JP4911293B2 - Liquid crystal display device and manufacturing method thereof - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device, and more particularly to a panel structure of a liquid crystal display device and a manufacturing method thereof.

  In recent years, it has been thin and lightweight as a monitor and display for displaying various information ranging from mobile devices such as mobile phones, digital still cameras, and portable music players, to personal computer and television information, and video equipment. Liquid crystal display devices that can reduce power consumption and are excellent in display image quality are widely used.

  As is well known, a display panel applied to a liquid crystal display device includes a TFT substrate in which pixel electrodes made up of pixel transistors and transparent electrodes are arranged in a matrix, and a common electrode made up of transparent electrodes common to the pixel electrodes. The common electrode substrate is placed opposite to the substrate so as to maintain a certain distance, and a sealing portion is provided continuously around the pixel area provided on the substrate so as to adhere both substrates. And it has the panel structure which inject | poured and sealed the liquid crystal material in the space formed by both board | substrates and a seal | sticker part.

  A terminal group or a wiring group for connecting the pixel region of the display panel to an external driver circuit or a driver circuit directly formed on the substrate is generally one substrate (for example, a TFT substrate). Therefore, it is necessary to provide a transfer electrode for electrical connection between the one substrate and the other substrate (for example, a common electrode substrate). Conventionally, transfer electrodes have been provided, for example, at the four corners of the substrate on the outer side (that is, the substrate edge side) of the seal portion provided in the periphery of the pixel region (display region).

  However, in the display panel to which the arrangement of the transfer electrode is applied, it is necessary to secure a space for arranging the transfer electrode outside the seal portion, that is, between the seal portion and the substrate edge portion. This has been a hindrance to downsizing the space around the pixel area (the so-called frame area).

Therefore, as a panel structure for reducing the peripheral space of the pixel region, for example, as described in Patent Document 1 or the like, a conductive spacer is mixed in the seal portion to form a transfer electrode, or a sealing material There are known ones in which a conductive material is mixed in and a seal part and a transfer electrode are used together, and a transfer electrode is arranged in a region of a liquid crystal material injection port formed by the seal part.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-62793 (second page, FIG. 1)

  However, in the panel structure described in Patent Document 1 and the like described above, a significant change occurs in the layout design of the transfer electrode, or it is necessary to use a special spacer structure or a conductive material. To compensate for problems such as a change in the liquid crystal material, a decrease in yield due to a short circuit at the terminal during pressure contact, a decrease in the injection speed of the liquid crystal material by the transfer electrode disposed at the injection port, or a decrease in the injection speed of the liquid crystal material For this reason, there has been a problem in that the reliability of the display panel is reduced, such as a reduction in the strength of the display panel and a deterioration in display image quality, due to the expansion of the inlet width.

  Therefore, in view of the above problems, the present invention provides a pixel region without significantly changing or restricting the layout design and manufacturing process of the transfer electrode and the seal portion, and suppressing a decrease in manufacturing efficiency and reliability. An object of the present invention is to provide a liquid crystal display device including a display panel with a narrower frame by reducing the peripheral space thereof and a method for manufacturing the same.

In order to solve the above problems, one embodiment of a liquid crystal display device according to the present invention includes a pair of substrates each having an electrode formed on one surface side and arranged so that the electrodes face each other, and a pixel region set on the substrate of the pair of provided without becoming the end face flush substrate around, and seal portion joining the pair of substrates each other, one end face and a portion of said pair of substrates is flush, the seal A pair of transfer electrodes, which are formed to be in contact with both ends of the unit, electrically connect the electrodes provided on each of the pair of substrates to form a liquid crystal injection port, and are provided at the liquid crystal injection port And a display panel having an injection port sealing material.

In order to solve the above problems, one embodiment of a method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display device according to the present invention is set to a pair of substrates each having an electrode formed on one surface side and arranged so that the electrodes face each other, and the substrate. A seal portion that is provided in the periphery of the pixel region without being flush with the end surfaces of the pair of substrates, and that joins the pair of substrates to each other. In addition, the liquid crystal material is injected using a region between a pair of transfer electrodes provided so as to be in contact with both ends of the seal portion as a liquid crystal injection port .

According to the present invention, the space around the pixel region is reduced without causing significant changes or restrictions in the layout design and manufacturing process of the transfer electrode and the seal portion, and while suppressing a decrease in manufacturing efficiency and reliability. Thus, a liquid crystal display device including a display panel with a narrow frame and a manufacturing method thereof can be realized.

Hereinafter, a liquid crystal display device and a manufacturing method thereof according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to embodiments.
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a display panel applied to a liquid crystal display device according to the present invention. FIG. 1A is a plan view of a display panel according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of the AA cross section of the display panel shown in FIG. . FIG. 2 is a main part configuration diagram showing a specific example of the display panel according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2A shows a first specific configuration example of the display panel according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 2B shows a second specific configuration example of the display panel according to the present embodiment. In FIGS. 1A and 2, hatching is shown for convenience in order to clarify the arrangement of the seal portion, the transfer electrode, and the inlet sealing material.

  As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, a display panel 100 applied to a liquid crystal display device according to the present invention is roughly composed of a plurality of pixels (liquid crystals) two-dimensionally arranged in a pixel region (display region) 10. A TFT substrate 20 made of a glass substrate or the like on which a pixel transistor (not shown) constituting the pixel) and a transparent pixel electrode 21 are formed, and a transparent common to each pixel (pixel electrode) corresponding to the pixel region 10. A common electrode substrate 30 formed of a glass substrate or the like disposed opposite to the TFT substrate 20 so as to be spaced apart from the TFT substrate 20 and a peripheral portion of the pixel region 10. The sealing portion 40 continuously provided so as to adhere the TFT substrate 20 and the common electrode substrate 30 and the sealing portion so as to be in contact with both ends of the sealing portion 40 or to overlap the sealing portion 40 From 40 A transfer electrode 50 formed so as to expand in the outer (substrate edge side) direction, and a space (corresponding to the pixel region 10) surrounded by the TFT substrate 20, the common electrode substrate 30, the seal portion 40, and the transfer electrode 50. The liquid crystal material 60 sealed in the space) by the inlet sealing material 90, and an external driver circuit (not shown) provided outside the sealing portion 40 of the TFT substrate 20 (substrate edge side), for example. And a terminal group 70 for electrical connection via a flexible printed circuit board (FPC) 200 or the like.

  In the region between the pixel region 10 on the TFT substrate 20 side and the seal portion 40, a connection wiring 22 that electrically connects the transfer electrode 50 and one of the terminal groups 70 is disposed, and the common electrode substrate 30 is disposed. The common electrode 31 on the side is electrically connected to the outside of the display panel 100 via the transfer electrode 50, the connection wiring 22, and the terminal group 70.

  Here, the injection method of the liquid crystal material 60 is shown in FIG. First, the entire furnace in which the liquid crystal pan 81 and the display panel 100 are accommodated is vacuumed, and the TFT substrate 20, the end surface 51 of the common electrode substrate 30, and the pair of transfer electrodes 50 provided at both ends of the seal portion 40 are provided. The liquid crystal injection port 80 is used as the liquid crystal injection port 80, and the liquid crystal injection port 80 is used for the liquid crystal in the liquid crystal plate 81 so that the liquid level 61 of the liquid crystal material 60 in the liquid crystal plate 81 does not touch the seal portion 40 a on the side close to the end surface 51. The liquid is brought into contact with the material 60. Thereafter, after pressurizing the outside of the display panel 100 to an atmospheric pressure state and injecting liquid crystal, the display panel 100 is separated from the liquid crystal material 60 of the liquid crystal dish 81, and then the liquid crystal injection port 80 between the transfer electrodes 50 is added. It is sealed by closing with an inlet sealing material 90. Here, the end face 51 is one end face of a pair of substrates composed of the TFT substrate 20 and the common electrode substrate 30. In the present invention, the end face 51 is the surface on the liquid crystal inlet 80 side where the transfer electrode 50 is in contact. Show.

  Specifically, the first configuration example of the transfer electrode 50 is continuously formed along the outer peripheral portion of the TFT substrate 20 in the peripheral portion of the pixel region 10 as shown in FIG. For example, the circular end portion of the pixel region side (the circular end portion on the lower side of the drawing) is formed along the outer peripheral portion of the TFT substrate 20 at both end portions of the seal portion 40. The seal portion 40 is formed so as to be the same as or close to the end portion on the pixel region side. That is, the interval Lb1 between the pixel region 10 and the end of the transfer electrode 50 on the pixel region side is equal to or greater than the interval La1 between the pixel region 10 and the end of the seal portion 40 on the pixel region side. (La1 ≦ Lb1).

  Further, the circular end of the transfer electrode 50 on the outer edge side of the TFT substrate (the circular end on the upper side of the drawing) is formed to be the same as or close to the outer edge (panel cut line) PCL of the TFT substrate 20. That is, the distance La2 between the end of the seal portion 40 on the pixel area side and the outer edge of the TFT substrate 20 and the distance Lb2 between the end of the transfer electrode 50 on the pixel area side and the outer edge of the TFT substrate 20 are the same or approximate. (La2≈Lb2).

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2B, specifically, the second configuration example of the transfer electrode 50 is similar to the first configuration example described above, and the pixel region 10 and the seal portion on the pixel region side. The transfer electrode is set so that the interval Lb1 between the pixel region 10 and the end of the transfer electrode 50 on the pixel region side is equal to or greater than the interval La1 between the end 40 and the end of the transfer electrode 50 (La1 ≦ Lb1). A circular end portion (circular end portion on the upper side in the drawing) of the TFT substrate outer edge side of 50 TFTs is formed so as to protrude outward from the outer edge (panel cut line) PCL of the TFT substrate 20. That is, compared to the distance La2 between the end of the seal portion 40 on the pixel area side and the outer edge of the TFT substrate 20, the dimension between the end of the transfer electrode 50 on the pixel area side and the end of the TFT substrate outer edge side (ie The diameter of the transfer electrode 50) Lb3 is set to be larger (La2 <Lb3).

  Here, in the display panel 100 according to the second configuration example, generally, in the manufacturing process of the liquid crystal display device, after manufacturing a plurality of display panels, each display panel is separated by an outer edge (panel cut line) PCL of the substrate. Therefore, a part of the transfer electrode 50 protruding outward from the outer edge (panel cut line) of the substrate at the time of the cutting is cut off, so that the transfer electrode 50 on the outer edge side of the TFT substrate is cut off. The end portion and the outer edge (panel cut line) PCL of the TFT substrate 20 are formed to coincide with each other.

  As the material of the transfer electrode 50, for example, a material obtained by mixing the conductive fine particles 50a with an organic adhesive or the like that is the material of the seal portion 40 can be suitably applied. Specifically, as the conductive fine particles 50a, gold that has been made conductive by gold-plating micropearls generally used for ensuring a constant spacing between the TFT substrate 20 and the common electrode substrate 30 is used. Micropearl can be applied. For the convenience of illustration, the conductive fine particles 50a are drawn in an elliptical shape in FIG. 1B, but are preferably spherical.

  In this case, since the transfer electrode 50 is made of a material obtained by mixing the conductive fine particles 50a using the material of the seal portion 40 as a base material, the transfer electrode 50 and the seal portion 40 are placed on the substrate using a screen printing method or the like. Even in the case of coating and forming in separate steps, the transfer electrode 50 is in good contact with and bonded to the seal portion 40 and also in good contact with the substrate. Therefore, the liquid crystal material 60 injected into the space surrounded by the TFT substrate 20, the common electrode substrate 30, the seal portion 40, and the transfer electrode 50 can be satisfactorily sealed without leaking.

  Thereby, the interval between the pixel region 10 and the seal portion 40 (La1 shown in FIG. 2) and the interval between the pixel region 10 and the transfer electrode 50 (Lb1 shown in FIG. 2) are sufficient (more than a certain interval). Therefore, the influence (for example, deterioration of display quality) on the pixel region 10 due to impurities eluted from the organic adhesive used for the seal portion 40 and the transfer electrode 50 can be suppressed, and the seal portion 40 By providing the transfer electrodes 50 extending to the end portions of the substrate at both end portions, the size of the liquid crystal injection port 80 can be ensured and the decrease in the injection rate of the liquid crystal material 60 can be avoided.

  FIG. 3 is a main part configuration diagram showing an example of a display panel in the prior art that is a comparative control of the liquid crystal display device (display panel) according to the present embodiment. Here, the same components as those of the display panel according to the present embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals. In FIG. 3 as well, hatching is shown for the sake of convenience in order to clarify the arrangement of the seal portion and the transfer electrode.

Comparing the above-described display panel 100 according to the present embodiment and the display panel in the prior art, for example, as the prior art, as shown in FIG. 3, at the four corners (corner portions) of the substrate 20 </ b> P independently of the seal portion 40 </ b> P. In the case where the transfer electrode 50P is arranged, the formation region of the seal portion 40P and the transfer electrode 50P is separately required on the outer periphery of the substrate 20P, and the width of the substrate outer periphery (the width of the frame portion; Lp1 + Lp2, Here, Lp1 = La1) is required, but in the case shown in the present embodiment, the seal portion 40 and the transfer electrode 50 are integrally formed so as to contact or overlap each other. The width dimension of the seal portion 40 can be taken into the dimension of the transfer electrode 50, and the width dimension (La1 + La2 shown in FIG. It can be defined generally by the size of the attempt to transfer electrodes 50 (Lb2).

  Therefore, it is possible to substantially reduce the size of the outer periphery of the substrate (space around the pixel region) while keeping the distance between the pixel region and the seal portion (including the transfer electrode) constant. Can be achieved. In addition, since the region between the transfer electrodes formed in close contact with both ends of the seal portion can be applied as an inlet for the liquid crystal material, the transfer electrode is formed so as to reach the outer edge of the substrate. After the liquid crystal material is injected, the gap between the transfer electrodes can be satisfactorily sealed, and the reliability of the sealing can be improved.

Furthermore, in this case, it is only necessary to change the design so that the transfer electrode made of a material in which conductive fine particles are mixed with the seal material is disposed at both ends of the seal portion, so that there is no significant restriction on the layout design. , also it does not cause significant changes in the manufacturing process. In addition, since the liquid crystal material can be injected at the same speed as the conventional one through the injection port formed between the transfer electrodes, the manufacturing efficiency is not reduced, and the size of the injection port width is increased. Therefore, the reliability of the display panel is not reduced, such as a reduction in strength of the display panel and a deterioration in display image quality.

  In the above-described embodiment, the transfer electrode has a circular cross-sectional shape. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the transfer electrode provided on the individually cut-out display panel is arranged on the pixel region side. The interval between the end portion and the pixel region is equal to or greater than the interval between the end portion on the pixel region side of the seal portion and the pixel region, and the end portion on the outer edge side of the TFT substrate of the transfer electrode is If it is formed to be the same as or close to the outer edge (panel cut line) of the TFT substrate, the cross-sectional shape of the transfer electrode before cutting out the display panel is other shapes such as an ellipse, a rectangle, a line segment, etc. It may have.

It is a schematic block diagram which shows one Embodiment of the display panel applied to the liquid crystal display device which concerns on this invention. It is a principal part block diagram which shows the specific example of the display panel which concerns on this embodiment. It is a principal part block diagram which shows an example of the display panel in the prior art used as the comparison contrast of the liquid crystal display device (display panel) which concerns on this embodiment. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating a liquid crystal injection method according to an embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

10 pixel region 20 TFT substrate 30 common electrode substrate 40 seal portion 50 transfer electrode 60 liquid crystal material 70 terminal group 80 liquid crystal injection port 100 display panel

Claims (12)

A pair of substrates each having an electrode formed on one side and arranged so that the electrodes face each other;
A seal portion provided around the pixel region set on the substrate without being flush with the end surfaces of the pair of substrates, and joining the pair of substrates;
One end surface portion of the pair of substrates is flush, is formed in contact at both end portions of the sealing portion electrically connects the electrode cross provided on each of said pair of substrates A pair of transfer electrodes forming a liquid crystal inlet;
An inlet sealing material provided at the liquid crystal inlet ;
A liquid crystal display device comprising a display panel having The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1 , wherein the seal portion does not form the liquid crystal injection port . The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1 , wherein the transfer electrode is formed to extend from an end portion of the seal portion in an extending direction to an end portion of the substrate. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1 , wherein the transfer electrode is formed to have a circular cross section at both end portions of the seal portion . The interval Lb1 between the pixel region and the circular end portion on the pixel region side of the transfer electrode is La1 ≦ Lb1 with respect to the interval La1 between the pixel region and the end portion of the seal portion on the pixel region side. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 4, wherein the liquid crystal display device is set to be An interval La2 between an end portion of the seal portion on the pixel region side and an outer edge of the pair of substrates, and an interval Lb2 between the circular end portion of the transfer electrode on the pixel region side and an outer edge of the pair of substrates. 6. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 5, wherein La2 = Lb2 . A circular end portion of the transfer electrode on the outer edge side of the pair of substrates is formed to have a protruding portion outward from an outer edge of the pair of substrates, and an end portion of the seal portion on the pixel region side The diameter Lb3 of the transfer electrode is set to satisfy La2 <Lb3 as compared to a distance La2 between the outer edges of the pair of substrates and the protrusions are cut off. 5. A liquid crystal display device according to 5. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the transfer electrode has a material in which conductive fine particles are mixed in the same base material as the seal portion. 2. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the transfer electrode and the seal portion are formed such that end portions on the pixel region side are separated from the pixel region by a predetermined dimension or more. A terminal group for electrically connecting to an external circuit is provided outside the seal portion of one of the pair of substrates, and a region between the pixel region and the seal portion is provided. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein a connection wiring for electrically connecting the transfer electrode and one of the terminal groups is provided. A pair of substrates each having an electrode formed on one side and arranged so that the electrodes face each other;
A seal portion provided around the pixel region set on the substrate without being flush with the end surfaces of the pair of substrates, and joining the pair of substrates;
Have
The liquid crystal material is injected using a region between the pair of transfer electrodes provided so as to be in contact with both ends of the seal portion while being partly flush with one end surface of the pair of substrates. A method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display device. 12. The method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display device according to claim 11, wherein after the liquid crystal material is injected, the liquid crystal material is sealed by closing the liquid crystal injection port.

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