Manufacturing method for display panel and ultraviolet ray irradiation device

Abstract

To provide a manufacturing method for a polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) display panel with uniform display characteristics.SOLUTION: A manufacturing method for a display panel includes the steps of: attaching a first base material with a curved surface to one surface of a liquid crystal cell including a first substrate, a second substrate, and a liquid crystal mixture including a liquid crystal material and a photopolymerizable monomer that fills a gap between the first substrate and the second substrate, thereby forming the curved surface on the liquid crystal cell; and irradiating the liquid crystal cell with ultraviolet rays so that the illuminance of ultraviolet rays in a first region, which is optional, in the curved surface of the liquid crystal cell and the illuminance of ultraviolet rays in a second region, which is optional, in a surface of the liquid crystal cell including the curved surface become equal.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a display panel manufacturing method and an ultraviolet ray irradiation device. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) type display devices have been attracting attention. When no voltage is applied, PDLC is, for example, in an opaque white state, and when voltage is applied, it becomes transparent. PDLC type display devices (hereinafter referred to as PDLC display devices) that utilize this characteristic can, for example, allow light in and block light from a glass window by turning the power on and off. PDLC display devices can also achieve a wide viewing angle without using a polarizing plate. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-144272 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2020-160322 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] A photopolymerization phase separation method is known as a method for manufacturing PDLC cells. In the photopolymerization phase separation method, a mixture of liquid crystal and a monomer, which is a UV-curable resin, is irradiated with UV light to polymerize the monomer, and the liquid crystal is phase-separated into a polymer generated by polymerization of the monomer. In the photopolymerization phase separation method, the distribution of the polymer generated by polymerization of the monomer inside the cell can be controlled by the conditions in the UV light irradiation process, such as the wavelength, illuminance, integrated illuminance, and temperature of the irradiated UV light.

[0005] When a display panel has a curved surface, it is possible to apply a PDLC cell to the curved surface. If a PDLC cell is formed on a base material such as a film or a substrate, and the base material is bent after being irradiated with ultraviolet light, the polymer structure hardened by the ultraviolet light irradiation is destroyed, which may result in the display panel becoming cloudy or causing uneven brightness.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing a PDLC display panel having uniform display characteristics.

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide an ultraviolet ray irradiation device for use in a manufacturing method for a PDLC display panel having uniform display characteristics. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method for manufacturing a display panel, comprising: attaching a first base material having a curved surface to one side of a liquid crystal cell including a first substrate, a second substrate, and a liquid crystal mixture including a liquid crystal material and a photopolymerizable monomer filled between the first substrate and the second substrate, thereby forming a curved surface in the liquid crystal cell; and irradiating the liquid crystal cell with ultraviolet light so that the illuminance of the ultraviolet light in any first region on the curved surface of the liquid crystal cell is equal to the illuminance of the ultraviolet light in any second region on the surface of the liquid crystal cell including the curved surface, which is different from the first region.

[0009] According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an ultraviolet irradiation device including a light source unit including a plurality of light sources that irradiate ultraviolet light, and a control unit that adjusts the amount of ultraviolet light irradiated from the light source unit toward a surface of a liquid crystal cell having at least a curved surface, wherein the control unit adjusts the amount of ultraviolet light irradiated from the light source unit toward the surface of the liquid crystal cell so that the illuminance of the ultraviolet light in an arbitrary first region on the curved surface of the liquid crystal cell is equal to the illuminance of the ultraviolet light in an arbitrary second region on the surface of the liquid crystal cell including the curved surface, the second region being different from the first region.

[0010] According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an ultraviolet irradiation device including a light source unit including a plurality of light sources that irradiate ultraviolet light, a support unit that supports a display panel having at least a curved surface, and a diffusion plate arranged between the light source unit and the support unit and diffusing the ultraviolet light irradiated from the light source unit toward the display panel, wherein the diffusion plate has a first diffusion region having a first diffusion rate and a second diffusion region having a second diffusion rate higher than the first diffusion rate. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a display device according to an embodiment; [Diagram 2] 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of a pixel configuration in the display device shown in FIG. [Diagram 3] 1 is a flow diagram showing a method for manufacturing a display panel according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] 1A to 1C are schematic diagrams illustrating a method for manufacturing a display panel according to an embodiment. [Diagram 5] 1A to 1C are schematic diagrams illustrating a method for manufacturing a display panel according to an embodiment. [Figure 6] 1A to 1C are schematic diagrams illustrating a method for manufacturing a display panel according to an embodiment. [Figure 7] 1A to 1C are schematic diagrams illustrating a method for manufacturing a display panel according to an embodiment. [Figure 8] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of an ultraviolet irradiation device according to an embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of an ultraviolet irradiation device according to a modified example. [Figure 10] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of an ultraviolet irradiation device according to a modified example. [Figure 11] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of an ultraviolet irradiation device according to a modified example. [Figure 12] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a display device according to a modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] Hereinafter, each embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention can be implemented in various forms without departing from the gist of the present invention, and should not be interpreted as being limited to the description of the embodiments exemplified below. In addition, in order to clarify the explanation, the width, thickness, shape, etc. of each part may be shown in a schematic manner compared to the actual form, but these schematic drawings are merely examples and do not limit the interpretation of the present invention.

[0013] In this specification and each figure, elements that are the same or similar to those described in the previous figures may be given the same reference numerals, and duplicated explanations may be omitted. In this specification, ordinal numbers are given for the convenience of distinguishing between parts, parts, etc., and do not indicate priority or order. In addition, when multiple identical elements are arranged and it is necessary to distinguish between the individual elements, different alphabets may be added after the reference numerals indicating the elements to distinguish between them. However, when it is not necessary to distinguish between the individual elements, the reference numerals indicating the elements may be omitted in the explanation.

[0014] In the present invention, when a single film is processed to form multiple films, these multiple films may have different functions or roles. However, these multiple films originate from a film formed as the same layer in the same process, and have the same layer structure and the same material. Therefore, these multiple films are defined as existing in the same layer. In addition, when a single film is processed to form multiple patterns, in this specification and the like, each pattern may be distinguished by assigning an ordinal number to it.

[0015] In this specification, expressions such as "above" and "below" express the relative positional relationship between a structure of interest and another structure. In this specification, the direction from the array substrate to the counter substrate, which will be described later, in a side view is defined as "above", and the opposite direction is defined as "below". In this specification and claims, when expressing a mode in which another structure is arranged on a certain structure, the term "above" is used to include both a case in which another structure is arranged directly above the certain structure so as to be in contact with the certain structure, and a case in which another structure is arranged above the certain structure via another structure, unless otherwise specified.

[0016] In each embodiment, unless otherwise specified, expressions such as "α includes A, B, or C," "α includes any one of A, B, and C," and "α includes one selected from the group consisting of A, B, and C" do not exclude cases where α includes multiple combinations of A to C. Furthermore, these expressions do not exclude cases where α includes other elements.

[0017] [Display device] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a display device 10. As shown in Fig. 1, the display device 10 includes a display panel 102, a light source 104, a protective substrate (base material) 151A, and a protective substrate (base material) 151B.

[0018] The display panel 102 is a PLDC display panel. As shown in Fig. 1, the display panel 102 includes a first substrate 150, a second substrate 152, a liquid crystal layer 210 (see Fig. 2) between the first substrate 150 and the second substrate 152, a gate driving circuit 28, and a data driving circuit 38. The display panel 102 has at least a part of a curved surface.

[0019] In this embodiment, both the first substrate 150 and the second substrate 152 are translucent and flexible. Specifically, the support substrates that serve as the bases of the first substrate 150 and the second substrate 152 are both transparent to visible light and flexible. At least one of the support substrates that serve as the bases of the first substrate 150 and the second substrate 152 is, for example, glass that is thin enough to form a curved surface. Alternatively, it may be a film-like base material that has flexibility. When the support substrate of the first substrate 150 and the second substrate 152 is a base material on a film, it is a transparent insulating substrate or film material containing, for example, polyester resin such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), acrylic resin such as polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyolefin resin such as polypropylene (PP), cellulose resin such as triacetyl cellulose (TAC), cycloolefin polymer (COP), cyclic olefin resin (COC), polycarbonate (PC) resin, etc., and from the viewpoint of transparency, cycloolefin polymer (COP) and cyclic olefin resin (COC) are preferable. The second substrate 152 is disposed so as to face the first substrate 150. The first substrate 150 and the second substrate 152 are bonded together by a seal material 154 in a state in which they are disposed facing each other with a gap therebetween. A liquid crystal layer 210 is provided in the gap between the first substrate 150 and the second substrate 152.

[0020] The first substrate 150 has a display area 12 and a peripheral area 14 located outside the display area 12. In the display area 12, a plurality of pixels 15, a plurality of gate lines 16, and a plurality of data lines 17 are provided. Areas surrounded by these gate lines 16 and data lines 17 function as each pixel 15. The plurality of gate lines 16 are arranged along a predetermined direction. The plurality of data lines 17 are arranged along a direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction. Hereinafter, the extension direction of the plurality of gate lines 16 is referred to as a first direction D1, and the extension direction of the plurality of data lines 17 is referred to as a second direction. In addition, a direction perpendicular to both the first direction D1 and the second direction D2 is referred to as a third direction D3.

[0021] The pixels 15 are arranged in a row direction and a column direction. Here, the row direction refers to a direction parallel to the first direction D1, and the column direction refers to a direction parallel to the second direction D2. In the display area 12, m pixels 15 are arranged in the row direction, and n pixels 15 are arranged in the column direction. The values ​​of m and n are appropriately set according to the display resolution in the vertical direction and the display resolution in the horizontal direction. Each of the pixels 15 has a pixel circuit including a switching element formed by a thin film transistor (TFT). The pixel circuit includes a switching element and a capacitance element, and controls the on / off operation of each pixel 15. The thin film transistor is formed on a support substrate constituting the first substrate 150. That is, the first substrate 150 is an array substrate. The second substrate 152 is an opposing substrate facing the array substrate.

[0022] The peripheral region 14 of the first substrate 150 is provided with a gate driving circuit 28 and a data driving circuit 38. Although not shown, the peripheral region 14 is also provided with a wiring group that connects the gate wiring 16 and the gate driving circuit 28, and a wiring group that connects the data wiring 17 and the data driving circuit 38. FIG. 1 shows an embodiment in which the gate driving circuit 28 and the data driving circuit 38 are provided as an integrated circuit (IC) and mounted on the support substrate of the first substrate 150 by a COG (Chip on Glass) method. However, the present invention is not limited to this example, and the gate driving circuit 28 and the data driving circuit 38 may be mounted on the support substrate by a COF (Chip on Film) method, or may be formed on the support substrate by thin film transistors, similar to the above-mentioned pixel circuits.

[0023] The light source 104 is an elongated member extending along the first direction D1. The light source 104 is, for example, composed of a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs: Light Emitting Diodes) arranged along the first direction D1. The light source 104 may include optical members such as a reflector, a diffuser, and a lens in addition to the light emitting diodes. The timing of light emission of the light source 104 is controlled by a light emission control circuit (not shown) that is synchronized with the gate drive circuit 28 and the data drive circuit 38. The light source 104 and the light emission control circuit may be provided as a separate member (light emitting unit) independent of the display panel 102. The light emission control circuit may be incorporated in the gate drive circuit 28 or the data drive circuit 38.

[0024] The protective substrates 151A and 151B are base materials that protect the display panel 102. The protective substrate 151A is provided adjacent to the first substrate 150, and the protective substrate 151B is provided adjacent to the second substrate 152. The protective substrates 151A and 151B are thin glass that has light-transmitting properties and can be curved. The protective substrates 151A and 151B may be made of a flexible base material (e.g., a COP film, a COC film, a PET film, etc.). The protective substrates 151A and 151B may function as a light guide plate that guides the light emitted from the light source 104 to the display panel 102. In this case, the protective substrates 151A and 151B preferably have a refractive index equivalent to that of the first substrate 150 and the second substrate 152. The first substrate 150 and the protective substrate 151A, and the second substrate 152 and the protective substrate 151B are fixed to each other with a light-transmitting adhesive.

[0025] The display panel 102 includes a first substrate 150 and a second substrate 152 disposed to face each other in the third direction, with a liquid crystal layer 210 provided therebetween. The first substrate 150 is larger than the second substrate 152, and has a size such that a part of the peripheral region 14 is exposed from the second substrate 152. Although not shown in the figure, a terminal portion is provided on the periphery of the first substrate 150 for attaching a flexible printed circuit board for supplying external signals to the gate driving circuit 28 and the data driving circuit 38.

[0026] The display panel 102 has at least a part of a curved surface. In FIG. 1, as an example, the display panel 102 has a curved surface that is convex in the third direction D3 as a whole. The curved surface of the display panel 102 includes a first curved surface having a first curvature and a second curved surface having a second curvature. The second curvature is larger than the first curvature. The first curved surface is provided in a first region R1 of the display panel 102, and the second curved surface is provided in a second region R2 different from the first region R1 of the display panel 102. The first region R1 is an arbitrary region on the D1-D2 plane of the display panel 102. The second region R2 is an arbitrary region on the D1-D2 plane of the display panel 102 that is different from the first region R1 and is closer to an end of the display panel 102 in the second direction D2 than the first region R1. In other words, the second region R2 is located outside the first region R1 in the second direction D2.

[0027] The light source 104 is disposed adjacent to the side surface of the display panel 102. That is, the light source 104 is disposed adjacent to the side surfaces of the first substrate 150, the second substrate 152, and the protective substrates 151A and 151B. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the light source 104 is disposed adjacent to the side surface of the display panel 102, but the position of the light source 104 is not limited to the position shown in FIG. 1.

[0028] Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of the configuration of a pixel 15 in the display panel 102, and is a schematic diagram corresponding to the cross section between A1-A2 shown in Fig. 1. The pixel 15 includes a first electrode 160 provided on the first substrate 150, a second electrode 162 provided on the second substrate 152 and facing the first electrode 160, and a liquid crystal layer 210 sandwiched in the gap between the first substrate 150 and the second substrate 152. The first substrate 150, the first electrode 160, the liquid crystal layer 210, the second electrode 162, and the second substrate 152 constitute a liquid crystal cell 250.

[0029] The first electrode 160 receives a data voltage applied from the data driving circuit 38 via the data wiring 17. A predetermined voltage is applied to the second electrode 162. Although not shown, the second electrode 162 may be a common electrode common to each pixel 15, and a common voltage may be applied uniformly. The first electrode 160 and the second electrode 162 are transparent electrodes such as ITO (Indium Tin Oxide), IZO (Indium Zinc Oxide), or the like.

[0030] The liquid crystal layer 210 is made of a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal, and includes liquid crystal molecules 220 and a polymer structure 222. The polymer structure 222 is formed from a polymer generated by polymerizing a photopolymerizable monomer. The photopolymerizable monomer is, for example, a photocurable resin such as an ultraviolet-curable resin. In addition, the photopolymerizable monomer preferably has liquid crystallinity in terms of alignment and transparency. The polymer structure 222 is fibrous (stripe-like) and is provided so as to extend along the extension direction of the gate wiring 16 in the liquid crystal layer 210. The liquid crystal molecules 220 are separated from the polymer structure 222 and dispersed among the polymer structures 222 in the liquid crystal layer 210. The liquid crystal molecules 220 and the polymer structure 222 each have optical anisotropy or refractive index anisotropy. The responsiveness of the polymer structure 222 to an electric field is lower than the responsiveness of the liquid crystal molecules 220 to an electric field. For example, the alignment direction of the polymer structure 222 hardly changes regardless of the presence or absence of an electric field. On the other hand, when a voltage equal to or greater than the threshold value is applied to the liquid crystal layer 210, the alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules 220 changes according to the magnitude of the electric field.

[0031] The liquid crystal layer 210 is controlled to be in a scattering state or a non-scattering state for each pixel 15. Here, the "scattering state" refers to a state in which the liquid crystal molecules are oriented so that the light incident on the liquid crystal layer 210 is scattered, and the "non-scattering state" refers to a state in which the liquid crystal molecules are oriented so that the incident light passes through the liquid crystal layer 210 without being scattered. When no voltage is applied to the liquid crystal layer 210, the optical axes of the polymer structure 222 and the liquid crystal molecules 220 are parallel to each other, and the light incident on the liquid crystal layer 210 passes through the liquid crystal layer 210 without being scattered much (non-scattering state). On the other hand, when a voltage is applied to the liquid crystal layer 210, the optical axis of the polymer structure 222 and the optical axis of the liquid crystal molecules 220 cross each other. As a result, the light incident on the liquid crystal layer 210 is scattered in the liquid crystal layer 210 (scattering state). The "scattering state" and the "non-scattering state" are controlled by the magnitude of the electric field between the first electrode 160 and the second electrode 162 that is generated when a voltage is applied between the first electrode 160 and the second electrode 162. Figure 2 shows the liquid crystal layer 210 in the "non-scattering state".

[0032] When light is incident on the display panel 102 from the light source 104, the light traveling in the second direction D2 while passing through the display panel 102 is at least partially scattered when passing through the pixels 15 in which the liquid crystal layer 210 is in a scattering state. At this time, some of the scattered light is emitted to the outside without being totally reflected, and is observed by the user of the display device 10. On the other hand, in the pixels in which the liquid crystal layer 210 is in a non-scattering state, no scattered light is generated, and the incident light passes through the pixels 15 and exits directly to the rear side (the side opposite to the side where the observer is present). In other words, the user can view the rear side through the display device 10.

[0033] The display device 10 displays an image to a user by putting the liquid crystal layer 210 of a specific pixel 15 into a scattering state and emitting scattered light. Moreover, the pixels 15 other than the specific pixel 15 are in a non-scattering state, so that no scattered light is generated and the user perceives them as transparent pixels.

[0034] [Display panel manufacturing method] In the photopolymerization phase separation method, which is known as one of the methods for manufacturing a PLDC display panel, a liquid crystal layer containing liquid crystal molecules and a photopolymerizable monomer is generally filled between two substrates, and the photopolymerizable monomer is photopolymerized to phase-separate the liquid crystal molecules and the polymer structure formed by photopolymerization in the liquid crystal layer. However, when the display panel includes a curved surface, such as the display panel 102 of the display device 10 described with reference to FIG. 1, bending the display panel after photopolymerization breaks the polymer structure formed by photopolymerization, thereby reducing the reliability of the display panel.

[0035] In view of this, in a method for manufacturing a display panel according to an embodiment of the present invention, a curved surface is formed on at least a part of the display panel, and a photopolymerization reaction is performed after the curved surface is formed. Hereinafter, a method for manufacturing a display panel according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0036] Fig. 3 is a flow diagram showing a manufacturing method of a display panel according to this embodiment. Figs. 4 to 7 are schematic diagrams for explaining the manufacturing method of a display panel according to this embodiment. Figs. 4 to 7 omit some components of the display panel 102, such as the first electrode 160 provided on the first substrate 150, the light source 104, the protective substrate 151A, the gate driving circuit 28, the data driving circuit 38, the second electrode 162 provided on the second substrate 152, and the protective substrate 151B.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, a liquid crystal cell 250 is prepared (S301). In FIG. 4, the first electrode 160 and the second electrode 162 in the liquid crystal cell 250 are omitted, and only the first substrate 150, the second substrate 152, and the liquid crystal layer 210 are shown. Although not shown, the light source 104, the gate drive circuit 28, the data drive circuit 38, and other driving circuits are provided in the region corresponding to the peripheral region 14 of the first substrate 150. The liquid crystal layer 210 is filled with a liquid crystal mixture, and the liquid crystal mixture is sealed in the liquid crystal layer 210 by the sealant 154. The liquid crystal mixture includes a liquid crystal material and a photopolymerizable liquid crystal monomer. The photopolymerizable liquid crystal monomer is a photocurable resin, and is an ultraviolet-curable resin in this case. The liquid crystal mixture may further include a photopolymerization initiator.

[0038] Next, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 5, the protective substrate 151A and the protective substrate 151B are attached to the liquid crystal cell 250 filled with a liquid crystal mixture (S303). The protective substrate 151A and the protective substrate 151B are attached to the liquid crystal cell 250 by an adhesive (not shown) such as OCA. The protective substrate 151A and the protective substrate 151B are each curved in advance and have a curved surface on their surface. Here, the protective substrate 151A and the protective substrate 151B each have a curved surface that is convex in the third direction D3. The curved surfaces of the protective substrate 151A and the protective substrate 151B each have a first region R1 and a second region R2. The first region R1 and the second region R2 are predetermined regions on the D1-D2 plane of the protective substrate 151A and the protective substrate 151B. The first region R1 and the second region R2 are different from each other. In other words, the second region R1 is a predetermined region excluding the first region. The second region R2 is closer to the end in the second direction D2 than the first region R1. The first region R1 is provided with a first curved surface Cs1 having a first curvature, and the second region R2 is provided with a second curved surface Cs2 having a second curvature. The second curvature is greater than the first curvature. The order in which the protective substrate 151A and the protective substrate 151B are attached to the liquid crystal cell 250 is not limited. For example, the protective substrate 151A may be attached to the liquid crystal cell 250 first, the protective substrate 151B may be attached to the liquid crystal cell 250 first, or the protective substrate 151A and the protective substrate 151B may be attached to the liquid crystal cell 250 at the same time. In addition, in S303, only one of the protective substrate 151A and the protective substrate 151B may be attached to the liquid crystal cell 250. The liquid crystal cell 250 attached to at least one of the curved protective substrates 151A and 151B is curved to match the shape of the attached protective substrate, and a curved surface is formed on the surface. The curved surface of the liquid crystal cell 250 includes a first region R1 having a first curved surface Cs1 and a second region R2 having a second curved surface Cs2.

[0039] 3 and 6, the liquid crystal cell 250 is irradiated with ultraviolet light (S305) to polymerize the photopolymerizable liquid crystal monomer in the liquid crystal cell 250 to form the polymer structure 222. FIG. 6 shows, as an example, a state in which a light source that irradiates ultraviolet light is located on the third direction D3 side of the liquid crystal cell 250, that is, above the protective substrate 151B, and ultraviolet light is irradiated from the third direction D3 toward the liquid crystal cell 250. However, the position of the light source that irradiates ultraviolet light is not limited to the third direction D3 side of the liquid crystal cell 250. Here, when the amount of ultraviolet light irradiated to the liquid crystal cell 250 is uniform, the illuminance is smaller in the second region R2, which has a higher curvature than the first region R1, than in the first region R1.

[0040] Therefore, in the step of irradiating the liquid crystal cell 250 with ultraviolet light, the liquid crystal cell 250 is irradiated with ultraviolet light so that the illuminance of the ultraviolet light in the first region R1 of the display panel 102 becomes equal to the illuminance of the ultraviolet light in other regions of the display panel 102 excluding the first region R1. In other words, the illuminance of the ultraviolet light on the liquid crystal cell 250 is made uniform throughout the liquid crystal cell 250. Specifically, the liquid crystal cell 250 is irradiated with ultraviolet light so that the illuminance of the ultraviolet light in the first region R1 of the liquid crystal cell 250 becomes equal to the illuminance of the ultraviolet light in other regions of the liquid crystal cell 250 including the second region R2. Here, the illuminance is defined as the illuminance per unit area ([mW / cm 2 ]). Here, the illuminance of the ultraviolet light in the first region R1 of the liquid crystal cell 250 being equal to the illuminance of the ultraviolet light in other regions of the liquid crystal cell 250 including the second region R2 means that the difference between the illuminance of the ultraviolet light in the first region R1 and the illuminance of the ultraviolet light in other regions of the liquid crystal cell 250 including the second region R2 is 15% or less. The difference between the illuminance of the ultraviolet light in the first region R1 and the illuminance of the ultraviolet light in other regions of the liquid crystal cell 250 including the second region R2 is preferably 10% or less, and more preferably 5% or less.

[0041] For example, ultraviolet light is irradiated onto the liquid crystal cell 250 so that the amount of ultraviolet light irradiated toward the second region R2, specifically, the second curved surface Cs2 of the second substrate 152, is greater than the amount of ultraviolet light irradiated toward the first region R1, specifically, the first curved surface Cs1 of the second substrate 152. In this case, the irradiation times of the ultraviolet light irradiated toward the first curved surface Cs1 and the second curved surface Cs2 are the same.

[0042] As shown in Fig. 7, by irradiating the liquid crystal cell 250 with ultraviolet light, the photopolymerizable liquid crystal monomer in the liquid crystal mixture in the liquid crystal cell 250 is polymerized to form the polymer structure 222 as shown in Fig. 2, and the liquid crystal layer 210 is formed. At this time, in the liquid crystal layer 210, the liquid crystal molecules 220 and the polymer structure 222 are phase-separated. As a result, the display panel 102 having a curved surface is formed. Although not shown, in S303, when only one of the protective substrate 151A and the protective substrate 151B is attached to the liquid crystal cell 250, the liquid crystal cell 250 is irradiated with ultraviolet light to form the liquid crystal layer 210, and then the remaining one of the protective substrate 151A and the protective substrate 151B is attached to the liquid crystal cell 250 to form the display panel 102.

[0043] As described above, in this embodiment, in the step of irradiating the liquid crystal cell 250 with ultraviolet light, the amount of ultraviolet light is adjusted so that the illuminance of the ultraviolet light irradiated to the liquid crystal cell 250 is uniform throughout the liquid crystal cell 250. If there is a bias in the illuminance of the ultraviolet light irradiated to the liquid crystal cell 250, the photopolymerization reaction does not proceed sufficiently in the region where the illuminance of the ultraviolet light is relatively small, and the phase separation of the liquid crystal molecules 220 and the polymer structure 222 in the liquid crystal layer 210 may become insufficient. In such a case, there is a risk that the display panel 102 will have uneven brightness between the region where the phase separation of the liquid crystal molecules 220 and the polymer structure 222 is insufficient and the region where the phase separation is sufficient. On the other hand, in this embodiment, the illuminance of the irradiated ultraviolet light is uniform throughout the liquid crystal cell 250. Therefore, it is possible to manufacture a display panel 102 having uniform display characteristics in which the bias in the illuminance of the ultraviolet light in the liquid crystal cell 250 is reduced and the liquid crystal molecules 220 and the polymer structure 222 are sufficiently phase-separated, thereby reducing uneven brightness. As a result, it is possible to manufacture a display device 10 with high reliability.

[0044] [Configuration of UV irradiation equipment] The ultraviolet ray irradiation device used in the manufacturing method of the display panel according to the present embodiment described above will be described below. The ultraviolet ray irradiation device is used in the step of irradiating the liquid crystal cell 250 with ultraviolet rays (step S305 in FIG. 3).

[0045] Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the ultraviolet irradiation device 90. As shown in Fig. 8, the ultraviolet irradiation device 90 includes a light source unit 901, a control unit 905, and a support unit 907. The ultraviolet irradiation device 90 irradiates ultraviolet rays from the light source unit 901 to the liquid crystal cell 250. A protective substrate 151B is attached to one surface of the liquid crystal cell 250 facing the light source unit 901, and a protective substrate 151A is attached to the other surface opposite to the one surface by an OCA, but the protective substrates 151A and 151B are not shown in Fig. 8.

[0046] The light source unit 901 includes a plurality of light sources 903. Each of the light sources 903 is a UV LED that irradiates ultraviolet light. The light source unit 901 is located on the third direction D3 side with respect to the liquid crystal cell 250, i.e., above the liquid crystal cell 250, and irradiates the liquid crystal cell 250 with ultraviolet light. The light source unit 901 may be a surface light source in which the plurality of light sources 903 are arranged in the row direction and the column direction.

[0047] The control unit 905 adjusts the amount of ultraviolet light irradiated from the light source unit 901 toward the surface of the liquid crystal cell 250 based on the shape of the liquid crystal cell 250. The control unit 905 will be described in detail later.

[0048] The supporting portion 907 supports the liquid crystal cell 250 relative to the light source portion 901. Although not shown, the supporting portion 907 comes into contact with the protective substrate 151A attached to the other surface of the liquid crystal cell 250 opposite to the surface facing the light source portion 901, and has a surface that follows the curved surface of the protective substrate 151A.

[0049] A detailed description will now be given of the function of the control unit 905. As described above, the control unit 905 adjusts the amount of ultraviolet light irradiated from the light source unit 901 toward the liquid crystal cell 250.

[0050] In this embodiment, the curved surfaces of the liquid crystal cell 250 include a first curved surface Cs1 having a first curvature and a second curved surface Cs2 having a second curvature. The second curvature is larger than the first curvature. The first curved surface Cs1 is provided in a first region R1 of the liquid crystal cell 250, and the second curved surface Cs2 is provided in a second region R2 different from the first region R1 of the liquid crystal cell 250. The first region R1 is an arbitrary region of the liquid crystal cell 250. The second region R2 is an arbitrary region of the liquid crystal cell 250 closer to an end of the liquid crystal cell 250 in the second direction D2 than the first region R1.

[0051] The control unit 905 adjusts the amount of ultraviolet light irradiated toward the liquid crystal cell 250 so that the illuminance in the first region R1 is equal to the illuminance in other regions of the liquid crystal cell 250 including the second region R2 except for the first region R1. In other words, the control unit 905 adjusts the amount of ultraviolet light irradiated toward the liquid crystal cell 250 so that the illuminance of the ultraviolet light in the display panel 102 is uniform throughout the liquid crystal cell 250. Specifically, the control unit 905 adjusts the amount of ultraviolet light irradiated toward the liquid crystal cell 250 so that the illuminance in the first region R1 of the liquid crystal cell 250 is equal to the illuminance in other regions of the liquid crystal cell 250 including the second region R2.

[0052] For example, the control unit 905 adjusts the amount of ultraviolet light emitted from the light source unit 901 to the liquid crystal cell 250 so that the illuminance in the first region R1 and the illuminance in the second region R2 are equal. Specifically, the control unit 905 adjusts the amount of ultraviolet light emitted from the light source unit 901 to the liquid crystal cell 250 so that the amount of ultraviolet light irradiated onto the second curved surface Cs2 of the second region R2 of the liquid crystal cell 250 is greater than the amount of ultraviolet light irradiated onto the first curved surface Cs1 of the first region R1. In this case, the irradiation time of the ultraviolet light irradiated toward the first curved surface Cs1 and the irradiation time of the ultraviolet light irradiated toward the second surface Cs2 are the same.

[0053] The control unit 905 adjusts the amount of ultraviolet light irradiated from the light source unit 901 toward the surface of the liquid crystal cell 250 so that the difference between the illuminance in the first region R1 of the liquid crystal cell 250 and the illuminance in other regions of the liquid crystal cell 250 excluding the first region R1, including the second region R2, is 15% or less. The difference between the illuminance of the ultraviolet light in the first region R1 and the illuminance of the ultraviolet light in other regions of the liquid crystal cell 250 excluding the first region R1, including the second region R2, is preferably 10% or less, and more preferably 5% or less.

[0054] In this way, by the control unit 905 adjusting the amount of ultraviolet light irradiated from the light source unit 901 toward the surface of the liquid crystal cell 250, the illuminance of the ultraviolet light irradiated onto the curved liquid crystal cell 250 can be made uniform.

[0055] [Variations] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention can be embodied in various aspects as follows.

[0056] (1) Variation 1 In the above-described embodiment, the display panel 102 has a curved surface that is convex in the third direction D3 as a whole, and a first curved surface Cs1 having a first curvature is provided in the first region R1 of the display panel 102, and a second curved surface Cs2 having a second curvature is provided in the second region R2 of the display panel 102. However, the present invention is not limited to this. It is sufficient that the display panel 102 has a curved surface in at least a portion, and the second region R2 of the display panel 102 may be flat.

[0057] (2) Variation 2 In the above-described embodiment, as shown in Fig. 5, the protective substrate 151A and the protective substrate 151B each have a curved surface that is convex in the third direction D3. However, the curved surfaces of the protective substrate 151A and the protective substrate 151B are not limited to this. For example, the protective substrate 151A and the protective substrate 151B may each have a concave surface that is concave in the direction opposite to the third direction D3.

[0058] (3) Variation 3 In the above-described embodiment, the control unit 905 of the ultraviolet ray irradiation device 90 adjusts the amount of ultraviolet ray irradiated from the light source unit 901 toward the liquid crystal cell 250. However, the present invention is not limited to this.

[0059] 9 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an ultraviolet irradiation device 90A according to this modified example. The ultraviolet irradiation device 90A includes a light source unit 901, a control unit 905A, a support unit 907, and a dimming unit 909. The light source unit 901 and the support unit 907 are similar to the light source unit 901 and the support unit 907 in the above-described embodiment, and therefore detailed description thereof will be omitted. In addition, a protective substrate 151B is attached to one surface of the liquid crystal cell 250 facing the light source unit 901, and a protective substrate 151A is attached to the other surface opposite to the one surface by an OCA, but the protective substrates 151A and 151B are not shown in FIG. 9.

[0060] The light control unit 909 is disposed between the light source unit 901 and a support unit 907 that supports the liquid crystal cell 250. The light control unit 909 is a light control element that adjusts the amount of ultraviolet light emitted from the light source unit 901 to the liquid crystal cell 250. The light control unit 909 may be any light control element that can adjust the amount of light that passes through, such as an electrochromic panel, a liquid crystal panel, a PDLC panel, or a switchable mirror.

[0061] The control unit 905A adjusts the amount of ultraviolet light irradiated toward the liquid crystal cell 250 by controlling the dimming unit 909 so that the illuminance of the ultraviolet light in the first region R1 of the liquid crystal cell 250 is equal to the illuminance of the ultraviolet light in other regions of the liquid crystal cell 250 other than the first region R1, such as the second region R2.

[0062] For example, as in the above-described embodiment, when a first curved surface Cs1 having a first curvature is provided in a first region R1 of the liquid crystal cell 250, and a second curved surface Cs2 having a second curvature (second curvature > first curvature) is provided in a second region R2, the control unit 905A controls the dimming unit 909 to adjust the amount of dimming by the dimming unit 909 so that the amount of ultraviolet light irradiated toward the second curved surface Cs2 is greater than the amount of ultraviolet light irradiated toward the first curved surface Cs1.

[0063] In this way, by providing a dimming unit 909 and adjusting at least one of the dimming amounts by the dimming unit 909 based on the shape of the liquid crystal cell 250 using the control unit 905A, the illuminance of the ultraviolet light irradiated onto the surface of the liquid crystal cell 250 can be adjusted to be generally uniform.

[0064] (4) Variation 4 In the above-mentioned third modification, the light control unit 909 is provided to adjust the illuminance of the ultraviolet light irradiated onto the surface of the liquid crystal cell 250 so as to be uniform overall. However, the ultraviolet light irradiation device may include a diffusion plate instead of the light control unit.

[0065] Fig. 10 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an ultraviolet irradiation device 90B according to this modified example. The ultraviolet irradiation device 90B includes a light source unit 901, a control unit 905, a support unit 907, and a diffusion plate 911. The light source unit 901, the control unit 905, and the support unit 907 are similar to the light source unit 901, the control unit 905, and the support unit 907 in the above-described embodiment, and therefore detailed description thereof will be omitted. Also, similar to Fig. 9, in Fig. 10, the illustration of the protective substrate 151A and the protective substrate 151B attached to the liquid crystal cell 250 is omitted.

[0066] The diffusion plate 911 is disposed between the light source unit 901 and a support unit 907 that supports the liquid crystal cell 250. The diffusion plate 911 has a diffusion pattern based on the shape of the liquid crystal cell 250, which has a curved surface. For example, the diffusion plate 911 includes a first diffusion region 911a in which a first diffusion pattern having a first diffusion rate is provided, and a second diffusion region 911b in which a second diffusion pattern having a second diffusion rate is provided. Here, the second diffusion rate is higher than the first diffusion rate (second diffusion rate>first diffusion rate).

[0067] 10, a first curved surface Cs1 having a first curvature is provided in a first region R1 of the liquid crystal cell 250, and a second curved surface Cs2 having a second curvature (second curvature>first curvature) is provided in a second region R2. When the second region R2 is closer to an end of the liquid crystal cell 250 in the second direction D2 than the first region R1, the second diffusion region 911b of the diffusion plate 911 is provided outside the first diffusion region 911a in the second direction D2. In other words, the first diffusion region 911a and the second diffusion region 911b of the first diffusion plate 911 are provided corresponding to the first region R1 and the second region R2 of the liquid crystal cell 250 so that the light diffused from the first diffusion region 911a of the first diffusion plate 911 is mainly irradiated to the first region R1 of the liquid crystal cell 250, and the light diffused from the second diffusion region 911b is mainly irradiated to the second region R2 of the liquid crystal cell 250.

[0068] As described above, the diffusion rate of the second diffusion region 911b is higher than that of the first diffusion region 911a, and therefore the amount of ultraviolet light irradiated toward the second region R2 of the liquid crystal cell 250 through the diffusion plate 911 is greater than the amount of ultraviolet light irradiated toward the first region R1. In this way, by providing the diffusion plate 911 and providing the first diffusion pattern and the second diffusion pattern having different diffusion rates, the illuminance of ultraviolet light on the surface of the liquid crystal cell 250 can be adjusted to be generally uniform.

[0069] (5) Variation 5 In the above-described embodiment, when the control unit 905 adjusts the amount of ultraviolet light irradiated from the light source unit 901 toward the liquid crystal cell 250 based on the shape of the liquid crystal cell 250, the control unit 905 measures the illuminance of the ultraviolet light irradiated toward the liquid crystal cell 250, and based on the measurement result, the control unit 905 can further fine-tune the amount of ultraviolet light irradiated from the light source unit 901 toward the liquid crystal cell 250.

[0070] Fig. 11 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an ultraviolet irradiation device 90C according to this modified example. The ultraviolet irradiation device 90C includes a light source unit 901, a control unit 905C, a support unit 907C, and a plurality of illuminance sensors 913. The light source unit 901 is similar to the light source unit 901 in the above-described embodiment, and therefore a detailed description thereof will be omitted. Also, similar to Fig. 9, in Fig. 11, the illustration of the protective substrate 151A and the protective substrate 151B attached to the liquid crystal cell 250 is omitted.

[0071] In this modification, the support section 907C is made of a transparent material. A plurality of illuminance sensors 913 are provided below the support section 907C. Each of the plurality of illuminance sensors 913 measures the illuminance of the ultraviolet light irradiated from the light source section 901 to the liquid crystal cell 250, and transmits the measurement result to the control section 905C.

[0072] The plurality of illuminance sensors 913 each measure the illuminance of ultraviolet light irradiated from the light source unit 901 to the liquid crystal cell 250 in a predetermined region of the liquid crystal cell 250. For example, the plurality of illuminance sensors 913 include an illuminance sensor 913-1 that measures the amount of ultraviolet light passing through a first region R1 of the liquid crystal cell 250, the first region R1 being provided with a first curved surface Cs1 having a first curvature, and an illuminance sensor 913-2 that measures the amount of ultraviolet light passing through a second region R2 of the liquid crystal cell 250, the second region R2 being provided with a second curved surface Cs2 having a second curvature different from the first curvature. The illuminance sensor 913-1 may be disposed below the normal direction of any tangent plane of the first region R1, and the illuminance sensor 913-2 may be disposed below the normal direction of any tangent plane of the second region R2.

[0073] The control unit 905C receives the measurement result transmitted from the illuminance sensor 913 and adjusts the amount of ultraviolet light emitted from the light source unit 901. For example, based on the measurement results by the illuminance sensor 913-1 and the illuminance sensor 913-2, the control unit 905C finely adjusts the amount of ultraviolet light irradiated from the light source unit 901 toward the liquid crystal cell 250 so that the difference between the illuminance of the ultraviolet light in the first region R1 of the liquid crystal cell 250 and the illuminance of the ultraviolet light in other regions of the liquid crystal cell 250 excluding the first region R1, including the second region R2, is 15% or less. The difference between the illuminance of the ultraviolet light in the first region R1 of the liquid crystal cell 250 and the illuminance of the ultraviolet light in other regions of the liquid crystal cell 250 excluding the first region R1, including the second region R2, is preferably 10% or less, and more preferably 5% or less.

[0074] In this modification, an illuminance sensor 913 measures the illuminance of ultraviolet light irradiated from the light source unit 901 to the liquid crystal cell 250, and based on the measurement result, a control unit 905C further finely adjusts the amount of ultraviolet light emitted from the light source unit 901 to the liquid crystal cell 250. This makes it possible to more finely adjust the amount of ultraviolet light emitted from the light source unit 901 based on the shape of the liquid crystal cell 250 in order to make the illuminance of ultraviolet light uniform in the liquid crystal cell 250 having a curved surface.

[0075] Furthermore, the control unit 905C may further fine-tune the amount of ultraviolet light emitted to the liquid crystal cell 250 based on the measurement results of the voltage-luminance characteristics of the display panel 102, in particular the measured threshold voltage of the display panel 102, together with the illuminance of ultraviolet light at the liquid crystal cell 250 measured by the illuminance sensor 913. In this way, by further fine-tuning the amount of ultraviolet light emitted to the liquid crystal cell 250 based on the threshold voltage of the display panel 102, it is preferable to suppress the variation in threshold voltage within the plane of the display panel 102 to 0.5 V or less, more preferably to 0.3 V or less, and even more preferably to 0.2 V or less.

[0076] (6) Variation 6 In the above-described embodiment, the light source unit 901 of the ultraviolet irradiation device 90 is described as a surface light source. However, the light source unit 901 may be a line light source. When the light source unit 901 is a line light source, the liquid crystal cell 250 may be subjected to scanning exposure when the liquid crystal cell 250 is irradiated with ultraviolet light. In this case, the exposure time may be adjusted based on the shape of the liquid crystal cell 250. Specifically, the control unit 95 of the ultraviolet irradiation device 90 may adjust the amount of ultraviolet light irradiated toward the second curved surface Cs2 having the second curvature of the second region R2 to be greater than the amount of ultraviolet light irradiated toward the first curved surface Cs1 having the first curvature (first curvature<second curvature) of the first region R1 so that the illuminance of the ultraviolet light in the first region R1 of the liquid crystal cell 250 and the illuminance of the ultraviolet light in the second region R2 are equal to each other.

[0077] (7) Variation 7 In the above-described embodiment, the control unit 905 of the ultraviolet irradiation device 90 adjusts the amount of ultraviolet light irradiated from the light source unit 901 toward the liquid crystal cell 250. However, the control unit 905 may adjust not only the amount of ultraviolet light irradiated from the light source unit 901 toward the liquid crystal cell 250 but also the irradiation time. Specifically, the control unit 905 irradiates the liquid crystal cell 250 with ultraviolet light by adjusting the amount of ultraviolet light and the irradiation time so that the integrated illuminance of the ultraviolet light in the first region R1 of the liquid crystal cell 250 is equal to the integrated illuminance of the ultraviolet light in other regions of the liquid crystal cell 250 including the second region R2. Here, the integrated illuminance refers to the illuminance per unit area ([mW / cm 2 The cumulative irradiance value ([mJ / cm 2 ]) irradiated to a unit area during ultraviolet irradiation time is obtained by integrating the time ([sec]) with the 2 ]).

[0078] (8) Variation 8 In the above-described embodiment, in the method for manufacturing a display panel, protective substrates 151A and 151B having curved surfaces are prepared in advance, protective substrates 151A and 151B are attached to liquid crystal cell 250, and ultraviolet light is irradiated onto liquid crystal cell 250, thereby manufacturing display panel 102 having a curved surface. However, the method for manufacturing display panel 102 is not limited to this.

[0079] For example, two parallel sides of the liquid crystal cell 250 may be fixed with a jig to form a curved surface on the liquid crystal cell 250. In this case, while the liquid crystal cell 250 is fixed with a jig to maintain the curved shape, the liquid crystal cell 250 is irradiated with ultraviolet light to form the liquid crystal layer 210. At this time, as in the above-described embodiment, the amount of ultraviolet light is adjusted so that the illuminance of the ultraviolet light irradiated on the liquid crystal cell 250 becomes uniform over the entire surface of the liquid crystal cell 250. Thereafter, the display panel 102 may be formed by bonding the protective substrates 151A and 151B, which have curved surfaces in advance, to the liquid crystal cell 250.

[0080] In the above embodiment, the protective substrate 151A and the protective substrate 151B having a curved surface are attached to the liquid crystal cell 250, but one of the protective substrate 151A and the protective substrate 151B may not have a curved surface formed in advance. For example, when the protective substrate 151A does not have a curved surface formed in advance, the protective substrate 151B having a curved surface may be attached to the liquid crystal cell 250 to form a curved surface in the liquid crystal cell 250, and then the protective substrate 151A may be attached to the liquid crystal cell 250 to form a curved surface in the protective substrate 151A. Also, the protective substrate 151A having no curved surface formed in advance may be attached to the liquid crystal cell 250, and then the protective substrate 151B having a curved surface may be attached to the liquid crystal cell 250 to form a curved surface in the liquid crystal cell 250 and the protective substrate 151A.

[0081] (9) Variation 9 1, the light source 104 is disposed adjacent to the display panel 102. However, in the display device 10, the position of the light source 104 is not limited to being next to the display panel 102.

[0082] 12 is a perspective view of a display device 10A according to this modification. In the display device 10A, the size of a protective substrate 151B-1 adjacent to the second substrate 152 is different from that of the protective substrate 151B of the display device 10 shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 12, the protective substrate 151B-1 extends in the second direction D2 so as to cover the gate driving circuit 28 and the data driving circuit 38 provided on the first substrate 150. The protective substrate 151B-1 may extend in the second direction D2 longer than the first substrate 150 and the protective substrate 151A adjacent to the first substrate 150.

[0083] 12, the light source 104A may be disposed adjacent to the protective substrate 151B-1. Specifically, the light source 104A may be disposed adjacent to an end of the protective substrate 151B-1 on the second direction D2 side. [Explanation of symbols]

[0084] 10 display device, 12 display area, 14 peripheral area, 15 pixel, 16 gate wiring, 17 data wiring, 28 gate drive circuit, 38 data drive circuit, 90 ultraviolet irradiation device, 102 display panel, 150 first substrate, 151A, 151B protection substrate, 152 second substrate, 154 Sealing member, 160...first electrode, 162...second electrode, 210...liquid crystal layer, 220...liquid crystal molecules, 222...polymer structure, 250...liquid crystal cell, 901...light source section, 903...light source, 905, 905A-C...control section, 907, 907C...support section, 909...dimming section, 911...diffusion plate, 913...illuminance sensor

Claims

1. Attaching a base material having a curved surface to one side of a liquid crystal cell including a first substrate, a second substrate, and a liquid crystal mixture including a liquid crystal material and a photopolymerizable monomer filled between the first substrate and the second substrate, thereby forming a curved surface in the liquid crystal cell; and irradiating the liquid crystal cell with ultraviolet light such that an illuminance of the ultraviolet light in an arbitrary first region on the curved surface of the liquid crystal cell is equal to an illuminance of the ultraviolet light in an arbitrary second region on a surface of the liquid crystal cell including the curved surface, the second region being different from the first region; A method for manufacturing a display panel, comprising:

2. the curved surface of the liquid crystal cell includes a first curved surface in the first region and a second curved surface in the second region; The method of claim 1 , wherein the first curved surface has a first curvature, and the second curved surface has a second curvature that is larger than the first curvature.

3. 3. The method for manufacturing a display panel according to claim 2, wherein irradiating the liquid crystal cell with ultraviolet light includes controlling an amount of ultraviolet light irradiated to the liquid crystal cell so that an amount of ultraviolet light irradiated toward the second curved surface is greater than an amount of ultraviolet light irradiated toward the first curved surface.

4. The method for manufacturing a display panel according to claim 3 , wherein the second region is located outside the first region in a predetermined direction.

5. The method for manufacturing a display panel according to claim 1 , wherein the first base material and the second base material are flexible.

6. The method for manufacturing a display panel according to claim 1 , wherein the photopolymerizable monomer is an ultraviolet-curable resin having liquid crystal properties.

7. The method for manufacturing a display panel according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid crystal mixture further comprises a photopolymerization initiator.

8. a light source unit including a plurality of light sources for irradiating ultraviolet light; a control unit that adjusts the amount of ultraviolet light irradiated from the light source unit toward a surface of a liquid crystal cell having at least a partially curved surface; Including, The control unit adjusts the amount of ultraviolet light irradiated from the light source unit toward the surface of the liquid crystal cell so that the illuminance of ultraviolet light in any first region on the curved surface of the liquid crystal cell is equal to the illuminance of ultraviolet light in any second region on the surface of the liquid crystal cell including the curved surface, the second region being different from the first region.

9. 9. The ultraviolet irradiation device according to claim 8, wherein the curved surface includes a first curved surface provided in the first region and having a first curvature, and a second curved surface provided in the second region and having a second curvature larger than the first curvature.

10. 10. The ultraviolet irradiation device according to claim 9, wherein the control unit controls the amount of ultraviolet light irradiated from the multiple light sources in the light source unit so that the amount of ultraviolet light irradiated to the second curved surface is greater than the amount of ultraviolet light irradiated to the first curved surface.

11. a light control unit arranged between the light source unit and the liquid crystal cell, for adjusting the amount of ultraviolet light irradiated from the light source unit toward the liquid crystal cell; 10. The ultraviolet irradiation device according to claim 9, wherein the control unit controls the dimming unit so that an amount of ultraviolet light irradiated toward the second curved surface is greater than an amount of ultraviolet light irradiated toward the first curved surface.

12. The ultraviolet irradiation device according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the second region is located outside the first region in a predetermined direction.

13. a plurality of sensors for measuring illuminance of ultraviolet light irradiated from the light source unit on a surface of the liquid crystal cell; The ultraviolet irradiating device according to claim 8 , wherein the control unit adjusts an amount of ultraviolet light irradiated from the light source unit toward a surface of the liquid crystal cell based on the measurement results obtained by the plurality of sensors.

14. a light source unit including a plurality of light sources for irradiating ultraviolet light; A support portion for supporting a liquid crystal cell having at least a partially curved surface; a diffusion plate disposed between the light source unit and the support unit, the diffusion plate diffusing ultraviolet light emitted from the light source unit toward the liquid crystal cell; Including, The diffusion plate has a first diffusion region having a first diffusion rate and a second diffusion region having a second diffusion rate higher than the first diffusion rate.

15. The ultraviolet irradiation device according to claim 14 , wherein the second diffusion region is located outside the first diffusion region in a predetermined direction.

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