TW520455B - Method for manufacturing electro-optic cells in particular liquid crystal cells, or electrochemical photovoltaic cells - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a plurality of electro-optic cells is disclosed, in particular for manufacturing liquid crystal display cells (2) or photovoltaic cells, each cell including a cavity (5) filled with a liquid and defined by sealed partitions (8, 9) between two plates (3, 4), in particular made of glass, provided with electrodes within the cavity. In a first step, a batch of cells (2) is manufactured, whose cavities are filled with the desired liquid and sealed. In a second step, the external contour (20) of each cell is cut, and if necessary a hole (10) passing through the cell, by means of a very high pressure water jet (30), the water either being loaded or not with an abrasive agent. Thus, the external layers (25, 26) such as a polariser and a reflector may be applied onto the batch prior to the cutting step.

Description

Printed by the Consumer Cooperatives of the Central Standards Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs 520455 A7 __ B7 V. Description of the Invention (η) The present invention relates to the manufacturing method of a plurality of photoelectric cells, especially the liquid crystal cells or photovoltaic cells. A single cell has a cavity filled with liquid and the cavity is defined by a sealed partition between two plates, which are used as electrodes of the cavity. The manufacturing method of the present invention includes the following steps: τυ collective Manufacture a batch of sealed cells filled with the liquid. The batch of cells contains two plates shared by each cell and a pattern of sealing material that joins the two plates and forms a single cell. (2) The entire batch of cells Divide into individual cells, and if necessary, shape the outline of each cell. In most commonly used methods for making such cells, two large pieces of glass or synthetic plates are prepared, including at least one transparent plate, on which electrodes and conductive paths are formed, and a sealing material is deposited on one of the two plates and filled. Openings are distributed in each cell, and the two plates are combined into a unit with several rows of empty cells. The unit is then separated into a plurality of straight objects by means of cleavage glass technology (see, for example, U.S. Patent No. 4 2 4 0 93) or by cutting along a parallel straight line. Since each cell has filling holes that are distributed along one side of the straight object, it is followed by filling the cells and sealing their openings, and then paralleling the vertical parallel to the above The straight line of the line divides the straight object into individual independent rectangular cells. In this stage, if the outline of a single cell has a non-rectangular part, it can be shaped by honing. Since the cutting and honing process will damage the outer surface, any outer surface, such as polarizers, reflectors, or transflectors required for a single cell of a liquid crystal display (LCD), will be stacked on top of the paper later. Standards are applicable to China National Standard (CNS) A4 specifications (210X 297 mm) (诮 Please read the precautions on the back before filling this page)

520455 A7 ________ B7_ V. Description of Invention 6). These process steps, which must be performed individually for each cell, result in a more complex and costly overall manufacturing process than a process performed directly for a batch of cells. If each cell also has a center hole, for example, if the cell is located at the center of the watch surface or constitutes a surface, the center hole is used for passing the needle bearing shaft ', the manufacturing method will be more complicated. To make a hole of this type that penetrates a complete LCD cell, there have been proposals so far that it can be achieved by spraying sandstone with the shape of the hole, but this technology cannot accurately cut and damage the upper surface of the cell. This is especially true of the outer skins that have been previously stacked. Printed by the Consumer Standards Cooperative of the Central Bureau of Standards of the Ministry of Economic Affairs (Read the precautions on the back before filling out this page) US Patent No. 4 0 · 9 4 0 5 8 invents some improvements to the traditional method of manufacturing a batch of LCD cells. The goal is to perform as much work as possible before the entire batch of cells is divided. An improved method of this invention includes the two steps described above. In order to obtain a batch of filled and sealed cells in the first step, 'the sealing material used to form the separation pattern is first stacked on a transparent plate, and then the liquid crystal is filled in order, and the second The plate is then sealed. In any case, it is doubtful whether the quality of such a seal is good if the liquid has first wetted the joint surface. On the other hand, the cutting method advocated by this patent requires a certain distance between two adjacent single-cell compartments, and this distance wastes a lot of space and can only produce rectangular single-cells. The purpose of the present invention is to improve the traditional collective batch manufacturing method so that the various batches of cells can be performed as much as possible before the batches are divided. The special purpose of the present invention is to realize the second step by using simple and cost-effective technology. If possible, it can be simplified into a single step. In addition, the paper size can be adapted to the 5 Chinese Family Standards (CNS) A4 specification (210X 297 public). (Centi) ~ 520455 A7 B7 printed by the Consumer Cooperatives of the Central Standards Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs 5. Description of the invention 6) Non-rectangular cells are made without honing. According to the present invention, this objective is achieved by a method of the type mentioned in the introduction, wherein at least part of the completion of the second step is achieved by spraying water jets which can optionally contain honing materials. Although cutting glass plates using very high pressure water jets is a well-known and in-use technology, the idea of using this technology to cut the single cell filled with liquid in the present invention is to open the relevant manufacturing method. Show new and favorable prospects. Because the jet water jet is very small and does not mix the adjacent parts of the cutting place, the entire batch of cells can actually be made before cutting. For filling and sealing, you can use trusted methods to achieve it, and all necessary outer layers can be stacked on the entire batch of cells, so that it is better than stacking on each independent cell. Simplicity is also more cost effective. Furthermore, it is not only necessary to cut along a straight line, but also to cut along the final contour of each cell to avoid using any subsequent shaping methods, such as honing. The contour can be any shape, even concave, but it is difficult to make it by conventional techniques. The plate used as the substrate may be made of glass, but it may also be made of other materials, especially synthetic materials. The jet water jet can be finely cut, which simplifies the sealing material pattern, especially because two adjacent single cells share the same partition. In the second step, the jet water jet can cut such single cells longitudinally. If a single cell has a penetrating hole, the penetrating hole can also be cut by water jet injection in the same step, for example, on the entire batch of cells before the corresponding cell is separated from the entire batch of cells. Make a penetration hole. In the effective implementation of this method, there must be at least one before the second step. F Please read the notes on the back before filling in this page.

This paper scale applies Chinese National Standard (CNS) A4 specification (21 OX297 mm) -6-520455 A7 B7 V. Description of the invention ") Outer surface layer, especially polarizing layer, anti-reflection layer and / or protective layer, stacked on The entire batch of cells is on at least one outer surface, and the layer is cut along with the flat plate in the second step. The entire batch of cells can also be joined to the support plate, which will be cut at the same time as the cells. As in the traditional method described above, a larger single-cell unit can be divided into a plurality of straight bars, and each straight bar contains one or two rows of single cells. An external conductive element formed on one side of the strip-shaped object and containing connecting electrodes. It is best to be divided into straight strip-shaped objects before full cells are filled. If the outer surface does not need to cover the external conductive elements distributed on the straight edges, Then, the outer surface layer can be stacked after being divided into straight bars. Other features and effects of the present invention will be explained in the description of the preferred embodiment described below, which is described in a non-limiting manner with a reference icon Sexual examples Expressed in different ways, where: Figure 1 is a partial top view of a batch of liquid crystal display (LCD) cells in the manufacturing process according to the present invention, and 02 is a single cell separated from the batch of cells in Figure 1 Above view of the grid Yin Fan, a staff consumer cooperative of the Central Standards Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs (read the precautions on the back before filling out this page) Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line III-III in Figure 2, especially showing the manufacture of the single-cell center hole Figure 4 shows the top view of the manufacturing method of the center hole, Figure 5 is similar to Figure 1 and is another type of single cell. The comparison table of the main components This paper size applies the Chinese National Standard (CNS) A4 specification (2I0X297 mm) 520455 A7 B7 V. Description of the invention fe) Printed by the Consumer Cooperative of the Central Standards Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs 1 Unit 2 Single cell 3 Upper plate 4 Lower plate 5 Cavity 6 Electrode 7 Electrode 8 Peripheral partition 9 Internal partition 1 〇 Center hole 1 1 Public Divide 1 2 Open □ 1 3 1) Early wall 1 4 Boundary line 1 5 Disk ΓΤΤ11 1 6 Straight edge 1 7 Conductive path 2 〇 Outline 2 1 Wire portion 22 curve portion 23 a straight wire portion 24 batches layer 25 under layer 26 (Read back surface of the page and then fill Note)

This paper size is applicable to Chinese National Standard (CNS) A4 (210X29 * 7mm) -8- 520455 A7 B7 Printed by the Consumers' Cooperative of the Central Standards Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs 5. Description of the invention) 3 0 Water jet injection 3 1 Nozzle 3 2 Hole 3 3 Trajectory 3 4 Outline 4 1 Unit t 4 2 Cell 4 3 Outline Figure 1 shows LCD cell 2 in the manufacturing process. One of the units 1 'All such cells are defined by the usually transparent double stack Place between plates 3 and 4, such as a glass plate. See also FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, which shows a known structure. It can be found that each cell 2 has a cavity 5 for holding liquid crystals. The cavity is covered by glass plates 3 and 4, respectively. The transparent electrodes 6 and 7 and the sealing partitions 8 and 9 formed by the sealing material used to join the flat plates 3 and 4 are defined together. In the example shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, the single cell also has a central hole 10. For example, if the single cell is planned to be placed in the surface of the watch, the central hole can be used by the watch needle shaft. Divide 9 follows the outline of hole 10, while Divide 8 follows the outline of cell 2. In the unit shown in Fig. 1, the outer partition 8 of the single cell is formed by the pattern of the sealing material and may include a common partition portion 1 1 of two adjacent cells. In order to simplify the drawing, only one of these common partitions 1 1 is shown, but the same arrangement can be applied to the entire unit to simplify the pattern (please read the notes on the back before filling this ί)

Order § This paper size applies the Chinese National Standard (CNS) A4 specification (210X297 mm) printed by the Consumer Cooperatives of the Central Standards Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs 520455 A7 B7 V. Description of the invention 6) Outline. In addition, it can be seen that the decorative openings 12 are located in the peripheral partition 8 of each cell, facing a small barrier wall 13, which is used to block the adhesive material for sealing the openings 12 after the cells are full. bolt. In the known method, the openings 12 are aligned along a parallel demarcation line 1 4, which is represented by a dotted line. The internal partition 9 does not appear in FIG. 1. At this level, the best place for each cell to form an opening in the future is filled with sealing material. For simplicity, only one of these discs is shown. The diameter of the disc is larger than that of the opening, and when the opening is made, the disc will be cut simultaneously with the glass. Figures 2 and 3 also show that each single cell 2 has a straight edge 1 6, where the lower flat plate 4 protrudes to a side relative to the upper flat plate 3 and is exposed near the edge ... a series of conductive paths 17 (some of which are shown in Figure 2 (Middle), which is used as an external connection for electrodes 6 and 7. The rest of the outer contour 2 0 of the single cell 2 is common to the glass flat plates 3 and 4, and includes the curved portions 2 1 and 22 and the straight portion 2 3. The L C D cell 2 is preferably produced by the following method. An empty cell unit 1 is made in a conventional manner, that is, two glass plates 3 and 4 are covered with electrodes and conductive path patterns by a known technique, and then a sealing material is covered on one of the two plates to form Contains the elements 8, 1 1, 1 3, and 1 5 described above. Finally, the second plate is first aligned and then stacked, so that the two plates are combined with each other by a sealing material. The unit 1 is then divided into batches of 2 4 straight strips, and the front system is cut along parallel lines 14 using appropriate techniques to form a straight edge 16 containing external connection portions 17 on each cell. For example, a diamond tool can be used on each piece. The paper size applies the Chinese National Standard (CNS) A4 specification (210X297 mm) (read the precautions on the back before filling in this page)

-10- 520455 A7 ______B7___ V. Description of the invention fe) Cut and draw a split line on the sloped glass plate, draw two lines at intervals, and then split the glass goblin along these lines. This method is the 4th 2 US Patent No. 2 4 0 9 3. It should be noted that if the openings 12 in the second row of single cells are facing the opposite sides of the openings in the first row, each batch 2 4 may include two rows of single cells 2. Process each batch 2 4 so that the single cell is filled with liquid crystal, and then seal the opening 1 2. All necessary outer skins can then be superimposed on each batch of 24, preferably in a straight shape covering substantially the entire length of each batch of 24. As shown in FIG. 3, the upper layer 25 is then completed, which contains, for example, a polarizing film or protective paint, while the lower layer contains, for example, a polarizing and reflecting film and a protective or reinforced sheet. The last step of the manufacturing method includes cutting out the individual parts 2 1, 2 2 and 2 3 of the outline of each single cell 2, dividing each batch 2 4-into single cells, and cutting the central hole 10 again. This step is best done with a very high pressure jet water jet cutter, which is better for automatic controllers and is done in a single work step. Water jet injection 30 (Figure 3) and nozzle for jetting water jet Printed by the Consumer Cooperative of the Central Standards Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs (Please read the precautions on the back before filling this page) 3 1 It is best to keep both, but The machine will move the whole batch of 2 4 cells flatly, so that the water jet can be sprayed along the cutting trajectory on the batch. In any case, techniques with removable water jets can also be used. ‘In the case of a batch containing only a single cell cut by a water jet, it is also within the scope of the present invention. In this case, as described in the foregoing example, each of the strip-shaped objects 2 4 is first divided into individual cells 2 along a horizontal line perpendicular to the line 14 by any known technique. Water jet cuts the outline of the cell. This paper size applies to China National Standard (CNS) A4 (210X297 mm) _ _ Ministry of Economic Standard. Consumer Cooperatives' Seal% 520455 A 7 __ B7 _ 5. Description of the invention) It is best to cut before cutting the contour 20 Each hole in cell 2 is 10, because at this time the cell is still attached to the entire batch of cells. Fig. 4 shows an advantageous method of cutting the hole 10 in an enlarged size, because in fact the diameter of the water jet 30 is significantly smaller than the diameter of the hole 10. Set up the first batch of cells so that the jet water jet is located in the inner area of the hole 10, for example, at the center of the hole, so as to make the first small hole 3 2 that penetrates the cell, if the hole is initially closed Then its diameter can be irregular. Then move the whole batch of 24 cells, so that the jet of water can be drawn into the circular or other shaped contour 3 4 of the hole 10 along the trajectory 3 3 and then continuously moved along the contour 34 to cut out The exact shape required. As shown in FIG. 3, when the jet waterjet cuts the outer contour 2 of the single cell 2 at the same time, it also cuts two glass flat plates 3 and 4, and the outer surface layers 25 and 26 and 'if necessary, forms a sealing material of partition 8, It contains common partitions such as 1 1 (Figure 1). This technique provides clean, precise segmentation without causing mechanical or chemical losses to the outer layers 25 and 26 in the immediate vicinity of the cutting line. Fig. 5 illustrates the application of a similar technique to the fabrication of an electrochemical photovoltaic cell 4 2 unit 41 1 which is filled with liquid and has a certain shape, such as a circle. Such cells are disclosed, for example, in International Publications WO 91/16719 and WO 95/18456. Since they only require two external connection terminals, the latter can be passed through a hole arranged on a glass plate, or a conductive layer can be extended from the electrode to the edge of the cell. For this reason, a batch of 4 1 filled cells 4 2 can be made completely using known methods, and then cut by a very high-pressure jet waterjet technology to fit each Chinese paper standard (CNS) A4 (210X29? Mm) (Please read the notes on the back before filling this page)

-12- 520455 A7 B7 V. Description of the invention (10) All outer contours 4 3 of a single cell 4 2, and each cell is separated from the rest of the batch of cells. Such cells can also contain openings similar to the holes 10 described above, for example when the cell is on the surface of a watch. Printed by the Consumers' Cooperative of the Central Standards Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs (Read the precautions on the back before filling in this page)

This paper size is applicable to China National Standard (CNS) A4 (210X297 mm) -13-

Claims (1)

520455 A8 B8 C8 D8 VI. Applicable Patent Scope Annex I: Patent Application No. 87 101 192 Chinese Application for Amendment of Patent Scope "—. 一 ~ ... '一-Affection of the Republic of China in 1st year · A type of multiple electro-optical cells Manufacturing method: the electro-optic liquid crystal cell or electrochemical photovoltaic cell, each cell has a cavity filled with liquid and defined by a sealed partition between two plates, and the two plates are within the cavity Provided with electrodes, the manufacturing method includes the following steps: (Ϊ) collectively manufacturing a batch of cells filled with the liquid and sealed, the batch of cells includes two plates common to all the cells and joining the plates and forming the A pattern of sealing material separated by cells, and (ϊ Ϊ) divide the batch of cells into individual cells and 'shape the contour of each cell if necessary, of which at least part of the completion of step II The batch of cells is cut by jet water jets, which can choose whether or not to contain honing media. 2 · The manufacturing method of item 1 in the scope of patent application, wherein the flat plate is made of glass. The manufacturing method surrounding item 1, wherein at least one outer surface layer is a polarizing layer, an anti-reflection layer and / or a protective layer, which has been stacked on at least one outer surface of the batch of cells before step II and Cut along with the flat plate in step II. 4 · As in the manufacturing method of item 1 of the patent application scope, wherein the batch of cells in step I is a straight bar-shaped object 'is divided into larger single-cell units , Each containing one or two rows of single cells, so that each single cell has at least one straight edge formed by one side of a straight object and contains the size of the paper connected to the electrode. The Chinese standard (CNS) A4 specification (210X297) (Mm) For Japanese, please read the notes on the back of the page and fill in this page) ·-Order the printed by the Consumers' Cooperative of the Intellectual Property Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs 520455 A8 B8 C8 D8 VI. Patent application scope External conductive element. Item manufacturing method, wherein the process of dividing into straight strips is completed before the full cell is filled. 6 · The manufacturing method according to item 5 of the patent application scope, wherein at least one outer surface layer The outer surface layer is a polarizing layer, an anti-reflection layer and / or a protective layer, which has been stacked on at least one outer surface of the batch of cells before step II and is cut along with the flat plate in step II, where it is divided into straight bars The object is then superimposed on the at least one outer layer. 7 · The manufacturing method according to item 1 of the patent application scope, wherein in step I the partition comprises a common partition of two adjacent cells and in step II a water jet is used The common partition is cut longitudinally. 8 · The manufacturing method according to item 1 of the patent application range, wherein each cell contains at least one penetrating hole, which is cut by water jet cutting in step II. 9. If applied The manufacturing method of item 8 of the patent, wherein the hole is cut by using a water jet having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the hole, firstly penetrating a single cell at the inner area of the hole, and then cutting out the outline of the hole from the penetrating area. 10 · The manufacturing method according to item 1 of the scope of patent application, wherein each cell has an outline and all of the contour of each cell is cut out in step II. (Please read the notes on the back before filling this page) Order ^ 1. Printed by the Consumer Cooperatives of the Intellectual Property Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs This paper size applies to China National Standard (CNS) A4 (210X297 mm)-2-