Liquid Crystal Device with Segmented Heat-Dissipating Gels

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Solution Overview

Problem

Liquid crystal display elements experience image quality deterioration due to thermal expansion of the liquid crystal layer, especially when using laser or LED light sources, causing unevenness in the image displayed, particularly visible as interference fringes in the blue wavelength region.

Innovation Solution

A liquid crystal device design featuring a heat sink with heat-dissipating gels and a method for manufacturing that includes forming these gels with intervals to prevent thermal expansion-induced deviations, ensuring the silicon and glass substrates remain roughly parallel, and using a curved silicon substrate that returns to a flat shape upon thermal expansion, maintaining image quality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If heat-dissipating gel is used to manage thermal expansion, then image quality deteriorates due to air bubbles and uneven heat dissipation, but without heat-dissipating gel, thermal expansion causes substrate deviation and image quality deterioration

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage qualityVSAvoidair bubble-induced deviations

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The heat-dissipating gel is divided into multiple independent gel portions rather than using a single continuous gel layer. Each gel portion is separated from others, which prevents air bubble formation at gel-gel interfaces and enables independent heat dissipation control in different regions, thereby maintaining image quality while effectively managing thermal expansion

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the heat-dissipating structure are designed with different properties - some regions have gel portions for heat dissipation, while other regions have spacers for maintaining substrate spacing. This local differentiation allows each component to perform its specific function optimally without interfering with other functions, resolving the contradiction between heat dissipation and image quality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Illumination intensity

If laser or LED light sources are used to improve color reproducing property and lifespan, then image quality improves, but thermal expansion of liquid crystal layer causes interference fringes and image quality deterioration

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecolor reproducing propertyVSAvoidimage quality

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the harmful thermal expansion effect into a beneficial one by designing the silicon substrate with a predetermined curved shape that compensates for thermal expansion. When thermal expansion occurs due to laser or LED operation, the curved substrate returns toward a flat state, thereby maintaining image quality while allowing the use of high-performance laser or LED light sources

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Reliability

If silicon substrate is made curved to compensate thermal expansion, then image quality is maintained under thermal conditions, but manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage qualityVSAvoidsubstrate shape control

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The silicon substrate is manufactured with a predetermined curved shape in advance, before the liquid crystal device is assembled and before thermal expansion occurs. This preliminary shaping compensates for future thermal expansion effects, allowing the substrate to return to a flat state during operation and maintain image quality without requiring complex real-time control mechanisms

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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 prevents image quality deterioration by ensuring the substrates remain parallel, reducing interference fringes and maintaining high image quality even under thermal expansion, and by minimizing air bubble-induced deviations in the heat-dissipating gel, ensuring uniform heat dissipation and substrate alignment.

Implementation Method 1

a plurality of heat-dissipating gels formed on the plate with intervals therebetween

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

thermal expansion of the liquid crystal layer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal expansion: Thermal Expansion

Data Source

PatentUS20210088832A1Liquid crystal device and method for manufacturing liquid crystal device

Publication Date: 2021.03.25 JVC KENWOOD CORP

AI summary

A liquid crystal device includes a heat sink, a plurality of heat-dissipating gels formed on the heat sink with intervals therebetween, and a liquid crystal display element disposed above the heat sink with the plurality of heat-dissipating gels interposed therebetween, the liquid crystal display element including a silicon substrate, a glass substrate, and a liquid crystal contained therebetween.