Liquid Crystal Backlight Device Vacuum Bonding Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Direct bonding of touch panels and liquid crystal modules in a vacuum environment is challenging due to structural sealing, which leads to misalignment and dust entry issues, resulting in defects and reduced productivity.

Innovation Solution

A liquid crystal backlight device design with a frame having openings that allow communication between internal and external spaces, using elastic members and seal materials to facilitate accurate bonding and prevent dust entry, enabling efficient vacuum bonding without module expansion.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If direct bonding is used to bond touch panel and liquid crystal module, then bonding strength is improved, but bonding accuracy deteriorates due to difficulty in accurate alignment

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebonding strengthVSAvoidbonding accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a positioning protrusion and positioning groove structure that enables preliminary positioning of the touch panel and liquid crystal module before bonding. The positioning protrusion on the frame fits into the positioning groove on the touch panel, establishing accurate alignment in advance of the bonding process, thereby resolving the alignment difficulty while maintaining bonding strength

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses a positioning structure as an intermediary element between the touch panel and liquid crystal module. This positioning protrusion-groove mechanism acts as a mediator that facilitates precise alignment during the bonding process, enabling both strong bonding and high accuracy simultaneously

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the liquid crystal backlight device is hermetically sealed, then dust entry is prevented, but device expansion occurs in vacuum environment during bonding

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedust entry preventionVSAvoiddevice expansion
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the internal space of the liquid crystal backlight device into multiple sealed compartments using partition walls. This segmentation allows different regions to be independently sealed, preventing dust entry while accommodating vacuum bonding without causing overall device expansion, as each compartment can handle pressure differential independently

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies selective sealing to specific regions rather than complete hermetic sealing of the entire device. The partition walls create localized sealed areas that prevent dust entry where needed, while leaving other areas open to vacuum bonding, thus preventing device expansion while maintaining dust protection in critical regions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If the liquid crystal backlight device is designed with sealed structure, then reliability is improved by preventing dust entry, but productivity deteriorates due to misalignment issues during bonding

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedust entry preventionVSAvoidbonding efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The positioning protrusion and groove structure enables preliminary alignment before bonding, ensuring that the touch panel and liquid crystal module are correctly positioned in advance. This preliminary positioning action prevents misalignment issues during bonding, maintaining both reliability through proper sealing and productivity by avoiding rework

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces complex mechanical alignment systems with a simple positioning protrusion-groove mechanical feature. This substitution provides reliable positioning and alignment through basic geometric constraints, ensuring both dust-proof sealing and high bonding efficiency without requiring complex alignment mechanisms that would reduce productivity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The design allows for accurate and quick bonding of the liquid crystal backlight device to touch panels or cover glasses, preventing dust entry and reducing misalignment issues, thereby improving manufacturing efficiency and product quality.

Implementation Method 1

a first elastic member that is located between the liquid crystal panel and the first frame, and surrounds the opening of the first frame without any gap; a plurality of second elastic members that are located between the first frame and the optical sheet, surround the opening of the first frame

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3410180B1Liquid crystal backlight device
Publication Date: 2019.12.11 PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO LTD
  • EP3410180B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3410180B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3410180B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A liquid crystal backlight device (100) includes: a frame (120) that includes a first frame (106) and a second frame (105) defining a space; a liquid crystal panel (101) that covers an opening (106b) of the first frame (106); a backlight unit that irradiates the liquid crystal panel (101) with light; an optical sheet (102); a cushion member (110) that is located between the liquid crystal panel (101) and the first frame (106), and surrounds the opening (106b) without any gap; a plurality of cushion members (111) that are located between the first frame (106) and the optical sheet (102), surround the opening (106b), and are arranged at a predetermined spacing from each other; and a seal material (113) that seals a hole which is formed through a lateral part of the frame (120) as seen from the front and through which the space and an outside of the liquid crystal backlight device (100) communicate with each other.