KR100816341B1 - System for manufacturing liquid crystal display and method for manufacturing the display - Google Patents

Abstract

 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a system for manufacturing a liquid crystal display and a method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display using the same. In order to increase productivity and process reliability, a plurality of manufacturing apparatuses for liquid crystal cell operations and a manufacturing apparatus for alignment processing operations are inlined. line). A system for manufacturing a liquid crystal display device according to the present invention includes a first substrate manufacturing device and a second substrate manufacturing device for manufacturing a first substrate and a second substrate for a liquid crystal display device, respectively; An alignment film applying apparatus for applying the alignment film on the first substrate and the second substrate; UV exposure apparatus for aligning the alignment film, sealing material printing apparatus for printing the sealing material on the alignment film on one of the first substrate and the second substrate, on the alignment film on one of the first substrate and the second substrate An integrated manufacturing unit in which a liquid crystal dropping device for dropping liquid crystal, a sealing material or a substrate bonding device for bonding the first substrate and the second substrate on which the liquid crystal is dropped is designed inline.

 Inline, integrated work unit, productivity, process reliability

Description

System for manufacturing liquid crystal display device and method for manufacturing liquid crystal display device using the same {SYSTEM FOR MANUFACTURING LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE DISPLAY}

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a system for manufacturing a liquid crystal display device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

2 and 3 are views schematically illustrating an alignment treatment operation and a sealing material curing operation in the UV exposure apparatus of the liquid crystal display device manufacturing system according to an embodiment of the present invention,

4 is a flowchart of a manufacturing process using a system for manufacturing a liquid crystal display device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The present invention relates to a system for manufacturing a liquid crystal display device and a method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display device using the same.

The liquid crystal display device is composed of upper and lower substrates on which electrodes are formed and liquid crystal materials injected therebetween. Such a liquid crystal display displays an image by applying an electric field to the liquid crystal material injected between two substrates by using an electrode, and adjusting the intensity of the electric field to adjust the amount of light transmitted through the substrate.

In general, a manufacturing process of a liquid crystal display device includes a substrate manufacturing process for forming a wiring pattern, a switching element, and the like on a glass substrate, and a liquid crystal cell for sealing a liquid crystal material between an alignment process, an arrangement of spacers, and an opposing glass substrate. And a module process for attaching a driver IC, attaching a back light, and the like.

In these processes, a plurality of liquid crystal cell regions serving as unit liquid crystal display devices are simultaneously formed on a single mother glass to improve productivity, and are cut and separated for each unit cell in a liquid crystal cell process.

The liquid crystal cell process in the manufacturing process of the liquid crystal display device is proceeding by injecting a liquid crystal material in a vacuum state by using a pressure difference between the inside and outside of the liquid crystal cell. To this end, an alignment film for orienting liquid crystal molecules of a liquid crystal material is coated on two substrates, an alignment treatment is performed, and one of the substrates has a spacer for maintaining a constant cell gap, and a sealing material having a liquid crystal injection hole is provided on the substrate. Print around. Subsequently, the two substrates are aligned, and then the two substrates are attached to each other by a thermosetting sealant, a liquid crystal material is injected between the two substrates through a liquid crystal injection hole, and then the liquid crystal injection hole is sealed.

In the liquid crystal cell process by this method, the manufacturing apparatus for advancing each unit process is designed as an inline system in order to increase productivity. However, in the method of injecting the liquid crystal material in a vacuum state, the time required for each unit process is not constant, and the time required for the unit process varies according to the driving method of the liquid crystal display device. Because it is made of a cell process, it is difficult to design each manufacturing apparatus of a unit process in an inline or automated process, and thus there is a limit in increasing productivity.

However, the substrate is contaminated because a series of processes for manufacturing the liquid crystal display device are carried out at each facility, and the substrates are transported into and out of each manufacturing facility while transporting the substrate into and out of the manufacturing line. This leads to problems of low productivity, such as poor manufacturing process reliability and complicated production processes.

An object of the present invention is to provide a liquid crystal display device manufacturing system and a liquid crystal display device manufacturing method capable of increasing productivity and process reliability.

In order to solve this technical problem, a plurality of manufacturing apparatuses for liquid crystal cell operation and a manufacturing apparatus for alignment treatment operation are designed in-line.

Specifically, the system for manufacturing a liquid crystal display device according to the present invention includes a first substrate manufacturing device and a second substrate manufacturing device for manufacturing a first substrate and a second substrate for a liquid crystal display device, respectively; An alignment film applying apparatus for applying the alignment film on the first substrate and the second substrate; UV exposure apparatus for aligning the alignment film, sealing material printing apparatus for printing the sealing material on the alignment film on one of the first and second substrates, on the alignment film on one of the first and second substrates A liquid crystal dropping device for dropping a liquid crystal, a sealing material, or an integrated manufacturing unit in which a substrate bonding device for bonding a first substrate and a second substrate on which a liquid crystal is dropped is designed inline. Here, the operation | work which hardens the sealing material between two board | substrates joined by the UV exposure apparatus can be performed.

The integrated manufacturing unit may be provided with a transport robot that facilitates loading and unloading of the substrate into the UV exposure apparatus, the sealing material printing apparatus, the liquid crystal dropping apparatus, and the substrate bonding apparatus. In addition, the UV exposure apparatus, the sealing material printing apparatus, the liquid crystal dropping apparatus, and the substrate bonding apparatus may be provided with an internal transmission line for transporting the substrate to the apparatuses. In addition, the integrated manufacturing unit may be provided with an apparatus for carrying in and loading the substrate into the integrated manufacturing unit and an unloading apparatus for loading the substrate before carrying it out of the integrated manufacturing unit.

As a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display device using such a liquid crystal display device manufacturing system, first, two substrates for a liquid crystal display device are manufactured, and then an alignment layer is coated on each of the two substrates, and then each of the alignment layers is formed using UV light. Orientation treatment. Next, after the sealing material is printed on the alignment film on one of the two substrates, the liquid crystal is dropped on the alignment film on one of the two substrates. Then, after bonding the two substrates on which the sealing material is printed or the liquid crystal is dropped, the sealing material between the two bonded substrates is cured using UV light.

Here, the step of orientation treatment and the step of curing the sealant may proceed in the same UV exposure apparatus.                     

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described in detail the present invention.

1 illustrates a schematic configuration diagram of a system for manufacturing a liquid crystal display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

In the present invention, a plurality of manufacturing apparatuses for the liquid crystal cell operation and a manufacturing apparatus for the alignment treatment operation are designed in-line. Here, designing a manufacturing device inline refers to integrating several processes into a set of machines, ie, inside a manufacturing line. As described above, in the manufacturing process applying the inline system, the process time is shortened and the defect rate is also lowered, resulting in a high productivity.

In the system for manufacturing a liquid crystal display device according to the embodiment of the present invention, the first substrate manufacturing equipment 10, the second substrate manufacturing equipment 20, the alignment film applying apparatus 31, the low temperature drying apparatus 32, and the UV exposure apparatus ( 42, the sealing material printing apparatus 44, the liquid crystal dropping apparatus 45, and the board | substrate bonding apparatus 46 are arranged.

In the 1st board | substrate manufacturing facility 10, a switching element, a pixel electrode, etc. are formed on an insulated substrate, and the lower board | substrate for liquid crystal display devices, ie, a 1st board | substrate is manufactured. The manufacturing of the first substrate is performed through a plurality of manufacturing processes in a plurality of manufacturing apparatuses. In FIG. 1, for the convenience of description, the plurality of manufacturing apparatuses are illustrated as being integrated into the first substrate manufacturing facility 10.

In the 2nd board | substrate manufacturing facility 20, a color filter, a common electrode, etc. are formed on an insulated substrate, and the upper substrate for liquid crystal display devices, ie, a 2nd board | substrate is manufactured. Like the manufacture of the first substrate, the manufacture of the second substrate is made through a plurality of manufacturing processes in a plurality of manufacturing apparatus, in FIG. 1 for convenience of description, such a plurality of manufacturing apparatuses are provided in the second substrate manufacturing facility 20 ) Is shown as integrated.

In the alignment film coating device 31, an alignment film made of PI (PolyImide) or the like is applied onto the first substrate and the second substrate. PI is a high molecular material organically bonded to the liquid crystal and is used as a liquid crystal aligning agent.

In the low temperature drying apparatus 32, the alignment film formed on the board | substrate is dried at low temperature.

In the UV exposure apparatus 42, the predetermined pattern formed on the board | substrate is exposed by UV light. The UV light is used to perform an alignment operation for performing an alignment treatment on an alignment film formed on a substrate, or to perform a curing operation for curing a sealing material formed on a substrate. At this time, the light pattern masks used for the alignment operation and the curing operation are different from each other.

When the alignment operation is performed in the UV exposure apparatus 42, the alignment mask M1 as shown in FIG. 2 is used. This alignment mask M1 has an exposure area P1 at a portion corresponding to the alignment film 102 formed on the substrate 101. The shape of the exposure area P1 may be variously set according to process conditions such as a pattern of the alignment layer. When the substrate is scanned with the UV light emitted from the UV exposure machine 401 using the alignment mask M1, the alignment layer 102 on the substrate 101 is pre-tilt angle oriented in a predetermined direction. Will have

In addition, when performing sealing material hardening operation | work in the UV exposure apparatus 42, the sealing material hardening mask M2 as shown in FIG. 3 is used. The sealing material curing mask M2 has an exposure area P2 at a portion corresponding to the sealing material 300 printed on the edges of the two substrates 100 and 200. When the substrate is scanned with UV light emitted from the UV exposure machine 201 using the sealant curing mask M2, the sealant 300 existing between the two substrates 100 and 200 is cured by UV light. . At this time, as the sealing material 300 is cured, the two substrates 100 and 200 are firmly fixed.

In the sealing material printing apparatus 44, the sealing material is printed in a closed curve shape on the substrate. At this time, the sealing material uses a material that can be cured by UV light.

In the liquid crystal dropping device 45, liquid crystal is dropped in a predetermined region on the substrate. The liquid crystal dropping device used in the liquid crystal dropping device 45 may have a dice shape capable of dropping a liquid crystal drop, or may have a sprayer shape capable of spreading the liquid crystal entirely inside the sealant.

In the substrate bonding apparatus 45, after aligning two substrates, that is, the first substrate and the second substrate, the two substrates are bonded by applying pressure to the two substrates.

In the present invention, all of the UV exposure apparatus 42, the sealing material printing apparatus 44, the liquid crystal dropping apparatus 45, and the substrate bonding apparatus 46 are arranged in the integrated manufacturing unit 40. The alignment film alignment operation, the sealant printing operation, the liquid crystal dropping operation, the substrate bonding operation, and the sealing material curing operation, which are operations performed by these manufacturing apparatuses 42, 44, 45, 46, are performed in the integrated manufacturing unit 40, That is, the UV exposure apparatus 42, the sealing material printing apparatus 44, the liquid crystal dropping apparatus 45, and the board | substrate bonding apparatus 46 are integrated so that it may be made in one manufacturing line.

In the integrated manufacturing unit 40, a series of operations in the rod device 41 and the integrated manufacturing unit 40 which receive and wait an external substrate to perform a series of operations in the integrated manufacturing unit 40 are performed. The unloading apparatus 47 which waits for receiving a board | substrate and carrying out to the exterior is provided.

There is a transport robot 48 inside the integrated manufacturing unit 40 to allow the loading and unloading of substrates in the respective devices 41, 42, 44, 45, 46, 47.

On the other hand, each of the devices 42, 44, 45, 46 is connected to an internal transmission line (not shown), so that the devices 42, 44, 45, 46 are connected through the internal transmission line (not shown). Loading and unloading of the substrate of the liver can be made.

As described above, a series of processes for manufacturing a liquid crystal display device such as an alignment film alignment operation, a sealing material printing operation, a liquid crystal dropping operation, a substrate bonding operation, a sealing material curing operation, and the like are performed through one manufacturing facility line. Since the substrate is transported inside, productivity can be increased and the substrate can be prevented from being contaminated.

Next, a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display device using the system for manufacturing such a liquid crystal display device will be described with reference to FIG. 4 and FIGS. 1 to 3.

4 is a schematic flowchart of a process in a system for manufacturing a liquid crystal display according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

First, in a first substrate manufacturing facility 10, a first substrate that is a lower substrate for a liquid crystal display device is manufactured (S10). The switching element, the pixel electrode, and the like are formed on the first substrate through the first substrate manufacturing facility 10.                     

Similarly, the second substrate, which is the upper substrate for the liquid crystal display device, is manufactured in the second substrate manufacturing facility 20 (S10 ′). The color substrate and the common electrode are formed in the second substrate through the second substrate manufacturing facility 20. At this time, the spacer of the form attached to and fixed to the second substrate can be formed together.

Next, after transporting the first substrate to the alignment film applying apparatus 31, the alignment film is applied onto the first substrate in the alignment film applying apparatus 31 (S20). Similarly, the second substrate is also transported to the alignment film applying apparatus 31. After that, the alignment layer is coated on the second substrate by the alignment layer coating device 31 (S30).

Subsequently, the first substrate on which the alignment film is applied is transported to the low temperature drying device 32, and then the alignment film is dried on the low temperature drying device 32 (S25). Similarly, the second substrate on which the alignment film is applied is also low temperature drying device ( After transporting to 32), the alignment film is dried in the low temperature drying apparatus 32 (S25).

Next, each of the first and second substrates to which the dried alignment layer is applied is brought into the integrated manufacturing unit 40, and then the alignment layer alignment, the sealing material printing, the liquid crystal dropping, and the substrate bonding are performed in the integrated manufacturing unit 40. And a series of operations for manufacturing a liquid crystal display device such as sealing material curing.

The operation in the integrated manufacturing unit 40 is described as follows.

First, each of the 1st board | substrate and the 2nd board | substrate to which the dried alignment film was apply | coated was loaded in the loading apparatus 41 inside the integrated manufacturing unit 40, respectively.

Subsequently, each of the first substrate and the second substrate is transported from the load device 41 to the UV exposure apparatus 42.

Next, an alignment treatment operation is performed on the alignment films on the first substrate and the second substrate using the UV light emitted from the UV exposure machine 401 in the exposure apparatus 42 (S30).

To this end, as shown in FIG. 2, the substrate is exposed to UV light. At this time, the substrate is scanned with UV light using the alignment mask M1, and a pretilt angle is formed in a predetermined direction on the alignment film on the substrate through the UV exposure operation.

Subsequently, one of the first substrate and the second substrate, for example, the first substrate on which the alignment treatment operation has been performed, is transported from the UV exposure apparatus 42 to the seal material printing apparatus 44.

Next, in the sealing material printing device 44, the sealing material is printed in a closed curve shape on the alignment layer on the first substrate (S60). The sealant may comprise a spacer. At this time, a material that can be cured by UV light is used as the sealing material.

In addition, the other substrate, for example, the second substrate, of the first substrate and the second substrate on which the alignment treatment operation is performed, is transported from the UV exposure apparatus 42 to the liquid crystal dropping apparatus 45.

Next, in the liquid crystal dropping device 45, a predetermined amount of liquid crystal is dropped on the alignment film on the second substrate (S70).

Subsequently, the first substrate on which the sealing material is printed is transported from the sealing material printing apparatus 44 to the substrate bonding apparatus 46, and at the same time, the second substrate on which liquid crystal is dropped is transferred from the liquid crystal dropping apparatus 45 to the substrate bonding apparatus 46. Shipping to)

Next, in the substrate bonding apparatus 46, the first substrate on which the sealing material is printed and the second substrate on which the liquid crystal is loaded are aligned, and then the two substrates are bonded by applying pressure to the two substrates (S80).

As described above, after the sealing material is printed on one of the two substrates of the liquid crystal display device, the liquid crystal is dropped on the other one of the two substrates of the liquid crystal display device, and the sealing material is printed on the substrate bonding device 46. The board | substrate and the board | substrate with which the liquid crystal was dripped are bonded together.

As another example of such a manufacturing process, the sealing material printing operation and the liquid crystal dropping operation can be performed only on one substrate.

To this end, one of the two substrates subjected to the alignment treatment in the UV exposure apparatus 42 is transported to the seal material printing device 44, and the seal material is printed in a curvature shape thereon. Then, the other one of the two substrates subjected to the alignment treatment is transferred to the substrate bonding apparatus 46. Next, the board | substrate with which the sealing material was printed is conveyed to the liquid crystal dropping apparatus 45 again, and liquid crystal is dripped inside the closed curve area | region enclosed by the sealing material. Next, after the sealing material is printed, the liquid crystal loaded substrate is transported to the substrate bonding apparatus 46, and then aligned with one of the other substrates of the two substrates which have been pre-waited or newly imported alignment treatment, and then the two substrates To be attached.

Next, the two substrates bonded by the substrate bonding apparatus 46 are conveyed to the UV exposure apparatus 42 again. Next, the sealing material positioned between the two substrates is cured using the UV light emitted from the UV exposure machine 401 in the UV exposure apparatus 42 (S90).

To this end, as shown in FIG. 3, the two bonded substrates are exposed to UV light. Here, the substrate is scanned with UV light using the sealing material curing mask M2. Through such UV exposure, the sealing material between the two substrates is cured to firmly fix the two substrates.

Subsequently, the two substrates firmly fixed by sealing material curing are transferred from the UV exposure apparatus 42 to the unloading apparatus 47.

As described above, in the present invention, the alignment film alignment operation, the sealing material printing operation, the liquid crystal dropping operation, the substrate bonding operation, and the sealing material curing operation are performed in one manufacturing line, that is, the integrated work unit 40.

Here, the transport operation of the substrates in the respective devices 41, 42, 44, 45, 46, 47 can be performed via the transport robot 48 outside of each device. In addition, the transport of substrates in neighboring devices may be via internal transmission lines (not shown).

Next, the pair of two substrates waiting in the unloading device 47 is taken out of the integrated work unit 40 and then transported to the liquid crystal cell cutting device 51.

Next, the two substrates are cut into a plurality of liquid crystal cells in the liquid crystal cell cutting device 51 (S100).

Next, a subsequent process is performed to complete the manufacture of the liquid crystal display.

As described above, in the present invention, each apparatus for the alignment treatment operation and the liquid crystal injection operation is designed inline, and the degree of contamination of the substrate is improved by carrying out the alignment treatment operation and the sealing material curing operation in one UV exposure apparatus. Lowering and simplifying the manufacturing process can improve process yield.

Claims (7)

A first substrate manufacturing apparatus and a second substrate manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a first substrate and a second substrate for a liquid crystal display device, respectively; An alignment film applying apparatus for applying an alignment film on the first substrate and the second substrate; A UV exposure apparatus for performing an alignment treatment on the alignment layer, a sealing material printing apparatus for printing a sealing material on an alignment layer on one of the first substrate and the second substrate, and one of the first substrate and the second substrate. An integrated manufacturing unit in which a liquid crystal dropping device for dropping a liquid crystal onto the alignment film on the substrate, or a substrate bonding device for bonding the first substrate and the second substrate onto which the sealing material or liquid crystal is dropped, is designed inline. Including, And the sealant is cured by the UV exposure apparatus. delete In claim 1, The integrated manufacturing unit is a liquid crystal display device manufacturing system provided with a transport robot for loading and unloading a substrate into the UV exposure apparatus, the seal material printing apparatus, the liquid crystal dropping apparatus, and the substrate bonding apparatus. In claim 1, And the UV exposure apparatus, the seal material printing apparatus, the liquid crystal dropping apparatus, and the substrate bonding apparatus are provided with an internal transmission line for transporting the substrates to the apparatuses. In claim 1, And said unified manufacturing unit is provided with a device for loading and loading a substrate into the integrated manufacturing unit and an unloading device for loading the substrate before carrying it out of the integrated manufacturing unit. Manufacturing two substrates for the liquid crystal display device, respectively; Coating alignment layers on the two substrates; Aligning each of the alignment layers using UV light; Printing a sealing material on an alignment layer on one of the two substrates; Dropping liquid crystal on an alignment layer on one of the two substrates; Bonding two substrates on which the sealing material is printed or on which liquid crystal is dropped; Curing the sealant between the two bonded substrates using UV light Liquid crystal display device manufacturing method comprising a. In claim 6, And the step of curing the alignment and curing the sealant are performed in the same UV exposure apparatus.

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