Liquid Crystal Cell Assembly Spacer Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The production of liquid crystal (LC) cells from a wide area plastics film component often results in localized defects such as bubbles and color non-uniformities due to variations in spacer structure properties across the mother component, which affect the cell gap and material distribution.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the in-situ formation and patterning of spacer structures on a film component, followed by controlled variation of sealant deposition area perimeters to compensate for spacer structure variations, ensuring consistent LC material distribution and cell assembly by predicting and adjusting the inner perimeter size based on spacer structure measurements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If spacer structures are built into half-cells with location control, then the position of spacer structures can be precisely controlled, but variations in spacer structure properties (thickness, elasticity) across the mother component cause defects in LC cells
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by varying the sealant deposition area inner perimeter size for different regions of the array of LC cells. Specifically, the inner perimeter size is adjusted based on the predicted spacer structure properties (thickness, elasticity) at each location. This allows compensation for local variations in spacer structure properties across the mother component, ensuring uniform LC material distribution and cell assembly quality throughout the array.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of sealant deposition area inner perimeter size to compensate for variations in spacer structure properties. By predicting spacer structure thickness and elasticity variations across the mother component and adjusting the corresponding sealant deposition area parameters, the method compensates for these variations and prevents defects such as bubbles and color non-uniformities in the final LC cells.
2Productivity
If a wide area mother component is used to produce multiple LC cells, then production efficiency is improved, but localized defects occur due to spacer structure property variations across the component
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by measuring and predicting spacer structure properties (thickness, elasticity) at different locations on the mother component before dispensing sealant material. Based on these predictions, the inner perimeter size of sealant deposition areas is pre-adjusted for each region. This preliminary compensation ensures uniform LC material distribution and cell assembly quality across all LC cells produced from the wide area mother component, maintaining high production efficiency while eliminating localized defects.
3Ease of manufacture
If uniform sealant deposition area is used across all LC cells, then the process is simple, but variations in spacer structure properties cause overfill or underfill issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by making the sealant deposition area inner perimeter size location-dependent. Instead of using a uniform size across all LC cells, the inner perimeter is adjusted for each region based on predicted spacer structure properties. This approach maintains manufacturing precision by compensating for spacer variations while keeping the process relatively simple through automated measurement and prediction systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs feedback by measuring actual spacer structure properties at different locations on the mother component and using this information to adjust the sealant deposition area parameters. The measured spacer thickness and elasticity data feed into a prediction model that determines the optimal inner perimeter size for each region, creating a closed-loop system that ensures uniform LC material distribution despite spacer variations.
Data Source
AI summary
Method of forming and patterning in situ on a film component of a layer of spacer structure material to define spacer structures in at least active areas of a liquid crystal (LC) cell array. Applying counter component to the film component after dispensing sealant material onto one or more of the components in areas around each active area of the array, and after dispensing one or more drops of LC material onto one or more of the components in each active area of the array. The components are pressed together to spread the drops of LC material over the active areas so the sealant material for each LC cell interfaces with the LC material for the respective LC cell. Each deposition area has an inner perimeter, which is controllably varied across the array to compensate for variations in one or more properties of the spacer structures across the array.