Liquid crystal cells – elements and systems – Nominal manufacturing methods or post manufacturing... – Sealing of liquid crystal
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-11
2001-04-03
Parker, Kenneth (Department: 2871)
Liquid crystal cells, elements and systems
Nominal manufacturing methods or post manufacturing...
Sealing of liquid crystal
C349S154000, C156S182000, C156S109000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06211938
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal panel manufacturing apparatus, more particularly, to an apparatus for manufacturing a sheet constituting at least one empty liquid crystal cell by adhering a pair of substrates with a thermosetting resin as one process in the manufacture of a liquid crystal display element and, in more detail, to an apparatus for pressing a pair of substrates in the vertical direction with a uniform pressure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 1
shows a first conventional liquid crystal panel manufacturing apparatus. According to this first prior art, fixing jigs
32
and
34
, respectively, having recesses in their opposing inner surfaces are vertically arranged, and a pair of substrates
31
are clamped between the fixing jigs
32
and
34
. A thermosetting resin
42
as an adhesive, which also serves as a spacer, is placed between the pair of substrates
31
. A fluid from one supply source (not shown) is supplied to two, upper and lower pressure regions
36
surrounded by the upper and lower outer surfaces, respectively, of the pair of substrates
31
and the two recesses of the fixing jigs
32
and
34
. The pair of substrates
31
are pressed against each other with the pressure of this fluid (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 6-194618).
In the first prior art described above, the pair of substrates
31
are pressed by the fluid. In a second prior art shown in
FIG. 2
, pairs of substrates
31
and rubber sheets
44
each having a pressure plate
45
on the substrate side, are alternately stacked in a plurality of stages. A fluid is supplied into the respective rubber sheets
44
to inflate them, thereby pressing the plurality of pairs of substrates
31
(see Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 6-194618). As a result, a uniform air gap can be obtained between each pair of substrates without distorting the substrates
31
, while causing no warp in the substrates
31
.
As shown in
FIG. 3
, an apparatus as a modification of the first prior art is also known. In this apparatus, projections
32
a
and
34
a
are formed, on surfaces of fixing jigs
32
and
34
that oppose substrates
31
, at positions corresponding to a thermosetting resin
42
placed between the pair of substrates
31
, to form pressure regions surrounded by the fixing jigs
32
and
34
, the pair of substrates
31
, and the annular projections
32
a
and
34
a.
A fluid from one supply source is supplied to the pressure regions to adjust the gap between the pair of substrates
31
with its pressure.
FIG. 4
shows an apparatus as a fourth prior art apparatus. In this apparatus, upper and lower elastic members
51
and
52
are formed on a pair of substrates
31
. The upper and lower elastic members
51
and
52
are clamped by upper and lower pressure plates
53
and
54
. The upper and lower pressure plates
53
and
54
, the upper and lower elastic members
51
and
52
, and the pair of substrates
31
form upper and lower hermetic chambers U and D. Compressed air from a compressed air source
56
is supplied to the upper and lower hermetic chambers U and D through a pressure control valve
55
, to press the pair of substrates
31
(see Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 7-104308). If the pressures in the upper and lower hermetic chambers U and D are different from each other, they are adjusted to be always equal to each other with the function of two, first and second air operator type pressure reducing valves
57
and
58
respectively communicating with the upper and lower hermetic chambers U and D. As a result, a uniform air gap can be obtained without distorting the pair of substrates
31
, while causing no warp in the substrates
31
.
In the first prior art, the number of substrates that can be processed at once is limited to a pair. To process a large amount of substrates, apparatuses corresponding in number to the number of substrates are required. As a result, the apparatuses become very large as a whole, which is not suitable for mass production.
In the second prior art using the rubber sheets, when the rubber sheets are inflated with the fluid, they do not inflate in parallel to the substrates but inflate like a convex lens. As a result, a pressure is applied to the substrates only locally, and the cell gap becomes nonuniform.
Furthermore, in the third and fourth prior arts, the number of substrates that can be processed at once is limited to a pair. To process a large amount of substrates, apparatuses corresponding in number to the number of substrates are required. As a result, the apparatuses become very large as a whole, which is not suitable for mass production.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made in consideration of the above situation in the prior arts and, has as one of its object to provide a liquid crystal panel manufacturing apparatus with which a uniform cell gap can be obtained between a pair of substrates adhered to each other without distorting them, while causing no warp in the substrates, and which can process a large number of substrates at once.
In order to achieve above object, according to the one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a liquid crystal panel manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a plurality of liquid crystal panels, having at least one empty liquid crystal cell, at once by adhering a plurality of pairs of substrates stacked in a vertical direction such that each of the plurality of pairs of substrates are adhered with a thermosetting resin, comprising jigs stacked in a plurality of stages, arranged above and below the respective pairs of substrates, and having O-rings at positions corresponding to portions on the thermosetting resin, fluid pressurizing means for introducing a pressure fluid into pressure regions defined by the O-rings, surfaces of the jigs, and surfaces of the substrates through inlet holes respectively formed in the jigs, to pressurize the substrates in units of pairs, a mechanical press mechanism for entirely pressing the plurality of pairs of substrates stacked alternately with the jigs, and heating means for heating and calcining the plurality of pairs of substrates pressed by the mechanical press mechanism, wherein adhered portions adhered with the thermosetting resin and a display portion of the liquid crystal cell are pressurized, in units of pairs of substrates, in a vertical direction with a uniform pressure.
The O-rings in the major aspect are arranged to correspond to the portions on the thermosetting resin located at outermost portions of the respective substrate pairs, or are arranged on and/or outside the thermoset resin.
The inlet holes in the major aspect are connected to a pressure fluid source through connection pipes arranged in units of jigs, or through one connection pipe extending through the respective jigs.
The pressure fluid in the major aspect is a gas or a hot liquid.
In the liquid crystal panel manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention, when manufacturing a liquid crystal panel constituting at least one empty liquid crystal cell by adhering a pair of substrates with a thermosetting resin, the pair of substrates are pressed with the press mechanism through the upper and lower jig. The thermoset resin is set by hot air introduced into the heating unit through the hot air inlet holes. The display portion of the liquid crystal panel is pressurized by air or other fluid introduced through the air inlet holes extending through the jigs.
In this manner, according to the present invention, the following effects are obtained.
According to the first effect, since a pair of substrates adhered to each other are pressed with a uniform pressure, a uniform gap can be obtained without distorting them, while causing no warp in the substrates. As a result, a liquid crystal panel having a uniform cell gap can be manufactured. As a result, display variations caused by a nonuniform gap does not occur in the liquid crystal panel.
According to the second effect,
McGuireWoods LLP
NEC Corporation
Parker Kenneth
LandOfFree
Apparatus for manufacturing a plurality of liquid crystal... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Apparatus for manufacturing a plurality of liquid crystal..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Apparatus for manufacturing a plurality of liquid crystal... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2471746