TWI491964B - Display device - Google Patents

Description

Display device

The present invention relates to a display device, and more particularly to a liquid crystal display panel.

The liquid crystal display panel mainly comprises an active component array substrate, a color filter substrate and a liquid crystal layer. Between the active device array substrate and the color filter substrate, a plurality of spacers are supported to form a cell gap, thereby improving mechanical strength and deformation resistance of the liquid crystal display panel. A liquid crystal layer containing a plurality of liquid crystal molecules is filled between the cell gaps.

An electric field is generated between the active device array substrate and the color filter substrate, and the electric field can change the alignment of the liquid crystal molecules, causing the liquid crystal display panel to display a desired image. Therefore, the cell gap between the active device array substrate and the color filter substrate and the thickness of the liquid crystal layer must be uniform, otherwise the display speed, viewing angle and brightness contrast of the liquid crystal display will be affected.

However, when the active device array substrate and the color filter substrate are assembled by pressure or when the panel is tapped, the position of the gap sub-slid may be slid or displaced due to the force, resulting in uneven cell gap and affecting the uniformity of the thickness of the liquid crystal layer. How to avoid the liquid crystal display panel being pressed by external force to change the cell gap and the thickness of the liquid crystal layer, reduce the defect of the bubble or the unevenness of the panel gap (Mura), and strengthen the structure of the liquid crystal display panel, and increase the pressure resistance of the liquid crystal display panel, which is many A problem that manufacturers of liquid crystal display panels are striving to study.

In order to reduce the risk of low temperature bubbles and uneven gap defects in the panel, this It is an object of the invention to provide a liquid crystal display panel and a display device using the liquid crystal display panel.

To this end, an embodiment of the present invention provides a display device including a liquid crystal display panel. The liquid crystal display panel includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a liquid crystal layer, a plurality of spacers, and a plurality of support members. The first substrate has a first surface. The second substrate has a second surface opposite the first surface. The liquid crystal layer is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate. A plurality of spacers are disposed on the first surface, and each of the spacers has an end surface at the top. A plurality of support members are disposed on the second surface, and each support member is disposed corresponding to a gap. At least one of the supporting elements comprises a base layer and a support layer protruding from a plane on the base layer, and a planar area above the base layer is larger than an end face area of the gap. The support layer has a central portion and at least three extending portions that extend radially toward the edge of the base layer centering on the central portion.

In addition to the foregoing liquid crystal display panel, the display device further includes a circuit board assembly and an assembly housing. The circuit board assembly is electrically connected to the liquid crystal display panel, and the circuit board assembly and the liquid crystal display panel are disposed in the assembly housing.

In summary, the liquid crystal display panel provided by the present invention has the following advantages after using the supporting member including the base layer and the supporting layer: First, when the liquid crystal display panel is pressed, the gap can be easily compressed, ensuring that the spacer is easily compressed. The preset spacing between the color filter substrate after pressing and the active device array substrate, while taking into account the static pressure strength of the panel, can reduce the risk of bubble generation and avoid the gap unevenness (Mura) caused by the force of the panel. The support layer damages the edge of the gap substructure, and the spacer has better recompression, which can reduce the risk of the panel generating bubbles at low temperatures. The base layer area of the support member is larger than the end face area of the spacer, and the extension of the support layer connection is larger than the spacer The end face diameter provides a large shift margin. Avoid the gap shift when the external force is tapped, and the lateral friction force can not return the gap, reducing the risk of offset light leakage. Compared with the prior art, the design of the support member of the present invention can more accurately estimate the degree of compression of the spacer, and promote the unit gap to be relatively uniform.

The above described features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following description.

Please refer to FIG. 1 , which is a schematic cross-sectional view of the liquid crystal display panel of the present invention before being pressed. The liquid crystal display panel 1 includes a first substrate 10, a second substrate 20, a liquid crystal layer 30, a plurality of spacers 11, and a plurality of support members 21.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the first substrate 10 is a color filter substrate having a first surface 101. The second substrate 20 is an active device array substrate having a second surface 201. The second substrate 20 faces the first surface 101 with the second surface 201 and is combined with the first substrate 10. The liquid crystal layer 30 is filled in a gap formed between the first substrate 10 and the second substrate 20.

A plurality of spacers 11 are disposed on the first surface 101 of the first substrate 10, and each of the spacers 11 has an end surface 110 at the top. The plurality of support members 21 are disposed on the second surface 201 corresponding to the position of the spacer 11. When the first substrate 10 is pressed against the second substrate 20, the spacer 11 provides a supporting force between the first substrate 10 and the second substrate 20, and the supporting member 21 presses the end faces 110 of the corresponding spacers 11, respectively.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the gap 11 is divided into a main gap 11a and an auxiliary gap 11b. In the present embodiment, the main gap 11a and the auxiliary gap 11b have the same shape. In an embodiment, the support member 21 comprises at least two aspects: a main support member 21a and an auxiliary support member. 21b. The main support member 21a and the auxiliary support member 21b are disposed at different positions on the second substrate 20 and have different distribution densities. Also, the top of the main support member 21a is higher than the top of the auxiliary support member 21b, that is, the height of the main support member 21a is higher than the height of the auxiliary support member 21b with reference to the second surface. It is possible to solve the problem of variation in the filling amount of the liquid crystal during the liquid crystal dropping process and the variation in the height of the spacer 11 in the process of fabricating the spacer 11, resulting in uneven thickness or gap of the liquid crystal layer. In another embodiment, the second surface 201 is not provided with an auxiliary support member 21b.

The first substrate 10 and the second substrate 20 are paired, but before the pressing, the main spacer 11a contacts the main supporting member 21a, and the auxiliary spacer 11b is aligned with the auxiliary supporting member 21b, but the auxiliary spacer 11b and the auxiliary support The elements 21b are still separated by a distance. When the auxiliary support member 21b is not provided on the second surface 201, the auxiliary spacer 11b is spaced apart from the second substrate 20.

When the liquid crystal display panel 1 is pressed, the distance between the auxiliary spacer 11b and the auxiliary supporting member 21b (or the second substrate 20) can provide a tolerance range of the height variation of the spacer 11 and variations in the filling amount of the liquid crystal, and reduce the panel. The probability of uneven coverage (Mura) or bubble generation.

In addition, in the assembly process of the existing liquid crystal panel, when the active device array substrate and the color filter substrate are paired, relative displacement is inevitably caused, so that the spacer is not accurately aligned with the support member. Furthermore, if the end face area of the spacer is larger than the area where the spacer actually contacts the support member, a certain drop will occur between the actual compression amount of the spacer and the estimated compression amount when the spacer is compressed. When the estimated compression amount of the gap is smaller than the actual compression amount, the active device array substrate and the color filter base The gap between the boards is greater than the original preset value. However, the amount of liquid crystal filling is a certain amount, so that the liquid crystal material cannot fill the gap described above, resulting in generation of bubbles.

The main support member 21a of the embodiment of the present invention has a special design to solve the above problems while taking into consideration the static pressure strength of the liquid crystal display panel 1. In this embodiment, the main support member 21a includes a base layer 210 and a support layer 211. 2A and 2B, respectively, a plan view of a main support member 21a according to an embodiment of the present invention, and a cross-sectional view taken along line 2B-2B of FIG. 2A are shown. The base layer 210 is disposed on the second surface 201, and the area of the upper surface 2100 of the base layer 210 is larger than the area of the end surface 110 of the main gap 11a such that the end surface 110 of the spacer 11a is in full contact with the upper surface 2100 of the base layer 210. In addition, the end surface 110 of the main spacer 11a is circular in this embodiment, and the area of the end surface 110 is smaller than that of the conventional spacer end surface, so that the number of the spacers is fixed. Next, the main gap 11a in this embodiment has a lower density, thereby reducing the probability of generation of low temperature bubbles. However, other geometric shapes can be selected depending on the requirements, such as an oval shape. However, the outer shape of the base layer 210 can be designed into any geometric shape according to actual needs. In an embodiment, the shape of the flat surface 2100 on the base layer 210 is a symmetrical geometric shape. In this embodiment, the upper surface 2100 of the base layer 210 is a quadrilateral, and may be a square or a rectangle. In addition, in an embodiment, the end surface 110 of the spacer 11 is circular, and the sum of the side length of one side of the plane 2100 on the base layer 210 and the diameter of the end surface 110 of the spacer 11 is greater than or equal to 34 um.

The support layer 211 protrudes from the upper surface 2100 of the base layer 210. In an embodiment, the support layer 211 has a central portion 2111 And at least three extensions 2112. The extending portion 2112 extends radially toward the edge of the base layer 210 around the central portion 2111.

The extension 2112 of the support layer 211 provides a shift margin of the main gap 11a. Further, after the support member 21 is configured such that the liquid crystal display panel is pressed, the end surface 110 of the main spacer 11a first contacts the support layer 211. At this time, the structural edge of the main spacer 11a cylinder is broken by the support layer 211, and the compression characteristics of the main spacer 11a can be improved. Since the contact area of the support layer 211 and the gap sub-end surface 110 is small, the edge of the main spacer 11a is broken to have better recompression, thereby reducing the risk of the panel generating bubbles at a low temperature.

When the force is applied again, the end faces 110 of the main gap 11a and the auxiliary gap 11b respectively contact the upper surface 2100 of the base layer 210 and the auxiliary supporting member 21b (or the second substrate 20). In the case where the same stress as the previous stage is applied, the main gap 11a can generate a large static pressure strength to the panel, and the main gap 11a is compressed to a lesser extent after contacting the upper surface 2100 of the base layer 210. It can reduce the probability of occurrence of gap unevenness (Mura). Further, when the auxiliary spacer 11b contacts the auxiliary supporting member 21b (or the second substrate 20), the force can be shared.

In an embodiment, the end face 110 of the spacer 11 is circular, and the width W of the extension 2112 is less than or equal to the radius of the end face 110 of the spacer 11.

Referring to FIG. 2B, the side surface 211b of the support layer 211 is connected to the support layer top surface 211a and the base layer 210 upper plane 2100. Since the panel is subjected to thrust or during the panel pairing process, the spacer 11 may be displaced, and when the end surface 110 of the spacer 11 is located on the upper surface 2100 of the base layer 210, the support layer 211 is not touched. In an embodiment of the invention, the support The angle θ between the layer side surface 211b and the upper surface 2100 of the base layer 210 is less than 60 degrees and greater than zero degrees. In other words, the support layer 211 has a bottom angle θ and one side surface, and the bottom angle θ is the upper plane 2100 and the side surface 211b. The acute angle between the clips. The base angle θ is less than 60 degrees and greater than zero degrees. The gap 11 in which the displacement occurs can be easily returned to the position.

Referring to Figures 3A through 3E, there is shown a plan view of the main support member 21a of another embodiment of the present invention. The top surface 211a of the support layer 211 is preferably symmetrical in shape, and may be a point symmetrical pattern. The top surface 211a of some support layers 211 may even have point symmetry and line symmetry. In detail, the symmetry point of the support layer 211 is located at the center of the plane 2100 on the base layer 210, or the axis of symmetry of the support layer 211 passes through the center of the upper plane 2100, as shown in FIGS. 3A to 3E.

In the embodiment of FIG. 3A, the upper surface 2100 of the base layer 210 has a regular quadrangular shape, and the central portion 2111 has a quadrangular shape as viewed from a plan view. The support layer 211 has at least four extensions 2112 extending toward the upper surface of the base layer 210 on the plane 2100. The top surface 211a of the support layer 211 has a cross shape as viewed from a plan view. In another embodiment, the width of the extensions 2112 is diminished from the central portion 2111 toward the edge of the plane 2100 above the base layer 210, similar to a star shape, as shown in Figure 3B.

In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3C, the support layer 211 has at least four extensions 2112 that extend toward the four corners of the base layer 210, respectively. In another embodiment, the support layer 211 has four extensions 2112 extending toward the upper plane 2100 of the base layer 210, and the other four extensions 2112 extending toward the upper plane 2100 of the base layer 210. That is to say, from the top view, the top surface 211a of the support layer has a shape of a square, as shown in Fig. 3D. In addition to this, in another embodiment, the central portion 2111 profile It is an annular body as shown in Fig. 3E.

The design of the support layer 211 can be varied in many different ways, and it is not limited to the scope of the present invention.

Please refer to FIGS. 4A to 4B at the same time. 4A shows a partial top view of the structure of the second substrate 20. 4B is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 4B-4B of FIG. 4A. The second substrate 20 includes a pixel array 22, an insulating layer 203, a protective layer 214 and a transparent plate 200. 4A shows that the pixel array 22 includes a plurality of scanning lines 22s, a plurality of data lines 22d, and a plurality of common lines (not shown). The scan lines 22s are interleaved with the data lines 22d to define a pixel unit 220. Each of the pixel units 220 includes a transistor 221 and a pixel electrode 222. The transistor 221 is electrically connected to the scan line 22s and the data line 22d, and the pixel electrode 222 is electrically connected to the transistor 221 .

The transistor 221 can be a Field-Effect Transistor (FET). Therefore, each of the transistors 221 can have a gate 221g, a drain 221d, and a source 221s. The source 221s is electrically connected to the data line. 22d, the drain 221d is connected to the pixel electrode 222, and the gate 221g is electrically connected to the scan line 22s. In the present embodiment, a portion of the scan line 22s is directly used as the gate 221g.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the pixel array 22 and the insulating layer 203 are disposed above the transparent plate 200, and the insulating layer 203 covers the scanning line 22s and the data line 22d. Referring to FIG. 4B, the insulating layer 203 covers the scan line 22s, and the main support member 21a is disposed on the insulating layer 203. In this embodiment, the main support member 21a includes a pad layer 212 and a pattern layer 213. In an embodiment, the pad layer 212 forms the base of the aforementioned main support member 21a. Layer 210, and pattern layer 213 forms support layer 211.

In an embodiment, the pad layer 212 may be a semiconductor layer and formed on the insulating layer 203 in a process of forming the channel layer. In other embodiments, the pad layer 212 may also be a multilayer structure composed of a metal or an insulating layer.

The pattern layer 213 is on the pad layer 212. In one embodiment, the pattern layer 213 is a metal layer. In the process, the pattern layer 213 is also formed while the source and the drain metal layer are formed. However, the pattern layer 213 may also be an insulating layer or a multilayer structure composed of a metal layer and an insulating layer. In the preferred embodiment, the pattern of the pattern layer 213 has point symmetry or line symmetry, such as the above-mentioned cross shape, m-shaped or star shape, and the like.

Thereby, in the panel pressing process, the end surface 110 of the spacer 11 initially contacts the pattern layer 213, and the contact area is small, so that the compression spacer 11 is relatively easy, and the gap sub-end surface 110 contacts the cushion layer 212, As the contact area increases, the gap 11 is less likely to be compressed, but the static strength and supporting force supplied to the panel are larger.

In a preferred embodiment, the protective layer 214 conformally covers the insulating layer 203 and the support member 21 and contacts the end face 110 of the spacer 11. The protective layer 214 is located on the pattern layer 213 and covers the pad layer 212 and the pattern layer 213 in a straight shape so that the connection surface between the top surface and the bottom surface of the main support member 11a has a gentle slope. Therefore, even if the spacer 11 is misaligned, it can be moved back to the original position by the gentle slope of the joint surface.

Another embodiment of the present invention, please refer to FIG. 4C, which is a cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of the main support member 21a of the present invention. The main support member 21a includes a cover layer 215 and a pattern layer 213. The cover layer 215 is located on the pattern layer 213 and completely covers the pattern layer 213 in a straight shape, so that the support member 21 The outer shape forms the aforementioned base layer 210 and support layer 211. The pattern layer 213 may be a semiconductor layer formed on the insulating layer 203 in a process of forming a channel layer. The cover layer 215 can be a metal layer formed simultaneously with the source and drain metal layers. In the present embodiment, the protective layer 214 also covers the support member 21 and the insulating layer 203 in a straight shape and contacts the end surface 110 of the spacer 11.

5A is a perspective view of a display according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5B is an exploded perspective view of the display of FIG. 5A. Referring to FIGS. 5A and 5B , the display 500 includes an assembly housing 510 , a liquid crystal display panel 520 , and a circuit board assembly 530 . The circuit board assembly 530 and the liquid crystal display panel 520 are both disposed in the assembly housing 510 . The liquid crystal display panel 520 has the technical features of the liquid crystal display panel of the foregoing embodiment.

The assembled housing 510 can include two housing assemblies 512, 514, and the housing assembly 512 can be coupled to the housing assembly 514 by snap fit or screw locking. Display device 520 and circuit board assembly 530 are disposed within assembly housing 510 by housing assembly 512 and 514. However, in other embodiments not shown, the assembly housing 510 can also be divided into three or more components according to the design requirements of the assembly, and the circuit board assembly 530 and the liquid crystal display panel 520 can also be used in other manners. It is disposed in the assembled housing 510. Therefore, the invention is not limited thereto.

The display device 520 is electrically connected to the circuit board 530, and the circuit board assembly 530 includes electronic components such as a power supply, a driving component, a plurality of passive components, and a plurality of active components. Circuit board assembly 530 can be a flex-rigid circuit board. In detail, the board The assembly 530 includes a rigid circuit board 532 and a flexible circuit board 534.

The flexible circuit board 534 is connected between the hard circuit board 532 and the display device 520. Accordingly, the circuit board assembly 530 is electrically connected to the display device 520 through the flexible circuit board 534. Moreover, in an embodiment, the circuit board assembly 530 can also electrically connect the display device 520 through a plurality of wires. However, the present invention does not limit the type of circuit board assembly 530 and the manner in which electrical connections are made.

The display 500 can be a liquid crystal screen used by the desktop computer (as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B), a screen of a notebook computer, a screen of a liquid crystal television, and a handheld electronic device, such as a mobile phone or a digital camera. , digital cameras, handheld game consoles or personal digital assistants (PDAs).

In summary, the liquid crystal display panel provided by the present invention has the following advantages after using the supporting member including the base layer and the supporting layer: when the liquid crystal display panel is pressed, the edge structure of the top of the gap sub-cylinder is destroyed by the supporting layer. The gap can be easily compressed to ensure a preset spacing between the pressed color filter substrate and the active device array substrate. Moreover, even if the panel is pressed, the spacer has better recompression, which reduces the risk of bubble generation. In addition, since the plane above the base layer is larger than the area of the end surface of the gap, the end surface of the gap can be completely contacted. Therefore, the static pressure strength of the liquid crystal display panel can be maintained at a certain value, and the gap unevenness (Mura) is prevented from being generated by the panel force.

The support layer is symmetrical and has a plurality of radially extending extensions that provide a larger shift margin for the spacer. It can avoid the gap sub-shift when the external force is tapped and the substrate is displaced, and the lateral direction is The friction causes the gap to be unable to return, effectively reducing the risk of offset light leakage and low temperature bubbles. In addition, the end face of the spacer can be changed to be designed as a circular shape, so that the distribution density of the spacer can be reduced, and the design specifications can be unified and applied to various products.

The prediction of the degree of compression of the gap can be greatly improved, which is beneficial to further improve the design of the spacer and the supporting member. Only a part of the conventional gap sub-end surface is in contact with the supporting member, so that a certain error is generated when predicting the compression behavior of the spacer. The plane above the substrate layer of the present invention can completely contact the gap sub-end surface. Therefore, the compression behavior caused by the contact between the spacer and the substrate layer is similar to that of the micro hardness tester, and the design and actual errors are reduced.

While the present invention has been described above in terms of the preferred embodiments thereof, it is not intended to limit the present invention, and the equivalents of the modification and retouching are still in the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Within the scope of patent protection.

1‧‧‧LCD panel

10‧‧‧First substrate

101‧‧‧ first surface

20‧‧‧second substrate

200‧‧‧Transparent board

201‧‧‧ second surface

30‧‧‧Liquid layer

11‧‧‧ spacer

11a‧‧‧Main gap

11b‧‧‧Auxiliary gap

110‧‧‧ end face

21‧‧‧Support components

21a‧‧‧Main support element

21b‧‧‧Auxiliary support elements

210‧‧‧ basal layer

2100‧‧‧Upper plane

211‧‧‧Support layer

211a‧‧‧Top surface of the support layer

211b‧‧‧ side surface

2111‧‧‧Central Department

2112‧‧‧Extension

212‧‧‧ cushion

213‧‧‧pattern layer

214‧‧‧protection layer

215‧‧‧ Coverage

22‧‧‧ pixel array

22s‧‧‧ scan line

22d‧‧‧Information line

220‧‧‧ pixel unit

221‧‧‧Optoelectronics

221g‧‧‧ gate

221d‧‧‧汲

221s‧‧‧ source

222‧‧‧ pixel electrodes

203‧‧‧Insulation

500‧‧‧ display

510‧‧‧Assembled housing

520‧‧‧LCD panel

530‧‧‧Board components

512, 514‧‧‧ housing components

532‧‧‧hard circuit board

534‧‧‧Flexible circuit board

1 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a liquid crystal display panel according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2A is a plan view showing a main support member according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2B-2B of FIG. 2A; 3A to 3E are plan views showing a main supporting member of another embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 4A is a partial top view showing a second substrate structure according to an embodiment of the present invention; and Fig. 4B is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 4B-4B of Fig. 4A. 4C is a cross-sectional view of a main support member according to another embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 5A is a perspective view showing a display according to an embodiment of the present invention; and FIG. 5B is an exploded perspective view showing the display of FIG. 5A.

1‧‧‧LCD panel

10‧‧‧First substrate

101‧‧‧ first surface

20‧‧‧second substrate

201‧‧‧ second surface

30‧‧‧Liquid layer

11‧‧‧ spacer

11a‧‧‧Main gap

11b‧‧‧Auxiliary gap

110‧‧‧ end face

21‧‧‧Support components

21a‧‧‧Main support element

21b‧‧‧Auxiliary support elements

210‧‧‧ basal layer

2100‧‧‧Upper plane

211‧‧‧Support layer

211a‧‧‧Top surface of the support layer

211b‧‧‧ support side surface

214‧‧‧protection layer

Claims (10)

A display device comprising a liquid crystal display panel, the liquid crystal display panel comprising: a first substrate having a first surface; a second substrate having a second surface disposed opposite the first surface; a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first surface and the second surface; a plurality of spacers disposed on the first surface, each of the spacers having an end surface; a plurality of support members disposed on the second surface, and Each of the supporting elements is disposed corresponding to the gap, wherein the at least one supporting element comprises: a base layer disposed on the second surface, the base layer has an area larger than an area of the end surface; and a supporting layer disposed on the base layer The support layer includes a central portion and at least three extending portions connected to the central portion and extending radially toward the edge of the base layer around the central portion. The display device of claim 1, wherein the base layer has an upper surface, the support layer has a bottom corner and a side surface, and the bottom corner is the upper plane and the side surface An acute angle, and the base angle is less than 60 degrees and greater than zero degrees. The display device of claim 2, wherein the upper plane is shaped like a quadrangle, and the support layer has four extensions extending along the upper plane toward the four sides of the base layer. The display device of claim 1, wherein the support layer The top surface of a support layer has a point symmetry or line symmetry from a top view of the top surface of the support layer. The display device of claim 1, wherein the width of the extensions is decreased from the central portion toward an edge of the base layer. The display device of claim 1, wherein the end surface is circular, and the width of the extensions is less than or equal to the radius of the end surface. The display device of claim 1, wherein the support layer is a pattern layer, and the base layer is a pad layer, and the pattern layer is disposed on the pad layer. The display device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the support members is formed by a cover layer and a pattern layer, the cover layer covering the pattern layer. The display device of claim 1, further comprising a protective layer covering the second surface and the supporting members and contacting the end faces. The display device of claim 9, wherein the second substrate comprises a pixel array formed by interlacing a plurality of scan lines and a plurality of data lines, and the scan lines are The data lines are covered by an insulating layer covering the insulating layer, and the supporting members are disposed on the insulating layer.