JPH11174468A - Method of sticking liquid crystal display panel and device therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method of sticking a liquid crystal panel and a device therefor capable of efficiently radiating light even to a photo-setting adhesive in the part of shadows of gate wiring and drain wiring. SOLUTION: This device is provided with a stage 12 holding a liquid crystal panel 11 consisting of two glass substrates stuck beforehand via photo-setting adhesive, a light radiating part 15 having a linear light source radiating light to the liquid crystal panel and a light-condensing device, a light source scanning mechanism 16 for moving the light radiating part in the direction horizontal to the liquid crystal panel and a pressurizing mechanism 19 for pressurizing the liquid crystal panel in the direction vertical to the surface. At this time, this device is constituted so that the light radiating part is installed to radiate light to the liquid crystal display panel from the direction tilted by a prescribed angle to the upper surface of the liquid crystal display panel and the light source scanning mechanism scans the light radiating part in the diagonal direction to the end face of the liquid crystal display panel.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for bonding a liquid crystal display panel, and more particularly to a method of irradiating a photo-curable adhesive interposed between two substrates with light to cure the same. The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for bonding a liquid crystal display panel for bonding substrates.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 6 is a view showing an example of a color liquid crystal panel. In FIG.
62 is a TFT substrate, 63 is a spacer for holding a gap, 64 is a color filter substrate 61 and a TFT substrate 6
An adhesive (seal) for bonding 2 and 65 are liquid crystals. In FIG. 6, various thin films such as a liquid crystal alignment film and an ITO film formed on the color filter substrate 61 or the TFT substrate 62 are omitted for easy understanding. The adhesive 64 is disposed so as to surround the display area of the liquid crystal panel, and has a line width of about 0.3 to 2.0 mm.

FIG. 7 is a view showing a state in which an adhesive 72 is applied on a glass substrate 71. Usually, a plurality of (two in FIG. 7) liquid crystal panels are manufactured from one set of substrates. An adhesive 72 is applied so as to surround each product, and a part thereof is provided with an injection hole 73 for injecting liquid crystal after bonding two glass substrates 71 together.

A liquid crystal panel is composed of a color filter substrate and a TF.
After separately preparing T substrates, a spacer is sandwiched between the two substrates, the substrates are bonded together via an adhesive, the adhesive is cured, the liquid crystal is injected, and the injection hole is sealed with a sealing material.

Conventionally, a thermosetting adhesive has been used as an adhesive for bonding two glass substrates.
A processing temperature of about 0 ° C. is required, and there has been a problem that two glass substrates are displaced during bonding and curing due to thermal expansion of the glass substrates, thereby causing defects.

For this reason, a photo-curable adhesive has been developed,
After curing with light without applying heat, and bonding the two substrates together, or half-curing the adhesive with light and temporarily bonding the two substrates to eliminate the problem of substrate displacement, then heating A method of fully curing the adhesive has been performed.

However, there are the following problems in irradiating the photo-curable adhesive with light to cure it.

In the area where the adhesive of the color filter substrate is disposed, a thin film of Cr or the like is laminated as a black matrix for the purpose of preventing light leakage around the liquid crystal panel. Can not be irradiated. Therefore, in order to irradiate light to the liquid crystal panel in which the two substrates of the TFT substrate and the CF substrate are bonded to cure the adhesive, the light is irradiated from the TFT substrate side.
However, a gate wiring and a drain wiring made of a metal thin film such as Cr are provided in a part of a region of the TFT substrate where the adhesive is provided.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an enlarged state of the pixel portion and the region where the adhesive is disposed on the TFT substrate. The R (red), G (green), and B (blue) pixels all have
Since the gate wiring 81 and the drain wiring 82 are provided,
The gate wiring 81 and the drain wiring 82 are also provided in the area where the adhesive 83 is provided in the periphery of the liquid crystal panel. The vertical and horizontal lengths of these one set of R, G and B pixels are equal, and the length is 50 to 500 μm. Therefore, in the region where the adhesive 83 and the gate wiring 81 are provided, one gate wiring 81 having a width of 10 to 50 μm is provided for the length of the adhesive of 50 to 500 μm. In the area where the wiring 82 is arranged, 50
Three drain wirings 82 each having a thickness of 10 to 50 μm are provided for a thickness of 500 μm.

In the area where the adhesive 83 is disposed, a portion having the gate wiring 81 or the drain wiring 82 is shaded by a gate line or a source line when light is irradiated from above, and the adhesive 83 is irradiated with light. Can not do it.

In order to solve such a problem, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 8-97020 proposes a method as shown in FIG.

[0012] Here, the two bonded together via an adhesive.
The glass substrate 91 is irradiated with light from a light irradiator 92 provided above the glass substrate 91, and the pressure is applied in a direction in which the two glass substrates 91 are relatively close to each other. Glass 9 with fine irregularities on the surface
When scattered light irradiates the glass substrate 91 from an oblique direction when the light is diffused through the glass substrate 91, the light is also irradiated to the shaded portions of the gate wiring and the drain wiring, and the adhesive is adhered. The agent is cured.

[0013]

As described above, in the conventional method, light is scattered through ground glass having fine irregularities on the surface, and the light is irradiated to the photocurable adhesive from an oblique direction of the substrate. Although the adhesive is cured, the scattered light is incident on the substrate at a random angle with respect to the substrate surface, so that the scattered light is incident on the adhesive behind the gate wiring and the drain wiring from an oblique direction of the substrate. The amount of light emitted is less because it is part of the scattered light. Therefore, in the above method, the use efficiency of light is low in curing the adhesive in the shaded portion of the black matrix, and in order to sufficiently cure the photocurable adhesive, it is necessary to irradiate light for a long time, There is a problem that the manufacturing efficiency of the liquid crystal display panel is reduced.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for bonding a liquid crystal display panel, which can efficiently irradiate light even to a photo-curable adhesive located in a shadow portion of a gate wiring and a drain wiring. Is to do.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for bonding a liquid crystal display panel, which can improve the production efficiency of a liquid crystal display panel by curing a photocurable adhesive in a short time. It is in.

[0016]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention, which achieves the above object, comprises a method for bonding a liquid crystal display panel in which two glass substrates are bonded via a photo-curable adhesive.
A liquid crystal display panel formed by bonding two glass substrates in advance via a photo-curable adhesive is irradiated with light from a linear light source obliquely to the upper surface of one of the glass substrates, and Light is emitted while scanning the linear light source in an oblique direction with respect to the end face of the display panel.

In the present invention, since the light from the linear light source is condensed linearly and irradiated on the liquid crystal display panel while scanning the linear light source from a diagonal direction in a horizontal direction, the gate wiring and the drain wiring are formed. The adhesive located in the shadow area is also efficiently irradiated with light having sufficient intensity, and sufficient curing can be performed in a short time.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a TFT substrate and a color filter substrate are used as two glass substrates which have been bonded in advance via a photo-curable adhesive, and the two substrates are bonded from the TFT substrate side. It is characterized by irradiating light from a linear light source.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the method for bonding a liquid crystal display panel, light is emitted while scanning the linear light source in a direction at an angle of about 45 ° with respect to an end face of the liquid crystal display panel. I do.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for bonding a liquid crystal display panel, comprising: a liquid crystal display panel comprising two glass substrates bonded in advance via a photo-curable adhesive; A stage for applying pressure to the liquid crystal display panel, a light irradiator having a linear light source for irradiating the liquid crystal display panel with light, and a light condensing device; and A light source scanning mechanism for moving the light source scanning mechanism, wherein the light irradiating unit is installed so as to irradiate the liquid crystal display panel with light from a direction inclined by a predetermined angle with respect to the upper surface of the liquid crystal display panel, and the light source scanning mechanism is provided. Is characterized in that the light irradiating unit is configured to scan the light irradiating unit in an oblique direction with respect to an end surface of the liquid crystal display panel.

In the present invention, since the light from the linear light source of the light irradiating section is condensed linearly and radiated to the liquid crystal display panel from an oblique direction and irradiated while scanning in a horizontal direction by a light source scanning mechanism. In addition, the adhesive located in the shadow of the gate wiring and the drain wiring is efficiently irradiated with light having sufficient intensity, and sufficient curing can be performed in a short time.

In the liquid crystal display panel bonding apparatus according to a fifth aspect, the light source scanning mechanism includes a guide groove or a guide rail for scanning the light irradiation section obliquely to an end face of the liquid crystal display panel. And a drive device for scanning the light irradiation section along the guide groove or guide rail.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, a TFT substrate and a color filter substrate are used as two glass substrates which are bonded in advance through a photo-curing adhesive, and the liquid crystal display panel is bonded from the TFT substrate side. It is characterized by irradiating light from a light irradiating section.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, the light source scanning mechanism scans the linear light source in a direction at an angle of about 45 ° with respect to an end face of the liquid crystal display panel. And

In the liquid crystal display panel bonding apparatus according to claim 8, the light irradiating section includes a linear light source having a length capable of covering the entire diagonal width of the liquid crystal display panel, and the liquid crystal display panel. It is characterized by comprising a light condensing device comprising a reflecting mirror or a lens for condensing the light irradiated on the panel on a line.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, the apparatus for bonding a liquid crystal display panel further comprises a heating mechanism for applying heat to the liquid crystal display panel.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, the liquid crystal display panel bonding apparatus further comprises a cooling mechanism for cooling the liquid crystal display panel.

[0028]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a liquid crystal display panel bonding apparatus for bonding two substrates with a photocurable adhesive.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 11 denotes a liquid crystal display panel comprising a TFT substrate and a color filter substrate bonded together via a photo-curable adhesive, and a heating mechanism 13 and a cooling mechanism 14 are arranged with the TFT substrate facing upward. Stage 12 to prepare
Is placed on top. Reference numeral 15 denotes a light irradiator provided with a linear light source and a light condensing device, 16 denotes a light source scanning mechanism of the light irradiator 15, and 17 denotes light for irradiating the light from the light irradiator 15 to the liquid crystal display panel 11. Processing chamber with transmission window 18, 1
9 denotes two liquid crystal display panels 11 in the processing chamber 17.
Is a press machine that applies pressure in the direction perpendicular to the surface.

The light irradiating section 15 includes a lamp 15a as a linear light source and a reflecting mirror (concave mirror) as a light condensing device for condensing the light of the linear light source linearly on the opposite side to the substrate as shown in FIG. ) 15b. Further, a structure using a quartz glass lens may be used instead of the reflecting mirror 15b for condensing light.

When the light irradiating section 15 is moved at an angle of about 45 ° with respect to the end face of the liquid crystal display panel 11, as shown in FIG.
One has a length that can cover the entire diagonal width.

The light source scanning mechanism 16 is a device for moving the light irradiating section 15 in the horizontal direction. As will be described later, the linear light source is turned at an angle of about 45 ° with respect to the end face of the liquid crystal display panel 11. Move parallel to the top.

The light source scanning mechanism 16 holds, for example, a guide groove or guide rail extending at an angle of about 45 ° with respect to the end face of the liquid crystal display panel 11 and a leg portion of the light irradiating section 15 to hold the guide groove or guide. It can be configured by a driving device that moves the light irradiation unit 15 along a rail by driving a motor. The structure of the light source scanning mechanism 16 is not limited to the above example, and may be any structure that can move the light irradiation unit 15 at an angle of about 45 ° with respect to the end surface of the liquid crystal display panel 11. Various structures can be considered.

When the TFT substrate and the color filter substrate are bonded with an ultraviolet-curable adhesive, an ultraviolet lamp is used as the lamp 15a of the light irradiation section 15.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the bonding between the TFT substrate and the color filter substrate is performed as follows.

(1) The liquid crystal display panel 11 composed of a TFT substrate and a color filter substrate bonded together with a photo-curing adhesive on the stage 12 in the processing chamber 17 is mounted with the TFT substrate facing upward. .

(2) The stage 12 is raised by a stage lifting mechanism (not shown) until the liquid crystal display panel 11 comes into contact with the light transmission window 18. The liquid crystal display panel 11 is sandwiched between the stage 12 and the light transmitting window 18 by the stage elevating mechanism, and a pressure in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the liquid crystal display panel 11 is applied. The pressure on the liquid crystal display panel 11 is applied by the stage 12 and the light transmission window 18 so as to be uniform throughout the liquid crystal display panel 11.

(3) Light is emitted from the cotton light source 15 provided with the light condensing device. Here, as shown in FIG.
The light from 5 passes through the light transmitting window 18 and obliquely enters the TFT substrate 21 in contact with the light transmitting window 18. TFT substrate 2
The light transmitted through 1 irradiates a photo-curable adhesive 23 interposed between the TFT substrate 21 and the color filter substrate 22 to cure the adhesive 23.

(4) While irradiating light from the light irradiating section 15, the light irradiating section 15 is moved in the horizontal direction by the light source scanning mechanism 16 of the light irradiating section 15 to scan so that the light irradiates the entire substrate. This cures the adhesive 23 on the entire surface of the substrate.

(5) As shown in FIG. 3, the TFT substrate 21
Since the light reflected by the black matrix 32 made of the metal on the color filter substrate 22 goes around the adhesive 23 shaded by the gate line or the source line 31 made of the upper metal, sufficient irradiation for curing is given. Can be

(6) As shown in FIG. 3, the light from the light irradiating section 15 irradiates the upper surface of the liquid crystal display panel 11 obliquely, and as shown in FIG. Since the scanning is performed at an angle of about 45 ° with respect to the end face of the liquid crystal display panel 11, as shown in FIG. 5, light from the light irradiating section 15 is applied to a gate wiring 51 and a drain wiring 52 located parallel to the substrate end face. In contrast, irradiation is performed from an angle of 45 degrees. According to this method, the adhesive 23 in the shaded portion of the gate wiring 51 and the drain wiring 52 can be cured by one irradiation.

(7) If necessary, the base layer is heated by the heating mechanism 13 of the stage during or after the light irradiation to cure the adhesive.

(8) When the substrate is unnecessarily heated by the heat from the light source during the light irradiation, the liquid crystal display panel 11 is cooled by the cooling mechanism 14 of the stage.

In the conventional method shown in FIG.
While it takes about 120 seconds to cure the adhesive on a substrate having a size of × 460 mm, according to the manufacturing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention, the adhesive is cured in about 30 seconds on the same size substrate. , And the curing time of the adhesive can be greatly reduced. Also, the adhesive located behind the black matrix could be sufficiently cured in a short time.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but can be variously modified and implemented within the scope of the technical idea.

[0046]

As described above, according to the method and apparatus for bonding a liquid crystal display panel of the present invention, first, light is scanned from the oblique direction of the liquid crystal display panel while the light source scans the entire liquid crystal display panel. By irradiating, the adhesive is cured by irradiating light, so that the adhesive located in the shadow of the gate wiring and drain wiring is also efficiently irradiated with light of sufficient intensity, so that sufficient curing of the adhesive can be performed in a short time. Can be done at Thereby, the manufacturing efficiency of the liquid crystal display panel can be improved.

Secondly, by condensing light with a lens or a reflecting mirror and irradiating the adhesive, the adhesive can be efficiently cured.

Third, by providing a heating mechanism and a cooling mechanism for the liquid crystal display panel on the stage for holding the liquid crystal display panel, the insufficiently hardened portion is heated to be additionally cured. And curing of the adhesive which needs to be heated after light irradiation can be performed. In addition, the cooling mechanism can prevent unnecessary heating of the liquid crystal display panel due to heat from the light source.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a liquid crystal display panel bonding apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a light transmission path to a TFT substrate and a color filter substrate bonded together via a photocurable adhesive according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a light path in the vicinity of an adhesive between a TFT substrate and a color filter substrate bonded together via a photocurable adhesive according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a scanning direction of a linear light beam with respect to the substrate according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a light irradiation direction of a linear light source according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a structure of a color liquid crystal panel.

FIG. 7 is a view showing a state in which an adhesive is applied to a glass substrate.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of a pixel portion on a TFT substrate and an enlarged view of a region where an adhesive is provided.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a conventional liquid crystal display panel bonding apparatus in which two glass substrates are bonded via a photocurable adhesive.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Liquid crystal display panel 12 Stage 13 Heating mechanism 14 Cooling mechanism 15 Light irradiation part 15a Lamp 15b Reflector 16 Light source scanning mechanism 17 Processing room 18 Light transmission window 19 Pressing mechanism 21 TFT substrate 22 Color filter substrate 23 Light curing adhesive 31 gate wiring or drain wiring 32 black matrix 51 gate wiring 52 drain wiring

Claims (10)

[Claims] In a method for bonding a liquid crystal display panel, wherein two glass substrates are bonded via a photo-curable adhesive, the two glass substrates are bonded together via a photo-curable adhesive in advance. A liquid crystal display panel is irradiated with light from a linear light source obliquely to the upper surface of one of the glass substrates, and the light is scanned while scanning the linear light source obliquely to an end face of the liquid crystal display panel. And a method of bonding liquid crystal display panels. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein a TFT substrate and a color filter substrate are used as two glass substrates bonded in advance via a photo-curable adhesive, and light from the linear light source is irradiated from the TFT substrate side. 2. The method for bonding liquid crystal display panels according to claim 1. 3. The liquid crystal display panel according to claim 1, wherein the end face of the liquid crystal display panel is about 4
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein light is emitted while scanning the linear light source in a direction forming an angle of 5 [deg.]. 4. A stage for holding a liquid crystal display panel composed of two glass substrates bonded in advance via a photo-curable adhesive by applying a pressure in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the liquid crystal display panel; A light irradiating unit having a linear light source that irradiates light to the liquid crystal display panel and a light condensing device; and a light source scanning mechanism that moves the light irradiating unit in a horizontal direction with respect to the liquid crystal display panel. A light irradiating unit is installed so as to irradiate the liquid crystal display panel with light from a direction inclined by a predetermined angle with respect to the upper surface of the liquid crystal display panel, and the light source scanning mechanism is provided with respect to an end surface of the liquid crystal display panel. A device for bonding a liquid crystal display panel, wherein the light irradiating section is scanned in an oblique direction. 5. The light source scanning mechanism includes: a guide groove or a guide rail for scanning the light irradiating section in an oblique direction with respect to an end surface of the liquid crystal display panel; and the light source along the guide groove or the guide rail. The device for bonding a liquid crystal display panel according to claim 4, comprising a driving device for scanning the irradiation unit. 6. A method according to claim 1, wherein a TFT substrate and a color filter substrate are used as two glass substrates bonded in advance via a photo-curable adhesive, and the light from the light irradiation section is irradiated from the TFT substrate side. A bonding apparatus for a liquid crystal display panel according to claim 4, wherein: 7. The liquid crystal display panel according to claim 4, wherein the light source scanning mechanism scans the linear light source in a direction making an angle of about 45 ° with an end face of the liquid crystal display panel. Bonding equipment. 8. The light irradiating unit is a linear light source having a length capable of covering the entire diagonal width of the liquid crystal display panel, and condensing light irradiating the liquid crystal display panel on a line. 5. The apparatus for bonding a liquid crystal display panel according to claim 4, wherein the apparatus comprises a light condensing device including a reflecting mirror or a lens. 9. The apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a heating mechanism for applying heat to the liquid crystal display panel. 10. The apparatus for bonding a liquid crystal display panel according to claim 4, further comprising a cooling mechanism for cooling the liquid crystal display panel.