JPH0122604B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a plate alignment device that aligns two glass plates with a predetermined gap between them, and then brings them into close contact to form a liquid crystal display element, etc. It is.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a conventional method of assembling a glass plate for a liquid crystal display element. In the figure, the upper and lower glass plates 1 and 2 are used to align the patterns of a microscope and a television (hereinafter abbreviated as TV) consisting of an objective lens 3 and a relay lens 4.
The camera 5 captures an enlarged image. At this time, patterns 1a, 2a and 1b, 2b can be observed simultaneously if the distance d between the upper and lower glass plates is set to less than the depth of focus of the microscope, but patterns 1a, 2a and 1b, 2b can be observed simultaneously, but due to variations in glass plate thickness and the need for high magnification for highly accurate positioning. Since an optical system is used, the depth of focus is shallow, so patterns cannot be observed at the same time. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the arrangement of the optical system for explanation. In the figure, an optical system was used in which the objective lens 3 was moved up and down a distance d as shown in the figure, and each pattern was placed at a focal position.

The upper glass plate 1 is fixed to a jig (not shown). The worker M takes images of the patterns 1a and 1b of the upper glass plate 1 and the white lines 8a, 9a, 8b, 9 obtained by enlarging the images with the camera 5 and passing them through the white line display circuit 6.
b on the monitors 7a, 7b, operate the joysticks 11a, 11b of the white line moving device 10, and move the white lines 8a, 9a, 8 through the white line display circuit 6.
b and 9b are moved on the monitors 7a and 7b to match the centers of the patterns 1a and 1b. Next, the objective lens 3 is moved downward by a distance d, and the patterns 2a and 2b of the lower glass plate 2 are displayed on the monitors 7a and 7b. Monitors 7a, 7 for the centers of patterns 2a, 2b
A fine movement table (not shown) having a function of moving the lower glass plate 2 is operated in the x, y, and θ directions in order to make it coincide with the white lines 8a, 9a, 8b, and 9b on the screen. If the centers of patterns 2a and 2b coincide with the white line, if the fine movement table is raised a distance d in the z direction, the upper and lower plates 1 and 2 will be aligned with the pattern by the adhesive applied around the lower plate 2 in advance. are assembled in unison. Here, it takes time to move the white lines 8 and 9 using the white line moving device 10 and the white line display circuit 6, resulting in a decrease in efficiency.

The purpose of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art, to precisely and efficiently align two plates arranged with a predetermined gap so as not to contact each other, and then to closely fit them together. An object of the present invention is to provide a device for aligning plate materials for assembling liquid crystal display elements and the like.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a jig for holding an upper plate material, a jig for holding a lower plate material with a predetermined gap from the upper plate material, and a jig for holding the lower plate material with a horizontal axis consisting of two axes of XY and rotation. a horizontal moving device for moving in the direction; an imaging device for imaging the alignment pattern formed on the upper plate material and the lower plate material; It has an objective lens and a relay lens, and the objective lens includes a high magnification imaging optical system with a shallow depth of focus supported movably in the direction of the optical axis in the gap in which both the plates are arranged apart from each other; The objective lens of the imaging optical system is positioned upward and an image of the alignment pattern of the upper plate material is captured by the imaging device, and the objective lens of the imaging optical system is positioned in the gap between the two plate materials. monitoring means for moving the lower plate material downward and positioning it, taking an image of the alignment pattern of the lower plate material with the imaging device, displaying the image, and reading out and displaying the still image stored in the storage means; and a contact means for moving the upper plate material and the lower plate material relatively to bring them into close contact, and activating the horizontal movement device to match images of both alignment patterns displayed on the monitor means. This is a plate material positioning device characterized in that the plate material is aligned and then the contact means is operated. That is, the present invention is based on the pattern A that appears first.
storage means for storing the video signal for one frame as a still image signal, and a video signal of pattern B that appears second is mixed with the still image signal and displayed on a monitor screen to produce patterns A,
The positional deviation of pattern B is directly visually observed, and based on the result, the position of pattern B is moved by a moving device to match the position of pattern A, so that the positional deviation of patterns A and B is eliminated, and then these two patterns A,
The glass plates for liquid crystal display elements marked with B are assembled in close contact with each other.

The present invention will be explained in detail below based on the drawings.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, a TV camera 5 is driven by horizontal and vertical synchronizing signals H and V from a synchronizing signal generator 20. When the patterns 1a and 1b on the object to be measured are detected, the switch ₂₄₁ (MEMORY-
ON) is pressed, and this signal is sent to the timing circuit 21.
a, 21b, and in synchronization with the vertical synchronizing signal V, one frame at this time is stored in the video memories 22a, 21b.
2b.

Next, when the patterns 2a and 2b on the object to be measured are detected, the video signal v is sent to the mixer circuits 23a and 23b.
It is mixed with the patterns 1a and 1b that have already been recorded and displayed continuously and still, and is displayed on the monitors 7a and 7b. Worker M uses patterns 1a, 2a, 1b, 2
Pattern 2a (or 2b) while observing b at the same time.
pattern 1a, (or 1
Operate to match b). After this operation is completed, pattern 1a, 1b and 2a, 2b
Complete the assembly by attaching the glass plate for the liquid crystal display element, which is marked with .

When the above assembly is completed, the operation box 24
Press the Clear switch 24 ₂ on the video memory 2
2a, 22b The recorded contents are erased in preparation for assembling the next glass plate.

As explained above, according to the present invention, the efficiency of assembling glass plates for liquid crystal display elements can be more than doubled,
Since the white line positioning errors that conventionally occur during assembly do not occur, positioning accuracy is significantly improved and work can be streamlined.

Furthermore, according to the present invention, the image of the alignment pattern A formed on the lower plate material is stored in the storage means in an accurately formed form, and the alignment pattern A displayed on the monitor is read out from the storage means. The alignment pattern B formed on the upper plate material based on the pattern is observed on a monitor as an accurate image, and the position can be corrected with high precision and efficiency without damaging both plate materials. Moreover, it also has the effect of making it possible to manufacture liquid crystal display elements of excellent quality by bringing the two into close contact with each other.

In addition, video memory can be analog type such as video disks or video tapes, or it can be converted into quantized signals and stored digitally in white, black (“1”, “0”) or several levels. It is also possible to display the concentration.

Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to assembling liquid crystal plates, but can be widely applied to the combination of two transparent plates.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1: A diagram illustrating the assembly of a conventional glass plate for a liquid crystal display element, FIG. 2: A diagram illustrating the arrangement of an optical system for explanation, and FIG. 3: A diagram illustrating an embodiment of the present invention. 1: Upper plate glass, 1a, 1b: Pattern, 2:
Lower plate glass, 2a, 2b: pattern.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A jig that holds the upper plate material, a horizontal movement device that holds the lower plate material at a predetermined gap from the upper plate material and moves the lower plate material in a horizontal direction consisting of two axes of X and Y and rotation, an imaging device configured to image the alignment pattern formed on the upper plate material and the lower plate material; and an objective lens and a relay lens configured to image the alignment pattern of the upper plate material and the lower plate material on the imaging device. , and the objective lens includes a high magnification imaging optical system with a shallow depth of focus supported movably in the direction of the optical axis in the gap between the two plates, and an objective lens of the imaging optical system directed upwardly. a storage means for positioning and capturing an image of the alignment pattern of the upper plate material with the imaging device and storing the image;
The objective lens of the imaging optical system is moved downward by the gap between both plates and positioned, and an image of the alignment pattern of the lower plate is captured by the imaging device, and the image is displayed and the storage means monitor means for reading and displaying still images stored in the;
a contact means for relatively moving the upper plate material and the lower plate material to bring them into close contact, and activating the horizontal movement device to match images of both alignment patterns displayed on the monitor means; A plate alignment device characterized in that a close contact means is then operated.