JPH0728068A - Electrode film with spacer for liquid crystal cell and production thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a production method for an electrode film provided with a convenient spacer. CONSTITUTION:A roll intaglio having a recess corresponding to the shape of a spacer is rotated, and an ionizing radiation-curing liq. resin is filled at least in the recess in stage 101. An electrode film traveling in synchronism with the rotation of the intaglio is brought into contact with the liq. resin in stage 102. The liq. resin between the intaglio and film is irradiated with an ionizing radiation while the film is in contact with the intaglio and cured in stage 103. The liq. resin is firmly attached to the film in stage 104. A spacer as the cured liq. resin and the film are released from the intaglio in stage 105.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a novel spacer in a liquid crystal cell used in various display devices. Particularly, it 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 they are manufactured through various materials and many manufacturing processes. Reduction and high precision 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 the two electrode substrates, the so-called cell gap, is the display quality such as the response speed of the liquid crystal cell, contrast, viewing angle characteristics, and display unevenness. The control of the cell gap is a very important issue in the production of liquid crystal cells. For example, in STN type liquid crystal, extremely strict cell gap control is required, and in order to obtain uniform display quality, the variation in cell gap is ± 1.
% Or less is required. Normally, for example, if the cell gap is about 7 μm, the variation in the cell gap is usually set in units of 0.1 μm.

Therefore, 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 distributing them is well known (see below).

The glass spacer is specially prepared for liquid crystal cells and is made by spinning non-alkali glass under strict control, and its size is usually 2 to 12 μm in diameter.
m, and the length is 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 ± 0.1 to 0.2 μm, which is extremely accurate. The glass gaps are dispersed in the cell and the spacers are distributed as uniformly as possible in each part of the cell to control the cell gap to be uniform in the cell. However, its use required some ingenuity. That is,
How to disperse spacers evenly in the cell, how to prevent spacers from overlapping each other, and how to move the spacers that have been evenly distributed to cause uneven distribution or damage to the electrode substrate surface. The glass spacer has been put to practical use by making various efforts such as a method for preventing it.

The plastic spacer is a spherical particle in shape, and the overlapping of the spacers seen in the glass spacer does not occur at the same time, but since it is plastic, it is an elastic body and elastically deformed by pressure during actual use. Therefore, it is necessary to devise a spacer design considering the amount of deformation. The accuracy of the particle size is still required to be about ± 0.3 μm even with the plastic spacer, but the plastic spacer is elastically deformed, so that the particle size distribution state and the distribution density within the cell of the spacer are also affected. Plastic spacers are used primarily for very high management.

[0006] As a device for making the distribution density of the spacers uniform by the above-mentioned spraying method, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-127170
A method of spraying and attaching spacers from nozzles while rotating a substrate with an alignment film, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-163, has been attempted. On the other hand, as an attempt to overcome the difficulty of making the distribution density uniform and preventing the spacers from overlapping in the above-mentioned spraying method, the following methods of integrally forming spacers directly on the electrode substrate have been proposed.

A method of forming a spacer by printing a resin containing a dye on the surface of a glass electrode substrate by a known printing method such as silk screen printing (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-692).
No. 35). : A method in which a diamond cone-shaped cutting edge is pressed on the surface of a glass electrode substrate to form a recessed portion having a bank-like peripheral edge portion to form a spacer (disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 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 overlaid, exposed, and developed, and the remaining resist pattern is used as a spacer (JP-A-62-90622). Disclosed in the official gazette).

[0008]

As described above, the spacer used for controlling the cell gap of the conventional liquid crystal cell is
In the case of the dispersion type glass spacers and plastic spacers, the response speed, contrast, viewing angle characteristics,
It is difficult to strictly control the cell gap control, which is 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 with a desired distribution density, and the spacers are dispersed. Various troublesome methods such as methods were required. Further, although the spacers can be arranged at desired positions and densities in the above-mentioned direct formation methods, in the case of transferring from the plate to the glass substrate, the spacer shape is first collapsed [Fig. 4 (b)]. ], The shape of the spacer collapses further until it is cured [Fig.
(C)]. However, there is a problem that productivity is poor because the shape of the spacer is limited to a shape having a bank-like ridge on the peripheral edge of the concave portion and a large number of spacers are sequentially formed one by one. Then, the cross-sectional shape of the horizontal surface (parallel to the electrode substrate surface) of the spacer can be formed with a desired shape and size with high accuracy, but the cross-sectional shape of the vertical surface cannot be controlled. Further, there are problems that a large number of steps such as application of resist solution, mask exposure, and development are required, working time and cost increase, and yield decreases.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a spacer having a desired shape, size, position and distribution density, a method of manufacturing the spacer with higher accuracy and fewer steps, and a liquid crystal cell. Particularly, with regard to a spacer suitable for manufacturing a flexible liquid crystal cell made of a plastic film, a method for manufacturing the spacer, an electrode film provided with the spacer, and further a liquid crystal cell using the electrode film with a spacer are provided. There is.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, the spacer manufacturing method of the present invention is to form an electrode film with a spacer by previously forming the electrode film forming a liquid crystal cell by a special printing method. is there. That is, it is a method for producing an electrode film with a spacer for a liquid crystal cell, which comprises the following steps (a) to (e). (a) A filling step of rotating a roll intaglio in which recesses having the same shape as the spacer shape and the reverse concavo-convex shape are formed, and at least the recesses of the roll intaglio are filled with an ionizing radiation curable resin liquid. (b) A contact step of bringing a film substrate running in synchronization with the rotation direction of the roll intaglio into contact with the ionizing radiation curable resin liquid filled in the roll intaglio in the filling step. (c) In the contact step, while the film substrate is in contact with the roll intaglio, the ionizing radiation-curable resin liquid between the roll intaglio and the film substrate is irradiated with ionizing radiation and cured. Process. (d) Adhesion step of adhering the ionizing radiation curable resin liquid that is cured in the curing step and the film substrate. (e) A peeling step of peeling the cured product of the ionizing radiation-curable resin liquid and the film base material, which have been adhered in the adhering step, from the roll intaglio. In the manufacturing method, as the film base material, an electrode film base material having an electrode formed on the surface thereof is used,
A method for producing an electrode film with a spacer for a liquid crystal cell, characterized in that the electrode side of the film substrate is brought into contact with the roll intaglio surface side. Further, the 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 a spacer.

[0011]

According to the present invention, since the spacer is printed on the electrode film by the roll intaglio having the recess, the spacer can be provided in a desired distribution state on the surface of the electrode film. Further, since the spacer is formed by the curing reaction of the ionizing radiation curable resin, the spacer can be efficiently provided 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 material is peeled off, so that the cross-sectional shape of the spacer is arbitrarily designed depending on the concave shape of the roll intaglio both in the horizontal cross section and the vertical cross section. As a result, the head portion of the spacer contacting the facing electrode film can be made flat, and as a result, elastic deformation due to pressure becomes extremely small, and the cell gap control by the spacer becomes easy. In addition, since the spacers provided are printed on the electrode film surface, the spacers can be fixedly provided on the electrode surface, resulting in deterioration of display quality such as scratches due to movement of the spacers after the liquid crystal cell is formed. No worries.

[Embodiment] An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a process diagram showing an embodiment of a method for manufacturing an electrode film with a spacer according to the present invention,
FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of an apparatus for manufacturing an electrode film with a spacer according to the present invention. Here, first
The method and apparatus for manufacturing the light diffusion sheet according to this embodiment will be briefly described. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a roll intaglio in which a recess 2 having the same shape as a desired spacer shape but with irregularities reversed is formed, 2 denotes a corresponding recess having a spacer shape, 3
Is an ionizing radiation curable resin liquid, 4 is an electrode film, 5 is a pressing roll that contacts the roll intaglio plate and presses the roll intaglio plate 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
Is a spacer-equipped electrode film, and 10 is a coating device for coating the roll intaglio 1 with the ionizing radiation curable resin liquid 3.

As shown in FIG. 1, the method of manufacturing the electrode film with spacers of this embodiment comprises a filling step 101, a contacting step 102, a curing step 103, a contacting step 104, and a peeling step 105. The filling step 101 is the roll intaglio 1 in which the recesses 2 corresponding to the spacer shape are formed.
Is rotated, and at least the concave portion 2 of the roll intaglio plate 1 is filled with the ionizing radiation curable resin liquid 3. The contact step 102 is a step of bringing the electrode forming surface of the electrode film 4 traveling in synchronization with the rotation direction of the roll intaglio 1 into contact with the ionizing radiation curable resin liquid 3 filled in the roll intaglio 1 in the filling step 101. Is. In the curing step 103, while the electrode film 4 is in contact with the roll intaglio plate 1 in the contact step 102, the ionizing radiation curable resin liquid 3 between the roll intaglio plate 1 and the electrode film 4 is exposed to the ionizing radiation from the curing device 7a. Is a step of irradiating and curing. The adhesion process 104 is
In this step, the ionizing radiation-curable resin liquid 3 that is 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 adhesion step 104 usually proceed simultaneously.
The peeling step 105 is a step of peeling from the roll intaglio 1 the spacer-attached electrode film 9 obtained by the spacer 8 obtained by adhering the spacer 8 obtained by curing the ionizing radiation curable resin liquid 3 at the adhering step 104 to the electrode film. . In the case where an electrode forming step is performed after the spacer forming step, a film base material used here has no electrode.

Next, referring to FIG. 2, the manufacturing apparatus of the electrode film with spacer according to this embodiment will be described in detail. The roll intaglio 1 is a cylindrical plate material provided with recesses 2 corresponding to a spacer having a desired shape to be described later, that is, the recesses 2 having the same shape and inverted concavities and convexities. This roll intaglio 1 can be manufactured by a method such as direct lathe processing on a cylindrical plate material, cutting by milling with a mill formed by electroforming, electroforming, or photoetching. As the material of the roll intaglio 1, a metal such as copper, chromium, or iron, a synthetic resin such as NBR, epoxy, or ebonite, or a ceramic such as glass can be used. Further, 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 a spacer to be manufactured. Although not shown, the roll intaglio 1 is provided with a driving device and is formed so as to rotate around a shaft center in the direction of the arrow. Although not shown in the drawing, in addition to the spacers, when a light-collecting minute lens group, an alignment film layer, a color filter, a black stripe, etc. are formed by the method shown in FIG.
After forming one pattern on the film substrate, it is possible to wind it up once and pass it off-line again through the device shown in FIG. 2 (however, the roll intaglio has a different pattern), but this is a productivity issue. From the above, a plurality of printing units of the apparatus of FIG. 2 are continuously connected in the same manner as in the normal multi-color rotary printing, and a strip-shaped web of a film base is sequentially passed through each printing unit in-line to form a plurality of patterns. Is preferably formed on the front surface or the back surface.

Further, as described above, as a method of adjusting the viscosity of the ionizing radiation curable resin liquid 3 to a predetermined value, the inside of the roll intaglio 1 is made hollow and the hollow portion is temperature-controlled to an appropriate temperature. A method of controlling the plate surface temperature of the roll intaglio plate 1 at a predetermined value by causing a fluid such as water, oil or steam to flow in and out is also applicable. Generally, the higher the temperature is, the lower the viscosity is. However, if the temperature is too high, the resin liquid 3 decomposes and evaporates, and the dimensional change of the electrode film also occurs. Is preferred.

As the ionizing radiation curable resin liquid 3, a prepolymer, an oligomer and / or a monomer having a polymerizable unsaturated bond such as acryloyl group or methacryloyl group or an epoxy group in the molecule is appropriately mixed. The composition can be used. As the prepolymer and oligomer, unsaturated polyesters such as condensates of unsaturated dicarboxylic acids and polyhydric alcohols, epoxy resins, polyester methacrylates, polyether methacrylates, polyol methacrylates, methacrylates such as melamine methacrylate, polyester acrylates,
Examples thereof include acrylates such as epoxy acrylate, urethane acrylate, polyether acrylate, polyol acrylate, and melamine acrylate.

The monomer may be styrene or α
-Styrene monomers such as methylstyrene, methyl acrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, methoxyethyl acrylate, acrylates such as butyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, ethyl methacrylate, methoxyethyl methacrylate, Methacrylic acid esters such as ethoxymethyl methacrylate, acrylic acid-2- (N,
Substituted amino alcohol esters of unsaturated acids such as N-diethylamino) ethyl, unsaturated carboxylic acid amides such as acrylamide and methacrylamide, dipropylene glycol diacrylate, ethylene glycol diacrylate, propylene glycol dimethacrylate, diethylene glycol dimethacrylate, etc. 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 with ultraviolet rays, acetophenones, benzophenones, Michler benzoyl benzoate, α-amyloxime ester, tetramethyl mew are used as photopolymerization initiators in the composition of the ionizing radiation curable resin liquid. Rummonosulfide, thioxanthones, and / or n-butylamine, triethylamine, tri-n-butylphosphine, etc., may be mixed and used as a photosensitizer. Further, in order to accurately form the fine spacers, it is necessary to faithfully reproduce the fine concave shape of the roll intaglio 1.
It is preferable that the viscosity is 5000 cps or less, particularly 1000 cps or less so that the ionizing radiation-curable resin liquid is sufficiently filled.

The pressing roll 5 has only to have a diameter of about 50 to 150 mm as long as it can press the electrode film 4, and its surface material can be formed of an elastic material such as silicon rubber, NBR, EPT or the like. The pressure 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 they can also be driven by a drive device. Further, it is possible to provide a winding sheet feeding device for feeding the electrode film 4 and a winding device for winding the spacer-equipped electrode film having the spacers formed thereon.

The curing device 7a emits ionizing radiation,
This is a device for curing the ionizing radiation curable resin liquid 3. In addition, in order to completely cure the spacer 8 which is detached from the roll intaglio 1 and adhered to the electrode film 4 side, a curing device 7
b may be provided. Here, the ionizing radiation means an electromagnetic wave or a charged particle beam having an energy quantum 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 ultrahigh pressure mercury lamp, a high pressure mercury lamp, a low pressure mercury lamp, a carbon arc, a black light lamp, or a metal halide lamp can be used as the curing devices 7a and 7b.

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

The coating device 10 is a device for coating the roll intaglio 1 with the ionizing radiation curable resin liquid 3, and it is preferable to use the T-die type nozzle coating device shown in FIG.
In this nozzle coating apparatus, a nozzle having a predetermined size has a T-die-shaped rectangular or linear ejection port, and the longitudinal direction of the ejection port is a direction (width direction) orthogonal to the rotation direction of the roll intaglio 1.
Is provided so as to cover a predetermined width of the entire width of the roll intaglio 1, and an ejection device for pressurizing the ionizing radiation-curable resin liquid 3 and ejecting it onto the roll intaglio 1 in a curtain shape. Is equipped with. In addition, the nozzle coating device is preferably provided with a cavity 12 in the middle of the nozzle in order to mitigate the unevenness of the discharge amount and the change over time. Furthermore, coating device 1
As for 0, in addition to the above, a coating device may be adopted for the electrode film 4 by an appropriate means such as a roll coating method or a knife coating method.

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, since a solvent type resin can be used, the range of selection of the resin to be used is widened, and the resin coating suitability can be easily adjusted. When the solventless ionizing radiation curable resin liquid 3 is used, the drying device 1
1 is unnecessary.

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

Here, as a method for filling the recesses 2 of the roll intaglio 1 with the ionizing radiation-curable resin liquid 3, as shown in FIG. When the electrode film 4 is supplied to the roll intaglio 1 after being coated with a predetermined amount, the ionizing radiation applied through the electrode film 4 is pressed by the back surface of the electrode film of the pressing roll 5. The curable resin liquid 3 is applied to the recess 2
Distribute and fill well. In this case, a solvent-type curable resin can also be used, and the ionizing radiation-curable resin liquid 3 coated on the plate surface of the roll intaglio plate 1 is controlled by the ionizing radiation-curable resin liquid 3 in order to control the fluidity to some extent. The solvent or the like used to dilute the solvent is dried and removed by the drying device 11, and the curing device 7a further semi-cures or completely cures the solvent-dried ionizing radiation curable resin liquid 3 by cross-linking polymerization, addition polymerization or the like. Let it harden.

Next, while the electrode film 4 is in contact with the roll intaglio 1, specifically, 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 one as shown in FIG. 2, but a plurality of curing devices are arranged facing the roll intaglio plate to cure the ionizing radiation curable resin liquid 3 in the roll intaglio plate 1 in multiple stages. You may do it. By doing so, even if the strike speed of the electrode film 4 is increased, a sufficient irradiation amount can be obtained, and the cured product of the resin liquid 3 is distorted and the resin film of the electrode film 4 is cured by gradually curing. It is preferable in order to reduce distortion due to heat received during the process.

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

The ionizing radiation-curable resin liquid 3 inside the recess 2 of the roll intaglio 1 is brought into close contact with the electrode film 4 by the curing device 7a (contact process 104). At this time, the curing degree may be such that at least the fluidity of the resin 3 is lost and the adhesiveness with 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 the spacer 8 and is integrated with the electrode film 4 and is detached from the recess 2 to obtain the spacer-attached electrode film 9 having the spacer on the surface of the electrode film.

The electrode film 4 used in the present invention comprises an electrode 42 formed on the surface of a flexible film substrate 41. The electrodes 42 are typically patterned into the desired shape. Further, a well-known orientation treatment is applied to the surface of the base material of the electrode surface and the non-electrode surface before or after forming the spacer. As the flexible film base material 41, for example, polyester films such as polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, polyarylate and the like have dimensional stability, mechanical strength, and, if used as a transparent electrode, sufficient transparency. A synthetic resin film having is used. The thickness is usually about 12 μm to 500 μm.

When the electrode 42 is a transparent electrode, 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 usually formed into a desired electrode pattern-shaped electrode by forming a film on the surface of the film base material by a method such as vacuum deposition, sputtering, or electroless plating, and then performing photoetching (photolithography) or the like. is there.
As another method, a conductive ink is used to form an electrode having a desired electrode pattern using a printing method such as silk screen printing, intaglio printing, or the apparatus shown in FIG. 2 used for forming the spacer according to the present invention. You can also do it. In this case, the concave portion 2 of the roll intaglio is made into an electrode pattern shape.
As the conductive ink, gold, silver, aluminum, nickel, powder of ITO or the like or scale-like foil pieces, acrylic resin,
Ink dispersed in a binder such as polyurethane resin or polyester resin is used.

The spacer 8 and the electrode 42 of a desired pattern are aligned in a predetermined relationship (registration).
6C, the registration mark RM1 is formed at a predetermined position in the margin of the electrode 42, as shown in FIG.
The registration macu RM2 is also formed at a predetermined position of the blank portion of the pattern of the spacer 8. The positional relationship between the register marks RM1 and RM2 is such that when the spacer 8 and the pattern of the electrodes 42 are formed in an overlapping manner, the error between the register marks RM1 and RM2, that is, the running direction of the film substrate (y Position deviation Δy)
When the positional deviation Δx in the width direction (x coordinate) orthogonal to the film substrate running direction is set to zero, the spacer 8
The positions of both registration marks RM1 and RM2 are set so that the electrode 42 and the electrode 42 have a desired positional relationship. Then, in the device as shown in FIG. 2, the patterned electrode 42 is formed.
On the other hand, on the film substrate on which the spacers 8 are formed, the positional deviation error Δx, visually or by a sensor such as a photoelectric tube,
Δy is detected, and printing is corrected so that both Δx and Δy become zero. That is, for example, the spacer 8 is the electrode 4
2, the normal position is Δx = + 1.0 mm, Δy =
When the deviation is −0.5 mm, the correction roller 51 as shown in FIG. 2 adjusts the path length (pass) of the film in the traveling direction so that the spacer 8 is displaced +0.5 mm in the y direction. Although not shown, the roll intaglio 1 is moved in the width direction so that the spacer 8 is displaced by −1.0 mm in the x direction and converges to Δx = 0 and Δy = 0.

Further, the registration marks RM1, RM2
Is not limited to the pattern shown in FIG. 6 (c), and various patterns used for ordinary multicolor printing registration can be adopted. Then, particularly when both the spacer 8 and the electrode 42 are formed by the device as shown in FIG.
As shown in (b), the registration marks RM1 and RM2 are formed in the margins of the widthwise ends of each roll intaglio 1, respectively. Of course, these RM1 and RM2 are cut off at the stage of being assembled in the liquid crystal cell, or are provided so as to be released at a position where there is no practical problem.

Still another aspect of the present invention is as follows. : There is also a method of forming the alignment treatment by using the apparatus shown in FIG. That is, fine linear irregularities (diffraction grating pattern) of the ionizing radiation curable resin cured product oriented in a desired orientation direction are formed by a roll intaglio. The line repeat cycle is usually 1
It is preferable that the thickness is μm or less. This alignment treatment can be performed in a step different from the step of forming the spacers 8, or both the shape of the spacers 8 and the alignment lines are formed as the recesses 2 of the roll intaglio, and the alignment with the spacers 8 is performed. It is possible to simultaneously form the fine line unevenness for use.

In addition to the spacer 8, a minute lens group consisting of minute condenser lenses 43 for condensing light from the back light source as shown in FIG. Form on the back side. The microlens group itself for condensing the light from the back light source into each pixel of the liquid crystal cell has already been disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 214287/1990 (US Pat. No. 4,924,356).
No.), JP-A-4-214529, etc., and the specific lens design is based on these. The minute lens group is formed by the manufacturing method shown in FIG. 2, and the registration of the lens and the spacer is also performed by the method 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, is formed on the film substrate. Generally, it is preferable to form the transparent electrode film 4 on the upper side on the liquid crystal layer side as shown in FIG. 8 from the viewpoint of wide viewing angle and vividness of color. In this case, the spacer 8 is preferably overlapped with the black stripe so as not to hinder the visibility of the pixel. Various known methods can be used to form the black stripe and the color filter, but from the viewpoint of productivity, the apparatus and method shown in FIG. 2 is used, and an ionizing radiation curable resin containing a colorant (dye or pigment) is used. Should be formed. Registration of the black stripes, the color filters and the spacers is performed by the method shown in FIG. Further, in the case where the black stripe is formed by the apparatus shown in FIG. 2, it is preferable to use an electron beam as the ionizing radiation, which is capable of sufficiently penetrating even the inside of the black colorant.

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

Next, an electrode film with a spacer manufactured by the method according to this embodiment and a liquid crystal display device using the same will be described. As applicable liquid crystal display device,
There are various well-known methods, and there is no particular limitation, and monochrome display or color display may be used. Further, it may be one that displays numbers, characters, symbols, graphics, etc. used for the display part of a clock, an electronic desk calculator, various instruments, a word processor, a bulletin board, etc., and it is generally used for a television, an output monitor of an electronic computer, etc. It may display an image.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the essential part of an embodiment of a liquid crystal cell using the electrode film with spacers according to the present invention. In this case, the spacer 8 has a trapezoidal shape and is provided on the electrode film 4 below in the figure. Spacer 8
The head of the is contacted with the upper electrode film 4 and holds the cell gap at a desired interval.

Conventionally, the shape of the spacer is cylindrical in the case of the glass spacer so that the cell gap is held in line contact with the electrode substrate, and the shape of the plastic spacer is spherical, so that it is point contact (strictly circular surface contact because it is elastically deformed by pressure contact). )
Was held in. However, although the head of the spacer according to the present invention may have a hemispherical shape or a semi-cylindrical shape, it is preferable that the spacer has a trapezoidal shape as shown in FIG. As a result, even though the spacer is made of plastic, it can be in surface contact, and the change in cell gap due to elastic deformation due to pressure contact can be made extremely slight. Further, the rectangular cross-sectional shape increases the substantial display effective portion of the liquid crystal cell, but when the spacer cured by the ionizing radiation curable resin liquid is adhered and peeled from the concave portion of the roll intaglio to the electrode film, it is slightly It is preferable that the trapezoidal shape provided with the inclination of is easy to peel off. Even if the shape of the spacer seen from above is circular,
It may be rectangular, and may be appropriately selected depending on the information displayed by the liquid crystal cell. The position of the spacer 8 is preferably a position that does not impair the vision 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 constructed as described above, it has the following effects. As described above, according to the method for manufacturing an electrode film with a spacer of the present invention, it is possible to securely form the spacers on the electrode film in a fixed arrangement, shape, and number, and it is possible to disperse the spacers conventionally. There is an advantage that is unnecessary. Therefore, the spacers and the pixels do not overlap with each other, and the distribution density of the spacers locally does not vary, so that the visual characteristics of the pixels are not deteriorated. Further, although the cross-sectional shape of the conventional spacer is limited to a circular shape, the cross-sectional shape of the spacer according to the present invention is
In addition to circular shapes, trapezoidal shapes, kamaboko shapes, rectangular shapes, etc. are possible, and the same spacers made of plastic are used, but the cumbersome spacer design that takes into account changes in the cell gap due to compression deformation of the spacers due to pressure after liquid crystal cell formation is reduced. To be done. Furthermore, since the spacers are fixed, there is no movement of the spacers after the liquid crystal cell is formed. As a result, the cell gap of the electrode interval changes locally due to the change of the spacer distribution due to the movement, and the response speed, the viewing angle, etc. are locally changed. Does not change, or scratches on the electrodes and the alignment film do not occur.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a process drawing showing a method for manufacturing an electrode film with a spacer according to the present invention.

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

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a main part of an embodiment of a liquid crystal cell using the electrode film with a spacer according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of shape transition in a conventional spacer direct forming method.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of shape transition in the direct spacer forming method according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view of a roll intaglio for forming spacers and electrodes and a registration mark.

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a main part of an embodiment of an electrode film having a spacer and a condenser lens.

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

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Roll Intaglio 11 Shaft Core 2 Recess 2a Electrode Recess 2b Spacer Recess 3 Ionizing Radiation Curable Resin Liquid 4 Electrode Film 41 Film Substrate 42 Electrode 44 Color Filter 45 Black Stripe 5 Pressing Roll 51 Correction Roll 6 Feeding Roll 7a, 7b 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 Curing resin 31 Registration mark RM1 32 Registration mark RM2 101 Filling process 102 contact process 103 curing process 104 adhesion process 105 peeling process

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] December 8, 1993

[Procedure Amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be amended] Title of invention

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

An electrode film with a spacer for a liquid crystal cell and a method for producing the same.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A method of manufacturing an electrode film with a spacer for a liquid crystal cell, which comprises the following steps (a) to (e): (a) A filling step of rotating a roll intaglio in which recesses having the same shape as the spacer shape and the reverse concavo-convex shape are formed, and at least the recesses of the roll intaglio are filled with an ionizing radiation curable resin liquid. (b) A contact step of bringing a film substrate running in synchronization with the rotation direction of the roll intaglio into contact with the ionizing radiation curable resin liquid filled in the roll intaglio in the filling step. (c) In the contact step, while the film substrate is in contact with the roll intaglio, the ionizing radiation-curable resin liquid between the roll intaglio and the film substrate is irradiated with ionizing radiation and cured. Process. (d) Adhesion step of adhering the ionizing radiation curable resin liquid that is cured in the curing step and the film substrate. (e) A peeling step of peeling, from the roll intaglio, the cured product of the ionizing radiation-curable resin liquid and the film substrate, which are in close contact with each other in the contacting step. 2. An electrode film base material having an electrode formed on the surface thereof is used as the film base material, and the electrode side of the film base material is brought into contact with the roll intaglio surface side. A method for producing an electrode film with a spacer for a liquid crystal cell. 3. An electrode film with a spacer for a liquid crystal cell manufactured according to claim 1 or 2. 4. A liquid crystal cell using the electrode film with a spacer according to claim 3.