Liquid Crystal Display Spacer with Liquid Phase Material
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Solution Overview
Problem
Liquid crystal display devices face gravity failure at high temperatures due to non-uniform cell gap expansion, where column spacers fail to maintain a uniform gap between substrates as they have a lower thermal expansion coefficient than liquid crystals, leading to display quality degradation and opaque stains.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a dispersed liquid phase material within the organic resin forming the column spacers, which has a thermal expansion coefficient similar to or greater than that of the liquid crystals, ensuring the spacers expand similarly to the liquid crystals, thus maintaining a uniform cell gap across the panel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If column spacers made of organic resin are used to support substrates, then the substrates are maintained at a predetermined gap, but non-uniform cell gap expansion occurs at high temperatures due to lower thermal expansion coefficient of the spacer material compared to liquid crystals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining organic resin with inorganic particles (such as glass beads or ceramic particles) having high thermal expansion coefficients. This composite structure allows the spacer to maintain mechanical support function while achieving thermal expansion characteristics that match the liquid crystals, thereby preventing non-uniform cell gap expansion at high temperatures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the thermal expansion parameter of the spacer material by incorporating inorganic particles with specifically selected thermal expansion coefficients. This parameter adjustment ensures that the spacer's thermal expansion matches or exceeds that of the liquid crystals, resolving the contradiction between maintaining gap uniformity and responding to temperature changes.
2Illumination intensity
If the liquid crystal layer is excessively filled to improve display quality, then high definition and high luminance are achieved, but gravity failure occurs at high temperatures due to liquid crystal expansion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes thermal expansion by designing the spacer material to have a thermal expansion coefficient that matches or exceeds that of the liquid crystals. This ensures that when the liquid crystal layer is excessively filled and expands at high temperatures, the spacer expands simultaneously, maintaining uniform cell gap and preventing gravity failure while allowing high luminance display quality.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the spacer material has lower thermal expansion coefficient than liquid crystals, then the spacer maintains structural stability, but non-uniform expansion and opaque stains occur at high temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite materials combining organic resin with inorganic particles to achieve both structural stability and appropriate thermal expansion. The organic resin provides structural stability while the inorganic particles (glass beads or ceramic particles) contribute high thermal expansion coefficient, together preventing non-uniform expansion and opaque stains at high temperatures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the thermal expansion parameter of the spacer by incorporating inorganic particles with high thermal expansion coefficients. This parameter change allows the spacer to maintain structural stability while achieving uniform thermal expansion characteristics that match the liquid crystals, thereby preventing manufacturing defects at high temperatures.
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 prevents non-uniform cell gap expansion and minimizes gravity failure, maintaining display quality and preventing stains by ensuring the column spacers and liquid crystals expand at the same rate, even at elevated temperatures.
Implementation Method 1
the liquid phase material, which has a thermal expansion coefficient substantially equal to or greater than that of the liquid crystals
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid crystal display device and fabricating method thereof are disclosed by which a cell gap can be uniformly maintained, regardless of temperature variation, across an LCD panel. Opposing substrates are spaced apart with a prescribed gap using spacers and liquid crystals in the gap between the substrates. The spacers are provided on either or both of the substrates. The spacers contain an organic resin within which a liquid phase material or liquid crystals is dispersed. The liquid phase material or liquid crystals may be encapsulated. The thermal expansion coefficient of the material is substantially equal to or greater than that of the liquid crystals in the gap between the substrates. The thermal expansion coefficient of the column spacer is substantially equal to or greater than that of the liquid crystals in the gap between the substrates.