KR101245902B1 - Fabricating Equipment for Liquid Crystal Display and Fabricating Method of Liquid Crystal Display by using the Fabricating Equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a manufacturing apparatus of a liquid crystal display device for minimizing a manufacturing error by maintaining a constant distance between a roller and a substrate and a gap between a mask and a substrate, and a manufacturing method of a liquid crystal display device using the same.

The manufacturing equipment for this liquid crystal display device includes a substrate on which a constituent pattern of the liquid crystal display device is formed; A plurality of individual drivers including a substrate seat on which the substrate is seated and an actuator for adjusting a horizontal tilt of the substrate seat; A controller for controlling the individual driver; And a stage incorporating a sensor for supporting the plurality of individual drives and measuring a variable for calculating a control value for controlling the individual drives.

Description

Fabrication Equipment for Liquid Crystal Display and Manufacturing Method of Liquid Crystal Display Using The Same {Fabricating Equipment for Liquid Crystal Display and Fabricating Method of Liquid Crystal Display by using the Fabricating Equipment}

1 is a diagram schematically showing a cross-sectional structure of a liquid crystal panel.

Figures 2a and 2b is a view for explaining the problem caused by the bending of the mask and rubbing roll.

3 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of the manufacturing equipment of the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention.

4 is a view showing a planar structure of the stage shown in FIG.

5A and 5B are views for explaining a substrate patterning process and a rubbing process using the manufacturing equipment shown in FIG.

6A and 6B are flowcharts sequentially illustrating a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display using the manufacturing equipment according to the present invention.

<Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

2, 32, 102: substrate 52, 152: mask

54, 154: rubbing rolls 50, 106: stage

104: individual drive portion 114: substrate seating portion

112: actuator 118: control unit

116 sensor

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to manufacturing equipment for a liquid crystal display device, and more particularly, to manufacturing equipment for a liquid crystal display device and a liquid crystal display device using the same, which minimizes manufacturing errors by maintaining a constant distance between a roller and a substrate and a space between a mask and a substrate. It relates to a manufacturing method.

The liquid crystal display device displays an image by applying an electric field to the liquid crystal in response to the video signal, controlling the arrangement state of the liquid crystal with the applied electric field, and adjusting the light transmittance according to the video signal. Such a liquid crystal display includes a liquid crystal panel in which liquid crystal is injected between two glass substrates, a light source module (or 'backlight unit') for irradiating light to the liquid crystal panel, and a liquid crystal panel and the light source module integrally. And a printed circuit board for applying a driving signal to the liquid crystal panel.

1 is a diagram schematically showing a cross-sectional structure of a liquid crystal panel.

Referring to FIG. 1, the liquid crystal panel has a structure in which the lower glass substrate 32 and the upper glass substrate 2 face each other by a real material (not shown). The bonded lower glass substrate 32 and the upper glass substrate 2 maintain a constant cell gap by a spacer, and the cell gap is filled with a liquid crystal 72 for light transmittance control according to an electric field.

The black matrix 4, the color filter 6, the common electrode 7, and the upper alignment layer 8 are sequentially formed on the upper glass substrate 2.

On the lower glass substrate 32, a thin film transistor (hereinafter referred to as "TFT"), a pixel electrode 16, and a lower alignment layer 38 are formed.

The liquid crystal 72 is provided in the sal gap between the upper glass substrate 2 and the lower glass substrate 32.

In the upper glass substrate 2, the black matrix 4 partitions the cell region in which the color filter 6 is to be formed. The black matrix 4 prevents light leakage and absorbs external light to increase contrast. The color filter 6 is formed in the cell region separated by the black matrix 4. The color filter 6 is divided into R, G, and B colors, and implements R, G, and B colors. The common electrode 7 is formed to cover the color filter 6 to supply a common voltage which is a reference when driving the liquid crystal. This common voltage forms an electric field with the pixel voltage supplied to the pixel electrode 16 to drive the liquid crystal 72.

In the lower glass substrate 32, the TFT includes a gate electrode 21 formed together with a gate line (not shown), and a semiconductor layer overlapping the gate electrode 21 with the gate insulating film 44 interposed therebetween. 14 and 47 and a source electrode 40 and a drain electrode 42 formed with a data line (not shown) with the semiconductor layers 14 and 47 interposed therebetween. This TFT supplies the pixel signal from the data line to the pixel electrode 16 in response to the scan signal from the gate line. The pixel electrode 16 is a transparent conductive material having a high light transmittance and is in contact with the drain electrode 42 of the TFT with the protective film 50 therebetween.

The upper and lower alignment layers 8 and 38 for liquid crystal alignment are formed by applying an alignment material such as polyimide and then performing a rubbing process.

The manufacturing process of the liquid crystal display device is divided into substrate cleaning, substrate patterning, substrate bonding / liquid crystal injection process. In the substrate cleaning process, foreign substances contaminated on the surface of the substrate used for the liquid crystal panel are removed using a cleaning agent. In the substrate patterning process, the upper glass substrate is patterned and the lower glass substrate is patterned. A color filter, a common electrode, and a black matrix are formed on the upper glass substrate of the liquid crystal panel, and signal wiring such as data lines and gate lines are formed on the lower glass substrate of the liquid crystal panel, and a thin film is formed at the intersection of the data line and the gate line. A transistor (Thin Film Transistor, hereinafter referred to as "TFT") is formed, and a pixel electrode is formed in the pixel region between the data line and the gate line. This substrate patterning process is formed through a photolithography process using a mask. The substrate bonding / liquid crystal injection process is a process of coating and rubbing an alignment layer on the substrates of a liquid crystal panel, attaching polarizers having an optical axis orthogonal to each of the upper glass substrate and the lower glass substrate, and using an upper glass by using a sealant. And bonding the substrate and the lower glass substrate, injecting the liquid crystal, and sealing the liquid crystal injection hole. The process of apply | coating and rubbing an oriented film is performed through a rubbing roll.

Since the process equipment of liquid crystal display devices manufactured in a large size of 17 inches or more has a large size of the substrate of the liquid crystal display device, the manufacturing equipment for handling it also becomes large. As the size of manufacturing equipment increases, the length of the rubbing rolls used in the mask and alignment film rubbing process used in the substrate patterning process also increases, and as the length of the mask and rubbing roll increases, the center part of the mask and rubbing roll sags due to its own load. Warping of the mask and rubbing roll occurs. In addition, even if the mask and the rubbing roll are not enlarged, when they age, the mask and rubbing roll become more and more bent, and the degree of bending is changed every time the liquid crystal display is processed.

2A and 2B are diagrams for explaining a problem occurring when the mask and the rubbing roll are bent.

2A and 2B, the process using the mask 52 and the process using the rubbing roll 54 are performed on the substrate 2 or 32 seated on the flat process stage 50. Therefore, when the mask 52 and the rubbing roll 54 are bent, the spacing between the mask 52 and the substrate 2 or 32 and the spacing between the rubbing roll 54 and the substrate 2 or 32 become uneven.

FIG. 2A illustrates a phenomenon in which the gap between the mask 52 and the substrate 2 or 32 is uneven because the mask 52 is bent. The mask 52 includes a transmissive portion P1 for transmitting light and a blocking portion P2 for blocking light to form a photoresist pattern for patterning various patterns on the substrate 2 or 32. At this time, if the mask 52 is bent, the position of the substrate 2 or 32 corresponding to the transmissive portion P1 and the blocking portion P2 of the mask 52 becomes incorrect, so that the correct position on the substrate 2 or 32 is correct. The photoresist pattern cannot be formed. The poorly formed photoresist pattern becomes a problem because it lowers the stability of the manufacturing process of the liquid crystal label market value requiring precision and increases the defective rate of the liquid crystal label device.

FIG. 2B illustrates a phenomenon in which the gap between the rubbing roll 54 and the substrate 2 or 32 is uneven because the rubbing roll 54 is bent. The rubbing roll 54 rubs while rubbing the surface of the board | substrate 2 or 32 to which the alignment film was apply | coated. When the rubbing roll 54 is bent, the above-described rubbing process may not be made uniformly. If the rubbing process is not performed uniformly, since the alignment angle formed on the surface of the alignment film is not constant and the alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules is not constant, the display quality of the liquid crystal display device is deteriorated.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a manufacturing apparatus of a liquid crystal display device and a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display device using the same to minimize the manufacturing error by maintaining a constant distance between the roller and the substrate and the distance between the mask and the substrate.

In order to achieve the above object, the manufacturing equipment of the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention comprises a substrate having a configuration pattern of the liquid crystal display device; A plurality of individual drivers including a substrate seat on which the substrate is seated and an actuator for adjusting a horizontal tilt of the substrate seat; A controller for controlling the individual driver; And a stage in which a sensor is mounted to support the plurality of individual driving units and to measure a variable for calculating a control value for controlling the individual driving units.

The plurality of individual drivers are arranged in matrix form on the stage.

At least three actuators are formed under each of the substrate seating portions.

At least three sensors are formed, and are formed at left, right, and center portions of the stage.

The variable is a value obtained by measuring a distance between the mask and the stage disposed on the substrate, and the control value is a value such that the substrate seating portion has the same distance from the mask.

The variable is a value obtained by measuring an interval between the rubbing roll and the stage disposed on the substrate, and the control value is a value such that the substrate seating portion has the same distance from the rubbing roll.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention other than the above object will be apparent from the description of the preferred embodiment of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 6B.

The liquid crystal display device displays an image by applying an electric field to the liquid crystal corresponding to the video signal to control the arrangement of the liquid crystal to adjust the light transmittance according to the video signal. Such a liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal panel in which liquid crystal is injected between two glass substrates, a light source module (or 'backlight unit') for irradiating light to the liquid crystal panel, a liquid crystal panel and a light source module. And a printed circuit board for applying a driving signal to the liquid crystal panel.

The manufacturing process of the liquid crystal display device is divided into substrate cleaning, substrate patterning, substrate bonding / liquid crystal injection process. In the substrate cleaning process, foreign substances contaminated on the surface of the substrate used for the liquid crystal panel are removed using a cleaning agent. In the substrate patterning process, the upper glass substrate is patterned and the lower glass substrate is patterned. A color filter, a common electrode, and a black matrix are formed on the upper glass substrate of the liquid crystal panel, and signal wiring such as data lines and gate lines are formed on the lower glass substrate of the liquid crystal panel, and a thin film is formed at the intersection of the data line and the gate line. A transistor (Thin Film Transistor, hereinafter referred to as "TFT") is formed, and a pixel electrode is formed in the pixel region between the data line and the gate line. This substrate patterning process is formed through a photolithography process using a mask. The substrate bonding / liquid crystal injection process is a process of coating and rubbing an alignment layer on the substrates of a liquid crystal panel, attaching a polarizer having an optical axis orthogonal to each of the upper and lower glass substrates, and using a sealant. And bonding the upper glass substrate to the lower glass substrate, injecting the liquid crystal, and sealing the liquid crystal injection hole. The alignment film rubbing process is performed through a rubbing roll to define an orientation angle on the surface of the alignment film to impart a pretilt angle to the alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules.

3 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of manufacturing equipment of the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a view showing a planar structure of the stage 106 shown in FIG.

3 and 4, the manufacturing equipment according to the present invention includes a plurality of individual drivers 104 and stage 106 formed on the stage 106 to seat the substrate 102 on which the substrate patterning process or the rubbing process will be performed. ) Is provided with a horizontal adjuster 108 for adjusting the horizontal to the process floor and a support frame 110 for supporting the stage 106.

The individual drivers 104 are arranged in a matrix form on the stage 106 as shown in FIG. When the individual driver 104 is enlarged and examined, the individual driver 104 may include a substrate seat 114 on which the substrate 102 is seated and an actuator 112 for adjusting the horizontality of the substrate seat 114. Include.

The stage 106 incorporates a sensor 116 that supports the individual drives 104 and measures variables for calculating control values for controlling the individual drives 104. Various types of sensors using a magnetic field, a laser, an ultrasonic wave, or the like may be applied to the sensor 116.

Each of the sensor 116 and the actuator 112 is connected to the control unit 118.

The controller 118 receives the variable ΔG measured by the sensor 116 to control the actuator 112 by calculating a control value for controlling the actuator 112. The control unit 118 may be provided in the support frame 110. The variable ΔG measured from the sensor 116 is the distance from the stage 106 and the processing equipment 152 or 154 to proceed with the process on the substrate 102.

At least three actuators 112 are formed under each of the substrate seating portions 114 for each of the individual driving units 104 arranged in a matrix form, and the substrates are seated by adjusting the height according to the control value of the controller 118. Adjust the horizontal tilt of the section 114. In addition, at least three actuators 112 are formed below the substrate seating part 114 and at least three actuators 112 are not formed on the same line so that the substrate seating part 114 is horizontally inclined. It can adjust stably according to the bending degree of (152 or 154).

In addition, the actuator 112 is formed of a piezoelectric element that can adjust the horizontal tilt of the substrate seating part 114 by applying pressure to the substrate seating part 114 according to the variable ΔG measured by the sensor 116. The actuator 112 is formed of a piezoelectric element so that feedback is possible according to the variable ΔG. In addition to the piezoelectric element, the actuator 112 may be configured with the actuator 112 by any component capable of adjusting the horizontal tilt according to a control value from the controller 118 such as a motor and a cylinder.

5A and 5B are views for explaining a substrate patterning process and a rubbing process using the manufacturing equipment shown in FIG. 3.

Referring to FIG. 5A, a method of patterning a substrate using the manufacturing equipment illustrated in FIG. 3 will be described.

Referring to FIG. 5A, a substrate patterning process is performed by disposing a mask 152 on a substrate 102 seated on a substrate seating part 114 to perform a photolithography process.

The manufacturing equipment according to the present invention includes a plurality of individual driving units 104 so that the mask 152 is bent due to enlargement or aging, so that even if the spacing ΔG between the flat stage 106 and the mask 152 is uneven. It is possible to maintain the gap between the substrate seat 114 and the mask 152 at a constant gap G1.

In detail, the method for keeping the distance between the substrate seating portion 114 and the mask 152 constant at G1 is as follows: the distance between the mask 152 and the substrate 102 through the sensor 116 embedded in the stage 106. After measuring (ΔG), a control value for driving the actuator 112 is calculated based on the measured value, and the horizontal tilt of the substrate seating part 114 is driven by individually driving the actuator 112 according to the control value. Adjust. As the substrate seating part 114 adjusts the horizontal inclination according to the control value, the distance between the substrate seating part 114 and the mask 152 is constant at G1. As described above, the substrate 102 mounted on the substrate seating portion 114 having a predetermined distance from the mask 152 and G1 may be disposed at a constant distance from the mask 152 similarly to the substrate seating portion 114.

At this time, at least three sensors 116 should be formed, and the at least three sensors 116 are disposed at the center, left, and right of the stage 106 to measure the distance between the mask 152 and the stage 106. do. The reason why the sensor 116 should be at least three as described above is that the mask 152 and the stage bent in a parabolic form only when the value measured through the sensor 116 is at least three of the center and the left and the right of the mask 152. This is because the interval between the 106 can be measured.

As the gap between the mask 152 and the substrate 102 is kept constant through the manufacturing equipment according to the present invention, the substrate 102 corresponding to the transmissive portion P1 and the blocking portion P2 of the mask 152 is maintained. Since the position is accurate, the correct photoresist pattern can be formed on the substrate 102. The correctly formed photoresist pattern can correctly form a plurality of patterns for driving the liquid crystal display device, thereby improving the stability of the manufacturing process of the liquid crystal display device and increasing the productivity of the liquid crystal display device.

Referring to FIG. 5B, the rubbing process is performed by rubbing the substrate 102 seated on the substrate seating part 114 with the rubbing roll 154. The alignment film is coated on the substrate 102 for the rubbing process.

The manufacturing equipment according to the present invention includes a plurality of individual driving units 104 such that the rubbing roll 154 is bent due to enlargement or aging, so that the gap ΔG between the flat stage 106 and the rubbing roll 154 is reduced. Even if it is non-uniform, it is possible to maintain the interval between the substrate mounting portion 114 and the rubbing roll 154 at a constant interval.

Since the description of the method of keeping the distance between the substrate seating portion 114 and the rubbing roll 154 constant is the same as the method of maintaining the distance between the substrate seating portion 114 and the mask 152 in FIG. 5A. Omit.

As the spacing between the substrate seating portion 114 and the rubbing roll 154 is kept constant through the manufacturing equipment according to the present invention, a rubbing process through the rubbing roll 154 is uniformly performed on the alignment layer on the substrate 102. Can be. As the rubbing process is uniformly performed, the surface of the alignment layer may have a constant alignment angle, and the liquid crystal molecules are aligned in the correct alignment direction on the alignment layer having the constant alignment angle.

6A and 6B are flowcharts sequentially illustrating a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display using the manufacturing equipment according to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 6A, a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display device according to the present invention may include: mounting a substrate on which a plurality of patterns are formed, on a substrate mounting portion (S1); Disposing a rubbing roll or a mask on the substrate (S2); It includes; measuring the distance between the rubbing roll and the stage or the distance between the mask and the stage through the sensor included in the stage (S3). In the method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display according to the present invention, the distance between the rubbing roll and the stage or the distance between the mask and the stage is measured, and then the measured value is applied to the control unit to drive the individual drive unit through the control unit. Computing a value (S4). The control value for driving the individual drive unit is a value such that the distance between the mask and the substrate mounting portion or the distance between the rubbing roll and the substrate mounting portion is constant. In addition, the manufacturing method of the liquid crystal display according to the present invention further includes the step (S5) of driving the individual driver with the control value. As such, when the individual driving units are driven according to the control value, the distance between the substrate seated on the individual driving units and the rubbing roll or the mask may be constant.

Then, the manufacturing method of the liquid crystal display according to the present invention includes a step of patterning various patterns for driving the liquid crystal display by a photolithography process using a mask on a substrate having a constant distance from the mask, And rubbing the substrate using the rubbing roll on the substrate to maintain a gap (S6). A pattern of a correct liquid crystal display device may be formed on the substrate that maintains a constant distance from the rubbing roll or mask, and the alignment angle of the alignment layer may also be formed constantly.

6b illustrates another step of a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display according to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 6B, another manufacturing method of the liquid crystal display according to the present invention is controlled such that the distance between the substrate seat and the mask or the distance between the substrate seat and the rubbing roll is the same as in the manufacturing method of FIG. 6A. Since the process of mounting the substrate (SS5) is the same as in FIG. 6A, overlapping descriptions are omitted. As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the order of the manufacturing method of the liquid crystal display device may be variously set depending on the process design necessary for the efficient progress of manufacturing the liquid crystal display device.

As described above, the manufacturing apparatus of the liquid crystal display according to the present invention includes a plurality of individual driving units, and the individual driving units may be individually controlled according to the degree of bending of the mask or rubbing roll, so that the substrate may be curved even if the mask or rubbing roll is bent. And the gap between the mask or the substrate and the rubbing roll can be kept constant.

In addition, since the liquid crystal display according to the present invention can measure the value of the mask or rubbing roll at any time through the sensor and the controller included in the stage, the gap between the substrate and the mask or between the substrate and the rubbing roll is always maintained. You can keep it constant.

In addition, the manufacturing method of the liquid crystal display device using the manufacturing equipment according to the present invention can form a correct pattern of the liquid crystal display device by performing a patterning process on a substrate that maintains a constant distance from the mask, thereby improving productivity.

In the manufacturing method of the liquid crystal display device using the manufacturing equipment according to the present invention, since the alignment angle of the alignment layer is uniform by performing a rubbing process on a substrate having a constant distance from the rubbing roll, the liquid crystal molecules are uniformly aligned on the uniform alignment layer. It becomes possible.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, the technical scope of the present invention should not be limited to the contents described in the detailed description of the specification, but should be defined by the claims.

Claims (10)

A substrate on which a constituent pattern of the liquid crystal display device is formed; A plurality of individual drivers including a substrate seat on which the substrate is seated and an actuator for adjusting a horizontal tilt of the substrate seat; A controller for controlling the individual driver; A stage having a sensor supporting the plurality of individual driving units and measuring a variable for calculating a control value for controlling the individual driving units; A support frame supporting the stage; And a horizontal adjuster disposed between the support frame and the stage to adjust the stage so that the stage is in a horizontal state. The method of claim 1, The plurality of individual drives Manufacturing apparatus of the liquid crystal display device, characterized in that arranged on the stage in the form of a matrix. The method of claim 1, The actuator is At least three or more are formed under each of the substrate seating portion manufacturing equipment of the liquid crystal display device. The method of claim 1, At least three sensors are formed on the left, right, and center portions of the stage. The method of claim 1, Wherein the variable is a value obtained by measuring a distance between the mask and the stage disposed on the substrate, and the control value is a value such that the substrate seating portion has the same distance from the mask. The method of claim 1, The variable is a value obtained by measuring an interval between the rubbing roll and the stage disposed on the substrate, and the control value is such that the substrate seating portion has the same distance from the rubbing roll. Manufacturing equipment. The manufacturing apparatus of the liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the controller is connected to the sensor and the actuator to control the actuator. delete delete delete

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