Display device and method of manufacturing the same

Abstract

To provide a PDLC display device having uniform display characteristics.SOLUTION: A display device according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a display panel including a first substrate, a second substrate, and a liquid crystal layer filled between the first substrate and the second substrate, and a light source part arranged in a periphery of the display panel, wherein at least a part of an outer edge part of the display panel has an arc shape, the liquid crystal layer includes liquid crystal molecules and a polymer, and the liquid crystal molecules are aligned along a curve corresponding to the arc shape in at least a part of the outer edge part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a display device and a manufacturing method thereof. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) display devices have been attracting attention. A display device using PDLC, as described in Patent Document 1, is transparent when no voltage is applied, and when voltage is applied, it can display, for example, an opaque white state or a color display. A PDLC display device utilizing this characteristic (hereinafter referred to as a PDLC display device) can also be used as a light-control element, enabling, for example, the light transmission and shading of a glass window by turning the power on and off. Furthermore, a PDLC display device can achieve a wide viewing angle without using a polarizing plate. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-144272 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Edge-lit PDLC display devices, which place the light source at the edge of the display panel, are known to achieve high transmittance. In edge-lit PDLC display devices, the direction of light from the LED light source is perpendicular to the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer, thereby achieving high efficiency and brightness for the display panel.

[0005] When a PDLC display device uses a display panel with at least a partial arc shape, it is possible to arrange LED light sources along the periphery of the display panel. In this case, if the alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules is aligned in one direction throughout the entire liquid crystal display panel, in other words, if the substrate is subjected to a uniaxial liquid crystal alignment treatment, the angle between the direction of light from the LED light source and the alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer may not be orthogonal depending on the position, which may result in brightness unevenness in the display panel. Furthermore, brightness unevenness may also occur in display panels with at least a partial arc shape, as well as in display panels with polygonal shapes other than squares or asymmetric rectangular shapes.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a PDLC display device having uniform display characteristics.

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing a PDLC display device having uniform display characteristics. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a display device comprising: a display panel including a first substrate, a second substrate, and a liquid crystal layer filled between the first substrate and the second substrate; and a light source unit arranged around the display panel, wherein at least a portion of the outer edge of the display panel has an arc shape; the liquid crystal layer includes liquid crystal molecules and a polymer; and in at least a portion of the outer edge, the liquid crystal molecules are oriented along a curve corresponding to the arc shape.

[0009] According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a display device comprising: a display panel including a first substrate, a second substrate, and a liquid crystal layer filled between the first substrate and the second substrate; and a light source unit arranged around the display panel, wherein the liquid crystal layer includes liquid crystal molecules and a polymer; the display panel has a polygonal shape other than a rectangle; the light source unit is arranged along a side of the display panel; and at least a portion of the liquid crystal molecules are oriented along the side of the display panel.

[0010] According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method for manufacturing a display device, which includes performing an alignment treatment on a light distribution film formed on one surface of a substrate, wherein at least a portion of an outer edge of the light distribution film has an arc shape, and the alignment treatment includes aligning at least a portion of the alignment treatment surface of the light distribution film along the circumferential direction of the arc shape.

[0011] According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method for manufacturing a display device, which includes performing an alignment treatment on a light alignment film formed on one surface of a substrate, wherein the light alignment film has a polygonal shape other than a rectangle, and the alignment treatment includes aligning at least a portion of the alignment treatment surface of the light alignment film along at least two of the sides of the polygonal shape. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a PDLC display device having uniform display characteristics and a method for manufacturing the same. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating an example of a display device according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of a pixel configuration of a display device according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the alignment treatment direction of a light distribution film in one embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing an example of a manufacturing method of a display device according to an embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating an example of a display device according to an embodiment. [Figure 6] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the alignment treatment direction of a light distribution film in one embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is an example of a plan view of a display panel according to a modified example. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is an example of a plan view of a display panel according to a modified example. [Figure 9]9 is a diagram for explaining the alignment treatment direction of a light distribution film used in the display panel shown in FIG. 8. FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing an example of a display device according to a modified example. [Figure 11] 11 is a diagram for explaining the alignment treatment direction of a light distribution film used in the display panel shown in FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing an example of a display device according to a modified example. [Figure 13] 13 is a diagram for explaining the alignment treatment direction of a light distribution film used in the display panel shown in FIG. 12. FIG. [Figure 14] 10A and 10B are diagrams for explaining the alignment treatment direction of a light distribution film in one modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] Hereinafter, each embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention can be embodied in various forms without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and should not be construed as being limited to the description of the embodiments exemplified below. Furthermore, in the drawings, the width, thickness, shape, etc. of each part may be shown schematically compared to the actual form to make the explanation clearer, but these schematic drawings are merely examples and do not limit the interpretation of the present invention.

[0015] In this specification and each figure, elements that are the same or similar to those described in the previous figures are given the same reference numerals, and duplicate explanations may be omitted. Note that in this specification, ordinal numbers are given for the convenience of distinguishing between parts, portions, etc., and do not indicate priority or order. Furthermore, when multiple identical elements are arranged and it is necessary to distinguish between individual elements, different letters may be added after the reference numeral indicating the element to distinguish between them. However, when it is not necessary to distinguish between individual elements, the letters may be omitted from the reference numeral indicating the element.

[0016] In this specification and claims, expressions such as "above" and "below" express the relative positional relationship between a structure of interest and another structure. In this specification and claims, when expressing an aspect in which another structure is placed on top of a certain structure, the term "above" is used, unless otherwise specified, to include both a case in which another structure is placed directly above a certain structure so as to be in contact with the certain structure, and a case in which another structure is placed above a certain structure via yet another structure.

[0017] 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.

[0018] First Embodiment [PDLC display device configuration] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an example of a display device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The display device 1 is a PDLC display device using a polymer dispersed liquid crystal. In this embodiment, the display device 1 is described as being driven in a reverse mode. In FIG. 1, a first direction D1, a second direction D2, and a third direction D3 are perpendicular to one another. The first direction D1 and the second direction D2 are parallel to the surface of the display panel 10 of the display device 1, and the third direction D3 is the thickness direction of the display panel 10. In this embodiment, viewing the D1-D2 plane defined by the first direction D1 and the second direction D2 from the third direction D3 side is referred to as planar view.

[0019] The display device 1 includes a display panel 10, a light source unit 20, a wiring board 30, and a driver IC .

[0020] The display panel 10 includes a first substrate 11, a second substrate 12, and a liquid crystal layer 13 sandwiched between the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 12. The display panel 10 has an arc shape at least in part of its outer edge. In this embodiment, as an example, a case will be described in which the display panel 10 has an overall circular shape in a plan view.

[0021] First substrate 11 and second substrate 12 are circular substrates. Second substrate 12 overlaps at least a portion of first substrate 11 and is bonded to the first substrate 11 while being spaced apart by a sealing material (not shown). Liquid crystal layer 13 is held between first substrate 11 and second substrate 12 and sealed by the sealing material. Electrodes and a light distribution film are formed on first substrate 11 and second substrate 12, respectively.

[0022] The display panel 10 includes a display area DA and a non-display area NDA, and the display area DA is circular and conforms to the shape of the display panel 10. The non-display area NDA is provided to surround the display area DA. Although not shown, a sealant that seals the liquid crystal layer and bonds the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 12 to each other is provided in the non-display area NDA.

[0023] The display area DA includes a plurality of pixels PX. In the display area DA, the plurality of pixels PX are arranged in a matrix in a first direction D1 and a second direction D2. Each pixel PX includes a switching element SW, a pixel electrode 105, a common electrode 107, and a liquid crystal layer 13. The switching element SW is formed of, for example, a thin film transistor (TFT) and is electrically connected to a gate line 101 and a data line 103. The gate line 101 is electrically connected to the switching element SW in each of the pixels PX arranged in the first direction D1. Meanwhile, the data line 103 is electrically connected to the switching element SW in each of the pixels PX arranged in the second direction D2. The pixel electrode 105 is electrically connected to the switching element SW. The common electrode 107 is provided in common to the plurality of pixel electrodes 105. The pixel electrode 105 faces the common electrode 107 in a third direction D3.

[0024] Liquid crystal molecules (not shown) contained in the liquid crystal layer 13 are driven by an electric field generated between the pixel electrodes 105 and the common electrode 107. The liquid crystal layer 13 will be described in detail later.

[0025] The capacitance CS is formed between, for example, an electrode having the same potential as the common electrode 107 and an electrode having the same potential as the pixel electrode 105 .

[0026] The gate lines 101, the data lines 103, the switching elements SW, and the pixel electrodes 105 are provided on a first substrate 11. The common electrode 107 is provided on a second substrate 12. On the first substrate 11, the gate lines 101 and the data lines 103 are electrically connected to a driver IC 40 via a wiring substrate 30.

[0027] A wiring board 30 is connected to the non-display area NDA. The wiring board 30 is a flexible printed circuit (FPC) board. A driver IC 40 is electrically connected to the wiring board 30. The driver IC 40 incorporates driving circuits such as a gate driving circuit electrically connected to the gate wiring 101 and a data driving circuit electrically connected to the data wiring 103. The driver IC 40 may be electrically connected to the non-display area NDA.

[0028] In the non-display area NDA, the light source unit 20 may be arranged continuously or intermittently to surround the display area DA. The light source unit 20 includes a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) that emit light toward the display area DA. The light emission timing of the light source unit 20 is controlled by a light-emission control circuit (not shown) that is synchronized with the gate drive circuit and the data drive circuit. The light source unit 20 and the light-emission control circuit may be provided as separate components (light-emitting units) independent of the display panel 10. Alternatively, the light-emission control circuit may be incorporated into the gate drive circuit or the data drive circuit.

[0029] 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a portion of the configuration of a pixel PX, and is a schematic diagram corresponding to the cross section between A1-A2 shown in FIG. 1. In the pixel PX, a pixel electrode 105 and a first light distribution film 201 are provided on a first substrate 11. A common electrode 107 facing the pixel electrode 105 and a second light distribution film 202 are provided on a second substrate 12. A liquid crystal layer 13 is sandwiched in the gap between the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 12, and is disposed between the first light distribution film 201 and the second light distribution film 202 facing each other. The first substrate 11, pixel electrode 105, first light distribution film 201, liquid crystal layer 13, second light distribution film 202, common electrode 107, and second substrate 12 constitute a liquid crystal cell 210.

[0030] A data voltage is applied to the pixel electrode 105 from the data drive circuit via the data wiring 103. A predetermined voltage is applied to the common electrode 107. The pixel electrode 105 and the common electrode 107 are transparent electrodes made of ITO (Indium Tin Oxide), IZO (Indium Zinc Oxide), or the like.

[0031] The liquid crystal layer 13 is made of polymer-dispersed liquid crystal and includes liquid crystal molecules 131 and a polymer structure (polymer) 132. The polymer structure 132 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. Furthermore, the photopolymerizable monomer preferably has liquid crystallinity from the viewpoints of alignment and transparency. The polymer structure 132 is fibrous (stripe-like) and extends along the extension direction of the gate line 101 within the liquid crystal layer 13. The liquid crystal molecules 131 are separated from the polymer structure 132 and dispersed among the polymer structure 132 within the liquid crystal layer 13. The liquid crystal molecules 131 and the polymer structure 132 each have optical anisotropy or refractive index anisotropy. The polymer structure 132 has a lower responsiveness to an electric field than the liquid crystal molecules 131. For example, the alignment direction of the polymer structure 132 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 is applied to the liquid crystal layer 13, the alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules 131 changes depending on the magnitude of the electric field.

[0032] The liquid crystal layer 13 is controlled to be in a scattering state or a non-scattering state for each pixel PX. Here, the "scattering state" refers to a state in which the liquid crystal molecules 131 are oriented so that light incident on the liquid crystal layer 13 is scattered, and the "non-scattering state" refers to a state in which the liquid crystal molecules 131 are oriented so that the incident light passes through the liquid crystal layer 13 without being scattered. When no voltage is applied to the liquid crystal layer 13, the optical axes of the liquid crystal molecules 131 and the polymer structures 132 are parallel to each other, and light incident on the liquid crystal layer 13 is transmitted through the liquid crystal layer 13 with almost no scattering within the liquid crystal layer 13 (non-scattering state). On the other hand, when a voltage is applied to the liquid crystal layer 13, the optical axes of the liquid crystal molecules 131 and the polymer structures 132 intersect with each other. As a result, the light incident on the liquid crystal layer 13 is scattered within the liquid crystal layer 13 (scattering state). The "scattering state" and "non-scattering state" are controlled by the magnitude of the electric field between the pixel electrode 105 and the common electrode 107, which is generated when a voltage is applied between the pixel electrode 105 and the common electrode 107. FIG. 2 shows the liquid crystal layer 13 in the "non-scattering state."

[0033] When light is incident on the display panel 10 from the light source unit 20, at least a portion of the light traveling through the display panel 10 is scattered as it passes through pixels PX in which the liquid crystal layer 13 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 a user of the display device 1. On the other hand, pixels PX in which the liquid crystal layer 13 is in a non-scattering state do not generate scattered light, so the incident light passes through the pixels PX and exits directly to the rear side (the side opposite to the side where the user is present). In other words, the user can view the rear side through the display device 10.

[0034] The display device 1 displays an image to the user by causing the liquid crystal layer 13 of a specific pixel PX to emit scattered light while the other pixels PX are in a non-scattering state, and therefore do not generate scattered light, and are recognized by the user as transparent pixels.

[0035] The first light distribution film 201 and the second light distribution film 202 have a circular shape that matches the shape of the display area DA. At least a part of the alignment treatment surface of the first light distribution film 201 and the second light distribution film 202 is aligned along the circumferential direction of the first light distribution film 201 and the second light distribution film 202.

[0036] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the alignment direction of the first distribution film 201 and the second distribution film 202. Hereinafter, the surface of each distribution film that is aligned is referred to as the "alignment surface." The alignment surface 201a of the first distribution film 201 is aligned counterclockwise along the circumferential direction of the first distribution film 201. On the other hand, the alignment surface 202a of the second distribution film 202 is aligned clockwise along the circumferential direction of the second distribution film 202. In other words, the alignment direction of the alignment surface 201a of the first distribution film 201 is opposite to the alignment direction of the alignment surface 202a of the second distribution film 202. In other words, the liquid crystal cell 210 is an ECB-mode liquid crystal cell. The alignment surface 201a of the first distribution film 201 and the alignment surface 202a of the second distribution film 202 face each other with the liquid crystal layer 13 sandwiched therebetween. The alignment treatment direction of the first light distribution film 201 may be clockwise, and the alignment treatment direction of the second light distribution film 202 may be counterclockwise.

[0037] By aligning the alignment treatment direction of the alignment treatment surface 201a of the first light distribution film 201 and the alignment treatment surface 202a of the second light distribution film 202 along the circumferential direction, the alignment treatment direction and the traveling direction of light incident on the liquid crystal layer 13 from the light source units 20 arranged around the display region DA are orthogonal throughout substantially the entire display region DA. Therefore, when the pixel PX is in a scattering state, the angle between the traveling direction of light from the light source units 20 and the alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules 131 in the liquid crystal layer 13 is orthogonal throughout substantially the entire display region DA, regardless of the position of the pixel PX in the display region DA. In other words, the light from the light source units 20 is orthogonal to the alignment direction of at least some of the liquid crystal molecules 131. As a result, brightness unevenness in the display panel 10 can be reduced, and the display panel 10 can be made more efficient and brighter, thereby providing a display device 1 with uniform display characteristics.

[0038] In this embodiment, the alignment treatment surfaces 201a, 202a of the first and second distribution films 201, 202 are subjected to alignment treatment by rubbing or optical alignment. At this time, regions CR1, CR2 near the centers including centers C1, C2 of the alignment treatment surfaces 201a, 202a of the first and second distribution films 201, 202 (hereinafter referred to as central regions CR1, CR2) do not need to be aligned in the circumferential direction, and the central regions CR1, CR2 do not need to be aligned.

[0039] The centers C1 and C2 correspond to the rotation axes of the rubbing brushes or the rotation axes of the first and second substrates 11 and 12 on which the light distribution films 201 and 202 are formed when performing alignment treatment on the light distribution films 201 and 202, and the central regions CR1 and CR2 are regions near the rotation axes. Therefore, the central regions CR1 and CR2 are less likely to be aligned in the circumferential direction when performing alignment treatment. However, the central regions CR1 and CR2 are very narrow regions of the entire light distribution films 201 and 202. Furthermore, the alignment of the liquid crystal molecules 131 in the central regions CR1 and CR2 changes continuously and not drastically from the alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules 131 in the surrounding regions. Therefore, even if the central regions CR1 and CR2 are not aligned, the brightness of the display panel 10 is not significantly affected.

[0040] [Display device manufacturing method] 4 is a flow diagram showing an example of a method for manufacturing the display device 1 according to this embodiment. In FIG. 4, the "substrate" refers to the first substrate 11 or the second substrate 12, and the "light distribution film" refers to the first light distribution film 201 or the second light distribution film 202.

[0041] First, a substrate having a light alignment film formed on one surface is prepared (S301). The light alignment film can be formed by applying an alignment film material such as polyimide onto a transparent electrode (pixel electrode 105 or common electrode 107) formed on one surface of the substrate by a printing method, spin coating method, or the like, and then baking it.

[0042] Next, the alignment film on the substrate is subjected to an alignment treatment (S303). The alignment treatment may be a rubbing treatment using a rubbing brush or a photo-alignment treatment using circularly polarized ultraviolet light. In the case of a rubbing treatment, the rubbing brush may be moved along the circumferential direction of the substrate, or the substrate may be rotated around the center of the substrate relative to the rubbing brush. In the case of a photo-alignment treatment, the ultraviolet light source unit that irradiates polarized ultraviolet light may be moved along the circumferential direction of the substrate, or the substrate may be rotated around the center of the substrate relative to the ultraviolet light source unit. In this case, the alignment treatment directions of the alignment films (first alignment film 201 and second alignment film 202) formed on the two paired substrates (first substrate 11 and second substrate 12) are set to be opposite to each other when the two substrates are placed opposite to each other.

[0043] Next, the two paired substrates (first substrate 11 and second substrate 12) are spaced apart and opposed to each other so that the light distribution films formed on each substrate face each other, and a liquid crystal mixture is filled between the two substrates and sealed with a sealant to form a liquid crystal cell (liquid crystal cell 210) (S305). Here, the liquid crystal mixture contains a liquid crystal material and a photopolymerizable liquid crystal monomer. The photopolymerizable liquid crystal monomer is a photocurable resin, which is an ultraviolet-curable resin in this case. The liquid crystal mixture may further contain a photopolymerization initiator.

[0044] The formed liquid crystal cell is irradiated with ultraviolet light (S307), and the photopolymerizable liquid crystal monomer in the liquid crystal cell is polymerized to form a polymer structure (polymer structure 132).

[0045] As described above, in this embodiment, a display device 1 that can achieve high efficiency and high brightness can be manufactured by performing an alignment process on a light alignment film formed on a substrate in the circumferential direction of the substrate during the alignment process.

[0046] In this embodiment, the first distribution film 201 and the second distribution film 202 have a circular shape that follows the shape of the display area DA. However, if the display panel 10 has an arc shape on at least a part of its outer edge, and the display area DA also has a similar shape, the first distribution film 201 and the second distribution film 202 also have an arc shape on at least a part of their outer edge. In this case, the alignment treatment step of S303 includes aligning at least a part of the alignment treatment surfaces 201a and 202a of the distribution films (the first distribution film 201 and the second distribution film 202) along the circumferential direction of the arc shape.

[0047] Second Embodiment In the first embodiment, the display panel 10 has been described as having an arc shape at least in part of its outer edge. However, the shape of the display panel in the display device of the present invention is not limited to having an arc shape at least in part of its outer edge, and the display panel may have a polygonal shape other than a square that is line-symmetrical in plan view.

[0048] 5 is a plan view showing an example of a display device 1A according to this embodiment. The display device 1A is a PDLC display device of a reverse mode drive system using a polymer dispersed liquid crystal, similar to the display device 1 according to the first embodiment. The display device 1A includes a display panel 10A, a light source unit 20A, a wiring substrate 30, and a driver IC 40.

[0049] The display panel 10A includes a first substrate 11A, a second substrate 12A, and a liquid crystal layer (not shown) sandwiched between the first substrate 11A and the second substrate 12A. The display panel 10A has a polygonal shape other than a line-symmetrical rectangle in a plan view. As shown in FIG. 5, in this embodiment, a case where the display panel 10A has a triangular shape in a plan view will be described as an example.

[0050] The first substrate 11A and the second substrate 12A are triangular substrates. The second substrate 12A overlaps at least a portion of the first substrate 11A and is adhered to the first substrate 11A while being spaced apart by a sealing material (not shown). The liquid crystal layer (not shown) in the display panel 10A is held between the first substrate 11A and the second substrate 12A and sealed by the sealing material, similar to the liquid crystal layer 13 in the display panel 10 of the first embodiment.

[0051] The display panel 10A includes a display area DA and a non-display area NDA, and the display area DA has a triangular shape that matches the shape of the display panel 10A. The non-display area NDA is provided so as to surround the display area DA.

[0052] In the non-display area NDA, light source units 20A are arranged to surround the display area DA. The light source units 20A are arranged along at least two of the sides of the display area DA. In this embodiment, the light source units 20A are arranged along each side of the display area DA. In other words, in this embodiment, three light source units 20A are arranged to correspond to the three sides of the triangular display area DA, respectively.

[0053] The configuration of the display device 1A according to this embodiment is substantially the same as the configuration of the display device 1 according to the first embodiment, except for the shapes of the display panel 10A and the display area DA, and the arrangement of the light source section 20A.

[0054] 6 is a diagram illustrating the alignment treatment directions of the first distribution film 201A arranged on the first substrate 11A and the second distribution film 202A arranged on the second substrate 12A. The first distribution film 201A and the second distribution film 202A have a triangular shape that matches the shape of the display area DA. At least a portion of the alignment treatment surface of the first distribution film 201A and the second distribution film 202A is aligned along each side of the display panel 10A.

[0055] The alignment-treated surface 201Aa of the first light distribution film 201A and the alignment-treated surface 202Aa of the second light distribution film 202A shown in FIG. 6 are aligned along each of the three sides of the light distribution film. That is, the alignment-treated surface 201Aa of the first light distribution film 201A and the alignment-treated surface 202Aa of the second light distribution film 202A each include three regions with different alignment directions. Specifically, the alignment-treated surface 201Aa of the first light distribution film 201A includes a first region R11, a second region R12, and a third region R13 with different alignment directions. The alignment-treated surface 202Aa of the second light distribution film 202A includes a first region R21, a second region R22, and a third region R23 with different alignment directions.

[0056] The alignment direction of the alignment-treated surface 201Aa of the first alignment film 201A is opposite to the alignment direction of the alignment-treated surface 202Aa of the second alignment film 202A. The alignment-treated surface 201Aa of the first alignment film 201A and the alignment-treated surface 202Aa of the second alignment film 202A face each other with the liquid crystal layer sandwiched between them. Here, when the first region R11, the second region R12, and the third region R13 on the alignment-treated surface 201Aa of the first alignment film 201A face the first region R21, the second region R22, and the third region R23 on the alignment-treated surface 202Aa of the second alignment film 202A, respectively, the alignment direction of the first region R11 on the alignment-treated surface 201Aa and the alignment direction of the first region R21 on the alignment-treated surface 202Aa are opposite to each other. Similarly, the alignment treatment directions of the second regions R12 and R22 are opposite to each other, and the alignment treatment directions of the third regions R13 and R23 are opposite to each other.

[0057] By aligning the alignment treatment direction of the alignment treatment surface 201Aa of the first alignment film 201A and the alignment treatment surface 201A of the second alignment film 202A along each side of each alignment film, the alignment treatment direction and the propagation direction of light incident on the liquid crystal layer 13 from the light source units 20A arranged around the display region DA are orthogonal throughout substantially the entire display region DA. Therefore, when the pixel PX is in a scattering state, the propagation direction of light from the light source units 20A and the alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules 131 in the liquid crystal layer 13 are orthogonal throughout substantially the entire display region DA, regardless of the position of the pixel PX in the display region DA. In other words, the light from the light source units 20A is orthogonal to the alignment direction of at least some of the liquid crystal molecules 131 in the liquid crystal layer 13. As a result, brightness unevenness in the display panel 10A is reduced, and the display panel 10 is made more efficient and brighter, resulting in a display device 1A with uniform display characteristics.

[0058] The manufacturing method of the display device 1A according to this embodiment is similar to the manufacturing method of the display device 1 according to the first embodiment shown in FIG. 4. In this embodiment, too, the alignment treatment surfaces 201Aa and 202Aa of the first and second distribution films 201A and 202A are subjected to alignment treatment by rubbing or optical alignment. The alignment treatment process is performed a number of times depending on the alignment treatment direction of the alignment treatment surfaces 201Aa and 202Aa. That is, the alignment treatment process S303 in FIG. 4 includes aligning at least a portion of the alignment treatment surfaces 201Aa and 202Aa of the distribution films (the first and second distribution films 201A and 202A) along each side of the triangular distribution film. In this case, central regions CR1 and CR2 including the centers C1 and C2 of the alignment treatment surfaces 201Aa and 202Aa of the first and second distribution films 201A and 202A may not be aligned along each side of the respective distribution films. The central regions CR1 and CR2 may not be subjected to alignment treatment.

[0059] In this embodiment, the light source unit 20A is disposed along each side of the triangular display area DA, but the light source unit 20A may be disposed along at least two of the three sides of the triangular display area DA. In this case, the alignment treatment step includes aligning at least a portion of each of the alignment treatment surfaces 201Aa and 202Aa of the light distribution films (the first light distribution film 201A and the second light distribution film 202A) along at least two sides of the triangular light distribution film.

[0060] <Modification> Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention can be implemented in various modes as follows.

[0061] (1) Variation 1 In the first embodiment described above, the display panel 10 has a circular shape in a plan view. However, the display panel 10 may have at least a portion of its outer edge in an arc shape. FIGS. 7 and 8 are plan views of the display panel 10 according to this modification.

[0062] As shown in Fig. 7, the display panel 10 may have an overall elliptical shape in a plan view. Alternatively, as shown in Fig. 8, the display panel 10 may have a part of its outer edge formed in an arc shape in a plan view. Specifically, the outer edge of the display panel 10 on one side in the second direction D2 (the upper side in Fig. 8) is arched, and the other side in the second direction D2 (the lower side in Fig. 8) has the shape of a part of a rectangle, and the display area DA has a shape that follows the shape of the display panel 10.

[0063] When the display panel 10 has an overall elliptical shape in a planar view, as shown in FIG. 7, the alignment treatment surfaces of the light distribution films (first light distribution film 201 and second light distribution film 202) arranged on each substrate (first substrate 11 and second substrate 12) of the display panel 10 are aligned along the circumferential direction of the display panel 10.

[0064] When the display panel 10 has a portion of its outer edge that has an arc shape when viewed in a plane, as shown in Figure 8, and a light source unit 20 (not shown in Figure 8) is provided adjacent to the arc-shaped outer edge, the alignment treatment surface of the light distribution film arranged on each substrate of the display panel 10 is aligned along the arc shape of the outer edge of the display panel 10 in at least a portion of the area.

[0065] FIG. 9 shows an alignment surface of a light distribution film used in the display panel 10 shown in FIG. 8. FIG. 9 shows an alignment surface 201a of a first light distribution film 201 as an example. The first light distribution film 201 has a shape that conforms to the display area DA of the display panel 10 shown in FIG. 8. At least the arc-shaped outer edge of the alignment surface 201a of the first light distribution film 201, i.e., the vicinity of one side (upper side in FIG. 9) of the first light distribution film 201 in the second direction D2, is aligned in a direction that conforms to the arc shape of the outer edge. As shown in FIG. 9, the alignment surface 201a may be aligned gradually along a predetermined direction from one side (upper side in FIG. 9) of the second direction D2 to the other side (lower side in FIG. 9). Although not shown, the alignment surface 202a of the second light distribution film 202 facing the alignment surface 201a is aligned in a direction opposite to the alignment direction of the alignment surface 201a.

[0066] (2) In the second embodiment, the display panel 10A has been described as having a polygonal shape other than a square that is line-symmetric in a planar view, i.e., a triangular shape in a planar view. However, the polygonal shape is not limited to a triangle, and may be a pentagon, hexagon, octagon, or the like. The display panel 10A may also have a non-line-symmetric quadrilateral shape. In this case, the light source unit 20A only needs to be arranged along at least two of the sides of the polygonal display area DA. In this case, the alignment treatment step includes performing alignment treatment on at least a portion of the alignment treatment surfaces 201Aa and 202Aa of the light distribution films (the first light distribution film 201A and the second light distribution film 202A) along at least two sides of the polygonal light distribution film.

[0067] (3) In the second embodiment, the light source units 20A are arranged corresponding to the sides of the triangular display panel 10A. However, as shown in FIG. 10, the light source units 20A may be arranged along two of the three sides of the display panel 10A. In the display device 1B shown in FIG. 10, the light source units 20A are arranged corresponding to the remaining two sides excluding the side to which the wiring board 30 is connected. In FIG. 10, the wiring board 30 is arranged on the side on which the light source units 20A are not arranged, but the position of the wiring board 30 is not limited to this.

[0068] FIG. 11 shows an alignment treatment surface of a light distribution film used in the display panel 10A shown in FIG. 10. FIG. 11 shows an alignment treatment surface 201Aa of a first light distribution film 201A as an example. The first light distribution film 201A has a shape that conforms to the display area DA of the display panel 10A shown in FIG. 10. The alignment treatment surface 201Aa is aligned along each of two sides adjacent to the light source unit 20A. That is, the alignment treatment surface 201Aa includes two regions with different alignment treatment directions. Specifically, the alignment treatment surface 201Aa includes a first region R11 and a second region R12 with different alignment treatment directions. A boundary line B that defines the first region R11 and the second region R12 corresponds to a line that bisects the angle α between the two sides adjacent to the light source unit 20A. Although not shown, the alignment treatment surface 202Aa of the second alignment film 202A facing the alignment treatment surface 201Aa is subjected to alignment treatment in the direction opposite to the alignment treatment direction of the alignment treatment surface 201Aa.

[0069] Fig. 12 shows a display device 1C including a display panel 10C having a shape different from that of the display panel 10A of the display device 1B shown in Fig. 10. The display panel 10C has an asymmetrical rectangular shape. Here, light source units 20C are arranged corresponding to three of the four sides of the display panel 10C. In Fig. 10, the wiring board 30 is arranged on a side on which the light source units 20C are not arranged, but the position of the wiring board 30 is not limited to this.

[0070] FIG. 13 shows an alignment surface of a light distribution film used in the display panel 10C shown in FIG. 12. FIG. 13 shows an alignment surface 201Ca of a first light distribution film 201C as an example. The first light distribution film 201C has a shape that conforms to the display area DA of the display panel 10C shown in FIG. 12. The alignment surface 201Ca is aligned along each of the three sides adjacent to the light source unit 20C. That is, the alignment surface 201Ca includes three regions with different alignment directions. Specifically, the alignment surface 201Ca includes a first region R11, a second region R12, and a third region R13, each with different alignment directions. Boundary lines B1 and B2 defining the first region R11, the second region R12, and the third region R13 correspond to the lines that bisect the angles α1 and α2 formed by the two sides adjacent to the light source unit 20C, respectively. Although not shown, the alignment treatment surface of the second light distribution film facing the alignment treatment surface 201Ca is subjected to alignment treatment in the direction opposite to the alignment treatment direction of the alignment treatment surface 201Ca.

[0071] (4) In the first and second embodiments, the central region CR1 of the alignment-treated surface 201a, 201Aa of the first alignment film 201, 201A and the central region R2 of the alignment-treated surface 202a, 202Aa of the second alignment film 202, 202A are not necessarily aligned. However, the central regions CR1, CR2 may be aligned in a predetermined direction.

[0072] FIG. 14 shows, as an example, a case in which the central region CR1 of the alignment treatment surface 201a of the first light distribution film 201 is aligned along the first direction D1 in the first embodiment. The alignment direction of the central region CR1 is not limited to the first direction D1. Although not shown, on the alignment treatment surface 202a of the second light distribution film 202 facing the alignment treatment surface 201a, the central region CR2 is aligned in the opposite direction to the alignment treatment direction of the central region CR1. The alignment treatment process is performed a number of times according to the alignment treatment direction of the alignment treatment surface 201a. Furthermore, aligning the central region of the light distribution film in a predetermined direction can also be applied to the second embodiment and each of the above-mentioned modified examples. [Explanation of symbols]

[0073] 1, 1A, 1B, 1C: display device, 10, 10A, 10C: display panel, 11, 11A: first substrate, 12, 12A: second substrate, 13: liquid crystal layer, 20, 20A, 20C: light source unit, 30: wiring substrate, 40: driver IC, 101: gate line, 103: data line, 105: pixel electrode, 107: common electrode, 131: liquid crystal molecule, 132: polymer structure, 201, 201A, 201C: first light distribution film, 202, 202A, 202C: second light distribution film, 210: liquid crystal cell

Claims

1. a display panel including a first substrate, a second substrate, and a liquid crystal layer filled between the first substrate and the second substrate; a light source unit disposed around the display panel; Including, At least a part of the outer edge of the display panel has an arc shape, the liquid crystal layer includes liquid crystal molecules and a polymer; In at least a part of the outer edge, the liquid crystal molecules are oriented along a curve corresponding to the arc shape.

2. The display device according to claim 1 , wherein the display panel is circular.

3. The display device according to claim 1 , wherein the display panel is elliptical.

4. The display device according to claim 1 , wherein the light from the light source section is perpendicular to an alignment direction of at least some of the liquid crystal molecules.

5. The display device according to claim 1 , wherein a central region of the display panel away from the outer edge is subjected to an alignment treatment along a predetermined direction.

6. a display panel including a first substrate, a second substrate, and a liquid crystal layer filled between the first substrate and the second substrate; a light source unit disposed around the display panel; Including, the liquid crystal layer includes liquid crystal molecules and a polymer; the display panel has a polygonal shape other than a rectangle, the light source unit is arranged along a side of the display panel, At least some of the liquid crystal molecules are oriented along the edges of the display panel.

7. The display device according to claim 6 , wherein the display panel has a triangular, pentagonal or hexagonal shape.

8. 8. The display device according to claim 6, wherein the light from the light source section is perpendicular to the alignment direction of at least some of the liquid crystal molecules.

9. The display device according to claim 6 , wherein a central region of the display panel is subjected to an alignment treatment along a predetermined direction.

10. performing an alignment treatment on a light alignment film formed on one surface of the substrate; Including, At least a part of the outer edge of the light distribution film has an arc shape, The method for manufacturing a display device includes performing the alignment treatment on at least a part of the alignment treatment surface of the light distribution film along the circumferential direction of the arc shape.

11. performing an alignment treatment on a light alignment film formed on one surface of the substrate; Including, The light distribution film has a polygonal shape other than a rectangle, The method for manufacturing a display device includes performing alignment treatment on at least a part of an alignment treatment surface of the light distribution film along at least two sides of the polygonal shape.

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