Dummy Seal Material for LCD Cell Gap Uniformity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Liquid crystal display devices face issues with attaching accuracy and uniformity of the cell gap between substrates, leading to display unevenness due to non-uniform crushing of peripheral seal materials and misalignment during manufacturing of large-sized mother substrates.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the formation of a dummy seal material between the peripheral seal material and the seal material, with controlled exhaust openings to balance pressure and flow velocity, ensuring uniform crushing and attachment of substrates, and using UV curing and thermosetting resins for the seal materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If peripheral seal material is formed without dummy seal material, then device complexity is reduced, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to non-uniform crushing and misalignment
Solution Approach 1:
The peripheral seal material is segmented into multiple sections by introducing dummy seal materials at specific positions. This segmentation allows the peripheral seal material to be crushed uniformly across different regions, ensuring consistent cell gap formation and substrate attachment without increasing overall device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
Dummy seal materials serve as intermediary elements between the peripheral seal material and the substrate. These intermediaries facilitate uniform pressure distribution during the crushing process, enabling precise control of cell gap dimensions and improving attaching accuracy while maintaining structural integrity
2Reliability
If exhaust opening is not provided in peripheral seal material, then sealing is improved, but pressure balance deteriorates causing non-uniform crushing
Solution Approach 1:
An exhaust opening is provided at a specific location within the peripheral seal material, creating a localized quality difference. This localized feature allows pressure equalization in specific regions during the crushing process, ensuring uniform pressure distribution across the entire seal structure while maintaining overall sealing effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The exhaust opening in the peripheral seal material enables pneumatic pressure equalization between the interior and exterior of the seal structure. This allows balanced pressure distribution during the crushing process, preventing localized stress concentration and ensuring uniform crushing throughout the seal material
3Ease of manufacture
If dummy seal material is not formed, then manufacturing process is simplified, but cell gap uniformity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing structure is segmented by incorporating dummy seal materials at strategic positions. This segmentation creates multiple controlled regions that crush uniformly, ensuring consistent cell gap dimensions across the entire display device while maintaining ease of manufacture through a systematic process
4Strength
If seal material is not cured properly, then attachment strength is reduced, but manufacturing time is extended
Solution Approach 1:
The curing process parameters are optimized by adjusting temperature, time, and pressure conditions. These parameter changes enable efficient curing of the seal material, achieving strong attachment between substrates while minimizing the total curing time through controlled thermal and mechanical treatment
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 improves the attaching accuracy and uniformity of the cell gap, reducing display unevenness and manufacturing defects, enabling the production of high-quality liquid crystal display devices with enhanced manufacturing yield.
Implementation Method 1
curing the seal material, the peripheral seal material and the dummy seal material
Implementation Method 2
using UV curing and thermosetting resins for the seal materials
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, a first substrate having a plurality of array regions is prepared. A seal material is formed in each of the array regions. A peripheral seal material is arranged outside the array regions extending in a first direction. The peripheral seal material has an exhaust opening provided at a portion of the peripheral seal material extending in a second direction. A dummy seal material is formed between the peripheral seal material extending in the first direction and the seal material formed in the array region. A second substrate is arranged on a surface of the first substrate in a jig. The inside of the jig is decompressed, and the atmosphere between the first and second substrates is exhausted while applying a pressure to the first and second substrates. Then, the first and second substrates are attached by curing the seal material, the peripheral seal material and the dummy seal material.