Liquid Crystal Coating Apparatus Real-Time Uniformity Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for filling liquid crystals between transparent substrates in LCDs are inefficient, with the vacuum siphon method being too slow for large-scale panels and the one-drop filling method being expensive and prone to bubbles and non-uniform coatings due to imprecise dispensed amounts.
Innovation Solution
A liquid crystal coating apparatus and method utilizing inkjet or slit coating heads with real-time detectors and controllers to precisely control the coating process, ensuring uniformity and accuracy by adjusting voltage, moving speed, pressure, and slit width based on real-time detection signals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the vacuum siphon method is used to fill liquid crystal between transparent substrates, then the filling process is simple, but the filling time is too long and it is not applicable to large-scale panels
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical vacuum siphon system with an inkjet printing system that uses piezoelectric droplet ejectors to deposit liquid crystal. This substitution enables precise control of liquid crystal deposition while dramatically reducing filling time and enabling large-scale panel production.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of liquid crystal delivery from bulk vacuum transfer to controlled droplet ejection. By adjusting voltage to control droplet amount and using real-time detection, the system achieves both speed and precision, resolving the contradiction between simple process and fast filling.
2Productivity
If the one-drop filling (ODF) method is used to fill liquid crystal, then the filling time is reduced, but the machine cost is too expensive and the process is more complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates real-time detectors that monitor the liquid crystal coating status during the filling process. The controller uses this feedback information to adjust the droplet ejection in real-time, ensuring uniform coating without requiring overly complex pre-programming or manual intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses real-time detection to enable the coating process to self-correct and self-regulate. The detector continuously monitors the liquid crystal distribution and the controller automatically adjusts the droplet ejection parameters, making the process more autonomous and reducing operational complexity.
3Device complexity
If the one-drop filling (ODF) method is used with imprecise dispensed amount, then the filling process is simple, but bubbles or non-uniform coating problems arise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces imprecise mechanical dispensing with piezoelectric droplet ejection technology. This substitution enables precise control of droplet amount through voltage adjustment, ensuring uniform liquid crystal coating and eliminating bubbles while maintaining process simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the control parameter from fixed mechanical dispensing to variable voltage-controlled droplet ejection. By dynamically adjusting voltage based on real-time detection feedback, the system achieves precise control over liquid crystal amount, ensuring uniform coating without increasing device complexity.
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 approach significantly increases production efficiency, simplifies the manufacturing process, and ensures precise control over liquid crystal film thickness and uniformity, reducing the occurrence of bubbles and non-uniformities.
Implementation Method 1
the real-time detector is at least one charge coupled device configured to real-time detect the liquid crystal coated on the substrate and output the detection signal to the controller
Implementation Method 2
the liquid crystal coating devices are piezoelectric droplet ejectors, and the controller adjusts a voltage of the liquid crystal coating devices according to a relation between a droplet amount and the voltage
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a liquid crystal (LC) coating apparatus and an LC coating method. The LC coating apparatus comprises a plurality of liquid crystal coating devices, at least one real-time detector and a controller. The LC coating method comprises the following steps: utilizing the LC coating devices to coat a LC on a substrate; utilizing the real-time detector to real-time detect the LC coated on the substrate and outputting a detection signal; and utilizing the controller to control the LC coating devices according to the detection signal. The present invention can real-time monitor the coating status of the LC for coating and forming a uniform LC film.