A cholesteric liquid crystal display cell and its manufacturing method, a display device and its assembling method

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of display, and discloses a cholesteric liquid crystal display unit and a preparation method thereof, a display device and an assembling method thereof. The cholesteric liquid crystal display unit comprises a micro capillary, a liquid crystal part and a sealing plug. The tube wall of the micro capillary is transparent and conductive. The liquid crystal part is located in the interior of the micro capillary. The sealing plug is located at both ends of the micro capillary and is used for plugging the liquid crystal part. The liquid crystal part can enter the micro capillary through capillary action, and the expensive manufacturing equipment is not needed, so that the preparation cost is reduced, the manufacturing difficulty is reduced, and the process is flexible. The liquid crystal part is sealed in the micro capillary through the sealing plug, and is not easily affected by the external humidity and pressure, so that the mechanical strength and reliability of the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit are improved. In addition, the cholesteric liquid crystal display units reflecting different colors can be arranged on a plane, and the structure is one layer, and the structure complexity is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of display technology, and in particular to a cholesteric liquid crystal display unit and its preparation method, a display device and its assembly method. Background Technology

[0002] Liquid crystal display (LCD) is a display technology that uses voltage to control the deflection of liquid crystal molecules to regulate light. LCD technology has the characteristics of low power consumption and long lifespan, and is widely used in display modules of electronic devices.

[0003] In liquid crystal display (LCD) technology, the process used to achieve a single-plane RGB (red, green, blue) color pixel array is filter lithography. This involves a microfabrication process where photosensitive color photoresist is applied to a glass substrate, followed by ultraviolet exposure and development curing to sequentially create a black matrix and RGB pixel patterns. Especially in the field of cholesteric liquid crystal displays, this process requires expensive and precise planar micro / nano fabrication equipment, resulting in high production costs, huge production line investments, and demanding process conditions. Furthermore, existing color cholesteric liquid crystal display devices have a stacked multilayer structure, which is complex.

[0004] Therefore, how to solve the above-mentioned technical problems should be a key focus for those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this application is to provide a cholesteric liquid crystal display unit and its preparation method, display device and its assembly method, so as to reduce the manufacturing cost of the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit and simplify the preparation process and structure.

[0006] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this application provides a cholesteric liquid crystal display unit, comprising: A microcapillary, wherein the wall of the microcapillary is transparent and conductive; The liquid crystal unit is located inside the microcapillary; The plugs are located at both ends of the microcapillary tube and are used to seal the liquid crystal portion.

[0007] Optionally, the microcapillary is a rigid capillary.

[0008] Optionally, the microcapillary is a flexible capillary.

[0009] Optionally, the tube wall includes a transparent body and a transparent conductive layer, the transparent conductive layer being located on the outer surface and / or inner surface of the transparent body.

[0010] Optionally, the tube wall is formed by incorporating a conductive material into a transparent substrate.

[0011] Optionally, in each of the microcapillaries, the liquid crystal portion contains a type of liquid crystal, and the reflection center wavelength of the liquid crystal is any one of 650nm, 540nm, and 480nm.

[0012] Optionally, in each of the microcapillaries, the liquid crystal portion contains three types of liquid crystal, and the reflection center wavelength of the liquid crystal includes 650nm, 540nm, and 480nm.

[0013] Optionally, the liquid crystal portion includes liquid crystal and a curing adhesive.

[0014] Optionally, the mass ratio of the liquid crystal to the cured adhesive is 5:1 to 20:1.

[0015] Optionally, the liquid crystal unit is a liquid crystal.

[0016] This application also provides a method for preparing a cholesteric phase liquid crystal display unit, comprising: Prepare a microcapillary tube, wherein the wall of the microcapillary tube is transparent and conductive; One end of the microcapillary is brought into contact with the liquid crystal section, and the liquid crystal section is filled into the microcapillary by capillary force. By creating plugs at both ends of the microcapillary to block the liquid crystal portion, a cholesteric liquid crystal display unit is obtained.

[0017] Optionally, before contacting one port of the microcapillary with the liquid crystal section, the method further includes: A liquid crystal and a curing adhesive are mixed evenly to obtain the liquid crystal unit.

[0018] Optionally, creating plugs at both ends of the microcapillary includes: A curing adhesive is sealed into both ends of the microcapillary and then cured to form a seal.

[0019] This application also provides a display device, including any of the above-described cholesteric liquid crystal display units.

[0020] Optionally, it further includes: a first transparent substrate, a first transparent electrode layer, a second transparent substrate, and a second transparent electrode layer; The first transparent electrode layer and the second transparent electrode layer are located on two opposite surfaces of the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit and are in contact with the walls of the microcapillaries in the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit. The first transparent substrate is located on the surface of the first transparent electrode layer opposite to the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit; The second transparent substrate is located on the surface of the second transparent electrode layer opposite to the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit.

[0021] Optionally, it also includes: A light-absorbing layer located on the surface of the second transparent substrate opposite to the second transparent electrode layer.

[0022] Optionally, it also includes: A pad located between the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate.

[0023] Optionally, it also includes: A transparent seal located between the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate, and surrounding all the cholesteric liquid crystal display units.

[0024] This application also provides a method for assembling a display device, including: A first transparent electrode layer is fabricated on one surface of a first transparent substrate; A second transparent electrode layer is fabricated on one surface of a second transparent substrate; The cholesteric liquid crystal display unit described above is laid on the surface of the second transparent electrode layer; The first transparent substrate having the first transparent electrode layer is placed over the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit.

[0025] Optionally, before covering the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit with the first transparent substrate having the first transparent electrode layer, the method further includes: An optically transparent adhesive is applied around all of the cholesteric liquid crystal display units; After covering the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit with the first transparent substrate having the first transparent electrode layer, the method further includes: The optically transparent adhesive is filled between the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate, and air bubbles are eliminated; The optically transparent adhesive is cured to form a transparent seal.

[0026] Optionally, before covering the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit with the first transparent substrate having the first transparent electrode layer, the method further includes: Pads are placed on opposite sides of all the said cholesteric liquid crystal display units.

[0027] Optionally, after covering the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit with the first transparent substrate having the first transparent electrode layer, the method further includes: A light-absorbing layer is attached to the surface of the second transparent substrate opposite to the second transparent electrode layer.

[0028] The cholesteric liquid crystal display unit provided in this application includes a microcapillary, a liquid crystal portion, and a plug. The liquid crystal portion can enter the microcapillary through capillary action, eliminating the need for expensive manufacturing equipment, thus reducing manufacturing costs and simplifying production. Furthermore, the capillary action minimizes waste during liquid crystal filling, improving material utilization and further reducing costs. Moreover, the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit in this application eliminates the need for liquid crystal material filling during fabrication, decoupling liquid crystal filling from the panel manufacturing process. This allows for the independent fabrication of cholesteric liquid crystal display units for each reflection wavelength, enabling separate optimization of cholesteric liquid crystal display unit and panel assembly, improving production flexibility. The liquid crystal portion is sealed within the microcapillary by the plug, making it less susceptible to external humidity and pressure, thus improving the mechanical strength and reliability of the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit. Additionally, the cholesteric liquid crystal display units reflecting different colors can be arranged in a single layer on a flat surface, eliminating the need for stacking and reducing structural complexity. Simultaneously, by controlling the outer diameter and arrangement precision of the microcapillary, high pixel density displays can be achieved, making it easier to achieve high resolution.

[0029] This application also provides a preparation method, a display device, and an assembly method thereof that have the above advantages. Attached Figure Description

[0030] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0031] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a cholesteric liquid crystal display unit provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 A flowchart illustrating a method for fabricating a cholesteric liquid crystal display unit provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of a display device provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 4 for Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of the display device along the cutting line AA; Figure 5 for Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of the display device along the cutting line BB.

[0032] Reference numerals: 10, cholesteric liquid crystal display unit; 101, microcapillary; 102, liquid crystal section; 103, plug; 20, first transparent substrate; 30, first transparent electrode layer; 40, second transparent substrate; 50, second transparent electrode layer; 60, light-absorbing layer; 70, gasket; 80, transparent sealant. Detailed Implementation

[0033] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present application, the present application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are merely some embodiments of the present application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0034] Many specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a full understanding of the invention. However, the invention may also be practiced in other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar extensions without departing from the spirit of the invention. Therefore, the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0035] As described in the background section, existing liquid crystal display technology suffers from high costs, demanding process conditions, and complex structures.

[0036] In view of this, this application provides a cholesteric liquid crystal display unit 10, please refer to... Figure 1 ,include: A microcapillary 101, wherein the wall of the microcapillary 101 is transparent and conductive; The liquid crystal unit 102 is located inside the microcapillary 101; The plug 103 is located at both ends of the microcapillary 101 and is used to block the liquid crystal section 102.

[0037] The microcapillary 101 refers to a capillary with an inner diameter ranging from 10 μm to 200 μm. It can serve as a microfluidic channel, possessing strong capillary forces, and can be used for efficient, pump-free delivery of trace amounts of liquid. The length of the microcapillary 101 is not limited in this application and can be set according to actual conditions.

[0038] The reason why the wall of the microcapillary 101 is transparent is to allow light to pass smoothly through the liquid crystal section 102 to achieve image display; the reason why the wall is conductive is to allow the microcapillary 101 itself to act as a conductive path, driving the liquid crystal inside the microcapillary 101 to switch between a reflective state and a scattering state under an external electric field.

[0039] It should be noted that this application does not limit the type of microcapillary 101, and it can be set by the user.

[0040] As one possible implementation, the microcapillary 101 is a rigid capillary, in which case the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit 10 has good impact resistance and can be well matched in rigid flat panel display technology.

[0041] As another possible implementation, the microcapillary 101 is a flexible capillary. In this case, the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit 10 has good flexibility and can be well matched with curved display technologies such as curved wristbands of smart wearable devices, irregularly shaped electronic tags, and curved displays of automotive interiors.

[0042] It should also be noted that the wall structure of the microcapillary 101 is not limited in this application and can be set according to the actual situation.

[0043] In one possible implementation, the pipe wall includes a transparent body and a transparent conductive layer, the transparent conductive layer being located on the outer surface and / or inner surface of the transparent body.

[0044] There are three possible locations for the transparent conductive layer: the transparent conductive layer is placed on the outer surface of the transparent body; the transparent conductive layer is placed on the inner surface of the transparent body; and the transparent conductive layer is placed on both the outer and inner surfaces of the transparent body.

[0045] Preferably, the transparent conductive layer is disposed on the inner surface of the transparent body. Since the liquid crystal fills the interior of the microcapillary, disposing of the transparent conductive layer on the inner surface of the transparent body allows the driving electric field to act directly on the liquid crystal without penetrating the insulating wall of the microcapillary, thereby effectively reducing the driving voltage, improving the response speed, and avoiding electric field crosstalk between adjacent pixels.

[0046] The transparent body can be a glass body or a transparent polymer body (such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polycarbonate (PC) etc.), and the transparent conductive layer can be an indium tin oxide (ITO) layer, etc., without specific limitations in this application.

[0047] As another possible implementation, the tube wall is formed by incorporating a conductive material into a transparent substrate. The transparent substrate can be made of glass or a transparent polymer, and the conductive material can be ITO or a conductive polymer, such as poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS).

[0048] The liquid crystal section 102 includes at least liquid crystal, and the molecular arrangement of the liquid crystal is a cholesteric phase.

[0049] It should be noted that this application does not limit the type of liquid crystal in each microcapillary 101, and can be set by the user.

[0050] As one possible implementation, in each of the microcapillaries 101, the liquid crystal in the liquid crystal section 102 is of one type, and the reflection center wavelength of the liquid crystal is any one of 650nm, 540nm, and 480nm.

[0051] Light with a center wavelength of 650nm is red light, light with a center wavelength of 540nm is green light, and light with a center wavelength of 480nm is blue light.

[0052] In this embodiment, a cholesteric liquid crystal display unit 10 can reflect any one of red light, green light, and blue light. In order to achieve full-color image display, multiple cholesteric liquid crystal display units 10 that reflect red light, green light, and blue light respectively can be combined.

[0053] As another possible implementation, in each of the microcapillaries 101, the liquid crystal portion 102 contains three types of liquid crystal, and the reflection center wavelengths of the liquid crystal include 650nm, 540nm, and 480nm. That is, the liquid crystal portion 102 in a single microcapillary 101 can reflect red light, green light, and blue light.

[0054] It should be noted that the number of each type of liquid crystal in a single microcapillary 101 is not limited in this application. For example, the number of each type of liquid crystal may be one, or the number of each type of liquid crystal may be at least two.

[0055] In this embodiment, a cholesteric liquid crystal display unit 10 can reflect red light, green light and blue light. In order to achieve full-color image display, the cholesteric liquid crystal display units 10 can be arranged and combined according to the actual situation.

[0056] It should also be noted that this application does not limit the LCD section 102 and can be selected at will.

[0057] As one possible implementation, the liquid crystal section 102 can be liquid crystal, that is, the liquid crystal section 102 filled in the microcapillary 101 is entirely liquid crystal.

[0058] As another possible implementation, the liquid crystal section 102 may include liquid crystal and a curing adhesive. The curing adhesive may be a photocurable adhesive (e.g., an ultraviolet-curable adhesive) or a hot melt adhesive, etc.

[0059] This application does not limit the content of the curing adhesive in the liquid crystal section 102, but depends on the specific circumstances. In one embodiment of this application, the mass ratio of the liquid crystal to the curing adhesive can be 5:1 to 20:1. If the content of the curing adhesive is too low, the curing effect on the liquid crystal will be poor; if the content of the curing adhesive is too high, it will affect the display effect of the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit 10.

[0060] The sealing 103 allows the liquid crystal unit 102 to exist stably in the microcapillary 101, preventing leakage. At the same time, moisture and oxygen are difficult to penetrate into the microcapillary 101, resulting in excellent environmental stability of the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit 10.

[0061] The sealant 103 can be a light-curing adhesive or a hot melt adhesive, etc. This application does not make specific limitations, as long as it can achieve the effect of sealing and plugging.

[0062] The shape of the cross-section of the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit 10 is not limited in this application and can be set by the user. For example, the shape of the cross-section of the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit 10 can be circular, rectangular, triangular, trapezoidal or hexagonal, etc.

[0063] The cholesteric liquid crystal display unit 10 provided in this embodiment includes a microcapillary 101, a liquid crystal portion 102, and a plug 103. The liquid crystal portion 102 can enter the microcapillary 101 through capillary action, eliminating the need for expensive manufacturing equipment, thus reducing manufacturing costs and complexity. Furthermore, the capillary action filling of the liquid crystal portion 102 results in minimal waste, improving material utilization and further reducing costs. In this embodiment, the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit 10 does not require liquid crystal material filling during fabrication, decoupling liquid crystal filling from the panel manufacturing process. This allows for the independent fabrication of each cholesteric liquid crystal display unit 10 for different reflection wavelengths, enabling separate optimization of the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit 10 and panel assembly, improving production flexibility. The liquid crystal portion 102 is sealed within the microcapillary 101 by the plug 103, making it less susceptible to external humidity and pressure, thus improving the mechanical strength and reliability of the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit 10. Additionally, in this embodiment, the cholesteric liquid crystal display units 10 reflecting different colors can be arranged in a single layer on a flat surface, eliminating the need for stacking and reducing structural complexity. Meanwhile, by controlling the outer diameter and arrangement precision of the microcapillaries 101, high pixel density displays can be achieved, making it easier to achieve high resolution.

[0064] This application also provides a method for preparing a cholesteric phase liquid crystal display unit; please refer to [reference needed]. Figure 2 The party may include: Step S101: Prepare a microcapillary tube, wherein the wall of the microcapillary tube is transparent and conductive.

[0065] Rigid or flexible microcapillaries can be prepared as needed.

[0066] Step S102: Contact one end of the microcapillary with the liquid crystal portion, and use capillary force to fill the liquid crystal portion into the microcapillary.

[0067] In one embodiment of this application, when the liquid crystal unit is liquid crystal, one port of the microcapillary can be directly contacted with the liquid crystal unit, and the liquid crystal will enter the microcapillary under capillary action.

[0068] In one embodiment of this application, when the liquid crystal section includes liquid crystal and curing adhesive, it will be described in the following embodiments.

[0069] Step S103: Seal plugs are made at the two ports of the microcapillary to block the liquid crystal portion, thereby obtaining a cholesteric liquid crystal display unit.

[0070] The sealing material can be a UV-cured adhesive or a hot melt adhesive, etc.

[0071] When the sealing material is a light-curing adhesive, the process of making the sealing plugs in the two ports of the microcapillary includes: sealing the two ports of the microcapillary with the curing adhesive and curing the curing adhesive to form the sealing plugs.

[0072] The curing method of the adhesive depends on the type of adhesive. For example, when the adhesive is a UV-curable adhesive, it can be cured by light (e.g., using a wavelength of 365nm and an intensity of 30 mW / cm²). 2 (The ultraviolet light is irradiated at both ends of the microcapillary for 15 seconds); when the curing adhesive is a hot melt adhesive, it can be cured by natural cooling.

[0073] In this embodiment, the liquid crystal portion can enter the microcapillary tube via capillary action, eliminating the need for expensive manufacturing equipment, thus reducing manufacturing costs and complexity. Furthermore, the capillary action filling of the liquid crystal portion results in minimal waste, improving material utilization and further reducing costs. Moreover, the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit in this embodiment does not require liquid crystal material filling during fabrication, decoupling liquid crystal filling from the panel manufacturing process. This allows for the independent fabrication of cholesteric liquid crystal display units for each reflection wavelength, enabling separate optimization of cholesteric liquid crystal display unit and panel assembly, improving production flexibility. The liquid crystal portion is sealed within the microcapillary tube, making it less susceptible to external humidity and pressure, thus improving the mechanical strength and reliability of the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit. Additionally, in this embodiment, cholesteric liquid crystal display units reflecting different colors can be arranged in a single layer on a flat surface, eliminating the need for stacking and reducing structural complexity.

[0074] In addition, this embodiment uses a capillary-driven self-assembly filling technology to replace the expensive large-area fine patterning process, and moves the complex "colorization" step forward to the manufacturing of cholesteric liquid crystal display units that can be standardized and mass-produced, which significantly reduces the threshold for panel manufacturing.

[0075] When the liquid crystal portion includes liquid crystal and a curing adhesive, the method for fabricating a cholesteric liquid crystal display unit includes: Step S201: Prepare a microcapillary tube, wherein the wall of the microcapillary tube is transparent and conductive.

[0076] Step S202: Mix a liquid crystal with a curing adhesive until homogeneous to obtain the liquid crystal unit.

[0077] The mass ratio of liquid crystal to curing adhesive can be 5:1 to 20:1.

[0078] Step S203: Contact one end of the microcapillary with the liquid crystal portion, and use capillary force to fill the liquid crystal portion into the microcapillary.

[0079] One end of a microcapillary can be immersed in the liquid crystal section, and within seconds, the liquid crystal section can automatically enter the microcapillary section by means of capillary force.

[0080] Step S204: Seal plugs are made at the two ports of the microcapillary to block the liquid crystal portion, thereby obtaining a cholesteric liquid crystal display unit.

[0081] When the liquid crystal in step S202 is a liquid crystal with a reflective center wavelength of 650nm, and the cholesteric liquid crystal portion fills the microcapillary, a red cholesteric liquid crystal display unit can be obtained after steps S201 to S204. By replacing the liquid crystal with liquid crystals with reflective center wavelengths of 540nm and 480nm respectively, and repeating the above steps S201 to S205, green and blue cholesteric liquid crystal display units can be obtained.

[0082] This application also provides a display device, please refer to... Figures 3 to 5 It may include the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit described in any of the above embodiments.

[0083] The display device includes cholesteric liquid crystal display units 10 that reflect red, green, and blue light. This application does not limit the number of cholesteric liquid crystal display units 10 in the display device; the number can be set according to actual needs.

[0084] To achieve pixel-driven operation, it is necessary to ensure that: (1) Column conduction: The conductive tube walls or transparent conductive layers of microcapillaries that reflect the same color of light (e.g., all reflecting red light) are connected or connected through an external circuit to serve as signal electrodes for the pixels in that column. (2) Layer insulation: The conductive tube walls or transparent conductive layers of adjacent microcapillaries that reflect different colors of light must be electrically isolated to prevent short circuits and crosstalk.

[0085] In one embodiment of this application, the display device may further include: a first transparent substrate 20, a first transparent electrode layer 30, a second transparent substrate 40, and a second transparent electrode layer 50; The first transparent electrode layer 30 and the second transparent electrode layer 50 are located on two opposite surfaces of the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit 10 and are in contact with the wall of the microcapillary 101 in the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit 10. The first transparent substrate 20 is located on the surface of the first transparent electrode layer 30 that is opposite to the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit 10; The second transparent substrate 40 is located on the surface of the second transparent electrode layer 50 that is opposite to the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit 10.

[0086] The first transparent substrate 20 and the second transparent substrate 40 can be glass substrates, polyimide (PI), etc., and this application does not limit them. The size of the first transparent substrate 20 and the second transparent substrate 40 can be set according to actual conditions, and this application does not limit them either.

[0087] The first transparent electrode layer 30 and the second transparent electrode layer 50 can be ITO layers, etc., and this application does not limit them.

[0088] It should be noted that the shapes of the first transparent electrode layer 30 and the second transparent electrode layer 50 are not limited in this application and can be set arbitrarily. For example, the first transparent electrode layer 30 and the second transparent electrode layer 50 can be strip-shaped to match a single microcapillary 101; or, the first transparent electrode layer 30 and the second transparent electrode layer 50 can be planar, covering the entire surface of the first transparent substrate 20 and the second transparent substrate 40; or, the first transparent electrode layer 30 can be planar, and the second transparent electrode layer 50 can be multiple mutually insulated pixel electrodes, wherein there is a thin insulating layer (e.g., optically transparent adhesive or air layer) between the microcapillary 101 and a pixel electrode.

[0089] The strip-shaped first transparent electrode layer 30 and the second transparent electrode layer 50 can be formed by printing or etching, and the material can be silver nanowires.

[0090] In one possible implementation, the first transparent electrode layer 30 is planar and serves as a common electrode, with each cholesteric liquid crystal display unit electrically connected to the common electrode; the second transparent electrode layer 50 consists of multiple mutually insulated pixel electrodes, with each or several cholesteric liquid crystal display units corresponding to a pixel electrode forming an insulated connection, thus enabling the display device to form a pattern.

[0091] In operation, the microcapillary of the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit is equivalent to an "equipotential body", which uniformly guides the voltage of the common electrode to the corresponding position of each microcapillary, ensuring the uniformity of the electric field. There is a thin insulating layer between the microcapillary of the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit and a pixel electrode, with strong capacitive coupling, forming a classic parallel plate capacitor, namely the lower electrode (second transparent electrode layer 50) - insulating layer - upper electrode (the wall of the microcapillary and the first transparent electrode layer 30).

[0092] An induced electric field of the same magnitude and opposite direction to the external electric field will be formed inside the equipotential body. Since the liquid crystal material is not an absolute conductor and has dielectric loss, the internal induced electric field will not completely cancel the external electric field. Specifically: Due to the sudden change in potential caused by the pulsed electric field, an external electric field is formed between the pixel electrode and the equipotential body. This external electric field can penetrate the thin insulating layer and act on the conductive microcapillary wall. Free electrons on the conductive wall undergo charge redistribution under the influence of the external electric field, thus inducing charges of opposite polarity on the inner surface of the wall. Therefore, the induced charges are located inside the microcapillary, at the position of the liquid crystal layer, forming an internal induced electric field opposite to the direction of the external electric field. When a driving voltage is applied to the pixel electrode, a potential difference is formed between it and the wall, which is at a common potential. This potential difference causes the conductive wall to generate polarized charges through electrostatic induction: opposite charges are induced in the outer region of the wall near the pixel electrode, and like charges are induced in the inner region of the wall away from the pixel electrode. These induced charges accumulated on the inner side of the wall form a radially distributed driving electric field inside the transparent conductive microcapillary. This electric field acts on the liquid crystal molecules, changing their arrangement and thus presenting different display states.

[0093] If all the walls of the microcapillaries are connected together by a separate conductive busbar (such as a printed silver paste line or a metal frame), and this busbar is then connected to the common terminal (Vcom) of the drive circuit, then a common electrode layer is not needed. It can be a purely insulating transparent cover plate (such as glass or PET (Polyethylene terephthalate) plastic) without any conductive layer. In this case, all the conductive transparent microcapillaries together act as the common electrode.

[0094] In one possible implementation, the first transparent electrode layer 30 and the second transparent electrode layer 50 serve as a common electrode, and the walls of the microcapillaries 101 in the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit 10 form ohmic contacts with the first transparent electrode layer 30 and the second transparent electrode layer 50, respectively. When a driving voltage is applied between the first transparent substrate 20 and the second transparent substrate 40, or when a driving voltage is applied between the upper and lower substrates, an electric field acts on the liquid crystal within each microcapillary 101. By controlling the driving waveform, the liquid crystal in each microcapillary 101 can switch between a reflective state (bright color) and a focal conic scattering state (dark state). Since the human eye spatially mixes adjacent RGB sub-pixels at normal viewing distances, full-color image display can be achieved by controlling the brightness and darkness combinations of different color sub-pixels.

[0095] In this embodiment, by providing a first transparent substrate 20 and a second transparent substrate 40, the strength of the display device can be improved.

[0096] Based on the above embodiments, in one embodiment of this application, the display device may further include: a light-absorbing layer 60 located on the surface of the second transparent substrate 40 opposite to the second transparent electrode layer 50.

[0097] The light-absorbing layer 60 is black, which can block backlight and stray light, prevent light leakage, and at the same time improve the contrast of the image, making the image clearer and sharper.

[0098] Based on any of the above embodiments, in one embodiment of this application, the display device may further include a pad 70 located between the first transparent substrate 20 and the second transparent substrate 40.

[0099] The pad 70 is located on the outside of all the cholesteric liquid crystal display units 10.

[0100] The pad 70 serves as a support, which can control the height stability between the first transparent substrate 20 and the second transparent substrate 40, prevent local tilting between the first transparent substrate 20 and the second transparent substrate 40, and improve the stability of the display device.

[0101] The pad 70 can be provided only on the opposite sides of the first transparent substrate 20 and the second transparent substrate 40 to save material usage of the pad 70 and reduce costs.

[0102] Based on any of the above embodiments, in one embodiment of this application, the display device may further include: a transparent sealing member 80 located between the first transparent substrate 20 and the second transparent substrate 40, and surrounding all the cholesteric liquid crystal display units 10.

[0103] Transparent sealants can include optically clear adhesives (OCA), etc.

[0104] Since the display device generally includes multiple cholesteric liquid crystal display units 10, and the multiple cholesteric liquid crystal display units 10 are arranged in a certain form, the transparent sealing member 80 is disposed around all the cholesteric liquid crystal display units 10.

[0105] In this embodiment, by providing a transparent sealing element 80, the display device can be sealed, forming a closed space between the first transparent substrate 20 and the second transparent substrate 40, so that multiple cholesteric liquid crystal display units 10 are firmly encapsulated between the first transparent substrate 20 and the second transparent substrate 40 to form a liquid crystal cell, and also to avoid external influences on the display device.

[0106] This application also provides a method for assembling a display device, the method including: Step S301: Form a first transparent electrode layer on one surface of the first transparent substrate.

[0107] Step S302: Fabricate a second transparent electrode layer on one surface of the second transparent substrate.

[0108] The first transparent electrode layer and the second transparent electrode layer can be fabricated on the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate respectively by means of film deposition.

[0109] Step S303: Deposit the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit as described in any of the above embodiments onto the surface of the second transparent electrode layer.

[0110] The arrangement of cholesteric liquid crystal display units can be determined based on the type of microcapillaries within them.

[0111] When the microcapillary is a rigid capillary, high-precision mounting equipment can be used to lay the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit in parallel along one direction.

[0112] When the microcapillary is a flexible capillary, a roll-to-roll process can be used to lay up the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit.

[0113] It should be noted that this application does not limit the arrangement of the cholesteric liquid crystal display units, but depends on the specific circumstances.

[0114] When the microcapillary is a rigid capillary, the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit can be fixed between the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate in parallel and at equal intervals using an optically transparent adhesive, with the size of the interval determined by the size of the pixel.

[0115] When the microcapillary is a flexible capillary, the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit has a certain degree of flexibility, which can be set according to the actual situation.

[0116] The center-to-center spacing of adjacent reflective red, green, and blue cholesteric liquid crystal display units constitutes the width of a display pixel to match the pixel size.

[0117] Step S304: Cover the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit with the first transparent substrate having the first transparent electrode layer.

[0118] The first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate need to be aligned.

[0119] The assembly method of this embodiment arranges and integrates prefabricated cholesteric liquid crystal display units with reflective red, green and blue colors in a preset order, just like "optical fibers". This achieves a microscopic color pixel array in a macroscopic, almost mechanical assembly manner, providing a new path for the flexibility, irregular shape and high environmental stability of displays.

[0120] Based on the above embodiments, in one embodiment of this application, before covering the first transparent substrate having the first transparent electrode layer onto the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit, it may further include: placing a pad on opposite sides of all the cholesteric liquid crystal display units.

[0121] By placing a pad, the distance between the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate can be better controlled, while also providing support.

[0122] Based on any of the above embodiments, in one embodiment of this application, after covering the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit with the first transparent substrate having the first transparent electrode layer, it may further include: attaching a light-absorbing layer to the surface of the second transparent substrate opposite to the second transparent electrode layer.

[0123] The light-absorbing layer is black, which can block backlight and stray light, prevent light leakage, and at the same time improve the contrast of the image, making the image clearer and sharper.

[0124] Based on any of the above embodiments, in one embodiment of this application, the assembly method of the display device may include: Step S401: Form a first transparent electrode layer on one surface of the first transparent substrate.

[0125] Step S402: Fabricate a second transparent electrode layer on one surface of the second transparent substrate.

[0126] Step S403: Deposit the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit as described in any of the above embodiments onto the surface of the second transparent electrode layer.

[0127] Step S404: Apply an optically transparent adhesive around all of the said cholesteric liquid crystal display units.

[0128] An optically transparent adhesive surrounds all cholesteric liquid crystal display units.

[0129] Step S405: Place pads on opposite sides of all the cholesteric liquid crystal display units.

[0130] Step S406: Cover the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit with the first transparent substrate having the first transparent electrode layer.

[0131] Step S407: Fill the space between the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate with the optically transparent adhesive and remove air bubbles.

[0132] This step can be performed by rolling or vacuum pressing to process the optically transparent adhesive, so that it can uniformly fill the gap between the first and second transparent substrates and eliminate air bubbles.

[0133] Step S408: Curing the optically transparent adhesive to form a transparent seal.

[0134] This step can be achieved by heating or irradiating with ultraviolet light to cure the optically transparent adhesive.

[0135] The assembly method of this embodiment includes a transparent seal and a gasket in the display device. While controlling the distance between the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate, a closed space is formed between the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate. This allows multiple cholesteric liquid crystal display units to be securely encapsulated between the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate to form a liquid crystal cell. Furthermore, it can also prevent external influences on the display device.

[0136] The following describes the preparation method of the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit and the assembly method of the display device according to different situations.

[0137] Example 1: Manufacturing of a rigid RGB display panel based on glass capillaries.

[0138] (I) Fabrication of Cholesteric Liquid Crystal Display Unit

[0139] Step 1: Prepare a glass capillary tube with an inner diameter of 50μm, a wall thickness of 10μm, and a length that matches the width of the panel (e.g., 100 mm).

[0140] Step 2: Deposit an indium tin oxide film as a conductive layer on the inner surface of the glass capillary to obtain a transparent conductive glass capillary.

[0141] Step 3: Prepare the liquid crystal unit: Weigh out cholesteric liquid crystals with reflection center wavelengths of 650nm (red), 540nm (green), and 480nm (blue), respectively. Mix each liquid crystal with low-viscosity UV-curable adhesive (Norland NOA81) at a mass ratio of 12:1 and stir until homogeneous to form three liquid crystal units.

[0142] Step 4: Take a transparent conductive glass capillary tube and vertically immerse one end of it into the liquid crystal containing the red light-reflecting liquid crystal to a depth of about 1 mm. Within a few seconds, the liquid crystal will automatically fill the entire transparent conductive glass capillary tube due to capillary action.

[0143] Step 5: Seal both ends of the transparent conductive glass capillary with a small amount of the same UV-curable adhesive, and apply a 365nm wavelength, 30 mW / cm² UV-curable adhesive. 2 Strong ultraviolet light was applied to both ends of a transparent conductive glass capillary for 15 seconds, causing the curing adhesive at both ends to solidify, resulting in a red cholesteric liquid crystal display unit. The above process was repeated, using reflective green light and blue liquid crystal units respectively, to fabricate green and blue cholesteric liquid crystal display units.

[0144] (ii) Assembly of the display device

[0145] Step 6: Substrate preparation: Prepare two pieces of glass, each 100mm x 100mm in size, as the first glass substrate and the second glass substrate.

[0146] Step 7: Prepare indium tin oxide thin films on one side surface of the first glass substrate and the second glass substrate respectively to form a first transparent conductive layer and a second transparent conductive layer.

[0147] Step 8: Using a high-precision mounting device on the second transparent conductive layer, lay out cholesteric liquid crystal display units in parallel along one direction. The laying sequence follows a cyclic pattern of red cholesteric liquid crystal display units, green cholesteric liquid crystal display units, blue cholesteric liquid crystal display units, red cholesteric liquid crystal display units, green cholesteric liquid crystal display units, blue cholesteric liquid crystal display units, ..., ensuring that they are closely arranged to form a cholesteric liquid crystal display unit array.

[0148] Step 9: Apply an optically transparent adhesive around the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit array and place pads on opposite sides of the array. Then, align and cover the array with a first glass substrate (with the first transparent conductive layer facing inwards). Use rolling or vacuum pressing to evenly fill the gaps and remove air bubbles with the optically transparent adhesive. Finally, heat or ultraviolet light is used to fully cure the optically transparent adhesive, forming a transparent seal that securely encapsulates the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit array between the two glass substrates, forming a liquid crystal cell.

[0149] Step 10: Attach a light-absorbing layer to the lower surface of the second glass substrate.

[0150] Example 2: Manufacturing of a flexible RGB display panel based on flexible capillaries.

[0151] Step 1: Prepare a transparent flexible polymer capillary with an inner diameter of 30μm. The transparent substrate is PET, and the conductive polymer incorporated is PEDOT:PSS. This capillary can be continuously produced through hot stretching or micro-extrusion processes.

[0152] Step 2, Configure the liquid crystal unit: Similar to step 3 in Example 1 above, except that a flexible UV-curable adhesive with better compatibility with transparent flexible polymer capillaries is used.

[0153] Step 3, Continuous Filling and Curing: A roll-to-roll process is employed: A roll of transparent flexible polymer capillary tape is continuously conveyed through a precision dispensing and filling station. At each station, a corresponding liquid crystal component is precisely dripped onto one end of the transparent flexible polymer capillary using a micro-injector, filling a predetermined length (e.g., the length of a sub-pixel) using capillary force to obtain a red cholesteric liquid crystal display unit. The above process is repeated at other stations, using reflective green and blue liquid crystal components respectively to fabricate green and blue cholesteric liquid crystal display units.

[0154] (ii) Assembly of the display device

[0155] Step 4, Substrate preparation: A transparent flexible polyimide film with a thickness of 100μm is used as the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate.

[0156] Step 5: Prepare indium tin oxide thin films on one side surface of the first glass substrate and the second glass substrate respectively to form strip-shaped first transparent conductive layer and second transparent conductive layer.

[0157] Step 6, Curved Surface Lamination: The prepared flexible cholesteric liquid crystal display units are laid on the second transparent conductive layer by hand or using automated equipment in color order to form a cholesteric liquid crystal display unit array.

[0158] Step 7: Align and cover the first transparent substrate with the first transparent conductive layer, and perform lamination encapsulation. The entire structure is flexible and slightly stretchable, adaptable to non-planar mounting.

[0159] The driving of the display device in Example 2 is similar to the driving method described above, and it is addressed through the first transparent conductive layer and the second transparent conductive layer patterned on the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate.

[0160] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner. Each embodiment focuses on the differences from other embodiments. The same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referred to each other.

[0161] The cholesteric liquid crystal display unit, its preparation method, display device, and assembly method provided in this application have been described in detail above. Specific examples have been used to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this application. The descriptions of the embodiments above are only for the purpose of helping to understand the solution and core ideas of this application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make several improvements and modifications to this application without departing from the principles of this application, and these improvements and modifications also fall within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A cholesteric liquid crystal display unit, characterized in that, include: A microcapillary, wherein the wall of the microcapillary is transparent and conductive; The liquid crystal unit is located inside the microcapillary; The plugs are located at both ends of the microcapillary tube and are used to seal the liquid crystal portion.

2. The cholesteric liquid crystal display unit as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The microcapillary is a rigid capillary.

3. The cholesteric liquid crystal display unit as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The microcapillary is a flexible capillary.

4. The cholesteric liquid crystal display unit as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The tube wall includes a transparent body and a transparent conductive layer, the transparent conductive layer being located on the outer surface and / or inner surface of the transparent body.

5. The cholesteric liquid crystal display unit as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The tube wall is formed by incorporating conductive material into a transparent substrate.

6. The cholesteric liquid crystal display unit as described in claim 1, characterized in that, In each of the microcapillaries, the liquid crystal portion contains a type of liquid crystal, and the reflection center wavelength of the liquid crystal is any one of 650nm, 540nm, and 480nm.

7. The cholesteric liquid crystal display unit as described in claim 1, characterized in that, In each of the microcapillaries, the liquid crystal portion contains three types of liquid crystal, and the reflection center wavelengths of the liquid crystal include 650nm, 540nm, and 480nm.

8. The cholesteric liquid crystal display unit according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The liquid crystal unit includes liquid crystal and a curing adhesive.

9. The cholesteric liquid crystal display unit as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The mass ratio of the liquid crystal to the curing adhesive is 5:1 to 20:

1.

10. The cholesteric liquid crystal display unit according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The liquid crystal unit is a liquid crystal.

11. A method for preparing a cholesteric liquid crystal display unit, characterized in that, include: Prepare a microcapillary tube, wherein the wall of the microcapillary tube is transparent and conductive; One end of the microcapillary is brought into contact with the liquid crystal section, and the liquid crystal section is filled into the microcapillary by capillary force. By creating plugs at both ends of the microcapillary to block the liquid crystal portion, a cholesteric liquid crystal display unit is obtained.

12. The method for preparing the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit as described in claim 11, characterized in that, Before contacting one port of the microcapillary with the liquid crystal section, the method further includes: A liquid crystal and a curing adhesive are mixed evenly to obtain the liquid crystal unit.

13. The method for preparing a cholesteric liquid crystal display unit according to any one of claims 11 to 12, characterized in that, Creating plugs at both ends of the microcapillary includes: A curing adhesive is sealed into both ends of the microcapillary and then cured to form a seal.

14. A display device, characterized in that, Includes the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit as described in any one of claims 1 to 10.

15. The display device as claimed in claim 14, characterized in that, Also includes: A first transparent substrate, a first transparent electrode layer, a second transparent substrate, and a second transparent electrode layer; The first transparent electrode layer and the second transparent electrode layer are located on two opposite surfaces of the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit and are in contact with the walls of the microcapillaries in the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit. The first transparent substrate is located on the surface of the first transparent electrode layer opposite to the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit; The second transparent substrate is located on the surface of the second transparent electrode layer opposite to the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit.

16. The display device as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that, Also includes: A light-absorbing layer located on the surface of the second transparent substrate opposite to the second transparent electrode layer.

17. The display device as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that, Also includes: A pad located between the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate.

18. The display device according to any one of claims 15 to 17, characterized in that, Also includes: A transparent seal located between the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate, and surrounding all the cholesteric liquid crystal display units.

19. A method for assembling a display device, characterized in that, include: A first transparent electrode layer is fabricated on one surface of a first transparent substrate; A second transparent electrode layer is fabricated on one surface of a second transparent substrate; The cholesteric liquid crystal display unit as described in any one of claims 1 to 10 is deposited on the surface of the second transparent electrode layer; The first transparent substrate having the first transparent electrode layer is placed over the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit.

20. The assembly method of the display device as described in claim 19, characterized in that, Before covering the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit with the first transparent substrate having the first transparent electrode layer, the method further includes: An optically transparent adhesive is applied around all of the cholesteric liquid crystal display units; After covering the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit with the first transparent substrate having the first transparent electrode layer, the method further includes: The optically transparent adhesive is filled between the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate, and air bubbles are eliminated; The optically transparent adhesive is cured to form a transparent seal.

21. The assembly method of the display device as described in claim 19, characterized in that, Before covering the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit with the first transparent substrate having the first transparent electrode layer, the method further includes: Pads are placed on opposite sides of all the said cholesteric liquid crystal display units.

22. The assembly method of the display device as described in claim 19, characterized in that, After covering the cholesteric liquid crystal display unit with the first transparent substrate having the first transparent electrode layer, the method further includes: A light-absorbing layer is attached to the surface of the second transparent substrate opposite to the second transparent electrode layer.

Images