Columnar Spacer Pattern for Liquid Crystal Writing Panel
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Solution Overview
Problem
Liquid crystal writing boards suffer from non-uniform stroke widths due to uneven distribution and precision issues with plastic or glass spacers, leading to inconsistent support and cell thickness variations.
Innovation Solution
A writing panel design featuring an array substrate with columnar spacers on the array substrate, arranged in a specific pattern to ensure uniform distribution and precision, along with a flexible substrate and a liquid crystal layer, which includes an alignment film to provide pretilt angles to the liquid crystal molecules for improved uniformity and erasability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If plastic or glass spacers are used to maintain cell thickness, then the writing board can function, but the stroke width becomes non-uniform due to uneven distribution and precision issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical spacers (plastic or glass beads) with a patterned substrate structure that has micro-protrusions formed directly on the array substrate. This substitution eliminates the need for separate spacer components and their associated distribution uniformity problems, achieving both manufacturing precision and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the spacer function into the array substrate itself by forming micro-protrusions directly on the substrate surface. This integration eliminates the interface between separate spacer components and the substrate, ensuring uniform cell thickness and reliable stroke width without the precision issues of separate spacer components.
2Manufacturing precision
If spacers are added to control cell thickness, then cell thickness can be maintained, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the cell thickness control function directly into the array substrate by forming micro-protrusions on its surface. This integration eliminates separate spacer components and reduces overall structure complexity while maintaining precise cell thickness control.
Solution Approach 2:
The array substrate is designed to serve multiple functions: it provides the electrical connection for liquid crystal control and simultaneously provides the mechanical support for cell thickness control through its integrated micro-protrusions. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional components and simplifies the overall structure.
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 solution enhances the uniformity of stroke widths and cell thickness, improving the consistency of handwriting and reducing power consumption during erasure by ensuring uniform pressure distribution and efficient liquid crystal molecule alignment.
Implementation Method 1
the array substrate further includes an alignment film disposed on a side of the pixel driving circuit layer proximate to the liquid crystal layer. The alignment film is configured to provide liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer with a pretilt angle.
Data Source
AI summary
A writing panel includes an array substrate, a flexible substrate disposed opposite to the array substrate, a liquid crystal layer disposed between the array substrate and the flexible substrate, and a plurality of spacers each in a shape of a column disposed on a surface of the array substrate proximate to the liquid crystal layer. The array substrate includes a base and a pixel driving circuit layer disposed on the base, and the pixel driving circuit layer includes a plurality of thin film transistors and a plurality of signal lines. An orthographic projection of each spacer on the base is non-overlapping with orthographic projections of the plurality of thin film transistors and the plurality of signal lines on the base.