JPH0540268A - Liquid crystal injecting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To allow the injection of a liquid crystal material into liquid crystal elements which are not unified in the positions of the injection holes for the liquid crystal material by using a liquid crystal element holding base which holds the liquid crystal elements in such a manner that the liquid crystal injection holes provided in the upper parts of the liquid crystal elements exist in the positions of the liquid crystal material housing grooves of the liquid crystal element holding base. CONSTITUTION:The liquid crystal elements 10 are so held and fixed in the liquid crystal element holding base 13 that the liquid crystal material injection holes 11 thereof exist above. The liquid crystal elements 10 and the liquid crystal material are deaerated under stirring in a vacuum and thereafter, the liquid crystal material is dropped into the grooves provided in the holding base 13 to inject the liquid crystal material into the liquid crystal elements 10. The liquid crystal material can be injected into the elements if the liquid crystal material as much as only the parts of the injection holes 11 are immersed in the liquid crystal material is supplied according to this method. The liquid crystal material is thus easily injected into the liquid crystal elements 10 which are not uniformized on the end faces of the liquid crystal injection hole side by using the smaller amt. of the liquid crystal material.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device for injecting a liquid crystal material into a liquid crystal element.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Liquid crystal devices have been vigorously researched and developed as direct-view display devices and are now widely used.
Further, the liquid crystal element is used as a light modulation element, the liquid crystal shutter element in which micro shutters are arranged in a one-dimensional array is used in a liquid crystal printer head, and the micro shutters are arranged in a two-dimensional array in an optical device of a projection system. It is used as an optical shutter element and is used as a projection type liquid crystal display.

The above-mentioned liquid crystal element generally has a structure in which a liquid crystal material is sandwiched between two substrates with electrodes.
The liquid crystal material is injected into the liquid crystal element after the two electrode-attached substrates are bonded to each other to assemble an empty liquid crystal element. The general injection method is as follows. That is, as shown in FIG. 3, the liquid crystal injection tray 30 having the liquid crystal material in the groove and the empty liquid crystal element 31 are both evacuated by drawing a vacuum in the vacuum chamber. After sufficient deaeration, the empty liquid crystal element 31 or the liquid crystal injection tray 30 is moved to immerse the liquid crystal injection hole in the liquid crystal material, and the liquid crystal material is injected into the liquid crystal element by utilizing the capillary phenomenon. After the liquid crystal is injected to some extent, gas is introduced, and the liquid crystal material is completely filled in the liquid crystal element by utilizing the gas pressure. Finally, the liquid crystal injection hole is sealed. The liquid crystal injection device includes a vacuum chamber, a vacuum pump, a liquid crystal element moving mechanism, and the like so that such a series of steps can be performed.

[0004]

In recent years, research and development for increasing the resolution of liquid crystal elements has been actively conducted for the purpose of realizing high-definition television. In order to drive the liquid crystal element, a driver IC for driving must be connected to the end face of the liquid crystal element. When the resolution of the liquid crystal element is low, it suffices that the driver IC is not connected to the end surface where the liquid crystal injection hole is provided, but the remaining three or two surfaces are connected. The end faces on the liquid crystal injection hole side can be aligned with the end faces of the upper and lower substrates with electrodes. Therefore, the end portion of the liquid crystal element penetrates into the liquid crystal material very little, and a small amount of liquid crystal material may be used. However, as the resolution increases, the number of driver ICs that must be connected also increases. However, since there is a greater demand for higher resolution than the mounting density for connection, it is necessary to connect the driver IC to the end face where the liquid crystal injection hole is located. I have to. Therefore, unlike the case where the resolution is low, a portion for connecting the driver IC is required, and it becomes impossible to align the end faces of the upper and lower two electrode-attached substrates. Therefore, in order for the injection hole to come into contact with the liquid crystal material, the portion for connecting the driver IC must be entirely immersed in the liquid crystal material, and thus a large amount of liquid crystal material is required as compared with the case where the end faces are aligned. .. Since the liquid crystal material is expensive and is discarded once it is used for injection, use of a large amount of liquid crystal material increases the production cost of the liquid crystal element.

The object of the present invention is to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks,
An object of the present invention is to provide a liquid crystal injection device capable of injecting a liquid crystal material into a liquid crystal element even with a small amount of liquid crystal material.

[0006]

The present invention provides a liquid crystal element having a structure in which a liquid crystal is sandwiched between two substrates having electrodes formed thereon,
In particular, a device for injecting a liquid crystal material into a liquid crystal element in which the end faces of the two substrates on the liquid crystal injection hole side are not aligned, and a holding table for holding the liquid crystal element with the liquid crystal injection hole facing upward, and a liquid crystal element holding device. It is characterized in that a mechanism for dropping liquid crystal material into a groove formed between the holding table and the liquid crystal element later is provided.

[0007]

When a liquid crystal element is held in the vacuum chamber with the liquid crystal injection hole facing downward and immersed in the liquid crystal material, a large amount of liquid crystal material is inevitably required. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1, if the liquid crystal element 10 is held with the liquid crystal injection hole 11 facing upward and the liquid crystal material is injected, the liquid crystal material used can be reduced. Moreover, as shown in FIG. 1, if the holding table 13 of the liquid crystal element 10 has a structure in which only one side of the liquid crystal injection hole is soaked in the liquid crystal material, only the liquid crystal injection hole is soaked. The material can be injected. After the liquid crystal element and the liquid crystal material are sufficiently deaerated in a vacuum, the liquid crystal material is dropped from the liquid crystal reservoir in an amount such that the liquid crystal material injection hole is immersed in the liquid crystal material. After leaving for an appropriate time, stop drawing the vacuum, open the leak valve, introduce an inert gas, etc., and return to atmospheric pressure. The liquid crystal material near the injection hole is removed, the liquid crystal element is taken out, and finally the liquid crystal injection hole is sealed to obtain a liquid crystal element.

The liquid crystal injecting apparatus as described above is an apparatus capable of injecting with a minimum amount of liquid crystal material into a liquid crystal element whose end faces on the liquid crystal injecting hole side are not aligned.

[0009]

EXAMPLES Hereinafter, examples of the present invention will be described in detail. A liquid crystal material was injected into the liquid crystal element in which the end faces on the liquid crystal injection hole side were not aligned using the following injection device. As shown in FIG. 1, the liquid crystal element 10 is held on the liquid crystal element holding base 13 so that only the vicinity of the liquid crystal injection hole 11 is exposed. FIG. 2A shows a cross-sectional view after holding the liquid crystal element 10. The liquid crystal material in the liquid crystal element 10 and the liquid crystal reservoir 12 was evacuated by using a vacuum pump to perform deaeration. After pulling a sufficient vacuum, liquid crystal reservoir 1
The liquid crystal material was dropped so that the liquid crystal injection hole 11 was immersed in the liquid crystal by tilting 2. A cross-sectional view after the liquid crystal material 21 is dropped is shown in FIG.
Shown in. After leaving it for 30 minutes, the vacuum was stopped and nitrogen gas was gradually introduced. When the pressure was returned to atmospheric pressure, the vacuum chamber was opened to remove the excess liquid crystal material, the liquid crystal element 10 was taken out, and the injection state was observed. As a result, it was found that the liquid crystal material was completely injected into the liquid crystal element 10. .. Finally, the liquid crystal injection hole was sealed to obtain a liquid crystal element.

[0010]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a liquid crystal injecting device capable of easily injecting a small amount of liquid crystal material into a liquid crystal element whose end faces on the liquid crystal injection hole side are not aligned.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a liquid crystal injection device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view after holding a liquid crystal element (A) and after dropping a liquid crystal material (B).

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a liquid crystal element and a liquid crystal injection tray.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10, 20, 31 Liquid crystal element 11 Liquid crystal injection hole 12 Liquid crystal reservoir 13 Holding table 21, 32 Liquid crystal material 30 Liquid crystal injection dish

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An apparatus for injecting a liquid crystal material into a liquid crystal element having a structure in which liquid crystal is sandwiched between two substrates on which electrodes are formed and the end faces of the two substrates on the liquid crystal injection hole side are not aligned, The liquid crystal device further comprises a holding table for holding the liquid crystal element with the liquid crystal injection hole facing upward, and a mechanism for dropping the liquid crystal material into a groove formed between the holding table and the liquid crystal element after holding the liquid crystal element. Liquid crystal injection device.