Liquid Crystal Polymer Barrier Ribs for LCD Cell Gap
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Solution Overview
Problem
Liquid crystal display (LCD) devices with plastic substrates face issues with maintaining the liquid crystal cell gap and preventing seal bursts due to the low rigidity of plastic, which current structures are unable to effectively address.
Innovation Solution
A liquid crystal polymer composition comprising a liquid crystal, acrylic monomers with a cyclic ring and a chain structure or cyclohexanol, and a photo initiator is used to form barrier ribs within the LCD, enhancing adhesive strength and maintaining the cell gap by curing the monomers with UV light.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If plastic substrates are used instead of glass substrates, then the device becomes lighter and more flexible, but the liquid crystal cell gap cannot be maintained and seal bursts occur due to low rigidity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining plastic substrates with a specially formulated liquid crystal polymer composition containing acrylic monomers (cyclic ring structure and chain structure or cyclohexanol). This composite approach allows the plastic substrate to provide light weight while the cured polymer barrier ribs provide the necessary structural support to maintain cell gap and prevent seal bursts, resolving the contradiction between weight reduction and reliability maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the barrier rib material by using a liquid crystal polymer composition that undergoes phase transition upon UV irradiation. The composition transforms from a liquid state (easy to fill and adapt to substrate) to a cured solid state (high rigidity for maintaining cell gap), allowing the barrier ribs to provide structural support despite the flexible plastic substrate.
2Reliability
If barrier ribs are formed to maintain cell gap in plastic substrate LCDs, then structural support is provided, but current structures lack the ability to effectively prevent seal bursts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite liquid crystal polymer composition containing both cyclic ring acrylic monomers (for rigidity and barrier rib formation) and chain structure or cyclohexanol acrylic monomers (for flexibility and adhesion). This composite material system allows the barrier ribs to maintain cell gap while preventing seal bursts by providing both structural support and flexibility to accommodate plastic substrate movement without generating harmful seal bursts.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by creating barrier ribs with specific localized properties through the liquid crystal polymer composition. The cured acrylic monomers form barrier ribs with high local rigidity at the cell gap regions while the overall structure remains flexible. This localized structural reinforcement prevents seal bursts by distributing stress away from the seals while maintaining cell gap integrity.
3Reliability
If a liquid crystal polymer composition with cyclic ring and chain structure monomers is used, then adhesive strength and cell gap maintenance are improved, but the manufacturing process requires UV irradiation curing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the barrier rib formation process with the liquid crystal injection and curing process. The liquid crystal polymer composition is injected in liquid form, allowing easy filling and adaptation to the cell structure, then UV irradiation simultaneously cures the composition to form the barrier ribs with high adhesive strength. This merged process eliminates separate barrier rib fabrication steps and achieves both cell gap maintenance and seal protection in one operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical barrier rib formation methods (such as pre-formed rigid structures or complex multi-step fabrication) with a photochemical curing process. UV irradiation initiates polymerization of the acrylic monomers, transforming the liquid composition into solid barrier ribs with high adhesion. This substitution simplifies the manufacturing process by eliminating mechanical assembly steps while achieving superior structural integrity.
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
The solution effectively maintains the liquid crystal cell gap and prevents seal bursts, improving the reliability and adhesive strength of the barrier ribs, thereby enhancing the overall performance and production yield of LCD devices.
Implementation Method 1
irradiating UV light to the cell to cure the acrylic monomers to form barrier ribs
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid crystal polymer composition comprising a liquid crystal, acrylic monomers including an acrylic monomer group (A) including a cyclic ring and an acrylic monomer group (B) including a chain structure or a cyclohexanol, and a photo initiator.