KR20070071010A - Apparatus of bonding substrates for a liquid crystal display device - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus for bonding substrates for a liquid crystal display device is provided to bond substrates by pressurizing the substrates at the same time by installing jigs in a vacuum chamber for bonding the substrates, thereby increasing the process efficiency and reducing cost and consumption of human power. A vacuum chamber(302) forms vacuum with a plurality of doors. At least one jig(301) is installed in the vacuum chamber for loading or unloading an upper substrate(304) and a lower substrate(303). A transport chuck transports each jig. Electro static chucks(305) are formed at a lower part of each jig for fixing the upper substrate by attaching the upper substrate by generating static electricity.

Description

Apparatus of bonding substrates for a liquid crystal display device}

1 is a flow chart showing the manufacturing process of the liquid crystal display device

2A through 2D are cross-sectional views illustrating a conventional operation of the bonding apparatus for a liquid crystal display device.

3 is a block diagram of a bonding apparatus for a liquid crystal display according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

4A to 4D are cross-sectional views illustrating an operation of a bonding apparatus for a liquid crystal display according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

＊ Explanation of symbols for main parts of drawing

301: jig 302: vacuum chamber

303: lower substrate 304: upper substrate

305: electrostatic chuck 306: transport chuck

307: liquid crystal 308: real

309: door 310: conveying device

311: axis of rotation

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a substrate bonding apparatus for a liquid crystal display device, and more particularly to a substrate bonding apparatus for a liquid crystal display device capable of bonding a plurality of substrates at the same time.

Recently, with the development of various portable electronic devices such as mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and notebook computers, the demand for light and thin flat panel display devices that can be applied thereto gradually increases. It is becoming. Liquid crystal display (LCD), plasma display panel (PDP), field emission display (FED), and vacuum fluorescent display (VFD) are actively researched as such flat panel displays, but mass production technology, ease of driving means, Liquid crystal display devices (LCDs) are in the spotlight for reasons of implementation.

The liquid crystal display device is a device for displaying information on a screen by using refractive index anisotropy of a liquid crystal. The liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal layer formed between a lower substrate and an upper substrate and between the lower substrate and the upper substrate.

The lower substrate is a driving element array substrate, and a plurality of pixels are formed on the lower substrate, and a driving element such as a thin film transistor (TFT) is formed on each pixel.

The upper substrate is a color filter substrate, and a color filter layer for realizing color is formed.

In addition, a pixel electrode and a common electrode are formed on the lower substrate and the upper substrate, respectively, and an alignment layer for aligning liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer is coated.

The lower substrate and the upper substrate are bonded by a seal material, and a liquid crystal layer is formed therebetween to drive the liquid crystal molecules by a driving element formed on the lower substrate to control the amount of light that passes through the liquid crystal layer. Will be displayed.

The manufacturing process of the liquid crystal display device may be classified into a driving element array substrate process of forming a driving element on the lower substrate and a color filter substrate process and a cell process of forming a color filter on the upper substrate.

Hereinafter, a manufacturing process of a liquid crystal display device will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a flowchart illustrating a manufacturing process of a liquid crystal display device.

First, a plurality of gate lines and data lines are formed on the lower substrate by a driving element array process to define pixel regions, and the gate lines and the data lines are respectively formed in the pixel regions. A thin film transistor which is a driving element to be connected is formed (101S).

In addition, the pixel electrode is connected to the thin film transistor by the driving element array process to drive a liquid crystal layer as a signal is applied through the thin film transistor.

On the other hand, the upper substrate to form a color filter layer and the common electrode of R, G, B to implement the color by the color filter process (106S).

Next, an alignment layer is applied to the upper substrate and the lower substrate, respectively, and then the alignment regulating force or the surface fixing force (ie, the pretilt angel) is applied to the liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer formed between the upper substrate and the lower substrate. The orientation film is rubbed (102S, 107S) to provide an orientation direction).

In addition, the upper substrate and the lower substrate undergo a predetermined cleaning process to remove impurities (103S and 108S).

Next, a real material is applied to the outer portion of the lower substrate after the cleaning process, and a predetermined amount of liquid crystal is dropped into the applied real material (104S and 105S).

Meanwhile, silver (Ag) is formed in a dot shape on the upper substrate, and spacers for maintaining a constant cell gap are distributed (109S and 110S).

Then, the lower substrate and the upper substrate are bonded by applying pressure in a vacuum state (111S).

The lower substrate and the upper substrate are made of a large-area glass substrate, and a plurality of panel regions are formed on the large-area glass substrate, and a TFT and a color filter layer serving as driving elements are formed in each of the panel regions. Therefore, in order to manufacture a single liquid crystal panel, the glass substrate is cut, polished, and processed (112S and 113S).

Herein, the bonding apparatus used in the bonding process will be described in detail.

2A to 2D are cross-sectional views illustrating a conventional operation of the bonding apparatus for a liquid crystal display device.

As shown in FIG. 2A, the lower substrate 104 is seated on the lower stage 103 provided in the horizontally movable conveying apparatus 109, and the first surface of the lower substrate 104 is first adsorbed. It is sucked and fixed by the mechanism 108.

The lower surface of the upper substrate 105 on which the color filter array is formed is sucked and fixed by the second adsorption mechanism 107 provided in the upper stage 102.

 Although not shown in the drawing, an ultraviolet curable material 106 is applied to the lower substrate 104 as a liquid crystal dropping step before the bonding process, and a liquid crystal 110 is disposed inside the thin film transistor array (thin film transistor array). ) Is loaded.

As shown in FIG. 2B, the vacuum container 101 is closed and vacuumed while the lower substrate 104 and the upper substrate 105 are fixed.

Then, the upper stage 102 is lowered in the vertical direction, and the lower stage 103 on which the lower substrate 104 is seated is moved in a horizontal direction so that the lower substrate 104 and the upper substrate 105 Set the position.

As shown in FIG. 2C, the upper stage 102 is lowered in the vertical direction to press the upper substrate 105 and the lower substrate 104 to be bonded through the material 110.

As shown in FIG. 2D, the upper stage 102 and the upper substrate 105 are separated by releasing the adsorption force of the second adsorption mechanism 107.

Then, the upper stage 102 is raised vertically and the vacuum container 101 is opened to move the lower stage 103.

Subsequently, the liquid crystal display device is completed by irradiating and curing ultraviolet rays on the material 106, which bonds the lower substrate 104 and the upper substrate 105 to each other.

Since the conventional substrate bonding apparatus for a liquid crystal display device as described above completes one liquid crystal display element in one bonding process, a plurality of bonding apparatuses must be provided to mass produce a plurality of liquid crystal display elements. That is, a large number of bonding devices are required in proportion to the quantity of liquid crystal display devices to be mass-produced, and thus, the cost and manpower are consumed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and a plurality of jigs are formed in a vacuum chamber for joining a substrate for a liquid crystal display device, and thus a plurality of substrates can be bonded at the same time. The purpose is to provide a device.

In order to achieve the above object, the LCD apparatus may include a vacuum chamber capable of forming a vacuum, pressurizing and bonding the substrate, and a plurality of jigs provided in the vacuum chamber to load the substrate ( jig), a plurality of conveying chucks used as moving means of each jig, a plurality of electrostatic chucks attached to the lower part of each jig for attaching the substrate, and carrying each of the substrates to be loaded on each jig. It characterized in that it further comprises a conveying device for loading or unloading.

Hereinafter, the configuration and operation of the bonding apparatus for a liquid crystal display device will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

3 is a block diagram of a bonding apparatus for a liquid crystal display according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 3, a vacuum chamber 302 having a plurality of doors 309 that can be opened and closed is configured.

When the upper chamber 304 and the lower substrate 303 are bonded to each other, the vacuum chamber 302 may close the doors 309 to form a vacuum inside.

In the vacuum chamber 302, a plurality of jigs 301 are formed on which the upper substrate 304 and the lower substrate 303 are seated.

In addition, a plurality of electrostatic chucks (ECS) 305 may be provided below the jig 301 to attach and fix the upper substrate 304.

Here, the electrostatic chuck 305 may be fixed by attaching each of the upper substrate 304 or the lower substrate 303 by a method of generating static electricity at a high voltage.

Each jig 301 is attached to a plurality of haulage chuch (306) is movable, the haulage chuch (306) is formed on the inner surface of the vacuum chamber 302 is vertically and horizontally It is possible to move.

That is, each of the conveying chucks 306 may be detachably attached to each jig 301, and may be moved vertically and horizontally from the inner surface of the vacuum chamber 302 even after attaching the respective jig 301. .

In addition, each of the conveying chucks 306 may move along a predetermined path, and each of the conveying chucks 306 may move simultaneously.

The bonding apparatus configured as described above carries each of the upper substrate 304 and the lower substrate 303 from the previous process apparatus and loads them on the respective jigs 301, or the jig 301 is applied to the liquid crystal display element after the bonding process is completed. It is further configured to include a conveying device 310 for unloading to the next process equipment.

The conveying device 310 may move along a predetermined path, and may also be composed of a plurality of rotating shafts 311 and a robot arm.

Next, the operation of the bonding apparatus for a liquid crystal display device according to the present invention will be described.

4A to 4D are cross-sectional views illustrating an operation of a bonding apparatus for a liquid crystal display according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 4A, a plurality of jigs 301 provided in the vacuum chamber 302 are attached to each of the conveying chucks 306 to stand on top of the vacuum chamber 302.

When the doors 309 are opened, the jig 301 located at the bottom of each jig 301 is vertically lowered to a position where the lower substrate 303 is loaded and then fixed.

At this time, the conveying apparatus 310 carries the lower substrate 303 from a previous process apparatus along a preset path and loads the lower substrate 303 on the jig 301.

That is, the conveying apparatus 310 carries the lower substrate 303 first and loads it on the jig 301 in a preset order.

Although not shown in the drawing, an ultraviolet curable material 308 is applied to the lower substrate 303 to a thickness of about 30 μm in the liquid crystal dropping process, which is a step before the bonding process, and is formed inside the thin film transistor array (thin film transistor array). The liquid crystal 307 is dropped.

When the lower substrate 303 is first loaded on the jig 301, the jig 301 on which the lower substrate 303 is seated is vertically lowered to stand in the lower portion of the vacuum chamber 302.

At this time, the jig 301 located at the bottom of each jig 301 that is waiting on the upper portion of the vacuum chamber 302 is vertically lowered to the position where the upper substrate 304 is loaded and then fixed.

The conveying device 310 loads the upper substrate 304 on the jig 301.

In this case, the jig 301 is fixed after attaching the upper substrate 304 by using the electrostatic chuck 305 provided on the lower surface.

Subsequently, the transport device 310 transports the lower substrate 307 and rests on the jig 301.

The upper substrate 304 is attached to a lower surface, and the jig 301 on which the lower substrate 303 is seated is vertically lowered to the lower surface of the vacuum chamber 302.

Each jig 301 loaded with the lower substrate 303 and the upper substrate 304 is aligned at a predetermined interval not in contact with each other at the lower portion of the vacuum chamber 302, and then waits.

Thereafter, by repeating the above-described method, each jig 301 attaches the upper substrate 304 to the lower surface and seats the lower substrate 303 on the upper surface.

As shown in FIG. 4B, when each of the upper substrate 304 and the lower substrate 303 is loaded on each jig 301, the vacuum chamber 302 closes the respective doors 309. The inside is vacuumed.

As shown in FIG. 4C, in the vacuum chamber 302 formed in a vacuum state, each of the transport chucks 306 simultaneously descends in the vertical direction, so that each of the upper substrate 304 and the lower substrate 303 is removed. Pressurize.

At this time, each jig 301 is pressed through the material 308 by pressing the height between each upper substrate 304 and the lower substrate 303 to 5㎛.

Each of the electrostatic chucks 305 separates the jig 301 and the upper substrate 304 by no longer applying static electricity.

As shown in FIG. 4D, the vacuum chamber 302 opens the respective doors 309 and no longer forms a vacuum.

Then, the jig 301 rises vertically in the order arranged at the top of the jig 301 and moves to the position for unloading the respective liquid crystal display elements.

The conveying device 310 unloads each of the liquid crystal display elements from each jig 301 and moves to the next process device.

Subsequently, the liquid crystal display device is completed by irradiating and curing ultraviolet rays on the material 308 to which the lower substrate 303 and the upper substrate 304 are bonded.

On the other hand, each jig 302 in which all of the liquid crystal display elements are unloaded is aligned on the upper portion of the vacuum chamber 302.

Then, the bonding process as described above is repeatedly performed.

The present invention described above is not limited to the above-described embodiments and the accompanying drawings, and it is common in the art that various substitutions, modifications, and changes can be made without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention. It will be apparent to those who have knowledge.

The bonding apparatus for a liquid crystal display device according to the present invention as described above has the following effects.

A plurality of jigs are formed inside the vacuum chamber for bonding the substrates for the liquid crystal display device, and the plurality of substrates are simultaneously pressed to bond.

Therefore, the process efficiency for the bonding apparatus can be increased, and the cost and manpower consumption for constructing a plurality of bonding apparatuses can be reduced.

Claims (6)

In the bonding apparatus for a liquid crystal display device, A vacuum chamber capable of forming a vacuum; At least one jig provided in the vacuum chamber to load or unload a substrate; A transport chuck for moving each jig; And, Bonding device for a liquid crystal display device further comprises an electrostatic chuck provided in the lower portion of each jig. The method of claim 1, One side of each jig is attached to each of the conveying chuck, the lower portion is provided with a respective electrostatic chuck, the bonding apparatus for a liquid crystal display device. The method of claim 1, And each of the conveying chucks and the respective jigs is detachable. The method of claim 3, wherein And the conveying chuck is vertically or horizontally movable. The method of claim 1, The electrostatic chuck is a bonding apparatus for a liquid crystal display device, characterized in that the attachment mechanism for generating static electricity at a high voltage. The method of claim 1, And a conveying device for conveying the substrate from the outside of the vacuum chamber to be loaded on each jig or unloading from the jig of the vacuum chamber to the outside. .

Images