Etched display panel and method for manufacturing etched display panel

Abstract

Disclosed are an etched display panel and a method for manufacturing the etched display panel, wherein the etched display panel according to the present invention comprises: a first substrate having a first etched surface and a first non-etched surface that is connected to one side of the first etched surface in a stepped manner and has a thickness greater than that of the first etched surface; a second substrate having a second etched surface arranged to face away from the first etched surface, and a second non-etched surface that is connected to one side of the second etched surface in a stepped manner, has a thickness greater than that of the second etched surface, and is arranged to face away from the first non-etched surface; and a circuit unit electrically connectable to one side of the first substrate and one side of the second substrate.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an etched display panel including a substrate having an etched surface and a method of manufacturing the etched display panel. [Background Art]

[0002] A display device is, for example, a device such as a monitor that receives image signals and displays images such as still images or moving images on a front surface thereof. In order to increase the added value of display devices, display panels included in recent display devices tend to be larger, thinner, lighter, and curved.

[0003] In order to make the display panel thinner, lighter, and curved, it is necessary to etch a surface of a substrate included in the display panel.

[0004] The background technology of the present invention is disclosed in Korean Patent Registration No. 10-1935786 (registered on December 31, 2018, title of invention: Method of Manufacturing Lightweight and Thin Liquid Crystal Display Device). [Description of Invention] [Technical Problem]

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems and is directed to providing an etched display panel including a pair of etched substrates disposed to face each other, and a method of manufacturing an etched display panel that manufactures the etched display panel formed by etching a pair of substrates assembled to face each other. [Technical Solution]

[0006] An etched display panel according to one aspect of the present invention includes a first substrate including a first etched surface and a first non-etched surface connected in a stepped manner to one side of the first etched surface and having a thickness greater than a thickness of the first etched surface, a second substrate including a second etched surface formed facing away from the first etched surface, and a second non-etched surface connected in a stepped manner to one side of the second etched surface, having a thickness greater than a thickness of the second etched surface, and formed facing away from the first non-etched surface, and a circuit portion electrically connected to one side of the first substrate and one side of the second substrate.

[0007] The etched display panel may further include a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, a first polarizing plate attached to the first etched surface, and a second polarizing plate attached to the second etched surface and having a polarization angle crossing a polarization angle of the first polarizing plate.

[0008] The first substrate may be a color filter (CF) substrate including a color filter, and the second substrate may be a thin film transistor (TFT) substrate including thin film transistors.

[0009] The first substrate and the second substrate may be bent to have curved surfaces.

[0010] The circuit portion may include a chip on film (COF) including a flexible circuit portion electrically connected to one side of the first substrate and one side of the second substrate, and a semiconductor chip mounted on the flexible circuit portion, and a circuit board electrically connected to the flexible circuit portion.

[0011] A method of manufacturing an etched display panel according to one aspect of the present invention includes a sealant masking operation of forming a sealant mask by applying a sealant to an edge of a non-etched display panel including a first substrate and a second substrate disposed to face each other, a sealant mask-excluding etching operation of 2 etching the non-etched display panel excluding a portion on which the sealant mask is formed, and a sealant mask removing operation of removing the sealant mask after the sealant mask-excluding etching operation.

[0012] The sealant mask formed in the sealant masking operation may not cover a pair of surfaces formed facing away from each other on the first substrate and the second substrate and may close a gap between an edge of the first substrate and an edge of the second substrate.

[0013] The non-etched display panel further includes a circuit portion electrically connected to one side of the first substrate and one side of the second substrate, and the method of manufacturing the etched display panel may further include a tape masking operation of forming a tape mask by attaching a masking tape to the one side of the first substrate, the one side of the second substrate, and the circuit portion, a tape mask-excluding etching operation of etching the non-etched display panel excluding a portion on which the tape mask is formed, and a tape mask removing operation of removing the tape mask after the tape mask-excluding etching operation.

[0014] Each of the sealant mask-excluding etching operation and the tape maskexcluding etching operation may include an operation of applying an etchant onto the nonetched display panel.

[0015] The sealant mask-excluding etching operation and the tape mask-excluding etching operation may be simultaneously performed.

[0016] In the tape mask-excluding etching operation, a first etched surface may be formed on the first substrate, the first etched surface being formed by etching, in a stepped manner, a portion on which the tape mask is not formed with respect to a portion on which the tape mask is formed, and a second etched surface may be formed on the second substrate, the second etched surface being formed by etching, in a stepped manner, a portion on which the tape mask is not formed with respect to a portion on which the tape mask is formed.

[0017] The non-etched display panel further includes a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, and the method of manufacturing the etched display panel may further include a polarizing plate attaching operation of attaching a first polarizing plate to the first etched surface, and attaching a second polarizing plate having a polarization angle crossing a polarization angle of the first polarizing plate to the second etched surface.

[0018] The non-etched display panel further includes a first pre-installed polarizing plate attached to the first substrate, and a second pre-installed polarizing plate attached to the second substrate and having a polarization angle crossing a polarization angle of the first pre-installed polarizing plate, and the method of manufacturing the etched display panel may further include a pre-installed polarizing plate separating operation of separating the first pre-installed polarizing plate from the first substrate and separating the second pre-installed polarizing plate from the second substrate before the sealant masking operation and the tape masking operation.

[0019] The method of manufacturing the etched display panel may further include a substrate bending operation of bending the first substrate and the second substrate to have a curved surface after the sealant mask-excluding etching operation and the tape maskexcluding etching operation. [Advantageous Effects]

[0020] According to the present invention, when a pair of substrates are etched to manufacture a thin display panel, a region that is not etched at edges of the substrates is minimized. Accordingly, the display panel can be easily made thinner, lighter, and curved, and screen quality of a thin display device, a lightweight display device, a curved display device, and the like can be improved.

[0021] When an etched display panel according to the present invention is a liquid crystal display panel, the operation of attaching polarizing plates to a pair of substrates is easy and a defect rate can be reduced, and thus mass productivity can be improved.

[0022] When a curved display panel is manufactured by bending an etched display panel according to the present invention, the etched display panel can be easily bent symmetrically with a uniform curvature and a defect rate can be reduced, and thus mass productivity can be improved. [Description of Drawings]

[0023] FIG. 1 is a plan view of an etched display panel according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view along line II-II in FIG. 1.

[0025] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view along line III-III in FIG. 1.

[0026] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an etched display panel according to a second embodiment of the present invention and is a cross-sectional view along a cutting line corresponding to a cross section in FIG. 2.

[0027] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an etched display panel according to a third embodiment of the present invention and is a cross-sectional view along a cutting line corresponding to a cross section in FIG. 3.

[0028] FIG. 6 is a block diagram exemplarily illustrating a method of manufacturing the etched display panel illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3.

[0029] FIG. 7 is a plan view illustrating a non-etched display panel to which a mask is attached by a masking operation in FIG. 6.

[0030] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view along line VIII-VIII in FIG. 7.

[0031] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view along line IX-IX in FIG. 7.

[0032] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a substrate is etched and a mask is removed by an etching operation in FIG. 6 and is a cross-sectional view along a cutting line corresponding to a cross section in FIG. 8.

[0033] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which the substrate is etched and the mask is removed by the etching operation in FIG. 6 and is a cross-sectional view along a cutting line corresponding to a cross section in FIG. 9. [Modes of the Invention]

[0034] Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, an etched display panel and a method of manufacturing an etched display panel according to embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail. Terms (terminology) used in the present specification are terms used to appropriately express exemplary embodiments of the present invention. These may vary according to the intention of a user or an operator, or customs in the field to which the present invention pertains, and the like. Accordingly, definitions of these terms should be made based on the contents throughout the present specification.

[0035] FIG. 1 is a plan view of an etched display panel according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view along line II-II in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view along line III-III in FIG. 1, FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an etched display panel according to a second embodiment of the present invention and is a cross-sectional view along a cutting line corresponding to a cross section in FIG. 2, and FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an etched display panel according to a third embodiment of the present invention and is a cross-sectional view along a cutting line corresponding to a cross section in FIG. 3.

[0036] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, an etched display panel 100A according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes a first substrate 110, a second substrate 130, and a circuit portion 150. The first substrate 110 and the second substrate 130 may have a 6 substantially rectangular planar shape and may be transparent. The first substrate 110 includes a first etched surface 123 and a first non-etched surface 121. The first non-etched surface 121 may be a portion of one side that is not etched among edges of the first substrate 110 having a substantially rectangular planar shape.

[0037] The first etched surface 123 is the remaining portion excluding the first nonetched surface 121 in a region of a surface of the first substrate 110 and is a portion etched by an etchant. A thickness of the first non-etched surface 121 is greater than a thickness of the first etched surface 123. The first non-etched surface 121 is connected in a stepped manner to one side of the first etched surface 123.

[0038] The second substrate 130 includes a second etched surface 143 and a second nonetched surface 141. The second non-etched surface 141 may be a portion of one side that is not etched among edges of the second substrate 130 having a substantially rectangular planar shape.

[0039] The second etched surface 143 is the remaining portion excluding the second nonetched surface 141 in a region of a surface of the second substrate 130 and is a portion etched by an etchant. A thickness of the second non-etched surface 141 is greater than a thickness of the second etched surface 143. The second non-etched surface 141 is connected in a stepped manner to one side of the second etched surface 143.

[0040] The thickness of each of the first non-etched surface 121 and the second nonetched surface 141 may be about 0.7 mm to 1.5 mm. The thickness of each of the first etched surface 123 and the second etched surface 143 may be about 0.2 mm to 0.6 mm.

[0041] The first substrate 110 and the second substrate 130 overlap such that flat surfaces thereof face each other and are spaced apart from each other. The second etched surface 143 may be formed facing away from the first etched surface 123, and the second non-etched surface 141 may be formed facing away from the first non-etched surface 121. A width of 7 the second non-etched surface 141 may be greater than a width of the first non-etched surface 121.

[0042] The etched display panel 100A may be a liquid crystal display panel. In this case, the etched display panel 100A may further include a liquid crystal layer 165, a first polarizing plate 170, and a second polarizing plate 175. The liquid crystal layer 165 may be interposed in a spaced gap between the first substrate 110 and the second substrate 130.

[0043] The first polarizing plate 170 may be attached to the first etched surface 123. The second polarizing plate 175 may be attached to the second etched surface 143. The second polarizing plate 175 may have a polarization angle crossing a polarization angle of the first polarizing plate 170.

[0044] The first etched surface 123 of the first substrate 110 may become a front surface of the etched display panel 100A on which an image is displayed, and the second etched surface 143 of the second substrate 130 may become a rear surface of the etched display panel 100A. The first substrate 110 may be a color filter (CF) substrate including a color filter, and the second substrate 130 may be a thin film transistor (TFT) substrate including thin film transistors.

[0045] The circuit portion 150 is electrically connected to one side of the first substrate 110 on which the first non-etched surface 121 is formed and one side of the second substrate 130 on which the second non-etched surface 141 is formed. The circuit portion 150 includes a chip on film (COF) 151 and a circuit board 160.

[0046] The COF 151 may include a flexible circuit portion 152 electrically connected to one side of the first substrate 110 and one side of the second substrate 130, and a semiconductor chip 156 mounted on the flexible circuit portion 152. The circuit board 160 may be electrically connected to the flexible circuit portion 152.

[0047] A display device including the etched display panel 100A may include the etched display panel 100A and a backlight unit (BLU) (not illustrated) disposed to face the second polarizing plate 175.

[0048] Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, an etched display panel 100B according to the second embodiment of the present invention and an etched display panel 100C according to the third embodiment of the present invention may be manufactured by bending the etched display panel 100A illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 such that the first etched surface 123 is concave. Meanwhile, unlike those illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, an etched display panel according to another embodiment of the present invention may also be manufactured by bending such that the first etched surface is convex.

[0049] Additionally, the first substrate 110 includes first to fourth edges 112 to 115. The first edge 112 and the second edge 113 are disposed at opposite sides, and the third edge 114 and the fourth edge 115 are disposed at opposite sides. Lengths of the third edge 114 and the fourth edge 115 may be greater than lengths of the first edge 112 and the second edge 113.

[0050] The second substrate 130 includes first to fourth edges 132 to 135. The first edge 132 and the second edge 133 are disposed at opposite sides, and the third edge 134 and the fourth edge 135 are disposed at opposite sides. Lengths of the third edge 134 and the fourth edge 135 may be greater than lengths of the first edge 132 and the second edge 133.

[0051] The etched display panel 100B according to the second embodiment of the present invention may be manufactured by bending the etched display panel 100A according to the first embodiment of the present invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 such that an interval between the first edges 112 and 132 and the second edges 113 and 133 of the pair of substrates 110 and 130 decreases, and each of the third edges 114 and 134 and the fourth edges 115 and 135 is bent.

[0052] Although areas of the third edges 114 and 134 and the fourth edges 115 and 135 are different from each other, because both are very thin and planar areas of the first nonetched surface 121 and the second non-etched surface 141 connected to the fourth edges 115 and 135 in a bent manner are much smaller than planar areas of the first etched surface 123 and the second etched surface 143, it is easy to manufacture the etched display panel 100A according to the second embodiment of the present invention by bending the etched display panel 100A according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and the curvatures of the third edges 114 and 134 and the fourth edges 115 and 135 may also be the same within an allowable error range.

[0053] The etched display panel 100C according to the third embodiment of the present invention may be manufactured by bending the etched display panel 100A according to the first embodiment of the present invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 such that an interval between the third edges 114 and 134 and the fourth edges 115 and 135 of the pair of substrates 110 and 130 decreases, and the first edges 112 and 132 and the second edges 113 and 133 are respectively bent.

[0054] Because areas of the first edges 112 and 132 and the second edges 113 and 133 are the same and both are very thin, the etched display panel 100A according to the third embodiment of the present invention, in which the curvatures of the first edges 112 and 132 and the second edges 113 and 133 are the same, may be easily manufactured by bending the etched display panel 100A according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0055] When manufacturing the curved display panels 100B and 100C as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 by bending the etched display panel 100A illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, the etched display panel 100A may be easily bent symmetrically with a uniform curvature, and a defect rate may be lowered.

[0056] FIG. 6 is a block diagram exemplarily illustrating a method of manufacturing the etched display panel illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, FIG. 7 is a plan view illustrating a nonetched display panel to which a mask is attached by the masking operation of FIG. 6, FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view along line VIII-VIII in FIG. 7, FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view along line IX-IX in FIG. 7, FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a substrate is etched and a mask is removed by the etching operation of FIG. 6 and is a crosssectional view along a cutting line corresponding to the cross section of FIG. 8, and FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a substrate is etched and a mask is removed by the etching operation of FIG. 6 and is a cross-sectional view along a cutting line corresponding to the cross section of FIG. 9.

[0057] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3 and 6, the method of manufacturing the etched display panel 100A illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 may include a pre-installed polarizing plate separating operation S10, a sealant masking operation S20, a tape masking operation S30, a sealant mask-excluding etching operation S40, a tape mask-excluding etching operation S50, a sealant mask removing operation S60, a tape mask removing operation S70, and a polarizing plate attaching operation S80.

[0058] The method of manufacturing the etched display panel 100A illustrated in FIG. 6 is a method of manufacturing the etched display panel 100A from a non-etched display panel 100 which serves as an intermediate product. The non-etched display panel 100 may include a first substrate 110, a second substrate 130, a liquid crystal layer 165, a first preinstalled polarizing plate (not illustrated), a second pre-installed polarizing plate (not illustrated), and a circuit portion 150.

[0059] Referring to FIGS. 6 to 9, the first substrate 110 and the second substrate 130 may be disposed to face each other. The first substrate 110 and the second substrate 130 may have a substantially rectangular planar shape and may be transparent. Thicknesses of the first substrate 110 and the second substrate 130 may be about 0.7 mm to 1.5 mm.

[0060] The first substrate 110 includes first to fourth edges 112 to 115. The first edge 112 and the second edge 113 are disposed at opposite sides, and the third edge 114 and the fourth edge 115 are disposed at opposite sides. Lengths of the third edge 114 and the fourth edge 115 may be greater than lengths of the first edge 112 and the second edge 113.

[0061] The second substrate 130 includes first to fourth edges 132 to 135. The first edge 132 and the second edge 133 are disposed at opposite sides, and the third edge 134 and the fourth edge 135 are disposed at opposite sides. Lengths of the third edge 134 and the fourth edge 135 may be greater than lengths of the first edge 132 and the second edge 133.

[0062] The liquid crystal layer 165 may be interposed in a spaced gap between the first substrate 110 and the second substrate 130. The first pre-installed polarizing plate is attached to a front surface of the first substrate 110, and the second pre-installed polarizing plate is attached to a rear surface of the second substrate 130. The second pre-installed polarizing plate may have a polarization angle crossing a polarization angle of the first preinstalled polarizing plate.

[0063] The circuit portion 150 is electrically connected to one side close to the fourth edge 115 of the first substrate 110 and to one side close to the fourth edge 135 of the second substrate 130. The circuit portion 150 includes a COF 151 and a circuit board 160.

[0064] The COF 151 may include a flexible circuit portion 152 electrically connected to one side of the first substrate 110 and one side of the second substrate 130, and a semiconductor chip 156 mounted on the flexible circuit portion 152. The circuit board 160 may be electrically connected to the flexible circuit portion 152.

[0065] The pre-installed polarizing plate separating operation S10 is an operation of separating the first pre-installed polarizing plate from the first substrate 110 and separating 12 the second pre-installed polarizing plate from the second substrate 130. The sealant masking operation S20 is an operation of forming a sealant mask 180 by applying a sealant to an edge of the non-etched display panel 100. The sealant may be, for example, an acidresistant sealant that is not dissolved by an acidic etching material.

[0066] The sealant masking operation S20 includes a first substrate sealant applying operation of applying the sealant to the first edge 112, the second edge 113, and the third edge 114 of the first substrate 110, a second substrate sealant applying operation of applying the sealant to the first edge 132, the second edge 133, and the third edge 134 of the second substrate 130, and a gap sealant applying operation of applying the sealant so that a gap between the first to third edges 112 to 114 of the first substrate 110 and the first to third edges 132 to 134 of the second substrate 130 is closed.

[0067] The first substrate sealant applying operation, the second substrate sealant applying operation, and the gap sealant applying operation may be sequentially performed or simultaneously performed. The sealant mask 180 does not cover a pair of surfaces formed facing away from each other on the first substrate 110 and the second substrate 130, that is, the front surface of the first substrate 110 and the rear surface of the second substrate 130.

[0068] The tape masking operation S30 is an operation of forming a tape mask 190 by attaching a masking tape to one side close to the fourth edge 115 of the first substrate 110, one side close to the fourth edge 135 of the second substrate 130, and the circuit portion 150. The masking tape may be, for example, an acid-resistant tape that is not dissolved by an acidic etching material.

[0069] The tape mask 190 may include an upper cover mask portion 191, a lower cover mask portion 193, and an edge mask portion 195, which are connected to each other without a gap. The upper cover mask portion 191 is attached to one side portion of the front surface 13 of the first substrate 110 adjacent to the fourth edge 115 of the first substrate 110 and covers the one side portion. The lower cover mask portion 193 is attached to one side portion of the rear surface of the second substrate 130 adjacent to the fourth edge 135 of the second substrate 130 and covers the one side portion.

[0070] The edge mask portion 195 connects the upper cover mask portion 191 and the lower cover mask portion 193 and seals the circuit portion 150, the fourth edge 115 of the first substrate 110, and the fourth edge 135 of the second substrate 130 so as not to be exposed to the outside.

[0071] In FIG. 9, the circuit portion 150 appears not to be attached to the tape mask 190, but in actuality, the tape mask 190 may be attached to the circuit portion 150. In FIG. 6, the tape masking operation S30 is illustrated as being performed after the sealant masking operation S20, but alternatively, the tape masking operation may be performed before the sealant masking operation, or the tape masking operation and the sealant masking operation may be simultaneously performed.

[0072] Referring to FIGS. 6, 10, and 11, the sealant mask-excluding etching operation S40 is an operation of etching the non-etched display panel 100 (see FIG. 7) excluding a portion on which the sealant mask 180 is formed. The tape mask-excluding etching operation S50 is an operation of etching the non-etched display panel 100 excluding a portion on which the tape mask 190 is formed.

[0073] Each of the sealant mask-excluding etching operation S40 and the tape maskexcluding etching operation S50 may include an operation of applying an etchant onto the non-etched display panel 100. Portions exposed to the etchant in the first substrate 110 and the second substrate 130 are etched, and portions covered by the sealant mask 180 and the tape mask 190 and not exposed to the etchant are not etched.

[0074] For example, the sealant mask-excluding etching operation S40 and the tape mask-excluding etching operation S50 may be simultaneously performed by a method of supplying an etchant onto the non-etched display panel 100 or submerging the non-etched display panel 100 in a bath accommodating an etchant. However, one of the sealant maskexcluding etching operation S40 and the tape mask-excluding etching operation S50 may be performed before the remaining operation.

[0075] In the tape mask-excluding etching operation S50, a first etched surface 123 formed by etching, in a stepped manner, a portion of the front surface of the first substrate 110 on which the tape mask 190 is not formed with respect to a portion on which the tape mask 190 is formed may be formed on the first substrate 110.

[0076] In addition, in the tape mask-excluding etching operation S50, a second etched surface 143 formed by etching, in a stepped manner, a portion of the rear surface of the second substrate 130 on which the tape mask 190 is not formed with respect to a portion on which the tape mask 190 is formed may be formed on the second substrate 130.

[0077] However, the sealant mask-excluding etching operation and the tape maskexcluding etching operation included in the present invention are not limited to a wet etching method using an etchant and may be performed by a dry etching method.

[0078] The sealant mask removing operation S60 is an operation of removing the sealant mask 180 remaining after the sealant mask-excluding etching operation. As the first etched surface 123 and the second etched surface 143 are formed and the first to third edges 112 to 114 and 132 to 134 of the first substrate 110 and the second substrate 130 become thinner, an area in which the sealant mask 180 is attached and supported is reduced, and thus the sealant mask 180 may be separated naturally from the first substrate 110 and the second substrate 130.

[0079] However, when the sealant mask 180 remains in a state of being attached to the first substrate 110 and the second substrate 130 even after the sealant mask-excluding etching operation S40 and the tape mask-excluding etching operation S50 are completed, an operator may separate and remove the remaining sealant mask 180 from the first substrate 110 and the second substrate 130.

[0080] The tape mask removing operation S70 is an operation of removing the tape mask 190 after the tape mask-excluding etching operation S50. As an operator separates and removes the tape mask 190 from the first substrate 110 and the second substrate 130, the first non-etched surface 121 protruding in a stepped manner from the first etched surface 123, and the second non-etched surface 141 protruding in a stepped manner from the second etched surface 143 may be exposed.

[0081] Referring to FIGS. 2, 3, and 6, the polarizing plate attaching operation S80 is an operation of attaching the first polarizing plate 170 to the first etched surface 123, and attaching the second polarizing plate 175 having a polarization angle crossing the polarization angle of the first polarizing plate 170 to the second etched surface 143.

[0082] Since the first and second etched surfaces 123 and 143 are not spaced apart or isolated from the edges 112 to 115 and 132 to 135 of the four sides of the first and second substrates 110 and 130, and are open toward the edges 112 to 114 and 132 to 134 of three sides among four sides, an operation of attaching the first and second polarizing plates 170 and 175 may be easy, and an allowable error between the sizes of the first and second polarizing plates 170 and 175 and the areas of the first and second etched surfaces 123 and 143 may be expanded. Accordingly, a defect rate in an operation of attaching the first and second polarizing plates 170 and 175 to the first and second substrates 110 and 130 may be lowered.

[0083] Meanwhile, the liquid crystal display panel illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 and including the polarizing plates 170 and 175 and the liquid crystal layer 165 is merely one example of the etched display panel according to the present invention. Accordingly, the etched display panel of the present invention may not include the polarizing plates 170 and 175 and the liquid crystal layer 165, and the method of manufacturing the etched display panel according to the present invention may not include the polarizing plate attaching operation.

[0084] Referring to FIGS. 4, 5, and 6, the method of manufacturing the etched display panel according to the present invention may further include a substrate bending operation. The substrate bending operation is an operation of bending the etched first substrate 110 and the etched second substrate 130 to have curved surfaces after the sealant mask-excluding etching operation S40 and the tape mask-excluding etching operation S50.

[0085] The substrate bending operation may be performed after the sealant mask removing operation S70 and the tape mask removing operation S80. The etched display panels 100B and 100C on which the substrate bending operation has been performed may become curved display panels.

[0086] According to the present invention described above, when the pair of substrates 110 and 130 are etched to manufacture a thin display panel, a region that is not etched at edges of the substrates 110 and 130 is minimized. Accordingly, the display panel can be easily made thinner, lighter, and curved, and screen quality of a thin display device, a lightweight display device, or a curved display device can be improved.

[0087] Although the present invention has been described with reference to embodiments illustrated in the drawings, this is merely exemplary, and those having ordinary skill in the art to which the technology pertains will understand that various modifications and equivalent other embodiments are possible therefrom. Therefore, the true scope of protection of the present invention should be determined only by the appended claims.

Claims

[CLAIMS]

1. An etched display panel comprising:a first substrate including a first etched surface and a first non-etched surface connected in a stepped manner to one side of the first etched surface and having a thickness greater than a thickness of the first etched surface;a second substrate including a second etched surface formed facing away from the first etched surface, and a second non-etched surface connected in a stepped manner to one side of the second etched surface, having a thickness greater than a thickness of the second etched surface, and formed facing away from the first non-etched surface; anda circuit portion electrically connected to one side of the first substrate and one side of the second substrate.

2. The etched display panel of claim 1, further comprising:a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate;a first polarizing plate attached to the first etched surface; anda second polarizing plate attached to the second etched surface and having a polarization angle crossing a polarization angle of the first polarizing plate.

3. The etched display panel of claim 2, wherein the first substrate is a color filter (CF) substrate including a color filter, and the second substrate is a thin film transistor (TFT) substrate including thin film transistors.

4. The etched display panel of claim 1, wherein the first substrate and the second substrate are bent to have curved surfaces.

5. The etched display panel of claim 1, wherein the circuit portion includes:a chip on film (COF) including a flexible circuit portion electrically connected to one side of the first substrate and one side of the second substrate, and a semiconductor chip mounted on the flexible circuit portion; anda circuit board electrically connected to the flexible circuit portion.

6. A method of manufacturing an etched display panel, comprising:a sealant masking operation of forming a sealant mask by applying a sealant to an edge of a non-etched display panel including a first substrate and a second substrate disposed to face each other;a sealant mask-excluding etching operation of etching the non-etched display panel excluding a portion on which the sealant mask is formed; anda sealant mask removing operation of removing the sealant mask after the sealant mask-excluding etching operation.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the sealant mask formed in the sealant masking operation does not cover a pair of surfaces formed facing away from each other on the first substrate and the second substrate and closes a gap between an edge of the first substrate and an edge of the second substrate.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the non-etched display panel further includes a circuit portion electrically connected to one side of the first substrate and one side of the second substrate, andthe method further comprises:a tape masking operation of forming a tape mask by attaching a masking tape to the one side of the first substrate, the one side of the second substrate, and the circuit portion;a tape mask-excluding etching operation of etching the non-etched display panel excluding a portion on which the tape mask is formed; anda tape mask removing operation of removing the tape mask after the tape maskexcluding etching operation.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein each of the sealant mask-excluding etching operation and the tape mask-excluding etching operation includes an operation of applying an etchant onto the non-etched display panel.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the sealant mask-excluding etching operation and the tape mask-excluding etching operation are simultaneously performed.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein, in the tape mask-excluding etching operation,a first etched surface is formed on the first substrate, the first etched surface being formed by etching, in a stepped manner, a portion on which the tape mask is not formed with respect to a portion on which the tape mask is formed, anda second etched surface is formed on the second substrate, the second etched surface being formed by etching, in a stepped manner, a portion on which the tape mask is not formed with respect to a portion on which the tape mask is formed.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the non-etched display panel further includes a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, andthe method further comprises a polarizing plate attaching operation of attaching a first polarizing plate to the first etched surface and attaching a second polarizing plate having a polarization angle crossing a polarization angle of the first polarizing plate to the second etched surface.5

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the non-etched display panel further includes a first pre-installed polarizing plate attached to the first substrate, and a second pre-installed polarizing plate attached to the second substrate and having a polarization angle crossing a polarization angle of the first pre-installed polarizing plate, and10          the method further comprises a pre-installed polarizing plate separating operation ofseparating the first pre-installed polarizing plate from the first substrate and separating the second pre-installed polarizing plate from the second substrate before the sealant masking operation and the tape masking operation.

14. 15          The method of claim 11, further comprising a substrate bending operation of bendingthe first substrate and the second substrate to have curved surfaces after the sealant maskexcluding etching operation and the tape mask-excluding etching operation.

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