Curved Glass Substrate Bending via Thickness Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for manufacturing curved liquid crystal display panels are complex and costly, as they require flexible substrates, whereas general liquid crystal panels are typically flat and not suitable for curvature.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a flat liquid crystal panel with glass substrates, where the outer surfaces are reduced in thickness to 50-150µm, bent to a desired shape, and either a transparent polymer layer is formed on the substrates or a pre-shaped transparent substrate is adhered to maintain the curvature.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If flexible substrates are used to manufacture curved liquid crystal display panels, then the display panel can be curved, but the manufacturing process becomes complex and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the thickness parameter of conventional glass substrates from their original thickness to 50-150 μm through selective removal. This parameter change enables the rigid glass substrates to be bent into curved shapes without breaking, while still maintaining their structural integrity and avoiding the need for complex flexible substrate manufacturing processes
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using flexible substrates to achieve curvature (the conventional approach), the patent inverts the approach by using rigid glass substrates with reduced thickness that can be bent. This inversion allows the use of conventional glass substrate manufacturing while achieving the desired curved shape, thereby simplifying the overall manufacturing process
2Shape
If flexible substrates are used to manufacture curved liquid crystal display panels, then the display panel can be curved, but manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the thickness parameter of glass substrates to 50-150 μm, the patent enables curved shapes to be achieved using conventional glass substrates rather than expensive flexible substrates. This parameter change allows the use of established, cost-effective glass substrate manufacturing processes while achieving the desired curved display panel shape
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses conventional glass substrates with reduced thickness instead of expensive flexible substrates. The glass substrates, though thinner, maintain sufficient structural integrity for the application and can be manufactured using existing cost-effective processes, thereby reducing manufacturing costs while achieving the curved shape
3Stability of the object's composition
If glass substrates are used in conventional liquid crystal panels, then the panels are flat and structurally stable, but they cannot be bent into curved shapes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the thickness parameter of glass substrates from conventional thickness to 50-150 μm. This parameter change reduces the rigidity of the glass substrates just enough to allow bending into curved shapes while maintaining sufficient structural stability for the display panel application, thereby resolving the contradiction between structural stability and curvability
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
This method simplifies the manufacturing of curved display panels by reducing substrate thickness, bending, and applying a polymer layer, enabling cost-effective production of curved panels without breaking the substrates.
Implementation Method 1
a liquid crystal layer having dielectric anisotropy interposed between the two substrates. The liquid crystal panel applies an electric field to the liquid crystal layer and adjusts an intensity of the electric field to adjust transmittance of light passing through the liquid crystal layer
Data Source
Figure 1~2(d)
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a curved display panel. The method for manufacturing a curved display panel using a lower substrate and an upper substrate made of glass and opposite each other, and a liquid crystal layer formed between the lower substrate and the upper substrate, comprises: a step of cutting out portions of outer surfaces of the lower substrate and the upper substrate such that the thicknesses of the substrates are reduced to a preset level; and a step of bending the cut lower substrate and the cut upper substrate into a desired curved shape, and forming transparent polymer layers, having shapes identical to the desired curved shape, onto outer surfaces of the substrates, respectively, or attaching transparent substrates, which are prefabricated into shapes identical to the desired curved shape, onto outer surfaces of the substrates, respectively.