KR20070069593A - Device for sealing liquid crystal panel and method for fabricating liquid crystal device using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

An LCD(Liquid Crystal Display) panel sealing device and method for manufacturing an LCD by using the sealing device are provided to increase the accuracy of dispensing a sealant to a liquid crystal injection hole of an LCD panel, thereby eliminating the necessity for an additional cleaning process and thus improving process efficiency. An LCD panel sealing device includes a table(100), a dispenser(200), a sealant supply(300), and an LCD panel sensor(400). The table has a receiving space for receiving a plurality of LCD panels(600). The dispenser is moved on the table and dispenses a sealant(350) to liquid crystal injection holes of the LCD panels located in the receiving space. The sealant supply supplies the sealant to the dispenser. The LCD panel sensor is moved on the table to check alignment of the LCD panels.

Description

Device for sealing liquid crystal panel and method for fabricating liquid crystal device using the same

1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a liquid crystal panel sealing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a perspective view of a table of a liquid crystal panel sealing apparatus and a liquid crystal panel accommodated therein according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a cross-sectional view of a liquid crystal panel to which a liquid crystal panel sealing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is applied.

4 is an exploded perspective view of a liquid crystal panel to which a liquid crystal panel sealing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is applied.

5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a dispenser and members connected to the liquid crystal panel sealing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

6A is a cross-sectional view illustrating a sealing method using a liquid crystal panel sealing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

6B is a plan view illustrating a moving direction of the dispenser of the liquid crystal panel sealing apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

7A is a cross-sectional view illustrating a sealing method using a liquid crystal panel sealing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.

7B is a plan view illustrating a moving direction of the dispenser of the liquid crystal panel sealing apparatus according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

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

100: table 110: storage space

200: dispenser 300: sealing material supply unit

350: sealing material 400: liquid crystal panel detection unit

500: liquid crystal panel sealing device 600: liquid crystal panel

700: cassette

The present invention relates to a liquid crystal panel sealing device, and more particularly, to a liquid crystal panel sealing device having improved accuracy and efficiency of dispensing of a sealing material into a liquid crystal injection hole of a liquid crystal panel, and a manufacturing method of a liquid crystal display device using the same.

The liquid crystal display device is a display device capable of displaying a desired image by individually supplying data signals according to image information to pixels arranged in a matrix, and adjusting light transmittance of the pixels. Such a liquid crystal display includes a liquid crystal panel in which pixels are arranged in a matrix, a driving module for driving them, and a backlight assembly for providing light to the liquid crystal panel. The liquid crystal panel is formed by bonding a first display panel including a thin film transistor array and a second display panel on which color filter patterns and the like are formed, and a liquid crystal layer including liquid crystal molecules is interposed between the first display panel and the second display panel. .

On the other hand, for forming the liquid crystal layer, a liquid crystal dropping method and a liquid crystal injection method are typically used. Among them, the liquid crystal molecule injection method is preferably used in terms of process efficiency and loss rate. In the liquid crystal injection method, the first display panel and the second display panel are bonded using a seal pattern formed by removing the liquid crystal injection hole, and then liquid crystal is injected through the liquid crystal injection hole by using a pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the liquid crystal panel. When the injection of the liquid crystal is completed, the liquid crystal injection hole is sealed using a sealing material so that the liquid crystal molecules do not flow out.

By the way, in order to achieve the process efficiency, it is required to seal a plurality of liquid crystal panels at once, and conventionally, a method of aligning a plurality of liquid crystal panels and applying a sealing material to the liquid crystal inlet has been used. However, when the sealing material is applied, it is difficult to apply the correct amount of the sealing material, and when a large amount of the sealing material is applied, it flows out of the liquid crystal panel. In this case an additional cleaning process is required. In addition, when too little sealing material is applied, the liquid crystal injection hole is not completely sealed, and a resealing process is required.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a liquid crystal panel sealing device having improved precision and efficiency of dispensing of a sealing material into a liquid crystal injection hole of a panel.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display device using the liquid crystal panel sealing device as described above.

Technical problems of the present invention are not limited to the technical problems mentioned above, and other technical problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a liquid crystal panel sealing apparatus including a table having a storage space for storing a plurality of liquid crystal panels, and a liquid crystal panel stored in the storage space while moving on the table. And a dispenser for dispensing a sealing material into a liquid crystal injection hole, a sealing material supply unit for supplying a sealing material to the dispenser, and a liquid crystal panel sensing unit for checking alignment of the liquid crystal panel while moving on the table.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display device, including providing a plurality of liquid crystal panels into which liquid crystal is injected through a liquid crystal injection hole, and replacing the liquid crystal panel with the liquid crystal injection hole. Arranging in the table storage space so as to face the surface; and moving the liquid crystal panel sensing unit until sensing of the liquid crystal injection hole of the liquid crystal panel disposed in the table storage space is completed, and then detecting the position of the liquid crystal panel in advance. Dispensing a positive amount of the sealing material in the liquid crystal injection hole.

Specific details of other embodiments are included in the detailed description and drawings.

Advantages and features of the present invention and methods for achieving them will be apparent with reference to the embodiments described below in detail with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but will be implemented in various forms, and only the present embodiments are intended to complete the disclosure of the present invention, and the general knowledge in the art to which the present invention pertains. It is provided to fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art, and the present invention is defined only by the scope of the claims. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

Hereinafter, a liquid crystal panel sealing apparatus according to embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a liquid crystal panel sealing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, the liquid crystal panel sealing device 100 includes a table 100 having an accommodation space 110 for accommodating a plurality of liquid crystal panels 600, and a storage space 110 while moving on the table 100. The dispenser 200 for dispensing the sealing material 350 into the liquid crystal injection hole of the liquid crystal panel 600 accommodated in the liquid crystal, the sealing material supply unit 300 for supplying the sealing material 350 to the dispenser 200, and the table 100 are moved. While including the liquid crystal panel detector 400 for checking the alignment of the liquid crystal panel 100. Hereinafter, the configuration as described above will be described in more detail.

2 is a perspective view of a table of a liquid crystal panel sealing apparatus and a liquid crystal panel accommodated therein according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 and 2, an accommodation space 110 is formed at the center of the table 100. The storage space 110 accommodates the plurality of liquid crystal panels 600 to provide a place where the sealing material 350 is dispensed by the dispenser 200. The table 100 may be fixed to the work space by a support member (not shown). However, one variation of the present embodiment has a structure that can move back and forth, left and right of the table 100, thereby controlling the relative position with respect to the dispenser 200 or fine position adjustment.

The liquid crystal panel 600 is a target object to which the sealing process is performed by the liquid crystal panel sealing apparatus 500. In the storage space 110 of the table 100, a plurality of liquid crystal panels 600 are disposed for process efficiency, and a sealing process is continuously performed. As one example, 40 or more liquid crystal panels 600 may be disposed in the storage space 110. A more detailed description of the liquid crystal panel 600 will be described later.

On the other hand, the liquid crystal panel 600 is accommodated in the cassette 700, for example, while moving the work space to go through a plurality of processes. The cassette 700 is divided into a plurality of layers by the plurality of partition members 710, and for example, the liquid crystal panel 600 may be accommodated in one layer separated by the partition member 710. . Of course, as a modification, two or more may be accommodated, for example, five may be accommodated for each layer. The liquid crystal panel 600 accommodated in the cassette 700 and moved in the direction of the table 100 may be separated from the cassette 700 and accommodated in the storage space 110, but the storage space ( 110 may be accommodated. In this case, the separation and stacking process from the cassette 700 may be omitted before and after the sealing operation, thereby improving process efficiency. 2 illustrates an example in which the cassette 700 is designed to have a wider margin than the storage space 110, and the width of the storage space 110 may be variously modified as necessary. For example, it is also possible to be designed to accommodate two or more cassettes 700.

Hereinafter, the liquid crystal panel 600 as described above will be described in more detail. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a liquid crystal panel to which a liquid crystal panel sealing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is applied.

Referring to FIG. 3, the liquid crystal panel 600 includes a first display panel 610 and a second display panel 620 disposed to face each other in parallel. As illustrated in FIG. 3, a plurality of spacers 650 may be disposed between the first display panel 610 and the second display panel 620. Liquid crystal molecules 660 are injected into the space held by the spacer 650. In addition, a seal pattern 630 is formed at one end of the first and second display panels 610 and 620, and a liquid crystal injection hole 640 is formed at the other end thereof.

4 is an exploded perspective view of a liquid crystal panel to which a liquid crystal panel sealing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is applied.

Referring to FIG. 4, the seal pattern 630 is formed along the periphery of the first and second display panels 610 and 620. 4 illustrates an example in which the seal pattern 630 is formed on the first display panel 610, but may be formed on the second display panel 620 to be bonded to each other.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, a part of the seal pattern 630 is separated to form a liquid crystal injection hole 640. The liquid crystal injection hole 640 is an inlet through which liquid crystal is injected between the first and second display panels 610 and 620 that are bonded to each other. The liquid crystal panel sealing apparatus 500 according to the present exemplary embodiment supplies the sealing material 350 to the liquid crystal injection hole 640 to seal the liquid crystal panel 600. The liquid crystal injection hole 640 is disposed to face upward as shown in FIG. 2 in relation to the position of the dispenser 200. Even when the liquid crystal panel 600 is disposed in the cassette 700, the liquid crystal injection hole 640 is disposed upward.

5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a dispenser and members connected to the liquid crystal panel sealing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

2 and 5, the dispenser 200 is a device for dispensing the sealing material 350, and is provided on the support 250. Inside the dispenser 200, a piston (not shown) may be provided to accurately push the sealing material 350. The support 250 is installed to be movable back and forth, left and right. Support 250 can be moved using a rail (not shown) installed on the bottom or top. In addition, it may be connected to the robot arm and moved. As the support 250 moves, the dispenser 200 may move back and forth, left and right.

One end of the dispenser 200 is provided with a nozzle 210, and the sealing material is dispensed through the nozzle 210. The supply line 310 is connected to the other end or the other part of the dispenser 210. The supply line 310 is also connected with the sealing material supply part 300. The dispenser 210 receives the sealing material 350 from the sealing material supply unit 300 through the supply line 310. The sealing material supply unit 300 stores the sealing material 350 and supplies the sealing material 350 to the dispenser 210 according to a predetermined timing. As the sealing material 350, for example, an ultraviolet curable resin may be used.

Meanwhile, the liquid crystal panel detector 400 is connected to the support 250. The liquid crystal panel detector 400 moves on the table 100 to check the alignment degree of the liquid crystal panel 600 and to adjust the dispense time of the dispenser. As one example, a jig can be used. The liquid crystal panel detector 400 of FIG. 5 is connected to the side of the supporter 250 and checks the alignment degree by physically contacting the liquid crystal panel 600 while moving on the table 100. At this time, the liquid crystal panel detector 400 moves together depending on the movement of the supporter 250 in the left and right directions, but the liquid crystal panel detector 400 does not move even if the support member 250 moves in the front and rear directions. Can be installed. Meanwhile, the liquid crystal panel sensing unit according to an embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the above example, and the liquid crystal panel sensing unit 400 may be controlled independently from the support 250. In addition, as the liquid crystal panel detector 400, a sensor for checking an alignment degree by detecting an optical or electrical signal may be used.

Next, the manufacturing method of the liquid crystal display device containing the method of sealing a liquid crystal panel using the liquid crystal panel sealing apparatus 600 as mentioned above is demonstrated.

6A is a cross-sectional view illustrating a sealing method using a liquid crystal panel sealing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 6B is a plan view illustrating a moving direction of the dispenser of the liquid crystal panel sealing apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The arrows indicated by solid lines in FIG. 6B indicate the moving direction of the dispenser while dispensing the sealing material, and the arrows indicated by dashed lines indicate the moving direction of the dispenser while dispensing the sealing material.

6A and 6B, first, a plurality of liquid crystal panels in which liquid crystal is injected through a liquid crystal injection hole are disposed in a storage space of a table. Subsequently, when the liquid crystal panel detector 400 moves in the second direction to contact the liquid crystal panel 600, the dispenser 200 is positioned at one end of the liquid crystal injection hole 640. The position adjustment is performed by adjusting the distance between the liquid crystal panel detector 400 and the dispenser 200 in advance.

Next, the sealing material is dispensed while moving the dispenser 200 in the first direction perpendicular to the second direction. The amount of sealing material dispensed is predetermined according to the volume of the liquid crystal injection hole 640. In addition, the first direction moving speed of the dispenser 200 is adjusted to complete a predetermined amount of sealing material dispensing when the distance from the one end of the liquid crystal injection hole 640 to the other end (l) is completed. In this case, the liquid crystal panel detector 400 may not move despite the first direction movement of the dispenser 200.

When the dispensing of the sealing material to the liquid crystal injection hole 640 of one liquid crystal panel 600 is completed, the liquid crystal panel detector 400 and the dispenser 200 are moved to the next liquid crystal panel 600 ′. Here, of course, the sealing material is not dispensed while moving the distance d between one liquid crystal panel 600 and another adjacent liquid crystal panel 600 '. When the liquid crystal panel detector 400 contacts the next liquid crystal panel 601, the dispenser 200 is aligned with the other end of the liquid crystal injection hole 640 ′.

Subsequently, the dispenser 200 dispenses the sealing material in the same manner as before while moving in the direction opposite to the first direction. In the same manner, the dispensing is continued until the sealing material dispensing is completed in the liquid crystal injection holes of all the liquid crystal panels on the table. On the other hand, the position of the liquid crystal panel 600 'according to the movement distance is input to the liquid crystal panel detector 400 in advance, so that the liquid crystal panel 600' may be aligned at the correct position. That is, when the moving distance to the contact and the previously input moving distance are different, it is determined as a misalignment. In this case, the dispenser 200 is not dispensed, and the positions of the liquid crystal panel 600 'are rearranged. Dispensing will take place. Therefore, the alignment check of the liquid crystal panel and the dispensing of the sealing material are performed in one process, so that the process efficiency can be improved. In addition, since the accuracy of dispensing the sealing material to the liquid crystal injection hole is increased, the sealing material is prevented from flowing down to the outer surface of the liquid crystal panel so that an additional cleaning process is unnecessary, and a resealing process due to incomplete sealing is unnecessary. In addition, continuous sealing of a plurality of liquid crystal panels is possible, thereby improving the process speed.

Subsequently, when the sealing material is irradiated with ultraviolet rays or the like to harden the sealing material, the sealing step of the liquid crystal panel is completed. Subsequently, a polarizing film or the like is attached to the outside of the liquid crystal panel, and the liquid crystal display device can be completed by combining the driving module and the backlight assembly.

In the above embodiment, the liquid crystal panel includes one liquid crystal injection hole, but even when the liquid crystal panel includes two or more liquid crystal injection holes, a sealing method using the liquid crystal panel sealing device may be applied. 7A is a cross-sectional view illustrating a sealing method using a liquid crystal panel sealing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. 7B is a plan view illustrating a moving direction of the dispenser of the liquid crystal panel sealing apparatus according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The arrows indicated by solid lines in FIG. 7B indicate the moving direction of the dispenser while dispensing the sealing material, and the arrows indicated by dashed lines indicate the moving direction of the dispenser while dispensing the sealing material. In this embodiment, the description of parts that can be duplicated or easily inferred from FIGS. 6A and 6B will be omitted or simplified.

Referring to FIGS. 7A and 7B, the liquid crystal panels 601 and 601 ′ are provided with two liquid crystal injection holes 641a, 641b, 641a ′ and 641b ′ unlike the embodiments of FIGS. 6A and 6B. When the liquid crystal panel detector 400 contacts the liquid crystal panel 601, the dispenser 200 is aligned with one end of the first liquid crystal injection hole 641a.

Subsequently, the dispenser 200 dispenses a predetermined amount of the sealing material 350 while moving the distance l ₁ of the first liquid crystal injection hole 641a to the other end (first direction) of the first liquid crystal injection hole 641a. After the dispensing for) is completed, dispensing is stopped and the end of the second liquid crystal injection hole 641b is moved (first direction).

Subsequently, the dispenser 200 dispenses a predetermined amount of sealing material 350 while moving the distance l ₂ of the second end of the second liquid crystal injection hole 641b (first direction), and the second liquid crystal injection hole 641b. After dispensing for is completed, dispensing stops and moves in the second direction. The liquid crystal panel detector 400 does not move when the dispenser 200 moves in the first direction, but moves together when moving in the second direction. When the liquid crystal panel detector 400 moves by the distance d ₁ between the liquid crystal panels and contacts the neighboring liquid crystal panels 601 ′, the dispenser 200 may move the second liquid crystal injection hole 641b ′ of the liquid crystal panel 601 ′. Is aligned to the other end of the

Subsequently, the sealing material 350 is dispensed to the second liquid crystal injection hole 641b 'while the dispenser is moved in the opposite direction to the first direction, and the above process is repeated until the sealing material is dispensed to the liquid crystal injection holes of all the liquid crystal panels in the table. do. Subsequent processes are substantially the same as the embodiment of FIGS. 6A and 6B.

From the above embodiments, even when two or more rows of liquid crystal panels are arranged in the storage space of the table, it can be easily understood that the sealing process using the liquid crystal panel sealing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention can be performed in the same manner. will be.

Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains may implement the present invention in other specific forms without changing the technical spirit or essential features thereof. I can understand that. Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments described above are exemplary in all respects and not restrictive.

As described above, according to the liquid crystal panel sealing apparatus according to the embodiments of the present invention, since the precision of the dispensing of the sealing material to the liquid crystal injection hole of the liquid crystal panel is increased, the sealing material is prevented from flowing down to the outer surface of the liquid crystal panel and thus additionally No cleaning process is necessary. In addition, since the need for a resealing process due to incomplete sealing is reduced, process efficiency is improved. Moreover, since many liquid crystal panels can be sealed continuously, a process speed increases.

Claims (12)

A table having a storage space for storing a plurality of liquid crystal panels; A dispenser for dispensing a sealing material into a liquid crystal injection hole of a liquid crystal panel accommodated in the storage space while moving on the table; Sealing material supply unit for supplying a sealing material to the dispenser; And Liquid crystal panel sealing device including a liquid crystal panel detector for checking the alignment of the liquid crystal panel while moving on the table. According to claim 1, And a liquid crystal panel detecting unit connected to the dispenser. The method of claim 2, And the dispenser moves on the table and stops movement when the liquid crystal panel detector detects the liquid crystal panel and dispenses a predetermined amount of sealing material into the liquid crystal inlet. According to claim 1, The liquid crystal panel sealing device is a jig for checking alignment of the liquid crystal panel while physically contacting one end of the liquid crystal panel. According to claim 1, And the dispenser dispenses the sealing material while moving along the liquid crystal injection hole formed in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction in which the liquid crystal panels are arranged. The method of claim 5, And the dispenser moves in directions opposite to each other in the adjacent liquid crystal panels while dispensing the sealing material. According to claim 1, The said sealing material is an ultraviolet curable resin, The liquid crystal panel sealing apparatus. According to claim 1, And the storage space accommodates 40 or more liquid crystal panels. According to claim 1, And the liquid crystal panel is accommodated in a cassette and accommodated in the storage space. Providing a plurality of liquid crystal panels in which liquid crystal is injected through the liquid crystal injection hole; Arranging the liquid crystal panel in a table storage space with the liquid crystal injection hole facing upwards; And Moving the liquid crystal panel detector to detect the position of the liquid crystal panel until the dispensing of the liquid crystal inlet of the liquid crystal panel disposed in the table storage space is completed, and then dispensing a predetermined amount of sealing material into the liquid crystal inlet; Method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display comprising a. The method of claim 10, The liquid crystal panel detecting unit is a jig for checking alignment of the liquid crystal panel while physically contacting one end of the liquid crystal panel. The method of claim 10, And the storage space accommodates 40 or more of the liquid crystal panels.

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