the ionized radiation-curable resin cured product oriented in a desired orientation direction are formed by a roll intaglio. The line repetition cycle is usually 1
It is good to be below μm. This alignment treatment can be performed in a step different from the formation of the spacer 8, or both the shape of the spacer 8 and the alignment line are formed as the concave portion 2 of the roll intaglio, and the spacer 8 is aligned with the spacer 8. The parallel unevenness can be formed simultaneously.

In addition to the spacer 8, a minute lens group including a minute condenser lens 43 for condensing light from a back light source as shown in FIG. Formed on the back. A minute lens group itself for condensing light from a back light source to each pixel of a liquid crystal cell has already been disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-214287 (US Pat. No. 4,924,356).
No.), JP-A-4-214529 and the like, and specific lens designs are based on these. The micro lens group is formed by the manufacturing method shown in FIG. 2, and the registration between the lens and the spacer is also performed by the method as shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 8, in addition to the spacer 8, a color filter or a color filter and a black stripe are formed on a film substrate. Normally, it is preferable to form the upper transparent electrode film 4 on the liquid crystal layer side, as shown in FIG. 8, from the viewpoint of the wide viewing angle and the sharpness of colors. In this case, it is preferable that the spacer 8 be overlapped with the black stripe so as not to affect the visibility of the pixel. Various known methods can be used to form a black stripe and a color filter. However, from the viewpoint of productivity, an ionizing radiation curable resin containing a colorant (dye or pigment) is used by using the apparatus and method of FIG. It is good to form. Registration of black stripes, color filters and spacers is performed by a method as shown in FIG. When a black stripe is formed by the apparatus shown in FIG. 2, it is preferable to use, as the ionizing radiation, an electron beam that can sufficiently penetrate into the interior even with a black colorant.

The formation of the spacers 8 on the surface of the electrode film 4 may be performed before or after the alignment treatment of the electrode film 4 and the patterning of the electrodes, and may be selected according to the liquid crystal cell to be manufactured. .

Next, an electrode film with spacers manufactured by the method according to this embodiment and a liquid crystal display device using the same will be described. As a suitable liquid crystal display device,
There are various well-known methods, and there is no particular limitation, and a monochrome display or a color display may be used. In addition, a display such as a clock, an electronic desk calculator, various instruments, a word processor, a bulletin board, or the like for displaying numbers, characters, symbols, figures, or the like, or a general display such as a television, an output monitor of an electronic computer, or the like may be used. An image may be displayed.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of an essential part of one embodiment of a liquid crystal cell using the electrode film with spacer according to the present invention. The spacer 8 has a trapezoidal shape in this case, and is provided on the lower electrode film 4 in the figure. Spacer 8
Is in contact with the upper electrode film 4 to keep the cell gap at a desired interval.

Conventionally, the shape of the spacer is a glass spacer, which is a cylinder, and holds the cell gap in line contact with the electrode substrate. A plastic spacer, which is spherical, has a point contact (strictly a circular surface contact because it is elastically deformed by pressure welding). )
Was held in. However, the head of the spacer according to the present invention may be hemispherical or semi-cylindrical. However, as shown in FIG. 3, it is preferable that the head has a flat shape such as a trapezoidal shape. As a result, even though the spacer is made of plastic, surface contact can be achieved, and the change in cell gap due to elastic deformation due to pressure contact can be made extremely small. Further, although the rectangular cross-sectional shape increases the substantial display effective portion of the liquid crystal cell, when the spacer cured with the ionizing radiation-curable resin liquid adheres to the electrode film from the concave portion of the roll intaglio and peels off slightly. It is preferable that the trapezoidal shape provided with the inclination is easy to peel off. Note that the shape of the spacer when viewed from above is circular,
The shape may be rectangular, and may be appropriately selected according to information displayed by the liquid crystal cell. Further, it is preferable that the position of the spacer 8 be a position that does not hinder the visual perception of the pixel. Specifically, it is preferably formed at a position overlapping a portion other than the pixel such as a black stripe of the liquid crystal cell.

[0041]

Since the present invention is configured as described above, it has the following effects. As described above, according to the method for manufacturing an electrode film with spacers of the present invention, the spacers can be securely formed on the electrode film in a desired arrangement, shape, and number, and the conventional spacer dispersing process and the like can be performed. There is an advantage that is unnecessary. For this reason, the spacer and the pixel do not overlap, and the distribution density of the spacer does not locally increase or decrease, and the visual characteristics of the pixel do not deteriorate. Further, the cross-sectional shape of the conventional spacer was limited to a circular shape, but the cross-sectional shape of the spacer according to the present invention ,
Although it is a trapezoidal and the same plastic spacer, the troublesome spacer design in consideration of the change in the cell gap due to the compression deformation of the spacer due to the pressure after the formation of the liquid crystal cell is reduced. Further, since the spacer is fixed, there is no movement of the spacer after the liquid crystal cell is formed. As a result, the cell gap of the electrode interval changes locally due to a change in the spacer distribution due to the movement, and the response speed, the viewing angle, and the like change locally. There is no permanent change, or no damage to the electrodes or alignment film.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a process chart showing a method for producing an electrode film with spacers of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing one embodiment of a manufacturing apparatus for an electrode film with a spacer according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of an essential part of one embodiment of a liquid crystal cell using the electrode film with spacers of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a shape change in a conventional direct formation method of a spacer.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a shape change in a direct formation method of a spacer according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view of a register, a roll intaglio for electrode formation, and a registration mark.

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view of a main part of an embodiment of an electrode film with a spacer and a condenser lens.

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of a main part of an embodiment of an electrode film with a spacer, a color filter and a black stripe.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 roll intaglio 11 shaft core 2 recess 2 a electrode recess 2 b spacer recess 3 ionizing radiation curable resin liquid 4 electrode film 41 film substrate 42 electrode 44 color filter 45 black stripe 5 press roll 51 correction roll 6 feed roll 7 a, 7 b Curing device 8 Spacer 9 Electrode film with spacer 10 Coating device 11 Drying device 12 Cavity 13 Liquid crystal cell 14 Polarizing plate 15 Liquid crystal 21 Plate 22 Base material 23 Resin liquid 24 Cured resin 31 Registration mark RM1 32 Registration mark RM2 101 Filling step 102 contact step 103 curing step 104 adhesion step 105 peeling step

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A method of manufacturing an electrode film with a spacer for a liquid crystal cell, comprising the following steps (a) to (e). (a) A roll intaglio having the same shape as the spacer shape having a trapezoidal cross section and a flat head and having a concave and convex portion having an inverse unevenness is rotated, and at least the concave portion of the roll intaglio has a viscosity of 5000.
a filling step of filling an ionizing radiation-curable resin liquid of cps or less . (b) for the ionizing radiation-curable resin liquid filled in the roll intaglio in the filling step, the ionizing radiation-curable
A contacting step of volatilizing a solvent contained in the resin liquid and contacting a strip-shaped film substrate running in synchronization with the rotation direction of the roll intaglio; (c) While the film substrate is in contact with the roll intaglio in the contacting step, curing by irradiating ionizing radiation to the ionizing radiation-curable resin liquid between the roll intaglio and the film substrate and curing. Process. (d) an adhesion step of bringing the ionizing radiation-curable resin liquid cured in the curing step into close contact with the film substrate. (e) a peeling step of peeling the cured product of the ionizing radiation-curable resin liquid and the film substrate adhered in the contacting step from the roll intaglio. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein an electrode film base having electrodes formed on its surface is used as the film base, and the electrode side of the film base is brought into contact with the roll intaglio side. Of producing an electrode film with spacers for a liquid crystal cell. 3. An electrode film with spacers for a liquid crystal cell manufactured according to claim 1. 4. A liquid crystal cell using the electrode film with spacer according to claim 3.