Display panel, display device and manufacturing method of display panel

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention provides a display panel, a display device and a manufacturing method of the display panel. The display panel is provided with a display area, and the display area is provided with a plurality of pixel areas with different colors. The display panel comprises a color film substrate; the array substrate is arranged opposite to the color film substrate; the main spacers are located on the side, facing the array substrate, of the color film substrate, each main spacer comprises a first supporting part and a second supporting part, the second supporting parts are connected with the color film substrate, and the first supporting parts are located on the sides, deviating from the color film substrate, of the second supporting parts; the surface area of the side, away from the color film substrate, of the first supporting part is smaller than the surface area of the side, away from the color film substrate, of the second supporting part.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of display technology, and in particular to a display panel, a display device and a method for manufacturing the display panel. Background Art

[0002] In the related art, a thin film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) includes an array substrate and a color filter substrate that are aligned with each other, and a liquid crystal layer is arranged between the array substrate and the color filter substrate. In order to ensure the uniformity of the thickness of the liquid crystal layer, a photo spacer (PS) is usually arranged on the side of the color filter substrate facing the array substrate for support. Since the top surface of the spacer needs to be in direct contact with the array substrate, the size of the top surface of the spacer will have a greater impact on the overall pressing performance of the display panel.

[0003] The spacer in the related art has a top surface of a single fixed size. When the size of the top surface is large, the static friction between the spacer and the array substrate is large after being compressed, making it difficult to rebound and easily causing uneven pressure (T-DNU). In addition, since the display panel needs to be placed in a clip (Cassette, CST for short) during the production process and supported by a clip support rod (Cassette Pin, CST Pin for short), when the size of the top surface of the spacer is small, the supporting strength of the spacer is low. Under the action of gravity for a long time, the display panel is prone to large plastic deformation and poor clamping (CST Mura), resulting in an increase in the product NG (unqualified) rate and a decrease in the shipment rate.

[0004] That is to say, the spacers used in the related art, regardless of their size, cannot simultaneously reduce the risk of uneven pressing and the risk of poor clamping of the display panel. Summary of the invention

[0005] The purpose of the embodiments of the present invention is to provide a display panel, a display device and a method for manufacturing a display panel, so as to reduce the risk of uneven pressing and the risk of poor clamping of the display panel at the same time. The specific technical solution is as follows:

[0006] An embodiment of the first aspect of the present application provides a display panel, which has a display area, wherein the display area has multiple pixel areas of different colors; the display panel includes: a color film substrate; an array substrate, which is arranged opposite to the color film substrate; multiple main spacers, which are located on the side of the color film substrate facing the array substrate, each of the main spacers includes a first supporting portion and a second supporting portion, the second supporting portion is connected to the color film substrate, and the first supporting portion is located on the side of the second supporting portion away from the color film substrate; the surface area of ​​the first supporting portion on the side away from the color film substrate is smaller than the surface area of ​​the second supporting portion on the side away from the color film substrate.

[0007] In some embodiments of the present application, the color film substrate includes a black matrix layer, the black matrix layer defines a plurality of first openings, a plurality of second openings, and a plurality of third openings in the display area, the first openings correspond to a blue pixel area, the second openings correspond to a green pixel area, and the third openings correspond to a red pixel area;

[0008] The projection of the main spacer on the black matrix layer is located between two adjacent first openings.

[0009] In some embodiments of the present application, the array substrate includes a plurality of scan lines and a plurality of data lines, the scan lines and the data lines vertically intersect to define a plurality of pixel units, and the pixel units correspond to the pixel areas one by one;

[0010] The projection of the main spacer on the array substrate is located within the range of the scanning line.

[0011] In some embodiments of the present application, the display panel further includes a plurality of auxiliary spacers; the plurality of auxiliary spacers are located on the side of the color film substrate facing the array substrate, and in the thickness direction of the display panel, the height of the auxiliary spacers is smaller than that of the main spacers.

[0012] In some embodiments of the present application, a projection of the auxiliary spacer on the black matrix layer is located between two adjacent first openings or between two adjacent third openings.

[0013] In some embodiments of the present application, the main spacer or the auxiliary spacer is disposed between every two adjacent first openings, and the auxiliary spacer is disposed between every two adjacent third openings; and the number of the auxiliary spacers is greater than the number of the main spacers.

[0014] In some embodiments of the present application, the array substrate also includes a plurality of evenly distributed thin film transistors, and the thin film transistors correspond one-to-one to the pixel units; the projections of the main spacers and the auxiliary spacers on the array substrate are within the range of the scanning line and do not overlap with the thin film transistors.

[0015] In some embodiments of the present application, H1>C×H3; wherein H1 is the height value of the first supporting portion in the thickness direction of the display panel, C is the center compression rate of the main spacer, and H3 is the total height value of the main spacer in the thickness direction of the display panel.

[0016] In some embodiments of the present application, H1<C×H3+0.02×CG, where CG is the thickness of the display panel.

[0017] In some embodiments of the present application, the first support portion is a cylindrical structure, the first support portion extends along the thickness direction of the display panel, and the diameter of the first support portion is greater than or equal to 10 um and less than or equal to 14 um.

[0018] In some embodiments of the present application, the second supporting portion is a cylindrical structure, the second supporting portion extends along the thickness direction of the display panel, the diameter of the second supporting portion is larger than that of the first supporting portion, the connecting surface between the second supporting portion and the first supporting portion constitutes the shoulder of the main spacer, and the difference between the distance between two adjacent first openings and the diameter of the second supporting portion is greater than 40um, or the difference between the distance between two adjacent first openings and the diameter of the second supporting portion is greater than 70um.

[0019] After the color filter substrate and the array substrate in the embodiment of the present application are boxed, the side surface of the first support part away from the color filter substrate, that is, the top surface of the first support part, contacts the array substrate. The top surface area of ​​the first support part can be small, so that the static friction between the first support part and the array substrate after being pressed is small, and it is easy to rebound, which is conducive to improving the uneven pressing phenomenon. When placed in the clamp, the first support part is compressed under the action of long-term gravity to be flush with the side surface of the second support part away from the color filter substrate, that is, the top surface of the second support part. At this time, the top surface of the second support part is also in contact with the array substrate. Since the top surface area of ​​the second support part is larger than the top surface area of ​​the first support part, the support strength of the main spacer can be improved, and the display panel can be prevented from being greatly deformed, which is conducive to improving the poor clamping phenomenon, reducing the NG rate of the product, and increasing the shipment rate of the product. Therefore, the display panel in the embodiment of the present application can reduce the risk of uneven pressing and the risk of poor clamping at the same time.

[0020] The embodiment of the second aspect of the present application provides a display device, comprising the display panel in any embodiment of the first aspect. Since it has the display panel in the first aspect, it also has the beneficial effects of any embodiment of the first aspect, which will not be described in detail here.

[0021] An embodiment of a third aspect of the present application provides a method for manufacturing a display panel, including:

[0022] Provide color film substrate;

[0023] A main spacer and an auxiliary spacer are formed on the color film substrate, wherein the main spacer comprises a first supporting portion and a second supporting portion, wherein the first supporting portion is located on a side of the second supporting portion away from the color film substrate; a surface area of ​​a side of the first supporting portion away from the color film substrate is smaller than a surface area of ​​a side of the second supporting portion away from the color film substrate;

[0024] An array substrate is provided, and the array substrate is assembled with the color filter substrate to obtain the display panel.

[0025] In some embodiments of the present application, forming a main spacer and an auxiliary spacer on the color filter substrate specifically includes:

[0026] Coating a photoresist layer on the color filter substrate;

[0027] The photoresist layer is exposed using a mask plate, wherein the mask plate includes a light shielding area, a grayscale mask area, and a half-tone mask area; the grayscale mask area includes a light-transmitting area and a light-transmitting slit located at the edge of the light-transmitting area; the half-tone mask area includes a semi-light-transmitting area, and the light transmittance of the semi-light-transmitting area is less than that of the light-transmitting area;

[0028] The exposed photoresist layer is developed, wherein the photoresist corresponding to the grayscale mask area is used to form the main spacer after development, and the photoresist corresponding to the half-tone mask area is used to form the auxiliary spacer after development.

[0029] In some embodiments of the present application, forming a main spacer and an auxiliary spacer on the color filter substrate specifically includes:

[0030] Coating a photoresist layer on the color filter substrate;

[0031] The photoresist layer is exposed using a mask, wherein the mask includes a first light-transmitting area and a second light-transmitting area, wherein the first light-transmitting area has a central area and an annular area surrounding the central area, wherein the central area has a first light transmittance, and the annular area has a second light transmittance, which is less than the first light transmittance; and the second light-transmitting area has a third light transmittance, which is less than the second light transmittance;

[0032] The exposed photoresist layer is developed, wherein the photoresist corresponding to the first light-transmitting area is used to form the main spacer after development, and the photoresist corresponding to the second light-transmitting area is used to form the auxiliary spacer after development.

[0033] According to the display panel manufactured by the manufacturing method of the embodiment of the present application, after the color filter substrate and the array substrate are aligned, the side surface of the first support part away from the color filter substrate, that is, the top surface of the first support part, contacts the array substrate. The top surface area of ​​the first support part can be small, so that the static friction generated between the first support part and the array substrate after being pressed is small, and it is easy to rebound, which is conducive to improving the uneven pressing phenomenon. When placed in the clamp, the first support part is compressed under the action of long-term gravity to be flush with the side surface of the second support part away from the color filter substrate, that is, the top surface of the second support part. At this time, the top surface of the second support part is also in contact with the array substrate. Since the top surface area of ​​the second support part is larger than the top surface area of ​​the first support part, the supporting strength of the main spacer can be improved, and the display panel can be prevented from being greatly deformed, which is conducive to improving the poor clamping phenomenon, reducing the NG rate of the product, and improving the shipment rate of the product. Therefore, the display panel in the embodiment of the present application can reduce the risk of uneven pressing and the risk of poor clamping at the same time.

[0034] Of course, it is not necessary to achieve all of the advantages described above at the same time to implement any product or method of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other embodiments can also be obtained based on these drawings.

[0036] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a TFT-LCD display panel in the related art;

[0037] Figure 2a for Figure 1 The diagram of the poor pressing result of the spacer under the first top surface size is shown;

[0038] Figure 2b for Figure 1 The diagram of the poor pressing result of the spacer under the second top surface size is shown;

[0039] Figure 3 A top view of a display panel according to an embodiment of the first aspect of the present application;

[0040] Figure 4 for Figure 3A partial enlarged view of part B.

[0041] Figure 5 for Figure 4 Sectional view at CC;

[0042] Figure 6a for Figure 5 A schematic diagram showing the relative positions of the main spacer, the auxiliary spacer and the black matrix layer;

[0043] Figure 6b for Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the local distribution of the main spacers and the auxiliary spacers in the display area;

[0044] Figure 7 for Figure 5 A schematic diagram showing the relative positions of the main spacer, the auxiliary spacer and the array substrate;

[0045] Figure 8 for Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the dimensions of the main spacer shown;

[0046] Fig. 9 A flowchart of manufacturing a display panel according to Embodiment 1 of the third aspect of the present application;

[0047] Fig.10 for Fig. 9 The exposure diagram of forming the main spacer and the auxiliary spacer in the first embodiment is shown;

[0048] Fig.11a for Fig.10 A schematic cross-sectional view of a grayscale mask region of the mask plate shown;

[0049] Fig.11b for Fig.11a A top view of the grayscale mask area shown;

[0050] Fig.12 This is an exposure diagram of forming a main spacer and an auxiliary spacer in Example 2 of the third aspect of the present application;

[0051] Fig.13a for Fig.12 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of the first light-transmitting area shown;

[0052] Fig.13b for Fig.13a A top view of the first light-transmitting area shown;

[0053] Figure 1 Middle: color filter substrate 90; array substrate 91; spacer 92; top surface 921; clamping rod 93;

[0054] Figures 3 to 13bMiddle: display panel 10; color filter substrate 100; first substrate 110; black matrix layer 120; first opening 121; second opening 122; third opening 123; color filter 130; blue filter 131; green filter 132; red filter 133; cover layer 140; array substrate 200; scan line 201; data line 202; common electrode 203; pixel unit 204; second substrate 210; main spacer 310; The first support portion 311; the second support portion 312; the auxiliary spacer 320; the mask plate 20; the light shielding area 21; the grayscale adjustment mask area 22; the light transmission area 221; the light transmission slit 222; the half-step adjustment mask area 23; the semi-transparent area 231; the first light transmission area 24; the central area 241; the annular area 242; the second light transmission area 25; the substrate layer 26; the blue pixel area PX1; the green pixel area PX2; the red pixel area PX3; the display area AA. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0055] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field based on this application belong to the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0056] See also Figure 1 , Figure 1 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of a TFT-LCD display panel in the related art is shown.

[0057] like Figure 1 As shown, in the related art, in order to ensure the uniformity of the thickness of the liquid crystal layer, a spacer 92 is provided on the side of the color film substrate 90 facing the array substrate 91 for support, and the spacer 92 has a top surface 921 of a single fixed size, and the size of the top surface 921 will have a great influence on the overall pressing performance of the display panel.

[0058] See also Figure 2a and Figure 2b , Figure 2a and Figure 2b Shows Figure 1 Result diagram of poor pressing of the septum spacer 92 under two different sizes of the top surface 921 .

[0059] in, Figure 2a and Figure 2b Corresponding to the two different contact densities, the contact density is used to characterize the size of the top surface 921 of the spacer 92 . The larger the contact density, the larger the size of the top surface 921 of the spacer 92 . Figure 2a The corresponding contact density value is 113um 2 / mm2 , Figure 2b The corresponding contact density value is 163um 2 / mm 2 .exist Figure 2a and Figure 2b In the figure, the horizontal axis represents the liquid crystal filling amount, and L1-L5 represent the degree of uneven pressing, wherein L1 represents the lightest degree of uneven pressing, and L5 represents the most severe degree of uneven pressing.

[0060] contrast Figure 2a and Figure 2b It can be seen that under the condition of the same liquid crystal filling amount, the greater the contact density, the higher the proportion of severe uneven pressing. This means that as the contact density increases, that is, the size of the top surface 921 of the spacer 92 increases, uneven pressing is more likely to occur, and the degree of uneven pressing gradually increases. Therefore, in order to ensure the uniformity of the dark state of the display panel, the size of the top surface 921 of the spacer 92 cannot be set too large.

[0061] In addition, if Figure 1 As shown, the display panel needs to be placed in a cassette (CST) during the production process and supported by a cassette pin (CST pin) 93. When the top surface 921 of the spacer 92 is small in size, the support strength of the spacer 92 is low. Under the action of gravity for a long time, the display panel is prone to large plastic deformation, resulting in poor clamping (CST Mura).

[0062] See Table 1, which shows the data of poor clamping corresponding to the size of the top surface 921 of the spacer 92 in the related art.

[0063] Table 1

[0064]

[0065] Comparing the first and second data in Table 1, it can be seen that compared with the first data, the TOPX and TOPY values ​​of the spacer 92 in the second data are larger, that is, the size of the top surface 921 of the spacer 92 in the second data is larger. At the same time, the incidence of poor clamping in the second data is generally lower than that in the first data, and the NG (unqualified) rate of the second group of products is 4.84% lower than that of the first group of products. This means that as the size of the top surface 921 of the spacer 92 increases, the incidence of poor clamping can be improved, the NG rate of the product can be reduced, and the shipment rate can be increased. Therefore, in order to increase the shipment volume of the product, the size of the top surface 921 of the spacer 92 needs to be increased as much as possible.

[0066] In the related art, the occurrence of uneven pressing and poor clamping corresponding to different sizes of the spacer 92 is collected, and a compromise design scheme is adopted to determine the design value of the size of the top surface 921 of the spacer 92, which leads to a small design margin and limited design scheme. Specifically, when uneven pressing occurs, the size of the top surface 921 of the spacer 92 needs to be reduced, which will cause the level of poor clamping to deteriorate. When poor clamping occurs, the size of the top surface 921 of the spacer 92 needs to be increased, which will cause the level of uneven pressing to deteriorate. Therefore, the display panel used in the related art, regardless of the size of the top surface 921 of the spacer 92, is difficult to simultaneously reduce the level of uneven pressing and poor clamping.

[0067] In view of this, an embodiment of the first aspect of the present application provides a display panel 10. Figures 3 to 5 ,in, Figure 3 is a top view of the display panel 10 according to the first embodiment of the present application; Figure 4 for Figure 3 A magnified schematic diagram of part B; Figure 5 for Figure 4 Cross-sectional view of the CC section.

[0068] like Figures 3 to 5 As shown, the display panel 10 has a display area AA, and the display area AA has a plurality of pixel areas of different colors. The display panel 10 includes a color film substrate 100, an array substrate 200, and a plurality of main spacers 310. The array substrate 200 is arranged opposite to the color film substrate 100. The plurality of main spacers 310 are located on the side of the color film substrate 100 facing the array substrate 200, and each main spacer 310 includes a first support portion 311 and a second support portion 312, the second support portion 312 is connected to the color film substrate 100, and the first support portion 311 is located on the side of the second support portion 312 away from the color film substrate 100; the surface area of ​​the side of the first support portion 311 away from the color film substrate 100 is smaller than the surface area of ​​the side of the second support portion 312 away from the color film substrate 100.

[0069] After the color filter substrate 100 and the array substrate 200 in the embodiment of the present application are assembled, the side surface of the first support portion 311 away from the color filter substrate 100, that is, the top surface of the first support portion 311, contacts the array substrate 200. The top surface area of ​​the first support portion 311 can be small, so that the static friction force generated between the first support portion 311 and the array substrate 200 after being pressed is small, and it is easy to rebound, which is conducive to improving the uneven pressing phenomenon. When placed in the clamp, the first support portion 311 is compressed under the action of gravity for a long time to be flush with the side surface of the second support portion 312 away from the color filter substrate 100, that is, the top surface of the second support portion 312. At this time, the top surface of the second support portion 312 is also in contact with the array substrate 200. Since the top surface area of ​​the second support portion 312 is larger than the top surface area of ​​the first support portion 311, the supporting strength of the main spacer 310 can be improved, and the display panel 10 can be prevented from being greatly deformed, which is conducive to improving the clamping defect phenomenon, reducing the NG rate of the product, and improving the shipment rate of the product. Therefore, the display panel 10 in the embodiment of the present application can reduce both the risk of uneven pressing and the risk of poor clamping.

[0070] like Figure 5 As shown, in the first embodiment, the color filter substrate 100 includes a first substrate 110 , a black matrix layer 120 (Black Matrix, BM for short) and a color filter 130 which are stacked. The black matrix layer 120 is located on one side of the first substrate 110 .

[0071] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the black matrix layer 120 defines a plurality of first openings 121, a plurality of second openings 122 and a plurality of third openings 123 in the display area AA. The color filter 130 covers the side of the black matrix layer 120 away from the first substrate 110 and fills each opening.

[0072] Specifically, the color filter 130 includes a blue filter 131, a green filter 132 and a red filter 133, each color filter only allows light of the corresponding color to pass through, for example, the blue filter 131 only allows blue light to pass through, the green filter 132 only allows green light to pass through, and the red filter 133 only allows red light to pass through. Among them, the blue filter 131 is filled in the first opening 121, corresponding to the blue pixel area PX1; the green filter 132 is filled in the second opening 122, corresponding to the green pixel area PX2; the red filter 133 is filled in the third opening 123, corresponding to the red pixel area PX3. By setting the color filter 130, the color display of the display panel 10 can be achieved. By setting the black matrix layer 120, light can be allowed to pass through the pixel area, and crosstalk between lights of different colors can be avoided.

[0073] Furthermore, the color filter substrate 100 further includes an overcoat 140 (OC), which is located on the side of the color filter 130 away from the first substrate 110. The second support portion 312 of the main spacer 310 is formed on the surface of the side of the overcoat 140 away from the first substrate 110, and the first support portion 311 is formed on the top surface of the second support portion 312, and the top surface area of ​​the first support portion 311 is smaller than that of the second support portion 312. After the color filter substrate 100 and the array substrate 200 are assembled, the top surface of the first support portion 311 contacts the array substrate 200.

[0074] like Figure 5 As shown, the display panel 10 further includes a plurality of auxiliary spacers 320 formed on a surface of the cover layer 140 facing away from the first substrate 110. In the thickness direction of the display panel 10, the height of the auxiliary spacers 320 is smaller than that of the main spacers 310.

[0075] When the display panel 10 is in the box-aligned state, the display panel 10 is mainly supported by the main spacer 310, and the auxiliary spacer 320 does not contact the array substrate 200. When the display panel 10 is subjected to a large external force or a pressure test is performed, the auxiliary spacer 320 can contact the array substrate 200, so that the auxiliary spacer 320 can also play a supporting role, thereby avoiding direct contact between the color filter substrate 100 and the array substrate 200, and further enhancing the supporting effect on the display panel 10.

[0076] The main spacers 310 and the auxiliary spacers 320 are arranged in a cross-spaced manner. Figure 6a and Figure 6b ,in, Figure 6a for Figure 5 A schematic diagram showing the relative positions of the main spacer 310 and the auxiliary spacer 320 and the black matrix layer 120; Figure 6b for Figure 5 The diagram shows the partial distribution of the main spacers 310 and the auxiliary spacers 320 in the display area AA.

[0077] like Figure 6a and Figure 6b As shown, the projection of the main spacer 310 on the black matrix layer 120 is located between two adjacent first openings 121, that is, the main spacer 310 is located between two adjacent blue pixel areas PX1; the projection of the auxiliary spacer 320 on the black matrix layer 120 is located between two adjacent first openings 121 or between two adjacent third openings 123, that is, the auxiliary spacer 320 is located between two adjacent blue pixel areas PX1 or between two adjacent red pixel areas PX3.

[0078] Considering that in the display panel 10, the transmittance of the green filter 132 is greater than that of the blue filter 131 and the red filter 133, in order to improve the overall transmittance of the display panel 10, the area of ​​the second opening 122 corresponding to the green filter 132 may be larger, which means that in the black matrix layer 120, the distance between two adjacent second openings 122 may be smaller. If the main spacer 310 or the auxiliary spacer 320 is located between two adjacent second openings 122, it will cause the main spacer 310 or the auxiliary spacer 320 to easily slide into the pixel area after being compressed, thereby causing light leakage. Therefore, in the embodiment of the present application, by making the projection of the spacer on the black matrix layer 120 between the two adjacent first openings 121, and the projection of the auxiliary spacer 320 on the black matrix layer 120 between the two adjacent first openings 121 or between the two adjacent third openings 123, it is beneficial to improve the light leakage phenomenon of the display panel 10 and reduce the risk of bright spot defects.

[0079] In a specific embodiment, a main spacer 310 or an auxiliary spacer 320 is disposed between every two adjacent first openings 121 , an auxiliary spacer 320 is disposed between every two adjacent third openings 123 , and the number of the auxiliary spacers 320 is greater than the number of the main spacers 310 .

[0080] In a specific embodiment, Figure 6b As shown, the ratio of the number of main spacers 310 to the total number of pixel regions is 1:36, and the ratio of the number of auxiliary spacers 320 to the total number of pixel regions is 23:36. Thus, the support requirements of the display panel 10 can be met and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

[0081] In other embodiments of the present application, the main spacer 310 and the auxiliary spacer 320 can be arranged according to the design size of each opening of the black matrix layer 120, and the main spacer 310 or the auxiliary spacer 320 can also be located between two adjacent second openings 122, which is not limited in the present application.

[0082] For further information, see Figure 7 , Figure 7 for Figure 5 The diagram shows the relative positions of the main spacer 310 , the auxiliary spacer 320 and the array substrate 200 .

[0083] like Figure 5 and Figure 7 As shown, in the embodiment of the present application, the array substrate 200 includes a second substrate 210. A plurality of scan lines 201 and a plurality of data lines 202 are formed on one side of the second substrate 210, and the scan lines 201 and the data lines 202 are vertically crossed to define a plurality of pixel units 204, and the pixel units 204 correspond to the pixel areas one by one, and each pixel unit 204 is provided with a pixel electrode.

[0084] The array substrate 200 also includes a plurality of uniformly distributed thin film transistors, which are connected to the pixel electrodes one by one. Each thin film transistor includes a gate, a source and a drain, wherein each data line 202 is connected to the source of the thin film transistor in the same column, each scan line 201 is connected to the gate of the thin film transistor in the same row, and the pixel electrode is connected to the drain of the corresponding thin film transistor. By applying a scan signal to the scan line 201, the thin film transistor connected to the same scan line 201 is turned on, thereby, the data voltage applied to the data line 202 charges the pixel electrode through the turned-on thin film transistor.

[0085] like Figure 5 and 7 As shown, the projections of the main spacer 310 and the auxiliary spacer 320 on the array substrate 200 are located within the range of the scan line 201. Considering that the width of the scan line 201 is greater than the data line 202, the projections of the main spacer 310 and the auxiliary spacer 320 on the array substrate 200 are aligned with the scan line 201, so that a larger sliding range can be provided for the main spacer 310 and the auxiliary spacer 320, thereby preventing the main spacer 310 and the auxiliary spacer 320 from entering the pixel area after sliding under pressure.

[0086] Furthermore, the projections of the main spacer 310 and the auxiliary spacer 320 on the array substrate 200 are located within the range of the scan line 201 and do not overlap with the thin film transistor. In other words, the positions of the main spacer 310 and the auxiliary spacer 320 on the array substrate 200 correspond to the area of ​​the scan line 201 except the thin film transistor.

[0087] Considering that in the thin film transistor, the gate is arranged in the same layer as the scan line 201, and the source and drain are located on the side of the gate close to the color film substrate 100, the source and drain parts of the thin film transistor will protrude from the scan line 201. If the main spacer 310 is placed on the thin film transistor after the box is assembled, it will cause the main spacer 310 to be easily suspended after being pressed and slipped, causing the support reliability of the display panel 10 to be greatly reduced. Therefore, in the embodiment of the present application, by setting the main spacer 310 on the array substrate 200 in the area of ​​the scan line 201 except the thin film transistor, the support stability of the main spacer 310 can be improved.

[0088] In addition, since the source and drain of the thin film transistor partially protrude from the scan line 201, the distance between the thin film transistor and the color filter substrate 100 is small. If the position of the auxiliary spacer 320 on the array substrate 200 corresponds to the thin film transistor, the height of the auxiliary spacer 320 is short due to the limited space distance, resulting in poor uniformity of the auxiliary spacer 320 during manufacturing.

[0089] Therefore, in the embodiment of the present application, by setting the auxiliary spacer 320 on the array substrate 200 in the area of ​​the scan line 201 except the thin film transistor, the auxiliary spacer 320 can be located at a lower position on the array substrate 200, which is beneficial to increase the height of the auxiliary spacer 320 and improve the manufacturing uniformity of the auxiliary spacer 320.

[0090] like Figure 5 As shown, in the embodiment of the present application, the array substrate 200 further includes a common electrode 203, and the common electrode 203 is used to provide a reference voltage for the thin film transistor. In the embodiment of the present application, the common electrode 203 can be located on a side of the scan line 201 close to the second substrate 210, and the common electrode 203 and the scan line 201 can be formed by a single patterning process after two coatings, thereby reducing the use of the mask plate 20 and simplifying the process steps.

[0091] In other embodiments of the present application, the common electrode 203 may also be provided in the same layer as the scan line 201 , and the present application does not impose any limitation on this.

[0092] In the embodiments of the present application, Figure 5 As shown, the first support portion 311 and the second support portion 312 are cylindrical structures extending in the thickness direction of the display panel 10, the cross-sections of the first support portion 311 and the second support portion 312 are circular, the end of the first support portion 311 away from the second support portion 312 can be called the top of the main spacer 310, the end of the second support portion 312 away from the first support portion 311 can be called the bottom of the main spacer 310, and the connection between the first support portion 311 and the second support portion 312 can be called the shoulder of the main spacer 310. According to the experimental verification of the inventor, compared with other shapes, by setting the first support portion 311 and the second support portion 312 as cylindrical structures, the main spacer 310 can have a larger support area.

[0093] The following describes the design criteria of the main spacer 310 in the embodiment of the present application.

[0094] See also Figure 8 , Figure 8 5 is a schematic diagram of the dimensions of the main spacer 310 shown in FIG.

[0095] like Figure 8 As shown, in the embodiment of the present application, the height value of the first support portion 311 in the thickness direction of the display panel 10 is H1, and the total height value of the main spacer 310 in the thickness direction of the display panel 10 is H3, H1>C×H3; wherein C is the center compression rate of the main spacer 310.

[0096] Specifically, for the display panel 10, the amount of liquid crystal directly affects the display condition, and a safe liquid crystal range is called the liquid crystal margin (LC Margin). Currently in TFT-LCD display technology, the height of the main spacer 310 is the main factor affecting the liquid crystal margin, and the height deformation of the main spacer 310 under the action of external force will also affect the liquid crystal margin. In order to ensure the liquid crystal margin, the center compression rate C of the main spacer 310 is generally specified to be 13.45%. By making H1>0.1345×H3, after the box is assembled, the shoulder of the main spacer 310 will not contact the array substrate 200, avoiding uneven pressing.

[0097] In other embodiments of the present application, the central compression rate C of the main spacer 310 may also be other values, and the present application does not impose any limitation on this.

[0098] Further, H1<C×H3+0.02×CG, wherein CG is the thickness of the display panel 10 .

[0099] Taking into account that when there is a 2% difference in the thickness of the liquid crystal box (Cell Gap, CG for short), that is, the thickness of the display panel 10 at two positions, a more obvious brightness difference can be observed by the naked eye, resulting in poor display. Therefore, the risk of poor display can be reduced by controlling the height difference between the highest position and the lowest position after cell alignment within a 2% cell thickness range, that is, H1-C×H3<0.02×CG.

[0100] From H1-C×H3<0.02×CG, it can be deduced that H1<C×H3+0.02CG. Therefore, in the first embodiment, C×H3

[0101] In the first embodiment, the diameter of the first support portion 311 is L1, and the diameter of the first support portion 311 is greater than or equal to 10 um and less than or equal to 14 um, that is, 10 um≤L1≤4 um.

[0102] The diameter of the first support portion 311 is related to the plane size of the display panel 10. Optionally, when the display panel 10 is applied to a small-sized product, for example, a product with a display panel size less than 43 inches, such as a mobile phone or a tablet, the diameter of the first support portion 311 is 10um. When the display panel 10 is applied to a large-sized product, for example, a product with a display panel size greater than 43 inches, such as a television, the diameter of the first support portion 311 is 14um. In this way, it can be ensured that the display panel 10 has sufficient support strength after being assembled, and the risk of poor pressing of the display panel 10 can be effectively reduced.

[0103] Further, such as Figure 8 ​As shown, the diameter of the second support portion 312 is L2, L2>L1. Figure 6a As shown, the distance between two adjacent first openings 121 is L3.

[0104] In the embodiment of the present application, the difference between the spacing L3 between two adjacent first openings 121 and the diameter L2 of the second support portion 312 is greater than 40um, that is, L3-L2>40um, or the difference between the spacing L3 between two adjacent first openings 121 and the diameter L2 of the second support portion 312 is greater than 70um, that is, L3-L2>70um. Optionally, when the display panel 10 is applied to a small-sized product, the difference between the spacing L3 between two adjacent first openings 121 and the diameter L2 of the second support portion 312 is greater than 40um. When the display panel 10 is applied to a large-sized product, the difference between the spacing L3 between two adjacent first openings 121 and the diameter L2 of the second support portion 312 is greater than 70um. For reference, a large-sized product refers to a display panel 10 having a size greater than 43 inches, such as a television, and a small-sized product refers to a display panel 10 having a size less than 43 inches, such as a mobile phone, a tablet, etc. In this way, the incidence of poor clamping can be reduced, and the occurrence of poor bright spots can also be prevented.

[0105] It should be noted that the above parameters are all design parameters. In the actual production process, due to the influence of the process, the final product parameters may have certain deviations.

[0106] In the embodiment of the present application, the auxiliary spacer 320 is also a cylindrical structure, the height of the auxiliary spacer 320 is less than the height of the main spacer 310, and the diameter is greater than the main spacer 310. In practical applications, the height and diameter of the auxiliary spacer 320 can be designed according to the support strength.

[0107] In other embodiments of the present application, the main spacer 310 and the auxiliary spacer 320 may also be other structures, such as a cubic column with a rectangular interface, etc., and the present application does not impose any limitation on this.

[0108] An embodiment of the second aspect of the present application provides a display device, comprising the display panel 10 in any embodiment of the first aspect.

[0109] In the embodiment of the present application, the display device includes a display panel 10, and the display panel 10 includes a color filter substrate 100 and an array substrate 200 that are arranged opposite to each other, wherein a plurality of main spacers 310 are arranged between the color filter substrate 100 and the array substrate 200, and each main spacer 310 includes a first support portion 311 and a second support portion 312, the first support portion 311 is located on the side of the second support portion 312 that is away from the color filter substrate 100, and the surface area of ​​the side of the first support portion 311 that is away from the color filter substrate 100 is smaller than the surface area of ​​the side of the second support portion 312 that is away from the color filter substrate 100. After the color filter substrate 100 and the array substrate 200 are assembled, the surface of the side of the first support portion 311 that is away from the color filter substrate 100, that is, the top surface of the first support portion 311, contacts the array substrate 200, and the top surface area of ​​the first support portion 311 can be small, thereby, the static friction force generated between the first support portion 311 and the array substrate 200 after being pressed is small, and it is easy to rebound, which is conducive to improving the uneven pressing phenomenon. When placed in the clamp, the first support portion 311 is compressed under the action of gravity for a long time to be flush with the side surface of the second support portion 312 away from the color film substrate 100, that is, the top surface of the second support portion 312. At this time, the top surface of the second support portion 312 is also in contact with the array substrate 200. Since the top surface area of ​​the second support portion 312 is larger than the top surface area of ​​the first support portion 311, the support strength of the main spacer 310 can be improved, and the display panel 10 can be prevented from being greatly deformed, which is conducive to improving the poor clamping phenomenon, reducing the NG rate of the product, and improving the shipment rate of the product. Therefore, the display panel 10 in the embodiment of the present application can reduce the risk of uneven pressing and the risk of poor clamping at the same time.

[0110] See also Fig. 9 , Fig. 9 This is a flowchart of manufacturing the display panel 10 according to the first embodiment of the third aspect of the present application.

[0111] like Fig. 9 As shown, the first embodiment of the third aspect of the present application provides a method for manufacturing a display panel 10, including:

[0112] S1, providing a color film substrate 100;

[0113] S2, forming a main spacer 310 and an auxiliary spacer 320 on the color film substrate 100, wherein the main spacer 310 includes a first supporting portion 311 and a second supporting portion 312, wherein the first supporting portion 311 is located on a side of the second supporting portion 312 away from the color film substrate 100; a surface area of ​​a side of the first supporting portion 311 away from the color film substrate 100 is smaller than a surface area of ​​a side of the second supporting portion 312 away from the color film substrate 100;

[0114] S3 , providing an array substrate 200 , and assembling the array substrate 200 and the color filter substrate 100 to obtain a display panel 10 .

[0115] According to the display panel 10 manufactured by the manufacturing method of the embodiment of the present application, after the color film substrate 100 and the array substrate 200 are aligned, the side surface of the first support portion 311 away from the color film substrate 100, that is, the top surface of the first support portion 311, contacts with the array substrate 200, and the top surface area of ​​the first support portion 311 can be small. Therefore, the static friction force generated between the first support portion 311 and the array substrate 200 after being pressed is small, and it is easy to rebound, which is conducive to improving the uneven pressing phenomenon. When placed in the clamp, the first support portion 311 is compressed under the action of gravity for a long time to be flush with the side surface of the second support portion 312 away from the color film substrate 100, that is, the top surface of the second support portion 312. At this time, the top surface of the second support portion 312 is also in contact with the array substrate 200. Since the top surface area of ​​the second support portion 312 is larger than the top surface area of ​​the first support portion 311, the support strength of the main spacer 310 can be improved, and the display panel 10 can be prevented from being greatly deformed, which is conducive to improving the poor clamping phenomenon, reducing the NG rate of the product, and improving the shipment rate of the product. Therefore, the display panel 10 in the embodiment of the present application can reduce the risk of uneven pressing and the risk of poor clamping at the same time.

[0116] For further information, see Figure 10 to Figure 11b ,in Fig.10 for Fig. 9 The exposure diagram of forming the main spacer 310 and the auxiliary spacer 320 in the first embodiment is shown; Fig.11a for Fig.10 A schematic cross-sectional view of a grayscale mask region 22 of the mask plate 20 shown; Fig.11b for Fig.11a A top view of the grayscale tone mask region 22 is shown.

[0117] The main spacers 310 and the auxiliary spacers 320 are formed on the color filter substrate 100 and specifically include:

[0118] Coating a photoresist layer on the color filter substrate 100;

[0119] The photoresist layer is exposed using a mask plate 20; Figure 10 to Figure 11b As shown, the mask plate 20 includes a light shielding area 21, a gray tone mask area 22 (GTM) and a half tone mask area (HTM) 23; the gray tone mask area 22 includes a central light-transmitting area 221 and a light-transmitting slit 222 located at the edge of the central light-transmitting area 221; the half tone mask area 23 includes a semi-transmitting area 231, and the transmittance of the semi-transmitting area 231 is less than that of the central light-transmitting area 221;

[0120] The exposed photoresist layer is developed, wherein the photoresist corresponding to the grayscale mask area 22 is used to form the main spacer 310 after development, and the photoresist corresponding to the half-scale mask area 23 is used to form the auxiliary spacer 320 after development.

[0121] In the embodiment of the present application, the mask plate 20 may include a substrate layer 26; the light shielding area 21, the grayscale adjustment mask area 22, and the half-tone adjustment mask area 23 are located on one side of the substrate layer 26. In the grayscale adjustment mask area 22, the light transmittance of the central light-transmitting area 221 is 100%, and the light transmittance of the light-transmitting slit 222 may also be 100%. By arranging the light-transmitting slit 222 at the edge of the central light-transmitting area 221, the light-modulating effect of the light-transmitting slit 222 can be utilized to reduce the exposure intensity at the edge, so that after one exposure and development, the photoresist corresponding to the grayscale adjustment mask area 22 can form a first supporting portion 311 with a smaller cross section and a second supporting portion 312 with a larger cross section, which is conducive to simplifying the process steps.

[0122] In other embodiments of the present application, the light transmittance of the light-transmitting slit 222 may also be smaller than that of the central light-transmitting area 221 , and the present application does not impose any limitation on this.

[0123] Furthermore, the transmittance of the semi-transparent area 231 is lower than that of the transparent area 221 , so that after exposure and development, the photoresist corresponding to the half-tone mask area 23 can form a relatively low auxiliary spacer 320 .

[0124] In the embodiment of the present application, by using the mask plate 20 to expose the photoresist layer, the main spacer 310 and the auxiliary spacer 320 can be formed at the same time after one development, which is beneficial to further simplify the process steps and reduce the production cost.

[0125] It should be noted that the light transmittance of the central light-transmitting area 221 , the light-transmitting slit 222 and the semi-light-transmitting area 231 can be set according to the actual sizes of the main spacer 310 and the auxiliary spacer 320 , and the present application does not impose any limitation on this.

[0126] In the embodiment of the present application, the number of the light-transmitting slits 222 can be set according to the specific sizes of the first support portion 311 and the second support portion 312 , and the present application does not impose any limitation on this.

[0127] See also Figure 12 to Figure 13b ,in Fig.12 This is an exposure diagram of forming a main spacer 310 and an auxiliary spacer 320 in the second embodiment of the third aspect of the present application; Fig.13a for Fig.12 A schematic cross-sectional view of the first light-transmitting area 24 of the mask plate 20 shown; Fig.13b for Fig.13a A top view of the first light-transmitting area 24 is shown.

[0128] In the second embodiment of the present application, different from the first embodiment, forming the main spacer 310 and the auxiliary spacer 320 on the color filter substrate 100 specifically includes:

[0129] Coating a photoresist layer on the color filter substrate 100;

[0130] The photoresist layer is exposed using a mask plate 20; Figure 12 to Figure 13b As shown, the mask plate 20 includes a first light-transmitting area 24 and a second light-transmitting area 25, the first light-transmitting area 24 has a central area 241 and an annular area 242 surrounding the central area 241, the central area 241 has a first transmittance, the annular area 242 has a second transmittance, and the second transmittance is less than the first transmittance; the second light-transmitting area 25 has a third transmittance, and the third transmittance is less than the second transmittance;

[0131] The exposed photoresist layer is developed, wherein the photoresist corresponding to the first light-transmitting area 24 is used to form a main spacer 310 after development, and the photoresist corresponding to the second light-transmitting area 25 is used to form an auxiliary spacer 320 after development.

[0132] The mask plate 20 used in the second embodiment is a multi-transmittance mask (Multi Tone Mask, MTM for short), and the mask plate 20 has a first light-transmitting area 24. The first light-transmitting area 24 includes a central area 241 and an annular area 242, wherein the light transmittance of the central area 241 can be 100%, and the light transmittance of the annular area 242 is less than that of the central area 241. Therefore, after one exposure and development, a first support portion 311 and a second support portion 312 with different cross-sectional sizes can be formed, which is conducive to simplifying the process steps and reducing the production cost.

[0133] The mask plate 20 further has a second light-transmitting area 25 , and the light transmittance of the second light-transmitting area 25 is lower than that of the annular area 242 , so that the auxiliary spacer 320 having a height lower than the second supporting portion 312 can be formed while the main spacer 310 is formed.

[0134] It should be noted that the light transmittance of each light-transmitting area can be set according to the actual size of the main spacer 310 and the auxiliary spacer 320, and the present application does not impose any limitation on this.

[0135] It should be noted that, in this article, relational terms such as first and second, etc. are only used to distinguish one entity or operation from another entity or operation, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Moreover, the terms "include", "comprise" or any other variants thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, so that a process, method, article or device including a series of elements includes not only those elements, but also other elements not explicitly listed, or also includes elements inherent to such process, method, article or device. In the absence of further restrictions, the elements defined by the sentence "comprise a ..." do not exclude the existence of other identical elements in the process, method, article or device including the elements.

[0136] Each embodiment in this specification is described in a related manner, and the same or similar parts between the embodiments can be referred to each other, and each embodiment focuses on the differences from other embodiments. In particular, for the system embodiment, since it is basically similar to the method embodiment, the description is relatively simple, and the relevant parts can be referred to the partial description of the method embodiment.

[0137] The above are only preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the protection scope of the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principles of the present invention are included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A display panel having a display area, wherein the display area has a plurality of pixel areas of different colors; characterized in that: The display panel comprises: Color film substrate; An array substrate, arranged opposite to the color filter substrate; A plurality of main spacers are located on a side of the color film substrate facing the array substrate, each of the main spacers comprises a first supporting portion and a second supporting portion, the second supporting portion is connected to the color film substrate, the first supporting portion is located on a side of the second supporting portion away from the color film substrate; a surface area of ​​a side of the first supporting portion away from the color film substrate is smaller than a surface area of ​​a side of the second supporting portion away from the color film substrate.

2. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that: The color film substrate includes a black matrix layer, wherein the black matrix layer defines a plurality of first openings, a plurality of second openings, and a plurality of third openings in the display area, wherein the first openings correspond to a blue pixel area, the second openings correspond to a green pixel area, and the third openings correspond to a red pixel area; The projection of the main spacer on the black matrix layer is located between two adjacent first openings.

3. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that: The array substrate comprises a plurality of scan lines and a plurality of data lines, wherein the scan lines and the data lines intersect vertically to define a plurality of pixel units, and the pixel units correspond to the pixel areas one by one; The projection of the main spacer on the array substrate is located within the range of the scanning line.

4. The display panel according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that: The display panel further includes a plurality of auxiliary spacers; the plurality of auxiliary spacers are located on a side of the color film substrate facing the array substrate, and in the thickness direction of the display panel, the height of the auxiliary spacers is smaller than that of the main spacers.

5. The display panel according to claim 4, characterized in that: The projection of the auxiliary spacer on the black matrix layer is located between two adjacent first openings or between two adjacent third openings.

6. The display panel according to claim 5, characterized in that: The main spacer or the auxiliary spacer is disposed between every two adjacent first openings, and the auxiliary spacer is disposed between every two adjacent third openings; and the number of the auxiliary spacers is greater than the number of the main spacers.

7. The display panel according to claim 4, characterized in that: The array substrate further comprises a plurality of uniformly distributed thin film transistors, wherein the thin film transistors correspond to the pixel units one by one; The projections of the main spacer and the auxiliary spacer on the array substrate are located within the range of the scanning line and do not overlap with the thin film transistor.

8. The display panel according to claim 1, characterized in that: H1>C×H3; Wherein, H1 is the height value of the first supporting portion in the thickness direction of the display panel, C is the central compression rate of the main spacer, and H3 is the total height value of the main spacer in the thickness direction of the display panel.

9. The display panel according to claim 8, characterized in that: H1<C×H3+0.02×CG, where CG is the thickness of the display panel.

10. The display panel according to claim 2, characterized in that: The first support portion is a cylindrical structure, the first support portion extends along the thickness direction of the display panel, and the diameter of the first support portion is greater than or equal to 10 um and less than or equal to 14 um.

11. The display panel according to claim 2, characterized in that: The second supporting portion is a cylindrical structure, and the second supporting portion extends along the thickness direction of the display panel. The diameter of the second supporting portion is larger than that of the first supporting portion. The connecting surface between the second supporting portion and the first supporting portion constitutes the shoulder of the main spacer. The difference between the distance between two adjacent first openings and the diameter of the second supporting portion is greater than 40um, or the difference between the distance between two adjacent first openings and the diameter of the second supporting portion is greater than 70um.

12. A display device, characterized in that: A display panel comprising any one of claims 1 to 11.

13. A method for manufacturing a display panel, characterized in that: include: Provide color film substrate; A main spacer and an auxiliary spacer are formed on the color film substrate, wherein the main spacer comprises a first supporting portion and a second supporting portion, wherein the first supporting portion is located on a side of the second supporting portion away from the color film substrate; a surface area of ​​a side of the first supporting portion away from the color film substrate is smaller than a surface area of ​​a side of the second supporting portion away from the color film substrate; An array substrate is provided, and the array substrate is assembled with the color filter substrate to obtain the display panel.

14. The manufacturing method according to claim 13, characterized in that: The forming of the main spacer and the auxiliary spacer on the color film substrate specifically includes: Coating a photoresist layer on the color filter substrate; The photoresist layer is exposed using a mask plate, wherein the mask plate includes a light shielding area, a grayscale mask area, and a half-tone mask area; the grayscale mask area includes a light-transmitting area and a light-transmitting slit located at the edge of the light-transmitting area; the half-tone mask area includes a semi-light-transmitting area, and the light transmittance of the semi-light-transmitting area is less than that of the light-transmitting area; The exposed photoresist layer is developed, wherein the photoresist corresponding to the grayscale mask area is used to form the main spacer after development, and the photoresist corresponding to the half-tone mask area is used to form the auxiliary spacer after development.

15. The manufacturing method according to claim 13, characterized in that: The forming of the main spacer and the auxiliary spacer on the color film substrate specifically includes: Coating a photoresist layer on the color filter substrate; The photoresist layer is exposed using a mask, wherein the mask includes a first light-transmitting area and a second light-transmitting area, wherein the first light-transmitting area has a central area and an annular area surrounding the central area, wherein the central area has a first light transmittance, and the annular area has a second light transmittance, which is less than the first light transmittance; and the second light-transmitting area has a third light transmittance, which is less than the second light transmittance; The exposed photoresist layer is developed, wherein the photoresist corresponding to the first light-transmitting area is used to form the main spacer after development, and the photoresist corresponding to the second light-transmitting area is used to form the auxiliary spacer after development.

Images