JPH09127329A - Forming method of color filter - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To decrease the treating time as a whole, to prevent the wasting of a color filter material and to improve the working rate. SOLUTION: Color filter elements 41R, 41G, 41B of three colors are successively formed in the area for formation of a color filter of a long-size film substrate 22 while the film substrate 22 is travelled. In this method, timings of treatment in all process can be controlled together, and therefore, the treating time as a whole can be decreased. By applying a color filter material in a coating zone 23 of a color filter material consisting of a roll coating machine, the color filter material applied is not splashed, which prevents wasting of the color filter material. Moreover, a cleaning process to remove a splashed material is not required, which improves the working rate.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for forming a color filter in a color liquid crystal display device or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, in a color liquid crystal display device, one surface of one film substrate (a surface facing the other film substrate) has three colors of R (red), G (green), and B (blue). Some include a color filter in which color filter elements are provided in a stripe shape or a mosaic shape.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic structure of a conventional color filter forming device used for forming a color filter in such a color liquid crystal display device. In this color filter forming apparatus, the supply reel 1
The long film substrate 2 fed out from is cut into a predetermined length by a cutter 3, and the cut film substrate 2a is conveyed by a roller conveyor (not shown) to form color filter elements of three colors of RGB. Has become. That is, the film substrate 2 cut into a predetermined length by the cutter 3.
The a is sent to the R spin coater 4, and the R color filter material film 5a made of the R-colored photo-curable resin is applied to the entire upper surface thereof to form the R color filter material film 5a. . Next, the film substrate 2a is sent to the drying unit 6 and the R color filter material film 5a is dried. Next, the film substrate 2a is sent to the exposure unit 7, where R
The color filter material film 5a for light is exposed through an exposure mask having a predetermined pattern. Next, the film substrate 2a is sent to the developing section 8 and the R color filter material film 5a is developed, whereby the R color filter element 5R is formed. Next, the film substrate 2a is sent to the cleaning unit 9 and cleaned. Next, the film substrate 2a is sent to the drying unit 10 and dried. Next, although not shown, the film substrate 2a is sent to the G spin coater, and the G color filter element is formed by going through the same steps as described above. Next, although not shown in the figure, the film substrate 2a is sent to the B spin coater, and the B color filter element is formed by the same steps as described above. Thus, RG is formed on the film substrate 2a.
The three color filter elements B will be formed.

[0004]

By the way, in such a conventional color filter forming method, since the cut film substrate 2a is conveyed by the roller conveyor, it is necessary to individually control the processing timing in each process. Therefore, there is a problem that the processing time as a whole becomes long. Further, when the color filter material 5 is applied by using the spin coater 4, a part of the applied color filter material 5 is scattered from the film substrate 2a, and thus the scattered color filter material 5 is wasted and scattered. The spin coater 4 must be regularly cleaned in order to remove the color filter material 5, but there is a problem in that cleaning takes time and the operation rate is reduced. An object of the present invention is to shorten the processing time as a whole, prevent the color filter material from being wasted, and improve the operating rate.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a color filter made of a photocurable resin or a thermosetting resin by a roll coater in a color filter forming region on a long film substrate while conveying the film substrate. By forming a color filter element in the color filter forming region on the film substrate by applying a predetermined step after applying the material, by repeating the same steps as the above steps,
A plurality of color filter elements are sequentially formed in the color filter forming area on the film substrate.

According to the present invention, since a plurality of color filter elements are sequentially formed in the color filter forming area on the film substrate while the long film substrate is being conveyed, the processing timing in each process can be collectively controlled. Therefore, the overall processing time can be shortened, and since the color filter material is applied by the roll coater, the applied color filter material does not scatter, and therefore the color filter material is not scattered. It can be prevented from being wasted, and the cleaning work for removing the scattered color filter material is unnecessary, thus improving the operating rate.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a view for explaining one embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) shows a schematic structure of a color filter forming apparatus. This color filter forming device is for forming color filter elements of three colors of R, G, and B on the upper surface of a long film substrate 22 drawn from a supply reel 21, and applying a color filter material for R. Section 23, drying section 24, exposing section 25, developing section 26, cleaning section 27, drying section 28, transparent resin coating section 29,
Drying unit 30, thermocompression bonding unit 31, firing unit 32, take-up reel 3
3 and so on. However, although not shown, between the drying section 28 and the transparent resin coating section 29, a G color filter material coating section and a drying section, an exposure section, and the like accompanying it,
The developing unit, the cleaning unit, and the drying unit, and the B color filter material applying unit and the accompanying drying unit, the exposing unit, the developing unit, the cleaning unit, and the drying unit are provided. The material of the film substrate 22 is preferably polyetherketone, polyacrylate, polymethacrylate, polyarylate, polycarbonate, polyethyleneterephthalate, polyethersulfone, or the like.

The R color filter material applying section (roll coater) 23 is provided with a container 42 containing an R color filter material 41 made of a photo-curing resin colored in R color. The R color filter material 41 contained in the container 42 is pumped up by the pumping roll 43. A coating roll 45 is in rolling contact with the pumping roll 43 via an intermediate roll 44. A backup roll 46 is arranged below the coating roll 45, and the film substrate 22 is conveyed between them. Drying section 24, 28, 30
Is composed of a drying oven equipped with a heater (not shown), and the film substrate 22 is conveyed therein.
The exposure unit 25 includes a light source and an exposure mask (not shown) having a predetermined pattern, and the film substrate 22 is conveyed below the exposure mask. The developing unit 26 is composed of a developing tank containing a developing solution, and the film substrate 22 is conveyed in the developing tank. Cleaning unit 27
Has a nozzle for spraying a cleaning liquid such as water or rinse, and the film substrate 22 is conveyed below the nozzle.

The transparent resin coating section 29 is provided with a container 52 in which a transparent resin 51 made of a photocurable transparent resin, a thermosetting transparent resin, or a mixed resin of both is contained. The transparent resin 51 contained in the container 52 is pumped up by the pumping roll 53. A coating roll 55 is in rolling contact with the pumping roll 53 via an intermediate roll 54. A backup roll 56 is arranged below the coating roll 55, and the film substrate 22 is conveyed between them. The thermocompression bonding unit 31 includes a thermocompression bonding roll 61 and a backup roll 62, and the film substrate 2 is provided between them.
2 is to be transported. The baking unit 32 is composed of a baking furnace equipped with a heater (not shown), and the film substrate 22 is conveyed in the baking furnace. Although not shown, the film substrate 22 delivered from the supply reel 21 is adapted to be conveyed by the rotation of sprockets fitted in the sprocket holes formed at both ends in the width direction of the film substrate 22.

Next, the case of forming color filter elements of three colors of RGB on the upper surface of the film substrate 22 will be described. Film substrate 2 unrolled from supply reel 21
When 2 passes between the coating roll 45 and the backup roll 46 of the R color filter material applying section 23, the R color filter material 4 contained in the container 42
1 is applied to the upper surface of the film substrate 22 via the pumping roll 43, the intermediate roll 44 and the coating roll 45. Therefore, at point b in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 1 (b), R is formed on the upper surface of the film substrate 22.
The color filter material film 41a for a color filter is formed.

Next, the film substrate 22 is sent to the drying section 24, and the R color filter material film 41a is dried.
Next, the film substrate 22 is sent to the exposure unit 25, and the R color filter material film 41a is exposed through an exposure mask having a predetermined pattern. Next, the film substrate 22 is sent to the developing section 26, and the R color filter material film 41a is developed. Therefore, at the point c in FIG.
As shown in (c), the R color filter element 41R is formed on the upper surface of the film substrate 22. Next, the film substrate 22 is sent to the cleaning unit 27 and cleaned. Next, the film substrate 22 is sent to the drying unit 28 and dried. Next, the film substrate 22 is sent to the G color filter material application section, and the steps similar to the above steps are performed to form the G color filter element. next,
The film substrate 22 is sent to the B color filter material application section, and thereafter, the same steps as the above steps are performed to obtain the B
A color filter element is formed. Therefore, FIG.
At point d in (a), as shown in FIG. 1 (d), color filter elements 41 of three colors are provided on the upper surface of the film substrate 22.
R, 41G, and 41B will be formed. In this case, three color filter elements 41R, 41G, 41B
Are arrayed at a slight distance from each other.

Next, the film substrate 22 is coated with the coating roll 55 and the backup roll 5 of the transparent resin coating part 29.
When it passes through the space between 6 and 6, the transparent resin 51 contained in the container 52 is applied to the upper surface of the film substrate 22 via the pumping roll 53, the intermediate roll 54 and the coating roll 55. Therefore, at the point e in FIG. 1A, as shown in FIG. 1E, the transparent resin film 51a is formed on the entire upper surface of the film substrate 22 including the three color filter elements 41R, 41G, and 41B. ing. The transparent resin film 51a includes three color filter elements 41R and 4R.
This is for filling the gap between 1G and 41B and flattening the surface of the portion where the three color filter elements 41R, 41G and 41B are formed. Next, the film substrate 22 is sent to the drying unit 30, and the transparent resin film 51a is dried. Next, when the film substrate 22 passes between the thermocompression bonding roll 61 of the thermocompression bonding part 31 and the backup roll 62, the surface of the transparent resin film 51a is flattened. next,
The film substrate 22 is sent to the baking section 32, and the transparent resin film 5
1a is baked and hardened. Next, the film substrate 22 is taken up by the take-up reel 33, and the color filter forming process is completed.

As described above, in this color filter forming method, the three color filter elements 41R, 41G and 41B are sequentially formed in the color filter forming area on the film substrate 22 while the long film substrate 22 is being conveyed. Therefore, it is possible to collectively control the processing timing in each process, and thus it is possible to shorten the processing time as a whole. Also, R consisting of a roll coater
Since the R color filter material 41 is applied by the R color filter material applying section 23, the applied color filter material 41 does not scatter, and therefore the color filter material 41 can be prevented from being wasted. Further, the cleaning work for removing the scattered color filter material is unnecessary, and therefore the operating rate can be improved.

In the above embodiment, the case where a pre-colored photo-curable resin is used as the color filter material has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a transparent photo-curable resin may be used. In this case, when the film substrate is immersed in the dye contained in the dye tank after being developed in the developing unit 26 and washed in the cleaning unit 27, only the color filter element is dyed. Further, in the above embodiment, the case where the photocurable resin is used as the color filter material has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a thermosetting resin may be used. In this case, a thermosetting resin is applied on a film substrate by a roll coater and dried to form a thermosetting resin film, and then the photosetting resin film is patterned by ordinary photolithography to form a color filter element. Will be formed. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the color filter elements of three colors of RGB are formed has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and CMY may be used.
Color filter elements of three colors (cyan, magenta, yellow) may be formed.

[0015]

As described above, according to the present invention, a plurality of color filter elements are sequentially formed in the color filter forming area on the film substrate while conveying the long film substrate. The timing of processing in the process can be controlled in a lump and therefore the processing time as a whole can be shortened, and since the color filter material is applied by the roll coater, the applied color filter material is scattered. Therefore, the color filter material can be prevented from being wasted, and the cleaning work for removing the scattered color filter material is unnecessary, thus improving the operation rate.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a view for explaining an embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is a schematic configuration diagram of a color filter forming apparatus,
(B) is a cross-sectional view of the film substrate at point b in (a),
(C) is a cross-sectional view of the film substrate at point c in (a),
(D) is a cross-sectional view of the film substrate at point d in (a),
(E) is sectional drawing of the film substrate in the point e of (a).

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a conventional color filter forming apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 22 Film Substrate 23 R Color Filter Material Coating Section (Roll Coater) 41 R Color Filter Material 41a R Color Filter Material Film 41R R Color Filter Element 41G G Color Filter Element 41B B Color Filter Element

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A predetermined step after applying a color filter material consisting of a photocurable resin or a thermosetting resin by a roll coater to a color filter forming region on the film substrate while transporting a long film substrate. To form one color filter element in the color filter forming area on the film substrate, and by repeating the same steps as described below, a plurality of color filter elements in the color filter forming area on the film substrate. A method for forming a color filter, which comprises sequentially forming. 2. The invention according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of color filter elements are sequentially formed in a color filter forming region on the film substrate, and then a color filter is formed on the film substrate including the plurality of color filter elements. A method for forming a color filter, which comprises applying a photocurable transparent resin or a thermosetting transparent resin to the entire region with a roll coater to form a transparent resin film for surface flattening. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein
The plurality of color filter elements are RGB or CMY.
3. A method of forming a color filter, which is a color filter element of three colors.