JPH11160528A - Device and method for manufacturing color filter - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide the device and method which can manufacture a color filter of high quality. SOLUTION: This manufacturing device and manufacturing method for the color filter form many pixels by jetting pixel materials out of nozzle units 2 in pixel material drops by an ink jet method and sticking the jetted pixel material drips in specific array order in the X and Y directions of a transparent substrate G. A filter 7 which is vibrated by an exciting means 8 is arranged in the path 10 for supplying the pixel materials to the respective nozzle units 2.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for manufacturing a color filter.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In OA equipment, a flat panel display such as a liquid crystal panel is used as an image display means. Some color filters used when displaying a color image on such a flat panel display are manufactured by an inkjet method because they can pattern pixel material droplets (ink droplets) accurately in a short time.

In the production of a color filter by an ink-jet method, for example, a large number of sections formed by a black matrix on a transparent substrate are provided with red, green, blue (R,
G and B) are applied in a predetermined arrangement order to form a predetermined color pattern composed of a large number of pixels.

[0004]

By the way, a color filter has a large number of very fine pixels arranged in a predetermined order for each color. For this reason, when manufacturing a color filter, inks are mixed between adjacent pixels, and when different colors are mixed, color mixing occurs. There is a problem that the quality is deteriorated due to variations and the like, and it has been desired to provide a manufacturing apparatus and a manufacturing method capable of manufacturing a high-quality color filter.

In addition, with the diversification of OA equipment, color filters used in flat panel displays are required to have high quality and to have various aspects in terms of pixel size and arrangement. . However, at present, it is difficult to satisfy the diversified requirements as described above with a single manufacturing apparatus, and it is also desired to provide a high-quality color filter manufacturing apparatus and method capable of responding to diversified requirements. Was.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and has as its object to provide a color filter manufacturing apparatus and a manufacturing method capable of manufacturing a high-quality color filter.

[0007]

According to the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, a pixel material is discharged from a plurality of nozzle units by an ink jet method to form a pixel material droplet.
An apparatus for manufacturing a color filter in which the discharged pixel material droplets are attached in a predetermined arrangement order in the X direction and the Y direction of a transparent substrate to form a large number of pixels, and a path for supplying a pixel material to each of the nozzle units Further, a filter to which vibration is applied by the vibrating means is arranged.

[0008] Preferably, a temperature control means for controlling the temperature of the pixel material from outside the filter is provided. In order to achieve the above object, the pixel material is ejected from a plurality of nozzle units to form pixel material droplets by an inkjet method, and the ejected pixel material droplets are arranged in a predetermined arrangement order in the X direction and the Y direction on the transparent substrate. A method of manufacturing a color filter to be attached in a large number of pixels,
The structure is such that the pixel material is filtered while applying vibration and supplied to each of the nozzle units. Preferably, the temperature of the pixel material is controlled at a position where the vibration is applied.

[0009]

1 and 2 show an embodiment of a color filter manufacturing apparatus and method according to the present invention.
It will be described in detail based on. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a color filter manufacturing apparatus to which the color filter manufacturing method of the present invention is applied.

An apparatus for manufacturing a color filter (hereinafter referred to as “manufacturing apparatus”) 1 includes a plurality of nozzle units 2, an ink tank 3, a pressurizing unit 4 and a volume control unit 5. The plurality of nozzle units 2 are provided for each color of red, green, and blue, and discharge ink droplets of each color from each nozzle unit 2 to form a color pattern including a large number of pixels P in a predetermined arrangement order. Is formed on the transparent substrate G. Each nozzle unit 2 includes a discharge nozzle (not shown),
It has a piezoelectric vibrating element, a charging electrode, and a deflecting electrode. At this time, the charging electrode applies a predetermined charge to the ink droplet by a pulse voltage applied based on a predetermined information signal. On the other hand, the ink droplet charged by the charging electrode is deflected in the X direction indicated by an arrow on the transparent substrate G according to the charge level by the deflection electrode, and adheres to a predetermined position to become a pixel. I do.

The ink droplets that have not adhered to the transparent substrate G are collected by a gutter (not shown). Further, a black matrix is formed on the transparent substrate G in advance, but is omitted in FIGS. 1 and 2. Although illustration of a predetermined number of ink tanks 3 is omitted, each ink tank 3 is provided for each ink of each color and stores ink for each color.

The pressurizing means 4 is means for pressure-feeding the ink stored in the ink tank 3 to each nozzle unit 2 via a pipe 10, and uses a pump. The volume control means 5 controls so that the volume difference between the ink droplets ejected from each of the ejection nozzles in the plurality of adjacent nozzle units 2 is within 3%. Specifically, the discharge pressure of the pressurizing means 4 is controlled by using a regulator, the frequency of generating ink droplets is adjusted by using a function generator, or the discharge amount is preferably reduced from nozzles having different diameters. Are controlled so that the volume difference between the ink droplets ejected from each ejection nozzle is within 3%, for example, by adjusting the frequency or pressure for the portion that cannot be absorbed.

[0013] The volume difference of ink between adjacent pixels is 3%
Is clearly exceeded, the optical density unevenness of the pixel may become noticeable to the naked eye. As a method of confirming the volume difference, there is a method of confirming the film thickness of the formed film using a film thickness meter or the like. The manufacturing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment is configured as described above, and manufactures a high-quality color filter according to a manufacturing method described below. Here, the inks of the respective colors stored in the respective ink tanks 3 are pressurized by the pressurizing means 4 and are pressure-fed to the respective nozzle units 2 through the pipes 10. A description will be given of a color, for example, a red ink, and a description of other colors of ink will be omitted.

First, the red ink stored in the ink tank 3 is pressurized by the pressurizing means 4 and sent to each nozzle unit 2 through the pipe 10 under pressure. Next, in each of the nozzle units 2, the ink is divided by a voltage of a predetermined period applied to the piezoelectric vibrating element to form an ink droplet.
Then, after each of the divided ink droplets is given a predetermined charge from the charging electrode, the flight path is changed by the electric field from the deflection electrode on the transparent substrate G in the X and Y directions indicated by arrows according to the charge level. And adheres to a predetermined position to be a pixel.

In this manner, the transparent substrate G on which the color pattern composed of a large number of pixels in a predetermined arrangement order set in advance by the ink droplets of each color is formed is subjected to each processing such as temporary curing of ink and main curing. After the application, a color filter as a final product is obtained through a process of forming a protective film, a transparent electrode and the like. At this time, in the manufacturing apparatus 1 to which the method for manufacturing a color filter of the present invention is applied, the ejection pressure control unit 11 and the droplet generation signal generation unit 12 use the ink ejected from each of the ejection nozzles in a plurality of adjacent nozzle units 2. The volume difference between the droplets is controlled to be within 3%. Therefore, in a large number of pixels of each color formed on the transparent substrate G, the amount of ink between the pixels is substantially equal for each color. As a result, in the transparent substrate G, the occurrence of color unevenness between pixels is suppressed, so that a high-quality color filter is manufactured as a final product.

Here, the above embodiment has described the case where a high quality color filter is manufactured by controlling the volume difference between ink droplets. However, it is needless to say that the means for achieving the object is not limited to this, and the means will be briefly described below. First, the discharge control means 6
May be provided to control the order in which signals are applied to the nozzles. As the ejection control means 6, for example, a personal computer or the like is used, and each of the plurality of nozzle units 2 is controlled in a predetermined desired ejection order. The control means 6 can freely change the order in which the charged voltage signals are applied to the nozzles, and control the operation order of the plurality of nozzle units 2 and, accordingly, the ejection order of the plurality of nozzle units 2.

In the control of the ejection order, for example, in the case of red ink, as shown in FIG. 2, the first nozzle unit 21 to the third nozzle unit 23 are controlled. As shown in FIG. 2 (a), ink droplets are applied, and then the second
An ink droplet is applied as shown in FIG. Thereafter, when the ink droplets are applied by the third nozzle unit 23, FIG.
The pattern shown in (c) is formed. Hereinafter, the application of the ink droplets is repeated in the same order.

As described above, when the coating is performed in a predetermined desired order, the discharge flow rate difference among the plurality of nozzle units 21 to 23 is averaged. As a result, the transparent substrate G
In many pixels formed of each color to be formed, color unevenness between pixels is suppressed, and a high-quality color filter can be manufactured as a final product. In addition, as shown in FIG. 1, even when the filter 7 is disposed in the pipe 10, a high quality color filter can be manufactured.

That is, the filter 7 is for filtering dust and coagulated pigment in the ink, and uses a metal mesh. The filter 7 has an average filtration size of 2/5 or less of the nozzle diameter of the discharge nozzle in the nozzle unit 2,
More preferably, it is set to 1/5 or less of the nozzle diameter. When the average filtration size is larger than 2/5 of the nozzle diameter,
The dust and the aggregated pigment in the ink are sent to each nozzle unit 2 without being captured by the filter 7. As a result, these are clogged at the discharge nozzles, disturbing the flight path of the discharged ink, and hindering the production of high-quality color filters. On the other hand, if the average filtration size is extremely smaller than the nozzle diameter, the filter 7 is likely to be clogged, which is not preferable. The average filtration size is
Preferably, it exceeds 0.5 μm. And filter 7
Is subjected to ultrasonic vibration by the vibration means 8. The average filtration size refers to a size that allows the filter to remove 95% or more of particles of that size on average.

The vibrating means 8 is disposed at a portion of the pipe 10 where the filter 7 is provided, and includes an ultrasonic bath 8a and an ultrasonic vibrator 8b.
The ultrasonic bath 8a is filled with water up to the upper portion of the filter 7, and the water in the bath is cooled by the heat exchanger 9. As the ultrasonic vibrator 8b, for example, nickel,
A ferrite or the like having an output level of 100 to 600 W and a frequency of 30 to 60 kHz is used. Therefore, the vibration means 8 applies ultrasonic vibration from outside the filter 7,
Dust and agglomerated pigments in the ink captured by the filter 7 are destroyed, thereby preventing the filter 7 from being clogged.

The heat exchanger 9 cools the water in the ultrasonic bath 8a, and thereby cools the ink whose temperature is increased by the vibration of the ultrasonic vibrator 8b, thereby suppressing the change in the viscosity of the ink. By arranging the filter 7 in the pipe 10 in this manner, dust and agglomerated pigment are removed from the ink that is pressure-fed to the plurality of nozzle units 2. Therefore, in the manufacturing apparatus 1, clogging of the discharge nozzle is prevented, and disturbance of the flight path of the ink droplet due to clogging is suppressed. As a result, the manufacturing apparatus 1 can make the ink droplets adhere to the transparent substrate G with high accuracy, and can manufacture a color filter having extremely excellent quality.
In addition, the ink whose temperature is raised by using the vibration means 8 is
Since the water is cooled by the water in the ultrasonic bath 8a cooled by the heat exchanger 9 and the change in viscosity is suppressed, the flight path of the ink droplet is appropriately maintained from this point.

[0022]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the color filter manufacturing apparatus and method according to the first and third aspects of the present invention, dust and the like in the pixel material captured by the filter are reduced. Since the agglomerated pigment is destroyed and clogging of the filter is prevented, the object of manufacturing a high-quality color filter can be achieved.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus and method for manufacturing a color filter, comprising: a temperature control unit for controlling the temperature of the pixel material from outside the filter. , The change in viscosity due to the temperature change of the pixel material is suppressed, so that the flight path of the pixel material droplet is properly maintained, and therefore, the quality of the color filter to be manufactured is further improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a manufacturing apparatus to which a method for manufacturing a color filter of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a process diagram schematically showing a case where a plurality of nozzle units are controlled in a desired discharge order by a discharge control unit in the manufacturing apparatus of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Manufacturing apparatus 2 Nozzle unit 3 Ink tank 4 Pressurization means 4 5 Volume control means 6 Discharge control means 7 Filter 8 Vibration means 8a Ultrasonic tank 8b Ultrasonic transducer 9 Heat exchanger 10 Pipe G Transparent substrate P Pixel

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A pixel material is ejected from a plurality of nozzle units to form pixel material droplets by an inkjet method, and the ejected pixel material droplets are adhered in a predetermined arrangement order in the X direction and the Y direction of a transparent substrate. An apparatus for manufacturing a color filter having a large number of pixels, wherein a filter to which vibration is applied by vibrating means is disposed in a path for supplying pixel material to each of the nozzle units. Manufacturing equipment. 2. The color filter manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a temperature control unit that controls the temperature of the pixel material from outside the filter. 3. A pixel material is ejected from a plurality of nozzle units to form pixel material droplets by an ink-jet method, and the ejected pixel material droplets are adhered in a predetermined arrangement order in the X direction and the Y direction of the transparent substrate. A method of manufacturing a color filter having a large number of pixels, wherein the pixel material is filtered while applying vibration and supplied to each of the nozzle units. 4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising controlling a temperature of the pixel material at a position where the vibration is applied.