Inorganic Substrate Cutting via Etchant Flow Passage
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for manufacturing liquid crystal display panels face difficulties in cutting mother glass substrates due to the presence of sealing members, which complicates the etching process and results in uneven sheet thickness, affecting the subsequent cutting step.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a pair of inorganic substrates with an organic sealing member forming a sealed space, where a groove is created by allowing an etchant to flow through a flow passage outside the sealed space, enabling precise cutting of the substrates along the groove formed on the inorganic substrates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a sealing member is provided between mother glass substrates to protect against etchant intrusion, then the sealing member protects the sealing material of individual products, but the presence of the sealing member makes etching of mother glass at edge portions difficult and causes difference in sheet thickness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the glass substrate into two functional zones: a sealed space containing the sealing member and liquid crystal, and an unsealed edge portion without the sealing member. This segmentation allows the etching process to selectively remove glass only from the unsealed edge portion, creating a groove that enables precise cutting without being obstructed by the sealing member, while the sealed space maintains its protective function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different properties to different parts of the glass substrate: the edge portion is designed to be etchable and cuttable for precise separation, while the sealed space portion maintains its structural integrity and protective qualities. This local differentiation allows the sealing member to protect critical areas while permitting processing in non-critical areas.
2Volume of moving object
If chemical etching is used to make mother glass thin, then the glass substrate thickness is reduced, but the sealing member obstructs the etchant flow and prevents proper etching at edge portions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the glass substrate into a sealed space portion and an unsealed edge portion, allowing the etchant to access and etch only the unsealed edge portion. This segmentation removes the obstruction caused by the sealing member at the edge, enabling proper chemical etching to thin the glass substrate where needed for groove formation and precise cutting.
3Reliability
If the sealing member is present during etching, then the sealing material is protected from etchant intrusion, but the cutting step following etching is adversely influenced due to uneven thickness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the processing area into a sealed space that remains protected during etching and an unsealed edge portion that is etched to create a groove. This groove serves as a predetermined cutting line, enabling efficient and precise cutting in subsequent steps without being adversely affected by the presence of the sealing member, thus improving productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary etching of the unsealed edge portion to create a groove before the final cutting step. This preliminary action prepares the glass substrate by creating a weakened line along the groove, making the subsequent cutting operation more efficient and precise, and eliminating the adverse influence of the sealing member on the cutting process.
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 allows for effective cutting of inorganic substrates while maintaining the integrity of the sealed space, facilitating the manufacturing of display devices with uniform thickness and improved cutting precision.
Implementation Method 1
a flow passage which is defined by a surface of at least one of the pair of inorganic substrates and the organic sealing member outside the sealed space, and the step of cutting the pair of inorganic substrates includes forming a groove by allowing an etchant for an inorganic material to flow into the flow passage
Implementation Method 2
forming a groove by allowing an etchant for an inorganic material to flow into the flow passage and by etching the surface of at least one of the pair of inorganic substrates along the flow passage
Data Source
AI summary
An intermediate product where a pair of inorganic substrates facing each other in an opposed manner is provided and a sealed space is formed by an organic sealing member between the pair of inorganic substrates is prepared. The inorganic substrates are cut outside the sealed space. A circuit for an image display is formed on at least one of opposedly facing surfaces of the inorganic substrates in the sealed space. The intermediate product includes a flow passage which is defined by a surface of at least one of the inorganic substrates and the organic sealing member outside the sealed space. The step of cutting the inorganic substrates includes forming a groove by allowing an etchant for an inorganic material to flow into the flow passage and by etching the surface of at least one of the inorganic substrates along the flow passage.