KR20070038742A - Rubbing apparatus and method for manufacturing liquid crystal display device - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a rubbing device and method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display device, a stage on which a substrate is seated, a rubbing roller for performing substrate rubbing, a rotating part for applying rotational force to the rubbing roller, and a tension for applying tensile stress to the rubbing roller. It provides a rubbing device and method comprising an applicator. In this way, the tensile stress is applied to the rubbing roller to prevent warpage of the rubbing roller, to improve the uniformity of the rubbing to cultivate the liquid crystal uniformly, and to solve the problem of cost increase due to frequent replacement of the rubbing roller. Cost can be reduced.

Rubbing process, rubbing device, roller, spindle, center of rotation, tensile stress

Description

Rubbing apparatus and method for manufacturing liquid crystal display device

1 is a view schematically showing a conventional liquid crystal display element.

Figure 2 is a conceptual diagram for explaining a rubbing device according to the prior art and the problems according thereto.

3 is a cross-sectional view of a rubbing device for manufacturing a liquid crystal display device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an operating principle of a rubbing device according to an embodiment.

5 and 6 are perspective views for explaining the operation of the rubbing device according to an embodiment.

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

1, 110: stage 2, 111: substrate

3, 120: rubbing roller 130: spindle portion

140: rotation center

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a rubbing device and method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display element, and relates to a rubbing device and method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display element capable of preventing a rubbing uniformity defect due to a variation of a rubbing roller.

Liquid crystal display devices (LCDs) have advantages of small size, light weight, and large screen compared with conventional display devices, such as cathode ray tubes (CRTs), and their development has been actively performed. In particular, the liquid crystal display device has been developed to perform a sufficient role as a flat panel display device, and is used not only as a liquid crystal for hand phones, PDAs, digital cameras, camcorders, but also for monitors and large display devices of desktop computers. Therefore, his range of use is expanding rapidly.

The liquid crystal display device arranges two substrates on which electrodes are formed so that the two electrodes face each other, injects a liquid crystal material between the two substrates, and then applies an electric field between the two electrodes to move the liquid crystal molecules by the electric field, thereby transmitting light. It is a device for displaying an image by differently. This uses the optical anisotropy and polarization of the liquid crystal. Since the liquid crystal is thin and long in structure, when the electric field is artificially applied to the liquid crystal molecules having directionality and polarity in the molecular arrangement, the direction of the molecular arrangement can be controlled. Accordingly, if the orientation direction is arbitrarily adjusted, light may be transmitted or blocked according to the alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules by optical anisotropy of the liquid crystal, thereby expressing color and image.

1 is a view schematically showing a conventional liquid crystal display device.

Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional liquid crystal display device includes liquid crystal panels 10 and 20 for displaying an image and a backlight 30 for supplying light to the liquid crystal panels 10 and 20.

The liquid crystal panels 10 and 20 include a color filter substrate 10 and a TFT substrate 20.

The color filter substrate 10 is formed of a red matrix, a green matrix, and a black matrix 12 to prevent light interference between light leakage and adjacent pixel regions on the bottom surface of the insulating substrate 11 made of a transparent insulating material such as glass. The color filter 13 is formed, and an overcoat film 14 made of an organic material is formed on the color filter 13. The common electrode 15 made of a transparent conductive material such as ITO or IZO is formed on the overcoat layer 14.

The TFT substrate 20 is formed to cross a gate line and a plurality of gate lines (not shown) which transmit a gate signal on the transparent insulating substrate 21 and extend in a first direction and have a predetermined interval in a second direction. A plurality of data lines (not shown) are formed. The pixel electrode 26 is formed in the pixel region defined by the gate line and the data line, and the gate electrode 22, the semiconductor layer 23, the source and drain electrodes 24 are formed in a matrix form at the intersection of the gate line and the data line. , A plurality of thin film transistors including 25) are formed.

The two substrates 10 and 20 formed as described above are attached to each other at a predetermined interval so as to face each other, and the liquid crystal material 40 is filled therebetween to form a liquid crystal panel.

The liquid crystal display device including the liquid crystal panels 10 and 20 uses the electro-optical effect of the liquid crystal, and the electro-optic effect is determined by the anisotropy of the liquid crystal itself and the molecular arrangement state of the liquid crystal. Therefore, in order to effectively impart a single crystal order to the liquid crystal, alignment films 41 and 42 are formed on the color filter substrate 10 and the TFT substrate 20, respectively.

Such an alignment film is divided into an inorganic alignment film and an organic alignment film, and polyimide-based alignment films are used in particular among organic alignment films. The alignment film is a rubbing process after forming an organic polymer film on the substrate by a rotary coating method or a printing coating method and curing it. That is, the side chains are arranged in an irregular direction without rubbing because the side chains have pretilt, but are oriented in a predetermined direction through a rubbing process.

2 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a conventional rubbing device and a problem thereof.

The rubbing process is an operation of gently rubbing the surface of the alignment film with a nylon, rayon or cotton-based rubbing cloth to orient the pretilt of the alignment film irregularly distributed in a constant direction. Accordingly, the conventional rubbing device includes a stage 1 on which the substrate 2 is seated as shown in FIG. 2, and a rubbing roller 3 wound around a rubbing cloth. At this time, although the rubbing roller 3 is not shown, it is fixed by a pushing force between the spindle drive shafts arranged on the left and right, and the left and right of the rotation center, and rotates at high speed by a motor. The rubbing process was performed using the physical frictional force between the rubbing cloth of the rotating rubbing roller 3 and the board | substrate 2 in this way.

Conventionally, many efforts have been made to maintain a constant rotational deviation of the rollers in order to uniformly align the alignment layer during the rubbing process using the above-described rubbing device. This causes a problem that a uniform orientation is not achieved when the roller is in error in rotation and the frictional force in some areas of the substrate is increased.

However, as the size of the current substrate increases, the length of the corresponding roller is also increased, which causes a limitation in managing the rotational deviation of the roller. That is, the compressive stress due to the pushing force on the left and right sides of the roller acts, and as shown in the drawing, the roller deflects as the upper portion of the roller sags. As a result, when the roller rotates and the rubbing is performed, The friction force is increased to cause a problem that the orientation is not uniform. In addition, when the rubbing process is performed a plurality of times, the rollers are not immediately caught due to the deflection of the rollers, and the rollers must be discarded, thereby increasing the manufacturing cost of the liquid crystal display device.

Therefore, the present invention is derived to solve the above problems, by applying a tensile stress to the rotating rubbing roller to prevent the occurrence of deviation due to the bending of the roller, rubbing for manufacturing a liquid crystal display device that can cultivate the alignment film uniformly It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method.

In order to achieve the above object, a substrate on which the substrate is seated, a rubbing roller for performing substrate rubbing, a rotating part for applying rotational force to the rubbing roller, and a tension applying part for applying tensile stress to the rubbing roller It provides a rubbing device.

Here, the rotating part includes a rotational force applying means connected to one end of the rubbing roller to apply the rotational force of the motor to the rubbing roller and rotation support means for supporting the rotation of the rubbing roller at both ends of the rubbing roller. desirable.

At this time, the tension applying unit is effective to include a cylinder for pulling the rotation support means in the outward direction of the rubbing roller. Of course, the tension applying unit may include a frame for fixing the rotation support means in a state in which the rubbing roller is stretched outward.

The rubbing roller preferably includes a rotating shaft and a rubbing cloth wound around the rotating shaft, and it is effective that an angle formed between one surface of the substrate and the roller is 0 to 90 degrees.

In addition, a stage in which a substrate is seated according to the present invention, a rubbing roller performing rubbing on the substrate, a spindle portion connected to the rubbing roller and applying a rotational force to the rubbing roller, and a rubbing roller connected to the rubbing roller It includes a rotation center for supporting the rotation of the, and provides a rubbing device in which a tensile stress is formed between the spindle portion and the rotation center.

Here, it is preferable to further include a drive unit for driving the power supply and rotational force is connected to the spindle unit and a fixed shaft for fixing the spindle unit.

The spindle portion is provided between the rubbing roller, the fixed shaft or the driving portion, and the spindle portion is formed smaller than the length between the rubbing roller, the fixed shaft or the driving shaft to apply tensile stress to the rubbing roller. It is preferable to fasten therebetween. In addition, the rotating center includes a fixed shaft for fixing it, the rotating center is provided between the rubbing roller and the fixed shaft, the rotating center is fixed to the rubbing roller and the fixed roller in order to apply a tensile stress to the rubbing roller It is preferable to form smaller length between shafts, and to fasten between them.

Of course, each of the spindle portion and the rotating center may further include a spindle pulling member and a rotating center pulling member for applying a tensile stress by pulling in the opposite direction of the rubbing roller.

It is effective that the rubbing roller includes a rotating shaft and a rubbing cloth wound around the rotating shaft. It is preferable that an angle formed between one surface of the substrate and the roller is 0 degrees to 90 degrees.

In addition, the step of seating and fixing the substrate on the stage according to the present invention, the step of rotating while applying a tensile stress to the rubbing roller wound the rubbing cloth, and moving the stage toward the rubbing roller to rub the substrate Provide a rubbing method.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described an embodiment of the present invention in more detail. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but will be implemented in various forms, and only the embodiments are intended to complete the disclosure of the present invention, and to those skilled in the art to fully understand the scope of the invention. It is provided to inform you. Like numbers refer to like elements in the figures.

3 is a cross-sectional view of a rubbing device for manufacturing a liquid crystal display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a conceptual view illustrating an operating principle of the rubbing device according to an embodiment. 5 and 6 are perspective views for explaining the operation of the rubbing device according to an embodiment.

3 to 6, the rubbing device for manufacturing a liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment includes a stage 110 on which the substrate 111 is seated, a rubbing roller 120 to perform rubbing, and the rubbing roller 120. Spindle 130 which is connected to one end of the rubbing roller 120 to provide a rotational force to the rubbing roller 120 and pulls the rubbing roller 120, and is connected to the other end of the rubbing roller 120 to And a rotation center 140 for supporting rotation and pulling the rubbing roller 120.

Hereinafter, each component of the rubbing device according to the present embodiment will be described in detail.

The stage 110 is manufactured in the form of a table and seats and fixes the substrate 111 thereon to move the substrate 111. Accordingly, the stage 110 may be provided with a plurality of lift pins (not shown) for mounting the substrate 111, and a plurality of vacuum grooves (not shown) may be formed to fix the substrate 111. . That is, when the substrate 111 is loaded by the robot, a plurality of lift pins are raised to receive the substrate 111 and then slowly lowered again to seat the substrate 111 on the stage 110, and the substrate 111 through vacuum. ). The stage 110 may move using a belt conveyor, a rack-pinion method, and a cylinder method. In this case, the movement may move in the forward direction or the backward direction based on the rubbing roller 120.

The rubbing roller 120 includes a rotating shaft 121 and a rubbing cloth 122 wound around the rotating shaft 121. A number of rubbing piles are provided on the surface of the rubbing cloth 122, and the rubbing piles are substantially rubbed with the substrate 111 to form a culture groove on the surface of the substrate 111. The rubbing cloth 122 may be coupled to the rotating shaft 121 through a separate coupling member. That is, the rotating shaft 121 may be wound through an adhesive material such as a double-sided tape. In addition, the rubbing cloth 122 may be fixed to a part of the rotating shaft 121 through a fixing member. That is, a vacuum suction groove may be formed in a part of the rotating shaft 121 such that the rubbing cloth 122 may be wound around the rotating shaft 121. Of course, both ends of the rubbing cloth 122 may be fixed to the rotating shaft 121 by using a screw.

One end of the spindle unit 130 is connected to a driving unit (not shown), and the other end is connected to the rotation shaft 121 of the rubbing roller 120. In addition, the spindle unit 130 is fixed through the fixed shaft 131 and receives a driving force through a driving unit provided outside, and applies it to the rubbing roller 120. Of course, a driving unit may be provided between the fixed shaft 131 and the spindle unit 130 to directly apply the driving force of the driving unit to the rubbing roller 120 through the spindle unit 130. In addition, the spindle unit 130 of the present embodiment applies a tensile stress to the rubbing roller 120 to pull and rotate the rubbing roller 120. In this case, tensile stress may be applied to the rubbing roller 120 through a separate member (not shown) that pulls the spindle 130 in the opposite direction of the rubbing roller 120. In addition, a tensile stress may be applied to the rubbing roller 120 by pulling the spindle 130 from the driving unit, and a tensile stress may be applied by modifying a connection relationship between the spindle 130 and the rubbing roller 120. . That is, the length of the spindle portion 130 provided between the rubbing roller 120 and the fixed shaft 131 or the driving portion is formed to be smaller than the length between them, and then the rubbing roller 120 is fixed to the fixed shaft through the spindle portion 130 ( 131 or the drive unit 130 may have a tensile stress pulling the rubbing roller 120.

The rotation center 140 is connected to the rotation shaft 121 of the rubbing roller 120 to support the rotation of the rubbing roller 120, and pulls the rotating rubbing roller 120. To this end, one end of the rotating center 140 is supported on the fixed shaft 141, the other end is coupled to the rotating shaft 121 of the rubbing roller 120. In addition, a tensile stress may be applied to the rubbing roller 120 by pulling the rotation center 140 through a separate member (not shown). Of course, the present invention is not limited thereto, and a tensile stress may be applied to the rubbing roller 120 by modifying the connection relationship between the rotational center 140 and the rubbing roller 120. That is, if the length of the rotating central portion 140 is made smaller than the length between the rubbing roller 120 and the fixed shaft 141, then combining the rubbing roller 120 with the fixed shaft 141 through the rotating center 140 The rotating center 140 may have a tensile stress.

In the above, a tensile stress is applied thereto while rotating the rubbing roller 120 through the spindle unit 130 and the rotation center 140. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and a rotational force may be applied to the rubbing roller 120 through a separate driving unit, and a tensile stress may be applied to the rubbing roller 120 through a support unit (not shown).

That is, the rotating shaft of the rubbing roller includes a driving unit including rotational force applying means for applying rotational force of the motor unit to one end thereof, and rotational support means fixed to both ends of the rotating shaft to support rotation of the rotating shaft; And a tension applying part for pulling in a direction opposite to the rotation axis to apply a tensile stress to the rotation axis. In this case, the tension applying unit is manufactured in a frame shape and is provided between the rotating shaft, the rotating force applying means, and the rotating supporting means to apply tensile stress. Can be applied to

The rubbing device according to the present embodiment having the structure as described above, as shown in FIG. 4, the rubbing roller 120 may be moved through the spindle 130 and the rotational center 140 provided on both sides of the rubbing roller 120. The tensile stress is applied to the rubbing roller 120 by attracting. This is a problem that the rubbing roller is bent by applying a compressive stress rubbing roller in the prior art as described in the prior art according to FIG. Due to this, it is possible to prevent the phenomenon in which the rubbing roller is bent and to reduce the occurrence of rotational deviation of the rubbing roller.

A rubbing method using the rubbing device according to the present embodiment having the above-described structure will be described.

5 and 6, the substrate 111 is seated and fixed on the stage 110. In this case, the stage 110 fixes the substrate 111 through a vacuum so that the substrate 111 does not slip due to the friction force between the substrate 111 and the rubbing roller 120 during the rubbing process. Of course, the present invention is not limited thereto, and a separate fixing member may be formed on the stage 110 to fix the substrate 111.

In addition, when the rectangular substrate 111 is seated on the stage 110, the rubbing roller 120 and one surface of the substrate are horizontally seated, or one surface of the substrate 111 and the rubbing roller 120 are at an arbitrary angle. Rubbing direction can be adjusted by arranging to have. In this case, the angle between the substrate and the rubbing roller may be 0 degrees to 90 degrees to control the rubbing angle on the substrate in various ways. Since the electro-optical characteristics of the liquid crystal display device are determined according to the rubbing angle, it is important to set the rubbing angle according to the use and characteristics of the product. These rubbing angles vary from 180 degrees to 270 degrees, but often use 180 degrees, 200 degrees, 220 degrees and 240 degrees.

As described above, the substrate 111 is seated and fixed on the stage 110, and then, while the rubbing roller 120 is rotated through the spindle part 130, the spindle part 130 provided on both sides of the rubbing roller 120 and Tensile stress is applied to the rubbing roller 120 through the rotation center 140. Through this, the rubbing roller 120 is rotated while being pulled to both sides.

Then, the stage is moved in the rubbing roller direction. Through this, the substrate fixed on the stage rubs with the rubbing roller to perform rubbing. At this time, the rubbing may be controlled by adjusting the rotational speed of the rubbing roller and the moving speed of the stage.

In addition, in the prior art, the compressive stress due to the pushing force on the left and right sides of the rubbing caused the deflection due to the deflection of the center portion. Can be. Through this, it is possible to solve the problem of substrate failure due to nonuniformity of rubbing due to the deviation of the rubbing roller, and the problem of cost increase due to frequent replacement of the rubbing roller due to the rubbing roller deviation.

As described above, the bending stress of the rubbing roller can be prevented by applying a tensile stress to the rubbing roller, and the uniformity of the rubbing can be improved to cultivate the liquid crystal uniformly.

In addition, it is possible to reduce the cost by solving the cost increase problem due to frequent replacement of the rubbing roller.

Although the invention has been described with reference to the accompanying drawings and the preferred embodiments described above, the invention is not limited thereto, but is defined by the claims that follow. Accordingly, one of ordinary skill in the art may variously modify and modify the present invention without departing from the spirit of the following claims.

Claims (14)

A stage on which the substrate is seated; A rubbing roller for performing substrate rubbing; A rotating part for applying a rotating force to the rubbing roller; And A rubbing device including a tension applying unit for applying a tensile stress to the rubbing roller. The method according to claim 1, The rotating unit, Rotational force applying means connected to one end of the rubbing roller to apply a rotational force of the motor to the rubbing roller; And And rubbing support means for supporting rotation of the rubbing roller at both ends of the rubbing roller. The method according to claim 2, The tension applying unit includes a rubbing device for pulling the rotation support means in the outward direction of the rubbing roller. The method according to claim 2, The rubbing device includes a rubbing device including a frame for fixing the rotation support means in the tensioned state in the outward direction of the rubbing roller. The method according to claim 1, The rubbing roller includes a rotating shaft and a rubbing cloth wound around the rotating shaft. The method according to claim 1, A rubbing device having an angle between one surface of the substrate and the roller is 0 to 90 degrees. A stage on which the substrate is seated; A rubbing roller performing rubbing on the substrate; A spindle unit connected to the rubbing roller to apply a rotational force to the rubbing roller; And A rotation center connected to the rubbing roller to support rotation of the rubbing roller, A rubbing device having a tensile stress formed between the spindle portion and the rotation center. The method according to claim 7, A drive unit connected to the spindle unit to supply rotational force; And A rubbing device further comprising a fixed shaft for fixing the spindle portion. The method according to claim 8, The spindle portion is provided between the rubbing roller and the fixed shaft or the driving portion, and the spindle portion is formed smaller than the length between the rubbing roller and the fixed shaft or the driving shaft to apply tensile stress to the rubbing roller. Rubbing device to fasten between. The method according to claim 7, The rotating center includes a fixed shaft for fixing it, the rotating center is provided between the rubbing roller and the fixed shaft, and the rotating center between the rubbing roller and the fixed shaft to apply a tensile stress to the rubbing roller The rubbing device is formed smaller than the length and fastened therebetween. The method according to claim 7, And a spindle pulling member and a rotating center pulling member for pulling each of the spindle portion and the rotating center in opposite directions of the rubbing roller to apply a tensile stress. The method according to claim 7, The rubbing roller includes a rotating shaft and a rubbing cloth wound around the rotating shaft. The method according to claim 7, A rubbing device having an angle between one surface of the substrate and the roller is 0 to 90 degrees. Seating and securing the substrate on the stage; Rotating the rubbing cloth while applying a tensile stress to the wound roller; And Rubbing the substrate by moving the stage toward the rubbing roller.

Images